Content
“Raspberry Empire” is a wonderful tomato variety that allows experienced and novice gardeners to get a good harvest of tasty and aromatic vegetables. The hybrid is not picky and very productive. It is loved and grown by many domestic gardeners. For those who are still unfamiliar with this variety, we will try to provide the most interesting and useful information that will help you get to know the tomato better and successfully cultivate it on your site.
Variety information
Tomato "Raspberry Empire F1" is indeterminate, tall. Its bushes grow up to 2 m or more. Such giant plants require careful shaping. So, on adult tomato bushes, lower leaves and shoots should be removed every 10-12 days. This must be done in sunny weather so that the wounds on the trunk heal safely and do not allow infection to penetrate the body of the bush.
Tall tomato bushes "Raspberry Empire F1" are recommended to be grown in greenhouses and greenhouses. In the southern regions of the country, cultivation of the variety in open areas of soil is allowed. The presence of a specially equipped, heated greenhouse will allow you to grow Empire tomatoes all year round.
Tomatoes “Raspberry Empire F1” must be tied to a specially installed, reliable support or to a greenhouse frame. Throughout the entire fruiting period, tomatoes form long stems, which can be lowered on twines or the top of their head bent down to reach the height of the greenhouse ceiling.
Tomatoes “Raspberry Empire F1” actively form ovaries throughout the entire growing season. The first inflorescence of this variety appears above the 7th leaf. Further along the stem, flowering clusters are formed every 2-3 leaves. Each fruiting cluster consists of 3-6 flowers, which quickly become ovaries, and then full-fledged tomatoes.
The root system of indeterminate Empire tomatoes is well developed. It nourishes tomatoes with all the necessary microelements and moisture. At the same time, the developed network of roots does not allow plants to be planted too close to each other. Recommended planting scheme for this variety: one bush per plot of land, measuring 40x50 cm.
Description of tomatoes
When studying a new variety, farmers are primarily interested in the taste of vegetables, their shape and color. Thus, tomatoes “Raspberry Empire F1” can be characterized as follows:
- The shape of the tomatoes is round, heart-shaped.
- Ripe vegetables are colored bright crimson.
- The weight of each ripe tomato is 140-160 g.
- The taste of tomatoes is high, the aroma is pronounced.
- The internal cavity of the vegetable is fleshy and has several chambers.
- The skin of the fruit is thin but durable. It reliably protects tomatoes from cracking.
Of course, a verbal description does not allow one to fully appreciate the external qualities of vegetables, so we suggest taking a look at the photo of “Raspberry Empire F1” tomatoes:
You can see bunches of “Empire” tomatoes and get some comments from the farmer and practical advice on growing this variety by watching the video:
Numerous reviews and comments from farmers claim that tomatoes of the Raspberry Empire F1 variety are very tasty and aromatic. You can use them to make a thick paste or canned pickles for the winter. Vegetables are good in fresh salads, pizza and other culinary delights. And it will not be possible to prepare juice from such tomatoes alone, since it will turn out to be very thick.
Tomatoes contain many vitamins and minerals, acids, and fiber essential for humans. Thanks to this, we can say that tomatoes are not only very tasty, but also very healthy.
Tomato yield
Tomatoes "Raspberry Empire F1" are early ripening varieties. Empire vegetables ripen within 95 days from the day the grains germinate. Such a short period of time makes it possible to grow tomatoes in the northern regions of the country, where summers are short and cool.
The rapid ripening of tomatoes allows the gardener to immediately collect a large number of vegetables and use them for preparing various dishes and canning. A lot of ripe tomatoes on one bush can be seen in the photo below:
The variety “Raspberry Empire F1” is characterized by high yield. So, from every 1 m2 soil, subject to the rules of growing crops, gardeners manage to harvest about 20 kg of ripe, tasty and aromatic tomatoes.The yield of a variety can be reduced by about a third when cultivating tomatoes in open ground.
Variety resistance
Various fungal, viral and bacterial diseases every now and then affect tomatoes. Many varieties show vulnerability to diseases and die before they finish the fruiting period. The “Raspberry Empire F1” variety has a clear advantage over other tomato varieties: at the genetic level it has high protection against blossom end and root rot, as well as brown spot. Empire tomatoes have an average degree of resistance to some diseases. The Empire tomato is vulnerable only to late blight, which can be combated with the help of fungicides or folk remedies.
Farmers should also remember that excess nitrogen, excessive watering and pinching bushes in wet weather can cause the development of certain ailments, fattening of bushes and a decrease in yield.
Not only microorganisms that are invisible to the eye can cause harm to tomatoes, but also quite obvious insects. They can be dealt with by setting traps, mechanically collecting adults and larvae, and treating plants with special means.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
Speaking about Raspberry Empire F1 tomatoes, it is difficult to highlight negative qualities, since there are practically none, but we will try to note not only the positive characteristics, but also some negative qualities of the variety. Thus, the advantages of culture are:
- Excellent taste of vegetables, their pleasant, fresh aroma.
- High yield of tomatoes in open and protected ground.
- Good resistance of the variety to many diseases.
- Possibility to grow tomatoes until late autumn, and even all year round.
- Early period of tomato ripening.
Among the disadvantages of the “Empire” variety, it should be noted:
- The need for regular and correct formation of indeterminate bushes.
- The variety has high requirements for soil nutrition and plenty of watering.
- The variety has relatively low resistance to cold, which does not allow growing tomatoes in open ground in the northern regions of the country.
- It is not possible to make tomato juice from fleshy tomatoes.
Many of the weaknesses listed above are relative because they define the core strengths of a culture. Thus, high productivity and the possibility of long-term fruiting are determined by the indeterminate nature of the variety, which requires regular formation of bushes.
Basic cultivation rules
Raspberry Empire F1 tomatoes should be grown using seedlings. To do this, you need to calculate the optimal sowing period for the crop, taking into account the climate. For example, the mid-season variety “Empire” needs to be planted in the ground at the age of 65 days, and favorable conditions in the central region of the country, if there is a greenhouse, begin at the end of May. Based on this information, we can say that you need to sow “Raspberry Empire F1” tomato seeds in the second half of March.
By the time of planting, tomato seedlings should have a healthy appearance with strong, bright green leaves. The height of the seedlings should be about 20-25 cm. To grow such plants, you need to choose the right soil and apply fertilizing in a timely manner. The recommended fertilization schedule is given below:
At the stage of growing seedlings and after planting them in the ground, you also need to monitor the condition of the tomatoes. Some characteristic signs may indicate a lack of a particular substance in the soil. An example of such ailments and the corresponding diagnoses are shown in the picture:
Caring for Raspberry Empire F1 tomatoes, in addition to applying fertilizers, involves regular watering, which should not be frequent. Mulch placed around the entire tree trunk of the plant can help retain moisture in the soil.
Unlike open ground, a greenhouse allows you to regulate temperature and air humidity. So, the optimal temperature values are +23-+250C and humidity indicator 50-70%. Such conditions prevent the development of diseases and allow tomatoes to form the maximum possible number of ovaries.
Thus, “Raspberry Empire F1” can be grown by anyone; to do this, you just need to purchase original seeds of this variety and take care of their timely sowing and proper cultivation of plants. Tomatoes, in gratitude for proper care, will certainly give the farmer a rich harvest of delicious tomatoes, which can be served fresh or canned for the winter.
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