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The Cardinal tomato is a classic representative of the nightshade species. According to many gardeners, this is what a real tomato should look like - large, smooth, fleshy, in an elegant raspberry-pink robe, which just begs to be served on the table. How beautiful the Cardinal tomato is can be seen in this photo:
Description of the variety
According to its characteristics, the Cardinal tomato belongs to the mid-early hybrids (110-115 days from germination). Suitable for growing both in a greenhouse and in an open garden. The height of the indeterminate Cardinal tomato bush in a greenhouse can reach two meters, if the crown is not pinched in time; outdoors it grows up to 1.5 m, so staking both stems and branches with fruits is definitely necessary. Up to 10 large fruits can form on one cluster, which do not ripen immediately, but gradually, delighting gardeners throughout the summer, starting in mid-July. When forming a bush, you should leave no more than two main stems and carefully monitor the timely tying to the support so that the branches do not break under the weight of the fruit.
The very first tomatoes of the Cardinal variety can weigh up to 0.9 kg, the weight of the last ones is no more than 0.4 kg, on average it turns out that the weight of one tomato is approximately 0.6 kg. The fruits are a rich pinkish-raspberry color, a peculiar heart-shaped shape, with a sweet-sour juicy pulp that does not contain many seeds.Due to the high sugar content and meatiness of Cardinal tomatoes, many people prefer to eat them fresh, so to speak, from the bush, or to make tomato juice, all kinds of sauces and tomato puree from them. The productivity is very high due to the large weight of the fruit - up to 14-15 kg/m2.
Tomato variety Cardinal superior to other varieties By:
- excellent taste, increased fleshiness and beauty of the fruit;
- disease resistance;
- excellent seed germination (9 out of 10);
- cold resistance;
- long-term storage without loss of presentation;
- no cracking.
But the Cardinal tomato variety also contains minor flaws:
- There is no way to pickle them whole, since the large size of the fruit will not allow it to be placed in a jar.
- Due to its high growth, the Cardinal tomato bush takes up quite a lot of space in the greenhouse.
- Due to the large size of the fruit, additional efforts are required to garter not only the stems, but also the branches with tassels.
- Mandatory pinching is necessary to form a bush.
In principle, according to reviews from those who have already planted Cardinal tomatoes, there are no particular difficulties in growing these tomatoes; you only need strong support and timely application of fertilizing.
How to sow tomato seeds
According to its characteristics, the Cardinal tomato prefers light, nutritious soil, which you can prepare yourself by mixing garden or turf soil harvested in the fall with well-rotted humus. It is better to take soil from the beds after cucumbers, legumes, cabbage, carrots, and onions. It is allowed to add superphosphate and wood ash to increase the nutritional value of the soil.
The best time for sowing seeds for seedlings is the end of March - beginning of April.First, they need to be disinfected, that is, soaked in a pink solution of potassium permanganate for half an hour, followed by rinsing under running water. Then fill them with a growth stimulator for 11-12 hours.
After this, sow the tomato seeds of the Cardinal variety in a container with prepared soil to a depth of 1.5-2 cm. In order not to damage the roots of the seedlings in the future when transplanting into a greenhouse or garden bed, you can use disposable peat pots, since sprouted plants in such containers will not require picking and can be planted in the ground directly in pots.
After planting the seeds in a container, you should not water them with a watering can; it is better to use a spray bottle for this. Then you need to stretch the film over the container with the seeds and put it in a warm place until shoots appear.
Transplanting into a greenhouse
Seedlings are planted in open ground on June 7-10; they can be planted in a greenhouse three weeks earlier. Before planting, it is advisable to add a tablespoon of wood ash to the hole. It is best to tie Cardinal tomatoes to a support immediately after planting the plant. A trellis can serve as a support - this is very convenient for attaching not only stems, but also heavy branches with fruits.
When the bush reaches the desired height, the crown should be trimmed, thereby stopping upward growth. Cardinal tomatoes should be watered sparingly, using warm, soft water, not forgetting to feed the bushes at least three times during the summer with a full range of fertilizers.
When talking about Cardinal tomatoes, one cannot fail to mention Mazarin tomatoes. Photograph Mazarin tomato variety can be seen below:
In terms of their properties, characteristics and description of the variety, Mazarin tomatoes are very similar to Cardinal, but have a more distinct heart shape with a pointed tip. The fruits weigh 400-600 grams, are pink in color, and can compete even with Ox's heart and Cardinal in terms of fleshiness. Growing the Mazarin tomato variety is practically no different from growing the Cardinal variety. Both tomatoes are a real decoration for a personal plot and an opportunity to enjoy amazing taste.
