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Breeders have developed so many varieties of tomatoes that every vegetable grower can choose a crop with a certain color, shape and other parameters of the fruit. Now we will talk about one of these tomatoes. The Eagle's Beak tomato got its name because of the unusual shape of the fruit, reminiscent of a bird's head. The popularity of the variety is due to its good yield, universal use of the vegetable, as well as its excellent taste.
Let's get acquainted with the variety
Let's start looking at the description and characteristics of the Eagle Beak tomato variety by determining the place of its birth. The vegetable was grown by domestic breeders in Siberia. The tomato can bear fruit outdoors and in a greenhouse. Based on the time of ripening, the variety is defined as a mid-season tomato. The plant is indeterminate, spreading, but the stems are quite thin.
A positive feature of the variety is its resistance to cold. Short summers and spring night frosts will not interfere with the development of the plant and the formation of the ovary. The fruits have time to fully ripen in the fall.The maximum tomato yield is up to 8 kg per bush. The average height of the bush is 1.5 m. The shape of the leaves is normal, as is typical for most tomatoes. Size – large. The foliage color is bright green. The formation of inflorescences is most often observed above the tenth leaf.
The length of the stems depends on where the tomato grows. On the street, the bushes usually grow to a height of 1.2 m. Under good care conditions, they reach 1.5 m. In greenhouse conditions, intensive tomato growth is observed. The bushes can grow to a height of 1.8 to 2 m. Regardless of the height, the tomato stems are tied to a support. The plant cannot be left to its own devices due to the fragility of the branches. The weight of the fruit will simply break them.
Eagle Beak tomatoes set fruit all summer until autumn, so harvesting occurs in several stages. Usually there are 2-3 phases.
The video provides an overview of tomato varieties, including Eagle Beak:
Description of fruits
Continuing to look at the photo and description of the Eagle Beak tomato variety, it is worth paying special attention to the fruit. After all, it was its shape that gave rise to such a name. The elongated fruit has a narrowing towards the apex. The tomato's nose is slightly elongated and curved, like the beak of an eagle. At the initial stage of ripening, the fruit acquires a pink color in the flesh and skin. A fully ripe tomato acquires a dark crimson color.
Photos about the Eagle Beak tomato, reviews from vegetable growers say that the variety is capable of producing quite large fruits. Typically, such tomatoes are characteristic of the first phase of harvesting. The weight of the largest fruits can reach 0.8–1 kg. In subsequent phases, the weight of the vegetable is limited to 400 g. The average weight of the fruit is taken to be 500 g. In terms of taste, the tomato is characterized as a juicy vegetable with fleshy, sweet pulp. Picked ripe fruit can be stored for more than a week.
Large tomatoes are most often used for processing and fresh consumption. The tomato is tasty in salads and beautiful in the decoration of dishes. The sweet pulp allows you to get delicious juice, thick ketchup and paste. Eagle Beak is not used for integral preservation.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
In summing up the considered description of the Eagle Beak tomato variety, it is worth clearly defining all the good and bad qualities of the vegetable. Let's start with the advantages:
- the taste of the tomato receives the highest rating on a five-point scale;
- the shape and color of the fruit is quite attractive;
- the variety is characterized by high yield;
- as for large-fruited tomatoes, the keeping quality of the fruit is normal;
- The variety is resistant to common fungal and viral diseases.
I don’t really want to pay attention to the shortcomings, but it needs to be done. Timely identification of the variety’s vulnerabilities will help the vegetable grower avoid mistakes when growing tomatoes. So, the disadvantages of tomatoes:
- like all large-fruited tomatoes, Eagle Beak loves feeding and regular watering;
- stepsons tend to grow quickly, so you will have to deal with the formation of the bush all season;
- Obligatory gartering of tomato stems requires a lot of time, plus you will have to build reliable trellises.
Considering how delicious tomatoes can be grown, the disadvantages simply seem insignificant. With other varieties of tomatoes there will be no less worries.
Growing tomatoes
To grow a good harvest of tomatoes with large fruits, you need to follow agricultural practices. The process is quite long and consists of many stages: from seed preparation to harvesting.
Calibrating tomato seeds and preparing them for sowing
You can grow tomatoes from purchased seedlings, but experienced vegetable growers rarely resort to this method. Firstly, it is not known what variety of tomatoes will be sold on the market. Secondly, it is unknown what seeds were used when growing seedlings. One of the important conditions for obtaining healthy tomato seedlings is the selection of quality grains. It doesn’t matter if they were bought in a store or collected from fruits yourself, the seeds need to be calibrated.
The process involves manual sorting of tomato grains, during which small, broken and rotten specimens are discarded. The next stage of testing involves immersing the tomato seeds in a saline solution for 15 minutes. During this time, all pacifiers will float and should be thrown away. Next, there is a process of etching in a 1% manganese solution, hardening and germination on a saucer under a damp cloth.
Sowing seeds and caring for seedlings
The time for sowing tomato seeds Eagle Beak falls in the month of March. By this time, the grains should have gone through all stages of processing and be sprouted. It is necessary to calculate so that the finished seedlings will be planted in the garden in 60 days. By this time, the street should be constantly warm. Sowing of tomato seeds is carried out in boxes. The soil will come from the garden.You just need to heat it in the oven, then mix it with humus.
The prepared soil is poured into boxes and slightly moistened. On the surface, grooves are cut in increments of 2–3 cm with a finger or any twig. The depth of the grooves is from 1 to 1.5 cm. Tomato grains are laid out in increments of 1.5–3 cm, after which they are covered with a thin layer of loose soil on top and moistened with a spray bottle. The boxes are covered with film on top. They remain in this state until the tomato sprouts. After this, the film is removed, and the boxes with seedlings are placed in a bright place. Lamps are used for additional illumination.
When two full leaves grow on the tomatoes, the plants dive into cups. Here the tomatoes will grow before being planted in the garden. Immediately after picking, the tomatoes are placed in a shaded place. When they get stronger, you can take them back into the light. A week before planting in the ground, the tomatoes are hardened off by taking them outside.
Planting in the garden
Eagle Beak tomatoes are planted in the garden when the weather is warm outside and the soil has warmed up. Usually the procedure occurs in the last days of May or the beginning of June. By this time, the soil in the garden bed needs to be treated, loosened and humus added. For tomatoes, make holes at a distance of at least 50 cm from each other. Add 1 tbsp to the soil of each hole. l. phosphorus and potassium fertilizer. The roots of the tomatoes are sprinkled with loose soil to the level of the cotyledon leaves. After planting, each tomato is watered with warm water.
Caring for tomato plants
The Eagle Beak variety loves abundant watering. The frequency depends on weather conditions, but at least once a week.At least three times a season, tomatoes are fed with fertilizers containing minerals. Well suited: "Plantafol", "Kemira" or just ammonium sulfate. Organics can be added more often. Tomatoes respond favorably to such fertilizing. Any vegetable waste, eggshells, straw will do. But feeding tomatoes with bird droppings should be done carefully. If you overdo it, the plants may burn.
Forming tomato bushes involves removing all unnecessary stepsons. Usually one or two stems are left. Leaves from the lower tier are also torn off. If the bush is thickened with green mass, some of the leaves are removed on each tier. Thinning frees up the fruit to get sun. Formation of tomato bushes begins in July. The frequency of the procedure is a maximum of 10 days. The garter is carried out to the trellis. To make this easier, tomatoes are planted in rows. Pillars are driven in along the edges, and ropes or wires are pulled from them.
Of all the troubles that can happen to the Eagle Beak variety, we can highlight an outbreak of late blight. This disease is best prevented by prophylactic spraying with a solution of Bordeaux mixture. If fungus appears, the plantings are treated with Fitosporin. A soap solution or celandine decoction will help fight harmful insects.
Reviews
Reviews from vegetable growers about the Eagle Beak tomato have always been only good. Even a beginner can grow this variety. You just need to follow the slightest rules of agricultural technology. As proof, let's find out what gardeners think about this tomato.
The first time I planted Eagle's Beak 2022, the seller advised me, I really liked the fruits, a lot, large. I will plant.