Content
Tomato Snowfall F1 is a late-ripening hybrid of the first generation with medium-sized fruits. Relatively unpretentious to grow, this hybrid has fruits with a moderately sweet taste and rich aroma. The variety has high disease resistance. Next, a description of the Snowfall tomato variety will be considered, a photo of the plant will be provided, and reviews of gardeners involved in its cultivation will be presented.
Description of the tomato variety Snowfall
The tomato variety Snowfall is a first-generation hybrid, the originator of which is the Pridnestrovian Research Institute of Agriculture. The tomato is equally suitable for growing both in greenhouses and in open ground. This is a high-yielding hybrid of the first generation with indeterminate bushes up to 2 m high.
The Snowfall tomato is a moderately spreading bush with a large amount of green mass, which requires mandatory formation. The stem is thick, green, with barely noticeable edges. The leaves are simple, five-lobed, small in size.
The flowers are small, up to 12 mm in diameter, collected in raceme-type inflorescences. Usually the inflorescence contains up to 10 flowers.The Snowfall tomato has a high setting percentage; almost all flowers form fruits.
Fruit ripening occurs simultaneously in the entire cluster; the period of fruiting from the moment of planting the seeds to full ripeness ranges from 4 to 5 months, depending on the growing conditions. To speed up the growing time, the plant needs more heat and light.
Brief description and taste of the fruit
In the clusters, from 8 to 10 medium-sized fruits are formed and develop at the same speed. The fruit weight reaches 60-80 g when grown in open ground and 80-130 g when grown in greenhouses.
The shape of the fruit is round, closer to the stalk they have slight ribbing. Ripe fruits have a uniform red color. The pulp of the fruit is moderately dense, moderately juicy and fleshy.
The taste of the fruit is assessed as rich, sweetish, with a delicate aroma. The scope of application of the fruits is very wide - they are consumed both fresh and processed. Snowfall fruits are used in salads, sauces, first and second courses, and tolerate canning and freezing well. The sugar content is quite high (more than 5%), which makes it possible to use the fruits in baby food.
The skin of the fruit is thin, but durable. This circumstance guarantees the Snowfall tomato good preservation and transportability.
Photos of Snowfall tomato fruits are shown below:
Varietal characteristics
The yield of snowfall is up to 5 kg per 1 sq. m. in open ground. In greenhouses, with the right agricultural technology, it is possible to obtain similar yields from one bush.Fruiting time is up to 120 days when grown in greenhouses and about 150 days when grown in open ground. Typically, fruit harvesting occurs before the first significant cold snap.
Factors affecting yield are sufficient heat and abundant watering.
The Snowfall tomato is resistant to the main diseases of tomatoes: almost all fungi and the tobacco mosaic virus. In very rare cases, bushes are affected by anthracnose and alternaria.
Pros and cons of the variety
After reading the description of the Snowfall tomato variety, you can highlight its positive and negative qualities.
Pros of the Snowfall tomato:
- high yield rates;
- excellent taste of the fruit;
- unpretentiousness in cultivation;
- beautiful exterior of ripe fruits;
- good keeping quality and transportability;
- versatility of use;
- possibility of growing in a greenhouse and open ground;
- high resistance to most tomato diseases.
Cons of the Snowfall tomato:
- sensitivity to temperature changes;
- intolerance to low temperatures and frosts;
- low drought resistance;
- the need to form a bush and constantly remove stepsons;
- the need to tie up branches;
- with large volumes of the green part of the plant, a decrease in fruit weight is observed.
Nevertheless, based on the totality of its characteristics, the Snowfall tomato can be considered quite successful and worthy of attention when choosing as a candidate for breeding.
Rules for planting and care
Tomatoes Snowfall f1 in breeding practically replicate any tomato crop. The peculiarities of cultivation concern only the timing of planting seedlings and the formation of bushes in adult plants. The remaining growing rules and requirements for them are the same as for other varieties of tomatoes.
Sowing seeds for seedlings
Tomato Snowfall f1 must be planted as seedlings in mid-to-late February for cold climates (or greenhouse cultivation) or in mid-March for outdoor cultivation.
The composition of the soil for seedlings can be virtually anything; the main requirement is high nutritional value and neutral acidity. It is recommended to mix garden soil, humus and river sand in equal proportions. A small amount of ash or superphosphate can be added to the soil. Instead of humus, you can use peat, but in this case the proportions will be slightly different: soil and sand - 2 parts each, peat - 1 part.
Preliminary disinfection of the soil is not necessary. Before planting, it is advisable to disinfect the seeds by pre-treating them with a solution of potassium permanganate or hydrogen peroxide.
You can plant seeds in containers, but it is better to use individual containers in the form of peat pots, since this will preserve the root system of the plant during transplantation, and will also eliminate the need to pick plants.
Planting is carried out in small holes 1-2 cm deep, 2 seeds in each hole. When using containers, furrows are made 1.5-2 cm deep with a distance of 5-6 cm between them. Seeds are planted one at a time, every 2-3 cm.
Next, perform the usual steps for tomato seedlings - the seeds are sprinkled with soil, watered and covered with film.Pots or containers are placed in a warm and dark place until seedlings emerge. As soon as the shoots appear, the film is removed and the seedlings are transferred to the sun with a temperature drop of 3-5 °C.
The first feeding of seedlings is carried out after the appearance of two true leaves; it is carried out using complex fertilizer. If time permits, repeated feeding of seedlings is allowed, but it should be done at least 10 days before transplanting the plant into a greenhouse or open ground.
Transplanting seedlings
Transplantation in a greenhouse is carried out in the second ten days of May, in open ground - in early June. In open ground, plants are planted according to a 50x60 cm pattern; in greenhouses, they are mainly grown in one or two rows with a distance of up to 70-80 cm between bushes. The distance between rows is at least 1 m.
A week before transplanting, seedlings should be hardened off. In the first 2 or 3 days, the seedlings are taken out into the greenhouse or into the open air for several hours, then for half a day, and for the last two days for the whole day. At night, the plants are removed indoors.
Transplantation is best done in cloudy weather or in the evening. After transplanting, it is necessary to compact the soil tightly and water the young tomatoes abundantly.
Tomato care
Caring for a Snowfall tomato is practically no different from growing ordinary tomatoes. It includes regular watering (2-3 times a week) and several feedings. The first is done a week after transplantation; it includes nitrogen fertilizers (ammonium nitrate or urea) in the amount of 25 g per 1 square meter. m. The second consists of phosphorus-potassium fertilizers, it is carried out a month after the first. A third (also phosphorus-potassium) is also allowed, a month after the second.
The peculiarities of growing Snowfall lie in the special formation of bushes. It begins immediately after transplantation and continues all the time, right up to fruiting. The ideal option for forming a bush is considered to be one or two stems. In this case, the stepchildren are permanently removed. The bushes of the Snowfall tomato variety are quite tall, so they must be tied to trellises or supports as the fruits ripen.
It is advisable to use mulch in the form of peat or sawdust. This will help get rid of most pests and simplify the process of caring for tomatoes, relieving the owner of the need to constantly loosen the soil and remove weed.
If a plant is damaged by a fungus, copper-containing preparations (copper sulfate or Bordeaux mixture) are used. In this case, the affected areas of the plants should be completely removed. Pest control is carried out with conventional insecticides or decoctions of onion peels or celandine.
Conclusion
Tomato Snowfall F1 is a late-ripening variety with fruits of universal use. This is an excellent plant, used both for greenhouse cultivation and for growing in open ground. Its fruits have an excellent taste, they can be stored for a long time and can be transported over long distances.
Reviews of tomato Snowfall F1
