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The Snow Leopard tomato was bred by breeders of the famous agricultural company Aelita, patented and registered in the State Register in 2008. We associate the name of the variety with the habitat of snow leopards - the Siberian hills and plains, where harsh conditions do not allow the cultivation of many varieties of vegetables, including tomatoes. Aelita specialists assure that their new variety is very resistant and can withstand the most unfavorable weather conditions. This article and reviews from gardeners who have tested Snow Leopard tomatoes on their plots and in greenhouses will help us find out whether this is so.
Main varietal characteristics
Before choosing a tomato variety that you are ready to plant on your plot, you need to find out reviews from gardeners, their recommendations, look at photos, and decide whether the yield of a particular tomato variety will satisfy you.
Today we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the Snow Leopard tomato:
- This tomato variety is an early ripening crop; the growing season until the first fruits appear lasts from 90 to 105 days.
- The Snow Leopard tomato variety is adapted for cultivation in greenhouses and open beds in any climatic regions of the Russian Federation.
- The plant is classified as a determinate species; the growth of the bush is unlimited, so staking and shaping of the plant is required. According to experienced vegetable growers who have already planted this variety of tomatoes, it is better to form the bushes into 1-2 stems, not allowing them to grow above 60 cm in height.
- The leaves of the Snow Leopard tomato are dark green in color and large. The number of leaves on the bush is above average; it is recommended to remove or pinch the lower and intermediate leaves so that they do not take away excess moisture, nutrients, and do not shade the entire plant.
- Tomato fruits have the shape of a flattened ball; there may be slightly pronounced ribbing on top. The density of the fruit is average, the skin is dense and strong, protecting the tomatoes from cracking. At the beginning of ripening, tomatoes are light green in color; ripe tomatoes have a beautiful red-orange color. The average weight of a tomato is from 120 to 150 g, but there are also record sizes of up to 300 grams.
- The yield for fruits of this size is significant, averaging 23 kg per square meter. m. per season.
- Snow Leopard tomatoes, according to the description of the variety by the creators themselves, are resistant to diseases such as fusarium - a fungal infection of the plant that causes wilting.
This is interesting! In South America, wild tomatoes are still found today; their fruit weighs no more than 1 gram. Maybe that's why the aborigines gave them the name tomatl - a large berry. In other countries, tomatoes were called apples: apples of paradise in Germany, apples of love in France.
Advantages and disadvantages
10 years have passed since the appearance of tomato seeds of this variety on sale. Many vegetable farms and amateur gardeners have been growing Snow Leopard tomatoes on their lands for many years. Based on their reviews, one can already judge the advantages and possible disadvantages of the variety.
The positive qualities of culture include:
- the ability to grow tomatoes both in greenhouses and in open ground, high adaptation to different climatic conditions;
- early ripening;
- resistance to fungal diseases;
- long-term preservation of presentation, transportability of the highest level;
- versatility in consumption: fresh, in pickled or salted preparations, in juices, ketchups and salads;
- excellent taste;
- high yield (if agrotechnical growing conditions are met);
- no need to remove stepchildren.
The downside to caring for tomatoes is that the bushes need to be shaped and tied to supports. Many gardeners do not notice this drawback; they accept it as doing a certain amount of work, which is always enough in the garden.
Sowing seeds
In February - early March, gardeners begin to sow vegetable seeds for seedlings. Gardeners with extensive experience grow their plants this way only. Buying ready-made seedlings means taking a 50% risk, that is, getting the wrong variety of tomatoes, or already infected seedlings. This work needs to be done in several stages:
- Buy seeds from a responsible manufacturer or distributor, thus protecting yourself from mis-grading, and do not purchase seed from unscrupulous sellers.
- Prepare seeds for planting: select quality ones, soak them, wait for sprouts, sow the seeds in the prepared substrate. Ready-made mixtures can be bought in special stores.
- When three true leaves appear, pick the plants into separate containers. If necessary (the main root is very long), at this moment the roots are pinched, just a little, 0.5 cm.
- Then we wait for warm days favorable for planting seedlings in the ground. Until this time, we carry out regular watering; 2 weeks before transplanting into the soil, you can carry out the hardening procedure. Take the seedlings outside or onto the balcony every day, preferably into sunlight, for 2-3 hours.
How to properly prepare seeds
Beginning gardeners will find this section of the article interesting, so we will tell you in more detail how to prepare Snow Leopard tomato seeds for planting:
- you need to prepare a saline solution: for 200 ml of water - 1 heaped teaspoon of salt;
- pour tomato seeds into the solution and mix vigorously, leave for a while (about 30 minutes), remove the seeds that float to the surface, if any, carefully drain the water;
- Rinse the seeds remaining at the bottom from salt water and place on a napkin;
- to prevent fungal diseases, place tomato seeds in a weak solution of calcium permanganate for 20 minutes, you can simultaneously add 1 g of a growth enhancer, such powders or solutions are sold in stores;
- after time, drain the contents through a sieve, and place the prepared seeds on a soft, damp cloth, cover with the same cloth on top, place on a shallow dish, or maybe on a plate; if the cloth dries, moisten it with warm water;
- within 2-3 days, a maximum of a week, sprouts will emerge from the seeds, the time comes for sowing into the soil;
- You can buy ready-made earthen substrates, but if you have the opportunity, prepare it yourself; for this you will need to mix 2 parts of fertile soil, 1 part of sand, 1 part of peat or humus. All components must be disinfected by frying them in the oven on an old baking sheet. Processing time 1-2 hours.
- in a container with a substrate, make dimples 1-2 cm deep, you can use a regular pencil for this, the distance between the dimples is 4x4 cm, place 2 seeds in each hole (tomato seeds are very small, try doing this with tweezers);
- Cover the top with soil and only then water carefully so that the seeds do not clump together.
Cover the container with PVC film or a piece of glass, place it in a warm, shaded place, perhaps on the floor near a radiator. When two cotyledon leaves appear, the cover must be removed and the container placed closer to the light.
Planting seedlings in the ground and further care
The technology for growing tomatoes is the same for all types, the only difference is whether they need to be tied to trellises and supports, or whether this is not necessary. The Snow Leopard tomato is one of those types of crops that require formation and strengthening on supports.
Tomatoes of this variety can be planted in greenhouses in late April, in unprotected soil - when the ground has completely warmed up. They do this as follows:
- Fertilizers are applied to the area where the tomato bushes will be planted, the soil is carefully dug up, loosened, holes are prepared (in a checkerboard pattern), the size between the bushes should be 60x60 cm.
- The seedlings are placed with a slope of 45° to the south, sprinkled with earth, and lightly compacted with hands.
- Water the tomatoes with water warmed in the sun, 1 liter per root, allow time for complete absorption of moisture, then mulch with leaf humus, peat or crushed tree bark.
All further care for the Snow Leopard tomato consists of:
- in watering, regular but not excessive, applying mineral and organic fertilizers;
- in the distance weed and loosening the soil;
- in disease prevention and pest control.
Snow Leopard tomatoes are unpretentious in care; this variety will not create big problems for gardeners, but the harvest will be excellent only with proper care.
Authoritative opinions
Amateur gardeners who already have experience growing the Snow Leopard tomato differ in their opinions; some like this variety, others not so much. We bring to your attention a few of their reviews.
The list of new varieties of tomatoes is rapidly increasing every year, but gardeners who are passionate about their work are trying to keep up with the times by growing them on their plots. The Snow Leopard tomato has already gained popularity among many gardeners for its ease of care and productivity. We recommend that you try this variety and wish you good luck.
