Content
Southern tan tomatoes are valued for their excellent taste and unusual bright orange color of the fruit. The variety is grown both in open areas and under film cover. With constant care, a high yield of fruits is obtained, which are used fresh or for further processing.
Features of the variety
Description and characteristics of the tomato variety Southern Tan:
- indeterminate variety;
- average ripening time;
- bush height up to 1.7 m;
- drooping foliage;
- yield up to 8 kg per plant.
The fruits of the Southern Tan variety have the following features:
- big sizes;
- fleshy and juicy pulp;
- weight from 150 to 350 g;
- sweet taste;
- increased content of vitamins;
- small amount of acids.
Tomatoes of the Southern Tan variety have an excellent taste. Tomatoes are used in the daily diet for preparing snacks and vegetable salads. The variety is suitable for soups, sauces, main courses, and diet menus. In home canning, these tomatoes are used to produce assorted tomato juice.
Obtaining seedlings
The Southern tan tomato is grown in seedlings.At home, seeds are planted in containers, and 2 months after germination they are transferred to open ground or a greenhouse. In regions with warm climates, it is possible to plant seeds directly in an open area.
Planting seeds
Before planting the seeds, prepare a substrate consisting of equal proportions of garden soil and compost. You can add a little sand and peat to it. Soil preparation begins in the fall or you can purchase a ready-made mixture for tomato seedlings at gardening stores.
The substrate is subjected to heat treatment: it is placed in a heated microwave or oven for 15-20 minutes. A couple of weeks after disinfection, they begin planting tomatoes.
To disinfect planting material, it is treated with a solution of the EM-Baikal preparation. If tomato seeds have a bright shell, then they do not require additional processing. Manufacturers cover them with a special nutrient coating, which allows the plant to actively develop.
To plant Southern Tan tomatoes, take containers more than 10 cm deep. If the seeds are planted in boxes, then after germination they are planted in separate containers. To avoid picking, use peat tablets or cups filled with substrate.
Tomato seeds are placed in the soil to a depth of 1.5 cm. Gaps of 2 cm are left between plants. When using separate containers, it is recommended to plant 3 plants and then choose the strongest one. The boxes with seeds are covered with glass or film, and then left in a dark, warm place.
Conditions for seedlings
Tomatoes germinate faster at temperatures above 25 degrees.Tomato sprouts appear after 5-8 days. Then the containers are placed in a lighted place.
Tomatoes are provided with certain conditions:
- daytime air temperature from 20 to 25 degrees;
- night temperatures from 8 to 12 degrees;
- access to fresh air;
- absence of drafts;
- regular watering;
- lighting for 12 hours.
To water tomato seedlings, use a spray bottle. Take water at room temperature. Until the sprouts have 5 leaves, it is enough to water them weekly. Subsequently, the intensity of watering is increased once every 3-4 days.
If the seedlings have strong stems and green leaves, they do not need feeding. When plants look depressed, they are fed with complex fertilizer. For 1 liter of water you need 1 tsp. the drug Agricola or Kornerost. Tomatoes are watered at the root.
Planting tomatoes
Tomatoes are planted in open ground or greenhouses. They should reach a height of about 30 cm and have 6-7 full leaves. Under cover, the crop produces a larger harvest because it is less susceptible to changing weather conditions.
The soil for tomatoes of the Southern Tan variety is prepared in the fall. They dig it up and add compost or rotted manure. Tomatoes are planted after pumpkin, cucumbers, carrots, onions, and garlic.
Tomatoes are planted in prepared holes. For 1 sq. m of beds there are no more than 3 plants. In the greenhouse, tomatoes are placed in a checkerboard pattern to make them easier to care for.
Tomato seedlings are transferred with a ball of earth. The root system is covered with soil, the surface of which is slightly compacted. Be sure to water the plants with warm water.
Variety care
With constant care, the fruiting of tomatoes of the Southern Tan variety increases, and the plants themselves actively develop. Caring for the variety involves adding moisture and fertilizers and forming a bush.
Watering tomatoes
Southern tan tomatoes begin to be watered 7-10 days after being transferred to the ground. Apply 3-5 liters of water under each bush. The intensity of watering is increased from the moment of flowering to 2 times a week.
When watering, take into account soil moisture and precipitation if tomatoes are grown outdoors.
Moisture is added at the root of the tomatoes. All events take place early in the morning or in the evening. Then the sun's rays do not pose a danger and cannot cause a burn.
After watering the tomatoes, the soil under the tomatoes is loosened. The procedure is performed carefully so as not to damage the roots of the plants.
Feeding
During the season, Southern Tan tomatoes are fed three times. The first feeding is carried out 2-3 weeks after transferring the plants to a permanent place. You can use bird droppings or cow manure, from which an infusion is prepared in a ratio of 1:15.
During the flowering period, boric acid is useful for tomatoes, 2 g of which is diluted in 5 liters of water. The resulting product is sprayed onto the plants.
Another similar feeding is necessary for tomatoes during fruiting. Fertilizers are applied to the soil when watering tomatoes.
Wood ash, which contains a complex of nutrients, will help replace mineral fertilizers. It is embedded in the soil or used as an infusion when watering.
Bush formation
According to its characteristics and description, the tomato variety Southern Tan is a tall plant and actively grows green mass. Stepping allows you to avoid crowding in the garden and direct the vital forces of tomatoes to the formation of ovaries and fruits. The variety is formed to form 1 or 2 stems.
Stepchildren growing from the leaf sinus are pinched by hand. The procedure is carried out every week. Shoots that do not reach 5 cm in length must be eliminated.
Protection from diseases and pests
According to reviews, the Southern Tan tomato is susceptible to blossom end rot. The disease develops when plants lack manganese and phosphorus, and soil moisture is high and acidic.
Blossom rot affects the fruit and appears as a brown spot that is soft to the touch. Gradually, the lesion covers the entire fruit, which dries out and becomes hard.
Tomatoes also suffer from pest attacks: cockchafer, mole cricket, cutworm, whitefly, spider mite. The insecticides Strela, Actellik, and Fitoverm are used against insects.
Reviews from gardeners
Conclusion
Southern tan tomatoes are popular due to their taste. The fruits of the variety are recommended to be used fresh. Plants need constant care, including watering, fertilizing and pinching. Additionally, they provide the variety with protection from blossom-end rot and pests.
