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To ensure a generous and varied harvest, gardeners plant several varieties of vegetables. And, naturally, everyone is trying to harvest early. For this purpose, early ripening tomatoes are selected. The Riddle variety tomato is optimally suited for both experienced and beginner gardeners.
Characteristics of the variety
Determinate tomato bushes of the Riddle variety are formed with strong and powerful trunks. In open ground, tomatoes grow to a height of approximately 50 cm, and in a greenhouse they can rise to 60 cm. Moreover, the bushes form a fairly compact shape. Above the fifth or sixth leaf, the first cluster grows, on which about five to six fruits are tied. Tomato Riddle practically does not produce stepsons.
A distinctive feature of the Riddle tomato variety is early ripening. From the moment of seed germination to harvest, 85-87 days pass.
Bright red Riddle tomatoes ripen in a round shape, slightly ribbed near the stalk (as in the photo). The weight of a tomato grown in open ground is approximately 80-95 g, and in greenhouses the vegetable can gain a weight of approximately 112 g. The fleshy pulp of Riddle tomatoes is pleasant to the taste. Vegetables have a dense skin that does not crack, so tomatoes are perfectly transported over long distances.
The average yield of the Riddle variety is approximately 22 kg per square meter plot. The first ripe tomatoes of the Riddle variety appear in early to mid-June. Tomatoes do not require special attention during the growth process.
Growing tomatoes
The Riddle variety grows well in shady places, but it is better to plant seedlings in open ground or a greenhouse.
Planting seeds
If planting material from a well-known manufacturer is used, then there is no need to carry out special seed preparation. It is recommended to sow seeds in a box at the end of March.
Stages of growing seedlings:
- A container with fertile soil is prepared. A sufficient height of the box is 5-7 cm. Several parallel furrows are made in moist soil at a distance of 2-4 cm from each other.
- Riddle tomato seeds are laid out in a row in increments of 1.5-2 cm. If you plant the seeds more often, then when planting the sprouts, the plants can be damaged. The grains are lightly covered with soil.
- The container is covered with transparent plastic film or glass and placed in a warm place. The optimal temperature for seed germination is + 22-23˚ C.
- After about five to six days, the seeds germinate and the box is placed in a lighted place.
- When the seedlings grow two leaves, it will be possible to pick and plant the sprouts in separate cups or small containers.
About two weeks before transplanting the seedlings to the site, you should begin to harden them. To do this, seedlings need to be taken out into the open air. You need to start with a few minutes and gradually increase the duration of hardening. On the eve of transplantation, the seedlings should be outdoors for the whole day.Riddle seedlings are planted only when warm weather sets in and the likelihood of night frosts becomes minimal.
Planting seedlings
It is better to do the replanting on a cloudy day or choose a time in the evening so that the plant gets stronger overnight. Before transplanting, the soil in the cups should be slightly moistened to make it easier to remove the seedlings and to avoid damaging the roots.
The recommended planting scheme is 6-8 bushes per square meter of area. Tomatoes should not interfere with each other. Each Riddle variety tomato should receive maximum light and air. Therefore, the holes are placed in a row with a step of 35-40 cm and a row spacing of 70-80 cm is left. The best option is to place the seedlings in 2 rows (at a distance of 35 cm), leaving 70-80 cm per path.
Wells 15-20 cm deep are prepared in advance. Each hole is completely filled with water and you need to wait until it is absorbed. The Riddle variety tomato is removed from the container, placed in a hole and a little compost is sprinkled around the plant. The seedling is covered with earth and lightly compacted. About a liter of water is poured under each bush. A 50 cm high peg is installed immediately next to the sprout to tie up the stems. The use of synthetic threads for fixing tomatoes is not recommended, as they can damage the stems. The most suitable option is hemp rope.
Greenhouse on the beds
If it is still relatively cool outside, then the planting of tomatoes of the Riddle variety is covered with film until it warms up.This is done so that the seedlings take root well and do not suffer from drying out. In a greenhouse, seedlings require half as much water.
Agrofibre has several advantages: a durable and reliable material, resistant to strong winds, will protect plants during heavy rain or from bright sunlight, durable fabric that is easy to clean.
PVC tubes, which bend easily, can be used as supports. If you make drawstrings on the canvas, it will be easy to thread pipes into them. Then pegs are driven in along the edges of the bed with tomatoes and the tubes are already placed on them. Securing the structure over the planting is not difficult. In order not to immediately remove the canvas, you can simply collect it and open the Riddle tomatoes for ventilation.
Watering recommendations
Do not allow water to get on the stem or leaves of tomatoes. Therefore, you need to water Riddle tomatoes only at the root. Moreover, it is advisable to do this in the evening, then the water will saturate the soil well and will evaporate less.
Until the fruit sets, you should not get carried away with watering; you just need to prevent the soil from drying out and cracks appearing in the ground.
When setting fruits of the Riddle variety, it is recommended to water the tomato generously every 4-6 days. To help water absorb better, you can lightly loosen the soil the day before watering. Mulching the soil with straw or hay will prevent the soil from drying out quickly.
Of course, the climatic conditions of the region are also of great importance for the formation of the irrigation regime.
Feeding tomatoes
It is advisable to fertilize the soil three to five times per season. The main requirements are to fertilize the soil in time and not to exceed the dosage.
One and a half to two weeks after planting Riddle tomato seedlings, a solution of ammonium nitrate is added to the soil (10-20 g of fertilizer is dissolved in 10 liters of water).
During the flowering period, the bed with tomatoes is fertilized with a solution of manure with Azofoska (20 g is enough for 10 liters).
Then, every two weeks, Riddle tomatoes are watered with mullein or inorganic solutions (15 g of ammonium nitrate and 25 g of potassium sulfate are added to 10 liters).
Tomato diseases
Thanks to the early ripening of fruits, the Riddle tomato manages to avoid mass infection with diseases. Therefore, no special prevention or use of any special chemicals is required.
The Riddle variety tomato is an excellent choice for gardeners who are accustomed to picking ripe tomatoes in mid-June. Thanks to simple rules of care, even novice gardeners will reap a decent harvest.
