Content
Growing tomatoes in a difficult climate zone always requires time and effort. Therefore, in such regions, unpretentious and well-zoned varieties are in particular demand among gardeners. The “Countryman” tomato is considered by many to be a real gift from Siberian breeders.
In order to grow a high-quality harvest of “Countryman” tomatoes, let’s carefully read the description of the variety and its main characteristics.
The main differences of an unpretentious plant
Those who planted the “Countryman” variety on their plot willingly share reviews and photos of ripe tomatoes. Along the way, they post observations and describe the nuances of growing the plant. This helps other vegetable growers decide on the choice of variety. The basic information you need to know about Zemlyak tomatoes is:
- Growing method. The tomato variety is intended for open ground ridges. It tolerates the climate of Siberia well, but it can be grown in any region.
- Type of plant. Non-hybrid. Summer residents can safely collect tomato seeds, using them for planting next year.
- Maturing period. This species belongs to the early-ripening tomatoes and pleases vegetable growers with delicious fruits already 95-100 days after germination.
- Type of bush. Determinant.An adult plant reaches 70-75 cm in height. Therefore, it does not require pinching, tying or shaping, which makes the care work easier for vegetable growers.
- Resistance to changes in environmental conditions. According to reviews from gardeners, the “Countryman” tomato variety copes well with sudden changes and drops in temperature.
- Susceptibility to diseases. “Countryman” tomatoes are highly resistant to major crop diseases.
- Productivity. Vegetable growers harvest up to 4 kg of tasty, beautiful and nutritious fruits from one bush. Many people are proud of the productivity of the “Countryman” tomato, so they write good reviews about the variety and post photos of plants from their plots.
The description of the “Countryman” tomato variety can be continued by listing the advantages of the fruit. In their reviews, vegetable growers note that tomatoes of the “Countryman” variety have a rich color, uniform size and a beautiful oblong shape. The weight of each tomato is about 70-80 g; up to 15 pieces ripen on one bunch. The fruits are small-chambered, the maximum number of nests is three. “Countryman” tomatoes have a rich taste and a pleasant sweetness. In addition, ripe fruits are perfectly stored and transported, so they are often grown for commercial purposes.
According to reviews from fans of the variety, the shape and size of the “Countryman” tomatoes are suitable for whole-fruit canning, which is clearly visible in the photo.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
Feedback from summer residents who grew the variety on their plots will help group the characteristics of the “Countryman” tomatoes. Among the advantages of the variety they note:
- the opportunity to get an early and guaranteed harvest of tomatoes;
- plant resistance to macrosporiosis, rot, black spot and septoria;
- uniformity of fruits, which allows them to be preserved as a whole;
- ease of care;
- good seed germination.
There are no obvious shortcomings, but vegetable growers note:
- Requirements for soil composition. The variety prefers light, fertile soil, so pre-sowing preparation is required.
- Carefully adhere to the watering schedule. Violation of the regime affects the quality of fruits and crop yields.
These requirements cause trouble for vegetable growers only in regions with poor soil and lack of regular water supply. In other cases, according to the description of the variety, growing “Countryman” tomatoes does not require additional time and money.
Agrotechnics of cultivation
There are two ways to grow a tasty species:
- seedless or direct sowing in the ground;
- seedling, by growing seedlings.
If “Countryman” tomatoes are planted in a region with a cool climate, then sowing the seeds in the ground is not advisable. Therefore, you need to take care of growing strong seedlings.
You need to start by selecting seeds and checking the planting material for germination. To do this, dissolve 2 tablespoons of table salt in a glass of water and pour in the seeds of the “Countryman” tomatoes. Gently stir the contents of the glass and watch which seeds fall to the bottom. They are suitable for growing seedlings. Selected seeds are dried at a temperature of 20°C - 24°C. After this procedure, the germination capacity of Zemlyak tomatoes does not decrease.
The next step is to prepare high-quality soil and containers for sowing. Soil can be purchased at a specialty store. In this case, it will fully comply with the crop’s nutritional composition and structure requirements. If you decide to cook it yourself, you need to do it in advance.After all, the sowing of “Countryman” tomato seeds for seedlings begins when there is snow on the site.
Optimal soil mixture composition:
- peat – 2 parts;
- garden soil - 1 part;
- humus or compost – 1 part;
- sand – 0.5 parts;
- wood ash - 1 cup per bucket of mixture.
The soil is disinfected, if possible calcined and placed in clean, disinfected containers for seedlings.
Growing seedlings
According to the description of the “Countryman” tomato variety, you can get a very high yield by growing strong seedlings, as in the photo, which is confirmed by reviews from gardeners.
In order for the seedlings to grow healthy, you need to pay attention to each stage - sowing, picking, caring. They begin to sow 2 months before the expected date of planting in open ground. The seedlings dive, according to the description of the agricultural technology of early ripening tomatoes “Countryman”, at the stage of the appearance of two leaves (see photo).
When transplanting, it is important to preserve the earthen ball so as not to damage the delicate roots of tomato seedlings.
The process of sowing tomatoes is very simple:
- Make shallow grooves in the prepared soil and carefully place the seeds at an equal distance from each other.
- Sprinkle the furrows with a thin layer of soil and moisten them with a spray bottle.
- Cover the container with plastic wrap.
- As soon as the sprouts appear, remove the film and move the containers closer to the light.
Caring for seedlings consists of maintaining optimal temperature (16°C -18°C), humidity (70%), high-quality watering and fertilizing. It is important to remember that the seedlings should not be stretched or over-watered. Water the seedlings when the top dry layer appears on the soil.Be sure to regularly inspect the seedlings to prevent the appearance of diseases or pests. 2 weeks before planting in the ground, seedlings undergo hardening procedures, but are protected from drafts. According to the description of the tomato variety “Countryman” and reviews from vegetable growers, seedlings are planted in open ground in early June.
The planting pattern is standard for early-ripening tomatoes. 35 cm are left between plants, row spacing is marked at a distance of 70 cm. No more than 6 tomato bushes are placed per square meter of area.
Caring for plants in beds
Seedlings are planted in prepared soil at the beginning of summer, when it has warmed up well and the danger of return frosts has passed.
The main points of plant care are activities that are well known to summer residents:
- Watering. Moisten tomato bushes at the root after sunset with warm water.
- According to the description of the agricultural technology of the “Countryman” tomato variety and reviews from vegetable growers, drip irrigation of the ridges is considered the best option (see photo). When industrially grown, special irrigation systems are installed, because this species is demanding in terms of moisture supply.
- Feeding. During the growing season, it is enough to feed tomatoes 2-3 times. The first time during the period of weight gain. You will need nitrogen components. Plants respond well to organic matter - infusion of chicken manure or mullein, as well as mineral complexes. The second time when flowers and first ovaries appear. At this time, tomatoes are fed with potassium and phosphorus fertilizers. Nutrient formulations are applied in liquid form after watering or rain.Foliar fertilizing is applied by spraying the composition on the leaf.
- Weeding and loosening. Removal weed helps protect tomatoes from many pests and diseases, as well as retain moisture and nutrients in the soil.
Reviews
A detailed description and photo of the “Countryman” tomato helps vegetable growers make the right choice of variety for cultivation. Reviews from those summer residents who have already planted plum tomatoes play a big role.
An educational video will help you grow tomatoes correctly:
