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It would seem that nothing can surprise experienced gardeners and summer residents. However, breeders are not asleep and try to amaze with not only tasty, but also original varieties of vegetables. Time shows what home-tomato lovers prefer.
Description of the variety
Zhigalo became such an extraordinary tomato. The irregularly shaped fruits look like exotic overseas vegetables and have a muted red color.
The taste of tomatoes can be described as sweetish, but not sugary. The shape of the fruits resembles a sausage and weighs modestly - 100-125 g. Therefore, we can say that high yield is ensured not by weight, but by the number of ripe tomatoes. 5-7 pieces are tied on one brush (as in the photo).
The ripe fruit is not distinguished by dense pulp, has few seeds, and housewives successfully use it for stuffing. Zhigalo is a mid-season tomato variety, and therefore the first ripe fruits appear no earlier than 98-104 days.
Standard tomato bushes Zhigalo varieties have a rather compact appearance and grow 40-46 cm high. Zhigalo is a determinate tomato variety. That is, the bush practically does not branch and stops growing in height on its own, without the help of a gardener.
Advantages of Zhigalo variety tomatoes:
- abundant fruiting, from one bush you can harvest twice as much as from other varieties of tomatoes;
- the bush practically does not need pinching;
- can be grown in a greenhouse and in open ground;
- easy to care for;
- site area is saved.
Among the disadvantages of the Zhigalo variety, it is worth noting its susceptibility to nightshade diseases. Some gardeners note an increased density of the peel, which is not very pleasant when eating fresh fruits.
Rules for planting and care
There are no special secrets for growing the Zhigalo variety. When growing tomatoes, seedling and non-seedling methods are used.
Growing seedlings
- To obtain sprouts, seeds are planted in special containers. It is better to prepare fertile soil in advance. An excellent option is to buy a ready-made soil mixture for tomato seedlings in a specialized store.
- To further protect plants from diseases, it is advisable to pre-treat the seeds: just keep them in a 1% solution of potassium permanganate for twenty minutes. They are then washed in clean water.
- The soil in the box is loosened and moistened. Zhigalo seeds are placed in specially prepared shallow grooves and sprinkled with earth (about a half-centimeter layer). The containers are tightly covered with film and placed in a warm place, with an air temperature of at least 21˚ C.
- As soon as the first shoots with leaves appear, it becomes possible to plant the seedlings in separate cup containers.Subsequently, the seedlings are slightly hardened before planting in open ground - the air temperature is lowered by 5-7˚ C.
Seedlings can be planted in a greenhouse or open ground as soon as warm weather sets in, excluding unexpected frosts.
Planting seeds in open ground
With this technology for growing tomatoes, seeds are first germinated. In this way, it is possible to achieve earlier germination of tomato seedlings of the Zhigalo variety. To germinate seeds, they are placed in a linen bag and immersed in warm water for about 12 hours. To keep the seeds from cooling, the water is changed periodically. Germinated seeds, two at a time, are buried in holes dug in a specially prepared area.
It is possible to plant seedlings according to two patterns: linear and checkerboard.
- With the linear method, the distance between bushes in a row is 25-30 cm, and between two rows a distance of 60-70 cm is maintained.
- With the chess method distance in a row between bushes make 50-55 cm, between rows - 70-75 cm (as in the photo).
As soon as the seeds germinate and two leaves appear on the seedlings, the seedlings are thinned out - a stronger plant is left in the hole, and the weak sprout is not pulled out, but cut off so as not to damage its neighbor.
Tying tomatoes
Since the Zhigalo variety is low-growing, there is an opinion that it does not need to be tied up. It is believed that in a tomato, already in the process of sprout formation, a strong stem and a developed root system are formed. However, when a large number of fruits ripen, the Zhigalo bush may break/fall over due to strong gusts of wind.Therefore, it is advisable to provide each bush with support while preparing the beds and holes.
In warm areas you can do without supports. Zhigalo bushes will be laid on the ground, protecting the soil from drying out. It is advisable to just mulch the soil first.
Watering tomatoes
The Zhigalo tomato variety does not require close attention and care. Since the root system of the plant is located close to the soil surface, it is necessary to be wary of excessive soil moisture. You should be guided by the soil - when it dries out, water it.
After watering, the soil must be loosened to ensure good air exchange.
Feeding tomato bushes
3-4 days after thinning the seedlings, you can carry out the first feeding of Zhigalo variety tomatoes. A suitable fertilizer option is a solution of ammonium nitrate (15 g per 10 liters of water). It is advisable to pour a liter of solution under each bush. After fertilizing, it is recommended to mulch the soil.
As soon as fruits begin to set on the bushes, a second feeding of Zhigalo tomatoes is carried out. A mineral mixture is used as a fertilizer (20 g of superphosphate and 10 g of potassium chloride per square meter). Fertilizers are buried in moist soil. To do this, shallow grooves (4-6 cm) are made along the rows of bushes at a distance of 17-20 cm from the plants.
When fertilizing the soil, it is recommended to carefully apply nitrogen fertilizers. Excessive use of them leads to increased growth of the bush and abundant growth of green mass.
If there are no ready-made mineral fertilizers, then it is quite possible to use organic fertilizers. To prepare a mullein solution, use a bucket of manure and 10 buckets of water. Tomatoes are fertilized with an infused (10-12 days) solution. Moreover, a liter of infusion is first diluted with ten liters of water. Feeding rule: pour a liter of diluted infusion under each bush.
The standard variety Zhigalo does not create problems with pinching. Therefore, there are no difficulties with caring for the bush and its formation.
Diseases and pests
The tomato variety Zhigalo cannot boast of special immunity to diseases. However, timely prevention helps prevent infection.
Late blight is a fungal disease that affects not only the plant, but also the fruits. It is known that favorable conditions for the spread of the disease are low temperatures and high humidity. Therefore, if weather conditions worsen, it is recommended to spray the tomatoes with Bordeaux mixture and fungicides (Ridomil Gold, Quadris).
As regular preventative measures, it is recommended to mulch the soil and timely remove old and yellowed leaves.
Growing the standard variety Zhigalo is suitable for beginning gardeners and summer residents who are not keen on growing exquisite and rare tomatoes.
Where can I buy Zhigalo and Banana Legs seeds?
A friend shared several Gigolo bushes. There were a lot of fruits, the bush was medium in height, 50 cm. But for my taste they were empty. Fresh.
Those who have ever planted Zhigalo tomatoes have been satisfied with them. The tomato has positive ratings and recommendations for growing.