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Tomato Brandy Fred Gnome is an amazing variety. The culture is famous not only for the unusual color of its fruits, but also for its excellent taste. Tomato also has good yield indicators. Many gardeners have been happily growing this variety on their plots for many years. To improve the quality of the crop, you need to become familiar with the peculiarities of its cultivation.
History of origin
Tomato Brandy Fred is a collection variety. This tomato can also be found under the name Dwarf Brandy Fred. The originator of the variety is Moscow breeder, Candidate of Agricultural Sciences Lyubov Anatolyevna Myazina. Although Brandy Fred appeared back in 2015, there is no data on its inclusion in the State Register of Selection Achievements. Nevertheless, the variety has gained quite a lot of connoisseurs in all corners of the country.
Description of the tomato variety Gnome Brandy Fred
A special feature of Brandy Fred is the “chocolate” - brownish-burgundy color of the fruit.The pulp has a fruity aroma and a pleasant rich, slightly tart taste with notes of cherry. The color of the pulp is brown-raspberry, the texture is delicate, sugary.
Characteristics of tomato Brandy Fred
Brandy Fred is a semi-determinate variety.
Description of culture:
- The tomato has a standard growth form. The bush reaches a height of a little more than a meter, but in a greenhouse it can grow up to 1.5 m.
- The stems are tough and thick.
- The leaves are potato-type, medium-sized, dark green, wrinkled.
- The tomato belongs to the mid-season varieties. From 4 to 6 inflorescences are formed on one brush. Flowers can sometimes grow together, causing some tomatoes to be larger and oblong.
- The fruits of Brandy Fred are flat-round and ribbed. The average fruit weight ranges from 150g to 250g.
- The tomato has a dense, but not hard skin. The seed chambers are small.
Ripening and fruiting
Brandy Fred tomato belongs to the category of mid-season varieties. Its ripening period is from 100 to 120 days. Harvesting begins in July. Ripening times may vary depending on the region and climatic conditions in which the tomato is grown.
Tomato yield Brandy Fred
This tomato has an average yield. When planted in fertile soil, the weight of the fruit can exceed the usual norm and reach 400 g.
Pest resistance
The variety is resistant to most viral and fungal diseases of tomatoes.Since the presence of pests largely depends on how healthy the plant is, Brandy Fred can be considered quite resistant to harmful insects. However, tomatoes can still be affected by cutworms, spider mites, aphids and whiteflies. But preventive measures help prevent their occurrence.
Growing regions
The tomato grows well in greenhouses throughout the Russian Federation, however, Brandy Fred is recommended to be planted in unprotected soil only in the southern regions of the country. In the central and northern regions, tomatoes may not have time to produce a harvest, so they should be grown exclusively in greenhouse conditions.
Purpose and application
Brandy Fred tomato is suitable for fresh consumption. Gives vegetable salads a pleasant taste. Resistant to cracking in hot marinade.
Tomatoes can be used in pickles, sauces, meat and vegetable dishes
Tomato paste and juice can also be prepared, but due to the special pigments inherent in this variety, the color will not be quite typical for these dishes.
Advantages and disadvantages
Brandy Fred tomatoes are suitable for beginner gardeners. They are easy to grow and require minimal care. Since the tomato is a varietal one, you can collect seeds from self-grown fruits and not spend money on buying seedlings next season.
Brandy Fred tomatoes belong to the “chocolate” varieties and will be a worthy decoration for any collection.
Pros:
- unusual taste;
- beautiful color;
- tender sugar fruits;
- thick skin;
- good yield;
- standard growth form;
- disease resistance;
- ease of care.
Minuses:
- prefers southern regions or greenhouse cultivation;
- needs stepsoning;
- cracks when overripe.
Nuances of planting and care
You can choose a special container for planting, a seedling cassette, or plant it in any available container no smaller than 5 cm
Recommendations for planting:
- You can make a 1 cm mark on a pencil and form depressions in the ground. Place a seed in each hole and cover with soil.
- Gently water the crops with warm water.
- Cover the container hermetically with cling film and place in a warm place where the temperature will not be lower than +25 degrees.
- After the shoots appear, you need to periodically open the film for ventilation. When 2 true leaves appear on the sprout, you can pick out the seedlings.
- It is important to water the seedlings moderately so that the roots do not die from drying out or rot from waterlogging.
- 3-4 weeks before planting tomatoes in the garden, you need to start hardening it off. To do this, you need to take the container with young tomatoes to a cool place, for example, to a balcony, unheated loggia or outside. You can start with 15 minutes, then gradually increase the time the plants stay in unusual conditions. It is also important to gradually accustom the tomatoes to direct sunlight.
- It is recommended to make holes for planting according to the pattern of 50 cm between rows and 40 along the row. After planting a tomato in a hole, you need to water it thoroughly.
- It is recommended to immediately tie the stem. Further watering is carried out as the soil dries.
- It is important to loosen the crust that has formed on the soil so that it does not interfere with the flow of oxygen to the roots.
- The peculiarity of the standard form of tomato is that the bush practically does not need to be formed, but for this variety it is recommended to remove the few stepsons.
- If you want to get a bountiful harvest, you need to understand that tomatoes must have all the necessary nutrients.For good development during the growing season, a tomato must receive phosphorus, nitrogen and potassium in equal proportions.
Diseases and pests
The Brandy Fred tomato is resistant to many nightshade diseases. Still, it is worth taking preventive measures. At 14-20 days, you need to treat the tomato with preparations that contain copper. Such products protect against fungal diseases and destroy a number of pests. Next, you need to populate the soil with beneficial microorganisms. These could be preparations with Bacillus subtilis, Trichoderma or Boveria. Interestingly, Boveria successfully fights pests because it has the ability to parasitize insects and destroy them. But for the plants themselves, it is absolutely not dangerous, but useful. If insects do appear, it is recommended to fight them with the help of biological insecticides that do not harm tomatoes. This way you can protect the health of those who will consume their fruits.
Conclusion
The Brandy Fred tomato has a number of qualities that deserve the attention of beginners and experienced gardeners. This original and unusual tomato will add variety to the preparation of everyday dishes and open up new horizons of taste. And a pleasant bonus for any owner will be the opportunity to receive high-quality seeds from their plants for growing this variety in future seasons.
Reviews from gardeners about the Brandy Fred tomato
