Vegetables in the kitchen are essential. After all, even the most experienced hostess simply cannot cook many dishes without them, including the most everyday ones. In addition, vegetables contain many useful substances. In the list of the most popular and commonly used garden crops, tomatoes are, of course, not in last place.
General information
Very often this vegetable is called a tomato. After all, this is the original name of a culture that pampers us with juicy and beloved fruits. The plant belongs to the nightshade family. Outwardly, it looks like a grassy shrub.
The tomato has a straight stem, potato type leaves, developed and strong roots. Only tomato fruits are eaten. They have a fairly rich chemical composition. Tomatoes contain carotenoids, a complex of vitamins B, C, P and K. Of the biogenic elements, tomato fruits contain a lot of chlorine, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus and calcium. They also have pectin, organic acids, proteins and fiber. Few people know that in terms of the content of ascorbic acid, this vegetable surpasses evenoranges and lemons. The sweetness of a tomato is given by its sugar compounds. Of the carotenoids, tomato also contains lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that reduces the risk of developing serious diseases such as atherosclerosis, cancer, and cataracts.
There are many varieties of this nightshade representative. They differ mainly in the size and shape of the fruit, as well as in terms of ripening. Sometimes you can find tomatoes of truly fantastic size. But very often, housewives need vegetables that are small in size, which are especially convenient when preparing culinary creations - salads, snacks, and even preparations for the winter. That's why cherry tomato has become popular for some time now.
Description
Varieties of this miniature vegetable from domestic gardeners began to enjoy increased interest relatively recently. They are not only tasty, but also have a uniform size, which makes them especially convenient to use in canning.
Cherry tomatoes are a miniature version of our familiar tomatoes. They are highly nutritious, have a sweeter taste, contain more vitamins and nutrients. Another characteristic of the cherry tomato - the ability to keep it fresh for a long time - has led to the fact that sometimes it is valued much higher than larger counterparts.
Introduced in Israel at the end of the last century, these tiny tomatoes have become an invariable part of the restaurant menu in a fairly short time. Their name from Englishtranslates as "cherry". It must be said that today there are numerous varieties of cherry tomatoes, sometimes with the most amazing shapes - elongated, oval, teardrop-shaped.
The color of the fruit is also different: these tomatoes can be not only red, but also yellow, orange, raspberry, etc. The weight of the largest tomatoes can be up to 30 g, but there are also very small varieties weighing up to ten grams.
Features
The fruits of this crop on the bushes ripen in clusters. Often at harvest time they are simply removed with brushes.
In each bunch, up to twenty miniature tomatoes are formed and ripen, almost simultaneously. This property of this plant is often used for decorative purposes.
As a result of selection, it was possible to develop a culture that, for a number of reasons, outperforms classic tomatoes. Cherry tomatoes grow in clusters, not singly, which makes it easier to both harvest and consume the product. They have a richer and sweeter taste compared to their larger counterparts.
Benefits
Cherry tomatoes have a much longer shelf life: fruits in the refrigerator do not deteriorate quickly and do not crack. Another plus: the compact size makes tomatoes convenient for decorations and as a snack, since they do not require painstaking slicing. Cherry tomatoes have increased dietary characteristics.
They are incredibly useful for the normalization of the heartvascular system and metabolism, just like larger tomatoes, they are needed to prevent cancer and protect against premature aging. The compact root system made it possible to grow cherry tomatoes not only in the open field or in greenhouses, but also at home - in ordinary flower pots.
Varieties
This type of miniature tomato almost immediately fell in love with the Russians. Almost all summer residents grow it in their personal plots. It must be said that cherry includes many varieties that differ in color and shape. Common to all is the small weight of the fetus. Many varieties of outdoor cherry tomatoes are specially adapted to our climatic conditions, such as White Currant, Bull's Eye, Bulk, Button, Madeira, etc. All of them belong to the undersized variety of these mini tomatoes. There are also tall varieties that are grown both in open ground and in greenhouses. This is a yellow cherry tomato called Golden Bead, bright red Mariska F1, Zelenushka, giving amber-emerald fruits, Black cherry with its purple dark tomatoes, etc.
In the suburbs, for example, you can grow such varieties as Likopa, which is characterized by high yields, Mio, which is considered a greenhouse crop, but also develops well in open ground, Honey Drop, reaching a height of up to one meter.
Ira f1
Most varieties have early ripening dates. Cherry tomato Ira f1 is especially highly valued by domestic gardeners. Reviews of this early hybrid indicate a pleasant fruity aroma. The fruits of this variety reach a weight of up to 25 grams. Up to twenty orange fruits are formed on one bunch. The plant is standard, not determinant. Harvest can be harvested as early as 85-95 days after planting seeds for seedlings.
Cherry tomato Ira f1, reviews of which are overwhelmingly positive, are stored for a long time and do not lose their presentation. The variety was bred by Russian breeders.
Seedlings
In order for the yield of cherry tomatoes to be high, you must first grow seedlings and then plant them in open ground. To do this, the seeds of selected varieties in early March should be carefully sorted out and soaked for forty minutes in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. After that, they must be thoroughly rinsed with clean water, wrapped in a damp cloth, placed for several days in a warm place for germination. Somewhere in mid-March, already processed seeds are planted in planting containers filled with nutrient soil. Seedling care consists in timely watering and providing the necessary amount of light, for which fluorescent lamps are most often used.
After the appearance of three or four true leaves, you need to make a pick, transplanting the seedlings into separate containers. During the entire growing period, growing cherry tomatoes need to be fed with complex types of fertilizer.
Approximately two weeks before transplanting to a permanent place - in open ground or a greenhouse - gradual hardening is carried outseedlings. To do this, containers with planting material should be taken out to a shaded place in fresh air, and the time they spent there should be gradually increased.
Landing
In the middle lane and in the north of our country, cherry tomatoes are best grown in greenhouse conditions. The day before planting in a permanent place, watering seedlings should be stopped. The bed should be prepared in advance. In areas where groundwater flows close to the soil surface, it is better to raise it so that there is no stagnation of excessive moisture.
The soil for good water and air permeability should be well loosened. Holes are made in it about ten centimeters deep. Cherry tomatoes cannot be planted closer than 50 cm from each other, and with an increase in the distance between the bushes, their fruiting also increases. Transplantation of seedlings is carried out by transshipment, placing in the soil along with an earthen clod. This process is carried out in such a way as to avoid damage to the root system. The hole is poured with water and buried.
Growing
In order for cherry tomatoes to grow well and give an excellent harvest, the gardener needs to provide them with certain conditions. Watering the bushes is necessary only as the earthen clod dries. The plant needs enough air and light, so you should choose the right place for the garden. Cherry tomatoes require optimal air temperature. Both in open ground and in greenhouses, bushes should be tied up. Mandatory activities also include loosening the soil and weeding.
Wowhile caring for young cherry tomatoes, it is necessary to properly distribute moisture. Excess water is detrimental to these tomatoes, as, indeed, its lack.
Features of care
Experienced agronomists advise mulching the soil under cherry bushes with straw, sawdust, manure or agro-cloth to prevent the fruits from coming into contact with the ground. Otherwise, the tomatoes may rot or become infected with fungal diseases. It can also keep the soil from overheating.
Favorable daytime air temperature for heat-loving cherry tomatoes is +20-22 degrees, while at night it should not be lower than +16. Mandatory garter of bushes is necessary so that the fragile branches of the plant do not break under the weight of the fruit. Proper care of these mini-tomatoes will avoid many diseases, such as late blight. But if the culture is infected, it can be cured with drugs such as Mikosan, Aktofit, Fitosporin, etc.
Yields
The timing of cherry tomato ripening depends on the early maturity of this variety. Usually the harvest can be harvested until the end of September. Cherry tomatoes are popular with Russian gardeners primarily because the fruits on the bunches ripen almost simultaneously, besides, they all have the same size. It is not recommended to remove the tomatoes from the brushes individually, it is better to wait until they all ripen.
During the harvest, it is necessary to focus on the maturity of the fruits, only in this case they will benefit and be tasty. Most varieties have enoughhigh yield. On average, from 1 sq. meters can be collected from 13 to 15 kg. One of the highest yielding varieties is White Muscat, growing up to two meters in height.
It should be borne in mind that cherry tomatoes are afraid of fog: after it, the tomatoes deteriorate very quickly, becoming black and unusable. In some regions, fruits should be harvested while still green and put into cardboard boxes to ripen.
Knowing the agrotechnical rules and features of caring for these wonderful delicious vegetables, the cultivation of which is available to almost everyone, you can achieve a rich harvest. Moreover, they can even be grown on a windowsill.
