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Tomatoes are perhaps the most loved and consumed vegetables on our planet. Therefore, it is not surprising that in every garden in Our Country, regardless of the region, you can find this wonderful plant. When a gardener plants tomatoes in his area, he, of course, expects a good harvest. But it happens that his expectations are not justified, because not all varieties of tomatoes are suitable for one or another region. To avoid unpleasant surprises, and even more so with insufficient gardening experience, it is better to start your acquaintance with undersized varieties of tomatoes – they definitely won’t let you down! These varieties include the Mongolian dwarf tomato, which will be discussed now. Photos of this variety can be seen below:
Description
An extremely early tomato variety, the Mongolian dwarf, was bred by Novosibirsk breeders. These are probably the shortest tomatoes of all – the height of the bush is only 15-25 cm. Moreover, despite its small stature, the Mongolian dwarf does not produce the smallest fruits – about 200 grams the weight of one tomato. To taste, Mongolian dwarf tomatoes are sweet and juicy, bright red in color. They are distinguished by good yields – one bush can produce about 10 kg of beautiful tomatoes.
The main properties of the variety
The Mongolian dwarf tomato variety is rather unpretentious in care, cold-resistant, does not require stepsoning, as the highly branched stem clings to the ground and releases short stepchildren, on which new fruits are formed. Because of this, the tomato bush seems to grow in width, occupying a space about a meter in diameter. The leaves of the plant have a strong edge, rather narrow. The Mongolian dwarf variety begins to set fruits immediately after planting, and this process continues until frost. Moreover, due to the strong branching and density of the foliage, the tomatoes hide inside the bush, which makes it possible for them to maintain a good appearance and taste without succumbing to rotting and cracking.
Since the Mongolian dwarf tomato variety does not stepchild and does without a garter to a support, it is popularly called “tomato for lazy people”. But this does not negate its watering and timely feeding.
Advantages
- very early ripening of fruits even in open ground;
- no need to stepson and tie up tomatoes Mongolian dwarf;
- stable yield even in drought;
- well tolerates lack of watering;
- does not suffer from late blight;
- bears fruit until late autumn;
- does not respond to bad weather conditions;
- due to its short stature, it tolerates strong gusts of wind well.
According to those who have already planted Mongolian dwarf tomatoes, they grow best in Siberia and southeast Our Country, even though the summer in these parts is short and the differences between day and night temperatures are quite large. The end of summer is usually marked by heavy dews, which contributes to the emergence and spread of phytophthora. But due to the characteristics of the variety, the Mongolian dwarf tomatoes simply do not have time to catch this infection, since usually the harvest in these areas is harvested in mid-August. Also, the Mongolian dwarf tomato variety is not afraid of arid windy areas, where autumn is long and dry. But the humid regions of the Non-Black Earth Region and especially heavy soils, the Mongolian dwarf does not like and is unlikely to please with a good harvest. In the southern regions, where the soils are lighter, it is possible to grow Mongolian dwarf tomatoes in a seedless way, sowing seeds directly into the garden.
Disadvantages
The disadvantages of the Mongolian dwarf tomato variety can be indirectly attributed to the difficulty in acquiring seeds – they are sold only by private individuals, and there is no guarantee that these will be the Mongolian dwarf tomato seeds. This can be understood only when the bush is formed – such a bush is only in this variety and no one else.
Peculiarities of growing
- Most importantly, mulch the soil before planting seedlings in the garden. As mulch, you can use straw, sawdust, beveled nettles or unnecessary newspapers, and best of all, black film or black covering material. Or you can just put some boards or plywood under the brushes with fruits. This will protect the fruits from slugs and other pests, because they will practically lie on the ground due to the low growth of the plant. An example of how to do this can be seen in the photo below:
- To get an earlier harvest, you need to try to plant the Mongolian dwarf tomatoes in the ground as early as possible, because you can not be afraid of frost: it’s easier to cover undersized seedlings – stick a few twigs into the ground and throw on whatever comes to hand, whether it’s a piece of film or just an old one cloak.
- According to the reviews of many gardeners, the Mongolian dwarf tomato bears fruit much better than in a greenhouse, since this variety does not tolerate excess moisture. And if the greenhouse is rarely ventilated, then all the work on growing these tomatoes will come to naught. You should also pay attention to the acidity of the soil – too acidic is not good.
- You can not plant seedlings too often, due to its strong growth. The distance between the bushes should be approximately 50-60 cm, in other words, for one bush – half a square meter of land. Some gardeners, trying to save planting space, plant sprouts at a distance of 0,3 m, then cut off the side shoots, leaving one or two at a time, stacking the plants on top of each other. But the stalks of tomatoes are quite fragile and brittle. As a result: extra waste of time and effort, lower yields.
Sowing seeds of the Mongolian dwarf tomato is carried out in early to mid-February, so that when planted in the ground in early May, the bushes are already in bloom – this will make it possible to feast on the first tomatoes in June. Some gardeners, in order to get the first harvest in May, transplant seedlings into a large bucket type container at the end of February. Seedlings are grown according to known standards.
Advantages of undersized varieties
Many vegetable growers prefer low-growing varieties of tomatoes because of the early and abundant harvest. An important factor is the simpler way of caring for them, since the height of the bushes does not exceed 80 cm, which greatly facilitates processing. Usually, after the seventh inflorescence, the height of the bush stops. At the same time, the fruits are both very large and medium, as, for example, in the Mongolian dwarf variety. This is a great opportunity to start eating fresh tomatoes literally at the beginning of summer, when other varieties are just starting to set ovaries. But it is very important after a long winter to start saturating your body with vitamins and nutrients contained in these wonderful fruits as soon as possible.
It is no secret that tomato juice plays a huge role in stimulating hematopoiesis, intestinal motility, and in enhancing the secretion of gastric juice. Fresh tomatoes are recommended for people with diseases of the cardiovascular system. They can be used not only fresh in salads, but also used in the preparation of various dishes, sauces and preservation. Mongolian dwarf tomatoes are perfect for these purposes.