Contents
Today, hundreds of varieties and hybrids of tomatoes are known, but not all of them have become popular and have earned love and recognition among gardeners. The Babushkino tomato was selected by an amateur scientist, this variety is not included in the state register of tomato varieties. But all this did not prevent the tomato with an unusual name from becoming more and more popular and famous throughout the country every year.
From this article, you can learn about the yield and other characteristics of the Babushkino tomato, see a photo of this tomato and read reviews of other gardeners about it. For novice farmers, a brief algorithm of actions during the period of growing seedlings and caring for tomatoes will be given.
Characteristics and description of the variety
The description of the Babushkino variety should begin with the fact that this tomato is not a hybrid and does not have F1 hybrid forms that can grow without pollinators. Therefore, tomato bushes will need to be pollinated: with the help of insects or manually (when tomatoes grow in a closed greenhouse).
Detailed description of the Babushkino tomato variety:
- the plant belongs to the indeterminate type, that is, it does not have an end point of growth;
- bushes are not considered standard, their crown must be formed in the process of development;
- the ripening time of tomatoes is medium early – for full ripeness, a tomato needs from 3,5 to 4 months from the date of sowing the seeds;
- the height of the bushes often exceeds 220 cm, so they must be tied up;
- tomatoes can be grown both in open ground and in a greenhouse – it depends on the region and climate;
- Babushkino’s tomato is considered very resistant to external factors: plants tolerate temperature drops well, feel normal in the heat, rarely get sick;
- fruits are formed in brushes, in each of which up to 12 tomatoes can be tied;
- the shape of the tomatoes is flat-round, slight ribbing can be observed;
- the color of a ripe tomato is raspberry red, the flesh is a rich red hue;
- there are several chambers inside the tomato, very few seeds;
- the pulp of the tomato is fleshy, very juicy, sweet with a slight sourness;
- the taste of the variety is excellent, the tomato is suitable for any purpose;
- the mass of fruits is quite large – from 300 to 800 grams;
- the yield of the bush is high, but only with sufficient nutrition;
- There are a lot of dry substances in fruits, so they are stored well and for a long time.
You can use Babushkino tomatoes for absolutely any purpose. Purees and juices are prepared from the fruits, fresh salads are made, tomatoes are salted and pickled, whole or chopped. This variety is also great for sale, because tomatoes are stored for a long time and tolerate transportation well, they have a very presentable appearance.
Strengths and weaknesses of the variety
The Babushkino tomato variety was bred only 20 years ago, but its popularity is constantly growing. All because tomato has several undeniable advantages:
- not afraid of return frosts;
- gives high yields;
- the size of the fruits is large, and their taste is excellent;
- plants practically do not get sick, as they are immune to most “tomato” diseases.
With all these advantages, Babushkino’s tomato is very easy to grow, because it is unpretentious and does not need any special care.
However, the variety also has its disadvantages., which the gardener must know about:
- tomatoes are prone to cracking, so you need to be careful about watering and top dressing;
- due to the small number of seeds in the fruits, the Babushkino variety is very difficult to propagate;
- often the tomato turns yellow around the stalk, this indicates a lack of potassium or magnesium in the soil.
Of course, all these nuances more than cover the quality, quantity and size of the fruit. Therefore, you should definitely plant at least a couple of Babushkino tomato bushes on your site or in a greenhouse.
Growing rules
Photos of ripe fruits and bushes, simply “stuck around” with large tomatoes, many gardeners are being pushed to buy seeds of the Babushkino variety. But in order to grow this tomato, you need to know some features.
Planting tomatoes
Like all tomatoes, Babushkino is grown in Our Country through seedlings. Therefore, the first thing a gardener will have to do is to find the seeds of this tomato for sale. Of course, you can try to find ready-made seedlings, but this is difficult, since the variety is quite rare.
The gardener should act in the following sequence:
- Decide on the timing of sowing seeds for seedlings. Like all tomatoes, the Babushkino variety is sown 1,5-2 months from the expected date of planting in a permanent place. Seedlings of this tomato are transferred to the greenhouse in early to mid-May, but tomato beds can be planted by the end of May – the beginning of June. Based on this, it is recommended to sow seeds in late March or early April.
- Seeds are sown in warm soil. The soil is chosen loose, well-fertilized, capable of retaining moisture. Until the tomatoes germinate, they are under the film in a warm place.
- You need to water the seedlings with warm water, this will accelerate its development and protect against diseases.
- Two or three times you will need to feed the tomatoes with mineral fertilizers – the Babushkino variety loves top dressing very much.
- Be sure to dive seedlings when it grows two leaves. This stimulates the root system to grow and prepares the seedlings for planting in the ground.
- Before taking the tomato to the greenhouse or to the garden, they must be hardened off. Do this carefully and gradually, lowering the temperature every day and increasing the time of the procedure.
- When the temperature outside allows, and when the seedlings have 6-8 true leaves, it can be transferred to a permanent place.
- Holes are made in advance, having previously fertilized and dug up the ground on the site. The distance between the holes should be large, because Babushkino tomato bushes are powerful and tall. An interval of 50-60 cm between tomatoes is recommended.
The first couple of weeks do not touch the tomatoes, at which time they must adapt to new conditions. When the seedlings get stronger, new leaves will appear, you can feed the plants and start actively watering them.
Caring for tomatoes
Reviews about the Babushkino tomato variety are contradictory, but those gardeners who paid a lot of attention to caring for their plantings were satisfied with this tomato. Like all indeterminate varieties, Babushkino needs regular and competent care.
In the process of developing a tomato, he will need the following:
- Shrub formation. It is customary to leave only two or three stems, removing the remaining stepchildren, which will only lead to an increase in green mass and smaller fruits.
- A tall bush is a must have to tie upusing pegs, trellis or other supports. Powerful brushes with several large tomatoes often break branches, so each ripening bunch also needs to be strengthened.
- Tomato Babushkino is very sensitive to the composition of the soil – this tomato needs rich food. Therefore, you need to feed the tomato often and in large quantities. Both organic and mineral fertilizers are suitable.
- If the fruits begin to turn yellow “shoulders”, into the ground add potassium and magnesium. After that, the ripening of tomatoes should become more uniform.
- Bushes spud, the earth is periodically loosened, weeds are pulled out. You can use mulch to retain moisture.
- Water Babushkino’s tomato is best with warm water. Watering is especially important at the stage of fruit pouring, but excess water will lead to cracking, so the gardener must be careful.
- Diseases practically do not affect this variety, pests also rarely appear on the bushes. In order to prevent, however, it is better to process the bushes even during the flowering period.
- You need to harvest in a mature or slightly unripe form. The fruiting of Babushkino’s tomato is extended – for a month and a half, the plants will delight with fresh fruits.
Write Your Review
Summary
The Babushkino tomato variety definitely deserves the attention of both beginners and experienced gardeners. The main advantage of a tomato is its stability and fertility. All the shortcomings of the variety are associated with insufficient soil nutrition, so the gardener should pay special attention to top dressing.
To collect your own planting material, you need to leave several large and beautiful fruits from the last ovary on the bushes. The reviews of those who have already planted this tomato are mostly positive, especially farmers note the excellent taste of the Babushkino tomato and the size of its fruits.