Tomato Cardinal is a classic representative of the nightshade species. According to many gardeners, this is exactly what a real tomato should look like – large, smooth, fleshy, in an elegant raspberry-pink robe, which just asks for a table. How beautiful the Cardinal tomato can be seen in this photo:
Variety description
According to its characteristics, the Cardinal tomato belongs to medium-early hybrids (110-115 days from germination). Suitable for growing both in a greenhouse and in an open garden. The height of the indeterminate bush of the Cardinal tomato in the greenhouse can reach two meters, if you do not pinch the top of the head in time, it grows up to 1,5 m on the street, so you definitely need a garter of both stems and branches with fruits. Up to 10 large fruits can form on one brush, which do not ripen immediately, but gradually, delighting gardeners throughout the summer, starting from mid-July. When forming a bush, you should leave no more than two main stems and carefully monitor the timely garter to the support so that the branches do not break under the weight of the fruit.
The very first tomatoes of the Cardinal variety by weight can reach up to 0,9 kg, the weight of the latter – no more than 0,4 kg, on average it turns out that the weight of one tomato is about 0,6 kg. The fruits are rich pinkish-crimson in color, a kind of heart-shaped shape, with sweet-sour juicy pulp, which does not contain many seeds. Due to the high sugar content and meatiness of Cardinal tomatoes, many people prefer to eat them fresh, so to speak, from the bush, or make tomato juice, all kinds of sauces and tomato puree from them. The yield is very high due to the large weight of the fruit – up to 14-15 kg / m2.
Tomato variety Cardinal superior to other varieties by:
- excellent taste, increased meatiness and beauty of fruits;
- disease resistance;
- excellent seed germination (9 out of 10);
- cold resistance;
- long storage without loss of presentation;
- the absence of cracking.
But the Cardinal tomato variety also has minor flaws:
- There is no way to pickle them whole, since the large size of the fruit will not allow it to be placed in a jar.
- Due to its high growth, the Cardinal tomato bush takes up a lot of space in the greenhouse.
- Due to the large size of the fruit, additional efforts are needed to tie up not only the stems, but also the branches with tassels.
- Mandatory pinching is necessary to form a bush.
In principle, according to the reviews of those who have already planted Cardinal tomatoes, there are no particular difficulties in growing these tomatoes, only strong support and timely feeding are needed.
How to sow tomato seeds
According to the characteristic, Cardinal tomato prefers light nutrient soil, which can be prepared independently by mixing garden or turf soil harvested in autumn with well-rotted humus. It is better to take the earth from the beds after cucumbers, legumes, cabbage, carrots, onions. It is allowed to add superphosphate and wood ash to increase the nutritional value of the soil.
For sowing seeds for seedlings, the best time is the end of March – the beginning of April. First, they need to be disinfected, that is, soaked in a pink solution of potassium permanganate for half an hour, followed by rinsing under running water. Then fill them with a growth stimulator for 11-12 hours.
After that, sow the seeds of the Cardinal tomato variety in a container with prepared soil to a depth of 1,5-2 cm. require picks and you can plant them in the ground right in pots.
After planting the seeds in a container, you should not water them from a watering can, it is better to use a spray bottle for this. Then you need to stretch a film on a container with seeds and put it in heat until sprouts appear.
Transfer to a greenhouse
Planting seedlings in open ground takes place on June 7-10, it can be planted in a greenhouse three weeks earlier. Before planting in the hole, it is advisable to add a tablespoon of wood ash. It is better to tie the Cardinal tomatoes to the support immediately after planting the plant. A trellis can serve as a support – it is very convenient for attaching not only stems, but also heavy branches with fruits.
When the bush reaches the desired height, the top of the head should be cut off, thereby stopping the growth upwards. It is necessary to water the Cardinal tomatoes moderately, using warm, soft water, not forgetting at least three times during the summer, to feed the bushes with a full range of fertilizers.
Speaking of Cardinal tomatoes, one cannot fail to mention Mazarini tomatoes. A photo of the Mazarin tomato variety can be seen below:
In terms of their properties, characteristics and description of the variety, Mazarini tomatoes are very similar to Cardinal, but have a clearer heart shape with a pointed tip. Fruits weighing 400-600 grams, pink, fleshy can compete even with the Bull’s heart and Cardinal. Growing the Mazarin tomato variety is practically no different from growing the Cardinal variety. Both those and other tomatoes are a real decoration for the backyard and the opportunity to enjoy an amazing taste.
