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“Raspberry Empire” is a wonderful tomato variety that allows experienced and novice gardeners to get a good harvest of tasty and fragrant vegetables. The hybrid is picky and very productive. It is loved and grown by many domestic gardeners. For those who are still unfamiliar with this variety, we will try to provide the most interesting and useful information that will help you get to know the tomato better and successfully cultivate it on your site.
Variety information
Tomato “Raspberry Empire F1” indeterminate, tall. Its bushes grow up to 2 m or more. Such giant plants require careful shaping. So, on adult tomato bushes, the lower leaves and stepchildren should be removed every 10-12 days. This must be done in sunny weather so that the wounds on the trunk heal safely and prevent the infection from penetrating the body of the bush.
Tall tomato bushes “Raspberry Empire F1” are recommended to be grown in greenhouses and greenhouses. In the southern regions of the country, cultivation of the variety is allowed in open areas of soil. The presence of a specially equipped, heated greenhouse will allow growing tomatoes “Empire” all year round.
Tomatoes “Raspberry Empire F1” must be tied to a specially installed, reliable support or to the frame of the greenhouse. Throughout the entire fruiting period, tomatoes form long stems that can be lowered on twine or bent their crown down to reach the height of the greenhouse ceiling.
Tomatoes “Raspberry Empire F1” actively form ovaries throughout the vegetative period. The first inflorescence of this variety appears above the 7th leaf. Further along the stem, flower-bearing brushes are formed every 2-3 leaves. Each fruitful brush consists of 3-6 flowers, which quickly become ovaries, and then full-fledged tomatoes.
The root system of indeterminate tomatoes “Empire” is well developed. It nourishes the tomatoes with all the necessary trace elements and moisture. At the same time, a developed network of roots does not allow plants to be planted too close to each other. The recommended planting pattern for this variety is one bush per piece of land, 40×50 cm in size.
Description of tomatoes
When studying a new variety, farmers are primarily interested in the taste of vegetables, their shape and color. So, tomatoes “Raspberry Empire F1” can be characterized as follows:
- The shape of the tomatoes is round, heart-shaped.
- Ripe vegetables are bright crimson.
- The mass of each ripe tomato is 140-160 g.
- The taste of tomatoes is high, the aroma is pronounced.
- The inner cavity of the vegetable is fleshy, has several chambers.
- The skin of the fruit is thin but firm. It reliably protects tomatoes from cracking.
Of course, a verbal description does not allow us to fully appreciate the external qualities of vegetables, so we suggest taking a look at the photo of Raspberry Empire F1 tomatoes:
You can see the bunches of tomatoes “Empire” and get some comments from the agrarian and practical advice on growing this variety by watching the video:
Numerous reviews and comments from farmers claim that Raspberry Empire F1 tomatoes are very tasty and fragrant. From them you can cook thick pasta or canned pickles for the winter. Vegetables are good in a fresh salad, pizza and other culinary delights. And only juice from such tomatoes cannot be prepared, because it will turn out to be very thick.
Tomatoes in their composition contain many vitamins and minerals, acids, and fiber necessary for humans. Thanks to this, it can be argued that tomatoes are not only very tasty, but also very healthy.
Tomato yield
Tomatoes “Raspberry Empire F1” are early ripe varieties. Vegetables “Empire” ripen after 95 days from the day of germination of grains. Such a short period of time makes it possible to grow tomatoes in the northern regions of the country, where summers are short and cool.
The friendly ripening of tomatoes allows the gardener to immediately collect a large number of vegetables and use them for cooking various dishes, canning. A lot of ripe tomatoes on one bush can be seen below in the photo:
Variety “Raspberry Empire F1” has a high yield. So, from every 1 m2 soil, subject to the rules for growing crops, gardeners manage to collect about 20 kg of ripe, tasty and fragrant tomatoes. The yield of a variety can be reduced by about a third when cultivating tomatoes in open ground.
Variety resistance
Various fungal, viral and bacterial diseases now and then affect tomatoes. Many varieties show vulnerability to ailments and die before they have completed their fruiting period. Variety “Raspberry Empire F1” has a clear advantage in comparison with other varieties of tomato: at the genetic level, it has a high protection against top and root rot, as well as brown spot. To some diseases, tomatoes “Empire” have an average degree of resistance. The Empire tomato is vulnerable only to late blight, which can be fought with the help of fungicide preparations or folk remedies.
Farmers should also remember that excess nitrogen, excessive watering and pinching of bushes in wet weather can cause the development of certain ailments, fattening of bushes and reduced yields.
Tomatoes can be harmed not only by microorganisms that are not visible to the eye, but also by quite obvious insects. You can fight them by setting traps, mechanically collecting adults and larvae, treating plants with special means.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
Speaking about Raspberry Empire F1 tomatoes, it is difficult to highlight the negative qualities, since there are practically none, but we will try to note not only the positive characteristics, but some of the negative qualities of the variety. Thus, the virtues of culture are:
- Excellent taste of vegetables, their pleasant, fresh aroma.
- High yield of tomatoes in open and protected ground.
- Good variety resistance to many diseases.
- The ability to grow tomatoes until late autumn, and even all year round.
- Early ripening period of tomatoes.
Among the shortcomings of the “Empire” variety, it should be noted:
- The need for regular and correct formation of indeterminate bushes.
- High demands of the variety for the nutritional value of the soil and the abundance of watering.
- The relatively low resistance of the variety to cold weather, which does not allow growing tomatoes in open ground in the northern regions of the country.
- It is not possible to make tomato juice from fleshy tomatoes.
Many of the shortcomings of the points listed above are relative, since they determine the main advantages of culture. Thus, high yields and the possibility of long-term fruiting are determined by the indeterminacy of the variety, which requires regular formation of bushes.
Basic cultivation rules
Raspberry Empire F1 tomatoes should be grown in seedlings. To do this, you need to calculate the optimal sowing period for the crop, taking into account the characteristics of the climate. For example, the mid-season variety “Empire” should be planted in the ground at the age of 65 days, and favorable conditions in the central region of the country in the presence of a greenhouse come at the end of May. Based on this information, we can say that it is necessary to sow the seeds of the Raspberry Empire F1 tomatoes in the second half of March.
By the time of planting, tomato seedlings should have a healthy appearance with strong, bright green leaves. The height of the seedlings should be about 20-25 cm. To grow such plants, you need to choose the right soil and fertilize in a timely manner. The recommended fertilizer application schedule is shown below:
At the stage of growing seedlings and after planting them in the ground, it is also necessary to monitor the condition of the tomatoes. Some characteristic signs may signal a lack of a particular substance in the soil. An example of such ailments and the corresponding diagnoses are shown in the picture:
Caring for Raspberry Empire F1 tomatoes, in addition to fertilizing, involves regular watering, which should not be frequent. Mulch can help retain moisture in the soil, placed around the entire circumference of the plant.
Unlike open ground, the greenhouse allows you to adjust the temperature and humidity. So, the optimal temperatures are at the level of + 23- + 250C and a humidity index of 50-70%. Such conditions prevent the development of diseases and allow the tomatoes to form the maximum possible number of ovaries.
Thus, “Raspberry Empire F1” can be grown by anyone, for this it is only necessary to purchase the original seeds of this variety and take care of their timely sowing, proper cultivation of plants. Tomatoes, in gratitude for proper care, will surely give the farmer a rich harvest of delicious tomatoes that can be served fresh on the table or canned for the winter.
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