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To ensure a generous and varied harvest, gardeners plant several varieties of vegetables. And, of course, everyone is trying to harvest early. For this purpose, early-ripening tomatoes are selected. Tomato variety Riddle is just the best for both experienced and beginner gardeners.
Characteristic of the variety
Determinate tomato bushes of the Riddle variety are formed by strong and powerful trunks. In open ground, tomatoes grow about 50 cm high, and in a greenhouse they can rise 60 cm. Moreover, the bushes form a fairly compact shape. Above the fifth or sixth leaf, the first brush grows, on which about five or six fruits are tied. Tomato Riddle practically does not give stepchildren.
A distinctive feature of the Riddle tomato variety is precocity. From the moment of seed germination to harvest, 85-87 days pass.
Bright red Riddle tomatoes ripen in a round shape, slightly ribbed near the stem (as in the photo). The mass of a tomato grown in open ground is approximately 80-95 g, and in greenhouses a vegetable can gain weight of approximately 112 g. The fleshy flesh of the Riddle tomatoes tastes good. Vegetables have a dense skin that does not crack, so tomatoes are perfectly transported over long distances.
The average yield of the Zagadka variety is approximately 22 kg per square meter. The first ripe tomatoes of the Riddle variety appear in early to mid-June. Special attention in the process of growing tomatoes is not required.
Growing tomatoes
The Riddle variety grows well in shady places, and it is better to plant seedlings in open ground or a greenhouse.
Planting seeds
If planting material of a well-known manufacturer is used, then there is no need to carry out special seed preparation. It is recommended to sow seeds in a box at the end of March.
Stages of growing seedlings:
- A container with fertile soil is being prepared. A sufficient height of the box is 5-7 cm. In moist soil, several parallel furrows are made at a distance of 2-4 cm from each other.
- Tomato seeds Riddle are laid out in a row with a step of 1,5-2 cm. If you plant the seeds more often, then when planting the sprouts, it will be possible to damage the plants. The grains are lightly covered with soil.
- The container is covered with a transparent polyethylene film or glass, and placed in a warm place. The optimum temperature for seed germination is + 22-23˚ C.
- After about five or six days, the seeds germinate, and the box is exposed to a lighted place.
- When the seedlings grow two leaves each, it will be possible to pick and plant the sprouts in separate cups or small containers.
About two weeks before transplanting seedlings to the site, you should start hardening it off. For this, seedlings must be taken out into the open air. You need to start with a few minutes and gradually increase the duration of hardening. On the eve of the transplant, the seedlings should be in the open air for a whole day. Riddle seedlings are planted only when warm weather sets in and the likelihood of night frosts becomes minimal.
Planting seedlings
Transplanting is better to do on a cloudy day or choose the time in the evening so that the plant gets stronger overnight. Before transplanting, the soil in the cups should be slightly moistened to make it easier to remove the seedlings and the roots are not damaged.
The recommended planting pattern for planting material is 6-8 bushes per square meter. Tomatoes should not interfere with each other. Each Riddle variety tomato should receive maximum light and air. Therefore, the holes are placed in a row with a step of 35-40 cm and left at a row spacing of 70-80 cm. The best option is to place seedlings in 2 rows (at a distance of 35 cm), leaving 70-80 cm on the track.
Wells 15-20 cm deep are prepared in advance. Each hole is completely filled with water and you have to wait until it is absorbed. The Riddle tomato is taken out of the container, placed in the hole and a little compost is sprinkled around the plant. The seedling is covered with earth and slightly compacted. About a liter of water is poured under each bush. Immediately next to the sprout, a peg 50 cm high is installed for tying the stems. Synthetic threads are not recommended for fixing tomatoes, as they can damage the stems. The most suitable option is hemp rope.
Greenhouse on the beds
If it is still relatively cool outside, then planting tomatoes of the Riddle variety is covered with a film until it gets warmer. This is done so that the seedlings are well rooted and do not suffer from drying out. In a greenhouse, seedlings require half as much water.
Agrofibre has several advantages: a durable and reliable material, resistant to strong winds, will protect plants during heavy rain or from bright sunlight, a durable fabric that is easy to clean.
PVC pipes can be used as supports, which can be easily bent. If you arrange drawstrings on the canvas, then it will be easy to thread pipes into them. Then, pegs are driven in along the edges of the bed with tomatoes and the tubes are already put on them. Fixing the structure over the landing is not difficult. In order not to immediately remove the canvas, you can simply collect it and open the Riddle tomatoes for ventilation.
Watering Recommendations
Do not allow water to get on the stem or leaves of tomatoes. Therefore, you need to water the Riddle tomatoes exclusively at the root. Moreover, it is desirable to do this in the evening, then the water will saturate the soil well and evaporate less.
Until the moment of fruit set, you should not be carried away by watering, it is only necessary to prevent the soil from drying out and the appearance of cracks in the soil.
When setting fruits of the Riddle variety, it is recommended to water the tomato abundantly every 4-6 days. So that the water is better absorbed, on the eve of watering, you can slightly loosen the soil. Mulching the soil with straw or hay will prevent the soil from drying out quickly.
Of course, the climatic conditions of the region are also of great importance for the formation of the irrigation regime.
Top dressing of tomatoes
In the season, it is desirable to fertilize the soil three to five times. The main requirements in this case: fertilize the soil in time and not exceed the dosage.
One and a half to two weeks after planting seedlings of Riddle tomatoes, a solution of ammonium nitrate is added to the soil (10-10 g of fertilizer is dissolved in 20 liters of water).
During the flowering period, a bed with tomatoes is fertilized with a solution of manure with Azofoska (10 g is enough for 20 liters).
Then, every two weeks, Riddle tomatoes are watered with solutions of mullein or inorganics (10 g of ammonium nitrate and 15 g of potassium sulfate are added to 25 liters).
Tomato diseases
Due to the early ripening of the fruit, the Mystery tomato manages to avoid mass infection with diseases. Therefore, special prophylaxis or the use of any special chemicals is not required.
Riddle tomato variety is an excellent choice for gardeners who are used to picking ripe tomatoes as early as mid-June. Thanks to the simple rules of care, even novice gardeners will reap a decent harvest.
