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Tomatoes “Shuttle” can be a great option for beginners, lazy or especially busy gardeners who do not have time to care for plantings. This variety is characterized by unpretentiousness and excellent endurance, it is not afraid of weather disasters. Even with the most meager care, “Chelnok” can produce a good harvest of tomatoes. A detailed description of this unique variety can be found later in our article. Perhaps, having familiarized themselves with the proposed photos and characteristics, novice farmers and farmers who want to try something new will make the right choice for their garden.
Detailed description
The variety “Chelnok” was obtained by breeders and zoned for the southern and central regions of the country. It is intended for open ground, but if necessary, it can successfully grow and bear fruit in a greenhouse or under a film cover. Some experimental gardeners grow “Chelnok” indoors, placing large pots on a windowsill or on a glazed balcony.
Bushes of the “Chelnok” variety are determinant, standard type. Their height does not exceed 50-60 cm. Such undersized plants have a reliable, stable stem. Stepchildren and leaves are formed on it in a small amount, which periodically need to be removed as they grow. In general, the standard bush does not require enhanced formation, since it independently regulates its growth. Such self-regulation saves the farmer’s time and is one of the advantages of the Chelnok variety.
Tomatoes “Shuttle” form fruiting brushes above 6 leaves. On each of them, 6-10 simple flowers are formed at once. If you want to get larger fruits, pinch the brushes, leaving only 4-5 ovaries. They are especially well filled with nutrients and juice, becoming large-fruited tomatoes as a result. If you do not pinch the fruiting brushes, then as a result you can get a large number of medium-sized tomatoes. An example of such fruits can be seen above in the photo.
All about tomatoes “Chelnok”
Tomatoes “Shuttle” have a cylindrical shape. A small pointed “nose” may form at their tip. The color of tomatoes at the stage of maturity is bright red. The peel of vegetables is dense, resistant to cracking. When eating vegetables, tasters note its some rudeness. You can evaluate the external characteristics and description of the “Chelnok” variety tomatoes by viewing the photos proposed in the article.
The average weight of tomatoes of the “Chelnok” variety is 60-80 g. If desired, by removing a certain number of ovaries, you can get tomatoes weighing up to 150 g. It is worth noting that this mass is a record for ultra-early tomatoes, which include the “Chelnok” variety.
Experts assess the taste qualities of the Chelnok variety as high. Tomatoes have dense pulp with 2-3 seed chambers. The pulp harmoniously combines light sourness and high sugar content. The aroma of vegetables is not too pronounced. You can use tomatoes for cooking fresh snacks, culinary dishes and canning. Tomatoes make a thick juice and paste. After processing and canning, vegetables retain their sweetness and unique taste.
Yield and fruit ripening period
Tomatoes “Chelnok” are ultra-early: it takes about 90-120 days to ripen. Such a relatively short ripening period of vegetables allows the variety to be used for obtaining the first salad vegetables. You can grow the first ultra-early tomatoes in a greenhouse. In general, it is rational to place tomato seedlings of the “Chelnok” variety in open beds, since for protected conditions it is recommended to use high-yielding indeterminate varieties of unlimited growth.
The yield of the variety “Chelnok” depends largely on the conditions of cultivation. Growing a variety in a greenhouse, you can get about 10 kg of vegetables from 1 m2 soil. In open beds, yields can drop to 6-8 kg/m2. To get a large number of vegetables, it is also important to follow the rules of cultivation.
Disease and pest resistance
Unfortunately, with all the wonderful characteristics and description of the Shuttle tomato variety, the culture does not have protection from diseases and pests. To prevent the development of ailments, special attention should be paid to preventive measures. So, before sowing, tomato seeds and soil must be treated with a manganese solution or a solution of copper sulfate. These substances will remove fungi and viruses that can cause certain specific diseases.
Such a well-known and widespread disease as late blight can affect plants in conditions with high humidity and low air temperature. To prevent late blight, tomato bushes can be sprayed with garlic infusion or special preparations (fungicides). When establishing favorable conditions for the spread of late blight, it is necessary to carry out preventive treatment once every 1 days.
The causative agents of viral diseases often hide in the ground, so you need to plant tomatoes in the place where the so-called favorable predecessors (carrots, cabbage, legumes, greens) used to grow. It is not recommended to plant tomatoes in a place where nightshade crops used to grow.
Preventive plant protection measures allow you to deal with pests. So, it is recommended to regularly weed the ridges and mulch the trunk circle of tomatoes with peat or straw. Regular inspection of plants will allow you to detect pests before their mass distribution. In the fight against insects, you can use natural folk remedies, biological and chemical substances.
Advantages and disadvantages
It is possible to evaluate the variety of tomatoes “Chelnok” only with an objective ratio of all its advantages and disadvantages. So, the positive qualities of tomatoes are:
- relatively high yield;
- excellent taste of vegetables;
- early fruit ripening;
- plant compactness;
- ease of care, no need for careful formation of bushes;
- high resistance to cold and adverse conditions;
- endurance and unpretentiousness;
- the ability to grow tomatoes in protected and open conditions;
- universal purpose of tomatoes.
Of course, all of the above advantages are very important, but some of the existing disadvantages of the “Chelnok” variety should also be taken into account:
- low resistance to diseases requires the implementation of preventive measures to protect plants;
- low air temperatures during the flowering period of tomatoes can cause a decrease in yield.
Many farmers consider the above shortcomings to be insignificant and therefore, from year to year, they unconditionally prefer the variety “Chelnok”. We invite each reader to familiarize themselves with the detailed information in order to make an objective conclusion about the variety and make an informed decision for themselves.
Peculiarities of growing
The technology for growing tomatoes “Chelnok” does not differ significantly from the rules for cultivating other varieties. So, the first stage of cultivation is the cultivation of seedlings:
- Seeds of the “Chelnok” variety are sown for seedlings in late February – early March.
- You can do without picking if you sow the seeds immediately in a container with a diameter of 6-8 cm.
- Seed germination is best at a temperature of +250C.
- After the emergence of seedlings, the container with plantings should be placed on the illuminated southern windowsill; if necessary, the light period for plants can be extended artificially by installing fluorescent lamps.
- Seedlings with 2-3 true leaves should be dived into separate containers.
- Tomato seedlings should be watered with moderately warm water as the soil dries.
- In case of slow growth of plants and the appearance of a yellowish tint on the leaves, the seedlings need to be fed with a fertilizer with a high nitrogen content.
- A week before planting in the ground, tomato seedlings need to be fed with potassium-phosphorus fertilizers.
- You can plant the Shuttle tomatoes in the greenhouse in mid-May. Plants should be planted in open ground in June.
The soil in the greenhouse and in the garden should also be prepared for planting seedlings. It needs to be loosened and fertilized with micronutrients. It is necessary to plant bushes of tomatoes “Shuttle” at 4-5 pieces / m2. After planting, the plants must be watered and left to take root for 10 days at rest. Further care for tomatoes consists in watering, loosening, weeding the soil. 3-4 times during the entire growing season, tomatoes need to be fed with organic matter and minerals. Watering for tomatoes should be moderate. It needs to be adjusted according to weather conditions.
In addition to the description, characteristics and photos of the Chelnok tomato variety, as well as its advantages and disadvantages, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the visual information on the video:
Additional comments and feedback from the farmer will help, if desired, to grow a good crop of tomatoes even for the most inexperienced farmer.