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Naturally, every summer resident has his favorite tomato varieties. Someone loves meaty large fruits, and some prefer neat tomatoes that can be cut into a salad or perfectly canned. Of particular interest are tomatoes, which are easy to grow in a summer cottage or even on a balcony. Thumbelina tomato belongs to such varieties.
Characteristic of the variety
Early ripe Thumbelina is intended for cultivation in closed ground. On average, the bush grows to a height of 1,5-1,6 m. The period from seed germination to the first harvest is 91-96 days. The fruits ripen small – 15-20 grams each, however, 10-14 fruits can be tied in the cyst (photo). The rounded tomato of the Thumbelina variety has a smooth and dense skin and, according to summer residents, has an excellent taste.
About 4,5 kg of ripe fruits are harvested from a square meter of beds. Thumbelina tomato perfectly complements vegetable salads and looks delicious in conservation.
The main advantages of the variety Thumbelina:
- self-pollination of the tomato, which is especially important if you want to grow tomatoes on a balcony or loggia;
- resistance to many tomato diseases (powdery mildew, rot);
- friendly ripening of tomatoes of the Thumbelina variety. Since all tomatoes ripen at the same time on one brush, harvesting is a pleasure. You can pick individual fruits or cut off an elegant tomato brush right away.
The disadvantage of the variety is its sensitivity to sudden changes in temperature. The Thumbelina tomato also does not respond well to low temperatures, so it is recommended to grow this variety only in greenhouses.
Planting seeds
For sowing grains of tomatoes Thumbelina use a special soil mixture. You can also prepare the soil yourself – garden soil, humus / peat, sand and mineral fertilizers are mixed. To disinfect the earth, you need to ignite it in the oven.
Before sowing, tomato seeds of the Thumbelina variety are first immersed for 3-4 minutes in a solution of potassium permanganate (for disinfection). Then the grains are washed and wrapped in a wet cloth for germination for 2-3 days.
The napkin is kept in a warm place and the fabric is not allowed to dry out. Once the seeds germinate, they can be planted in the ground. First, a drainage layer is poured into containers, and then a special soil. On the surface of the moistened earth, grooves are made about 1 cm deep. The seeds are laid out in grooves at a distance of 2 cm from each other and covered with a thin layer of soil. For grain germination, the container is placed in a warm place (temperature + 20-25˚ C) and covered with glass or film. Usually shoots appear on the 5-6th day.
To strengthen and fully grow seedlings of the Thumbelina variety, additional light sources are equipped (it is recommended to install a special fitolamp).
When the sprouts have 2-3 leaves, the seedlings can be dived and planted in separate containers. It is impossible to delay with the picking of seedlings, otherwise the growing plants form such a root system that later planting will become very traumatic for Thumbelina tomato sprouts.
You can make a pick quite late (when the seedlings already have 5-6 true leaves). But in this case, the seedlings are planted more rarely in advance or the seedlings are carefully thinned out in the usual planting pattern.
For planting Thumbelina seedlings, cups are prepared in advance (with a volume of 200-250 grams or special pots 8×8 cm in size). You should not take too spacious containers based on the future powerful root system of tomatoes. Since in the soil that is not occupied by roots, a fungus can start, which will lead to the disease of the Thumbelina tomato variety.
The issue of pinching the central root remains controversial. On the one hand, such an operation stimulates the growth of a powerful branched root system. On the other hand, such injury to seedlings inhibits their growth for some time. In addition, when transplanting, part of the thin long root already comes off.
Care of seedlings
After transplanting Thumbelina tomatoes, it is recommended to place the containers for 2-3 days in a shaded place. Then the seedlings are provided with good lighting. And after a week and a half, they begin to gradually accustom the sprouts to fresh air.
The first top dressing is applied one and a half weeks after planting the sprouts of the Thumbelina variety. You can use complex special fertilizers or make a solution yourself: 10 g of potassium sulfate, 12 g of superphosphate and 35 g of urea are dissolved in 4 liters of water. It is advisable to combine watering and fertilizing.
When watering tomatoes of the Thumbelina variety, water stagnation should not be allowed. It is recommended to water the tomatoes as the soil dries out.
This is especially true of tall varieties of tomatoes, which in cramped pots can slow down growth.
Care of tomatoes
Thumbelina tomato seedlings can be planted in a greenhouse 40-50 days after seed germination (usually in mid-May). The soil in the greenhouse must be prepared in advance.
When digging the soil, compost or humus is added at the rate of 4-6 kg per square meter of area. This is important if the tomatoes have been growing in the same place for several seasons.
Variety Thumbelina prefers fertile, loose, neutral mixtures. In the greenhouse, the bushes are seated at a distance of 60-70 cm from each other. They provide support for tomatoes in advance – as soon as the seedlings grow to 30 cm, it is necessary to tie up the stem.
Excellent yield is obtained by forming bushes in 2-3 stems. Usually bushes grow to a height of 1,5 m. The main care is to regularly tie up Thumbelina tomatoes, remove stepchildren and loosen the soil. To prevent the soil from drying out, it is advisable to mulch it.
It is necessary to apply fertilizers during the periods of flowering, the formation of ovaries and the formation of fruits. It is allowed to use fertilizers, both organic (peat, humus) and inorganic (Kemira Universal 2, Magnesium Sulphate, Mortar).
Disease and Prevention
According to summer residents, the Thumbelina variety is quite resistant to diseases. However, you should be aware of the diseases that can affect tomatoes:
- tobacco mosaic virus occurs in greenhouse conditions due to poor ventilation, high humidity, thickening of the bushes. The disease manifests itself in the form of light green and yellowish mosaic spots. Plants quickly break, Thumbelina fruits are torn. The virus is spread by aphids, thrips. At the first symptoms, the damaged bush should be treated with a solution of whey (10%) with the addition of micronutrient fertilizers. As a preventive measure, it is recommended to replace the top layer of soil in the greenhouse (about 10-15 cm);
- late blight is one of the most common fungal diseases. A favorable environment for the emergence and spread of the disease is cloudy, cool and humid weather. There is no absolute cure for fungus. Therefore, at the first symptoms, it is important to prevent the spread of the disease. As a preventive measure, the treatment of bushes with Fitosporin, Gamair, Alirin is practiced. It is recommended to spray Thumbelina tomatoes when the first ovaries are formed. You can also water the soil with preparations or add them to irrigation water. In autumn, the remains of tomatoes are carefully removed. In the spring, the walls of the greenhouse can be washed or replaced with a polyethylene coating.
Fruit cracking cannot be called a disease. Rather, it is a flaw that appears when the soil is excessively moist. To prevent the appearance of such defects, regular loosening of the soil is carried out, and the irrigation process is controlled.
Tomatoes of the Thumbelina variety will pleasantly decorate the summer table and join the ranks of elegant preservation. Simple care allows you to grow several tomato bushes without much hassle.
