All about cherry tomatoes

Among the rich variety of tomatoes, cherry tomatoes deservedly occupy a special position. It is a great ingredient for both simple and sophisticated dishes. And also they make delicious preparations for the winter and other delicacies. Many people mistakenly believe that cherry is a small red fruit with a pleasant smell and slight sourness, but, in fact, there are many varieties that differ in taste and appearance.

Tomato weights vary. The largest cherry tomatoes grow up to 35-40 grams, and the smallest ones reach about 5-15 grams. One of the main features of all small tomatoes is their bright taste, thanks to which they are used for appetizers, first and second courses. The pulp contains a large amount of sugar. Cherries are popular all over the world and are found in cuisines of different nationalities.

Due to their decorative appearance, the shrubs act as a decoration of the local area or as part of a living composition. The color of foliage with carved teeth at the edges and shoots varies depending on the variety from pistachio to dense green. This variety pleases with an excellent harvest in indoor or outdoor conditions.

Dwarf shrubs grow no more than 0.5 meters, and medium-sized varieties reach one meter. When cultivating tomatoes at home, their yield drops, but on a balcony or veranda, you can grow a fruit crop all year round.

There are tall species - from 2.5 to 3 meters in height. Plants reach their maximum height in greenhouses. Such bushes form large clusters with a length of 20 to 70 centimeters. Their weight averages from 2.5 to 6 kilograms. Despite its small size, high yields are achieved through quantity.

Dwarf fruits are convenient to eat, decorate, or serve as an ingredient in snacks. Due to their special taste, they are added to dessert baked goods. When cooked and processed into juices or sauces, they retain their gastronomic qualities and benefits.

Cherry is frozen by cutting into halves or whole. Vegetables go well with seasonings, olives or fresh herbs. In tandem with other products and spices, their taste is revealed in a new way.

Before growing small-fruited tomatoes, you need to decide on the variety. Each of them has certain characteristics: the size of vegetables, color of fruits and leaves, taste, height of shrubs, agricultural technology and other features. Breeders tried to compensate for the small size with an original aftertaste or non-standard shape.

Tomato "Octopus Cherry" belongs to early varieties with an indeterminate type of growth. The hybrid forms tomatoes weighing about 40 grams, and the maximum yield reaches 9 kilograms of vegetables per square meter of the garden. Powerful shrubs grow up to two meters or more. Fruits of bright red color are covered with smooth skin. The first fruits begin to be harvested at the end of the first month of summer.

Harvest of the variety "Sprut F1" perfectly preserved during long transportation. Hybrid shrubs have excellent immunity that protects against top rot and verticillosis.These diseases often become a problem when growing fruit crops.

The second hybrid is called "Cherry Strawberry"... From a square meter of the site, it is possible to collect from 4 to 9 kilograms of juicy vegetables. The mid-season variety does not grow more than 1.2 meters. This species can be identified by the special shape of the fruit, reminiscent of strawberries. The color of mature vegetables is bright scarlet. The weight varies from 20 to 30 grams.

Due to its high decorative qualities, the variety is often used in landscape design or as a decoration for a balcony or loggia. Tomatoes are rich in nutrients and are suitable as baby food. Plants need to be protected from powdery mildew or brown spot, as these are the main enemies of the Cherry Strawberry variety.

Hybrid variety "Cherryira" familiar to most gardeners for about 20 years. Ripe vegetables turn red with a coral tint. The shape is cuboid with a neat spout at the end. The average fruit weight is 32 grams.

An ultra-early variety is enough from 85 to 90 days from the day of sowing for seedlings to form a ripe harvest. Forms "Cherryira" from 6 to 8.5 kg / m2. This variety is chosen due to its appetizing aroma, tender and juicy pulp and excellent taste.

A hybrid grows up to one meter in height variety "Cherry Blosem"... Ripening dates are mid-early. During cultivation, plants are formed into 2 or 3 stems for convenient crop care and harvesting. Perfectly round shape and fiery color of vegetables immediately attract attention. The average weight is 20 grams.

Abrupt climate changes and disease are not scary Cherry Blosem F1... Shrubs are capable of bearing fruit for a long period in almost all weather conditions. Up to 8 kilograms of small tomatoes are harvested per square meter of the plantation.

For allergy sufferers and young children choose fruits of the variety "White currant"... There is no red pigment in vegetables, so their color is pale with a yellow tint. Sweet and sour tomatoes, similar to currant berries, are loved by kids. The yield is 6-7 kilograms per square meter of land. Fruit weight is about 20 grams. Vegetables are not suitable for long-term storage and canning due to cracking.

Variety "Chocolate Monisto" It is considered large-fruited and forms tomatoes weighing from 30 to 45 grams. This variety got its name from the chocolate color of the vegetables. The pulp is firm. Ripening dates are mid-early. Separately, a specific smell and a sweetish aftertaste are noted. The tasters noted the taste of the fruit as amazing.

When grown in the open air, shrubs produce from 4 to 6 kilograms, and in greenhouses it is possible to collect more than 7 kilograms of vegetables per square meter. Shrubs have strong immunity and resistance to heat and high temperatures.

The following list has been compiled based on feedback from Russian vegetable growers. Opens a list of varieties tomato "Nastya-Slastena" with an indeterminate type of growth (from 1.1 to 1.5 meters in height). Shrubs grow in two stems. With proper cultivation, vegetables ripen juicy and sweet. The texture of the flesh is loose, moderately dense and sugary. Seeds are practically not formed inside.

Breeders have developed a variety that is not afraid of black rot and other common infections. In the State Register, the yield is noted in the amount of 5 kg / m2, but in practice this figure is higher. The mass of cylindrical fruits is 15-20 grams.

The next variety of cherry is "Honey drop"... It has been highly praised by most gourmets. The taste is rich, sweet, even sugary. The shape and bright yellow color of the tomatoes resemble pears.One cluster grows up to 25 fruits weighing 20-30 grams.

The maximum growth reaches 3 meters, and up to 2 kilograms of vegetables (or 6-9 kilograms per square meter) are harvested from one plant. Ripe fruits are stored for a long time without loss of quality. Variety "Honey Drop" has an innate immunity to common diseases of the nightshade. The leaves resemble potato tops.

Determinant shrubs varieties "Zlato" reach 1.4 meters in height. The early ripening variety has gained popularity due to the special taste of tomatoes, which are considered the sweetest. Abundant yields allow you to harvest from 6 to 11 kilograms of juicy tomatoes. The color of the fruit is bright yellow with an orange tint, and the weight is from 20 to 40 grams. The plant easily takes root in greenhouses or outdoor areas.

Variety "Vespolino" it is strongly recommended to grow only indoors. Growth type is indeterminate. F1 cherry tomato has medium immunity, which is why it is best grown in greenhouses. When cultivated in the open air, the yield drops significantly from 10-12 to 4 kilograms of vegetables per square meter of land. The color of ripe vegetables is red-raspberry, the shape is ovoid.

An unpretentious variety with high yield rates - these are the characteristics that can boast culture "Caprice"... Potato nematodes and fusarium will not harm tomatoes. Up to 11 kilograms can be collected with proper care. Fruiting begins in July and lasts until autumn. "Caprice" needs regular fertilizers and supports to which the bunches are attached. The droplet-shaped fruits have a dense flesh, thanks to which they can be stored for a long time and are suitable for whole-fruit canning.

The sunny color of the fruit attracts attention grade "Harp"... He loves warm climates and sunshine. In one bunch, up to 18 small tomatoes are formed, and the yield is 7 kilograms. The pulp is tender and pleasant, with an appetizing aroma. Weight ranges from 25 to 30 grams. The fruits are recommended to be eaten in their natural form.

"Harp F1" does not tolerate sharp climate changes and other stressful situations. It is important to avoid waterlogging of the soil.

Many growers begin to germinate seed in late winter or early March. (It is not recommended to sow the grains in advance, otherwise, upon reaching a certain age, the weather conditions will be unsuitable for transplanting.) In this case, you will be able to enjoy the first ripe tomatoes in early summer. The disembarkation is carried out in a container measuring 12 centimeters; they must make a shelter. After 5 days, the first shoots will become noticeable, and the shelter is completely removed.

Seedlings dive after the appearance of the second full-fledged leaf. In separate containers, seedlings will grow until they are transplanted to a permanent site.

Only mature seedlings can be transplanted. Its height should be 20 centimeters, the stem is strong, and the color of the leaves is rich green. And also hardening of young plants is carried out, otherwise they may not take root in a new place and die. The procedure is performed 10 days before the transfer date. For the first time, tomatoes are left on the street for no more than 2 hours. In recent days, quenching is carried out throughout the day.

A small portion of wood ash is laid in the planting holes. This component will be the first top dressing that will nourish the root system for better adaptation. After placing the seedlings, it is watered, and the earth around is carefully rammed. It is advisable to cover the ground around the stems with mulch. Organic matter is perfect: hay, straw or dry grass.

Mulch performs the following tasks:

• maintaining the desired level of moisture;
• organic raw materials decompose and feed the soil;
• protection of the site from weeds and pests.

It is best to transplant in cloudy weather or in the evening when the sun is no longer active.

To grow cherry tomatoes, growers use one of two main methods. Each of the options has its own pros and cons.

When choosing this method, the plant must meet the following characteristics:

• lack of lateral processes (stepchildren);
• flexible and elastic branches that, under the weight of the crop, will maintain their integrity;
• long shoots.

The plant is planted in pots or pots, after which the containers are hung on terraces, balconies, verandas or loggias. Sowing seeds is carried out in early May. In favorable conditions, vegetables will ripen before the onset of cold weather. To prolong the fruiting of shrubs, the container is transferred to a closed room. Shrubs will continue to form fruits, but not in such a large number.

The second option is considered more versatile and suitable for all cherry varieties. Shrubs can have any ripening period, branching, growth and other characteristics. As the name suggests, it is easy to guess that this method is based on growing seedlings. In order to plant healthy and full-fledged seedlings with the onset of the season, you need to be able to properly grow them. Strong plants are the key to abundant fruiting in the future and excellent taste of tomatoes.

Features of agricultural technology.

• They use only light and nutritious soil rich in useful microelements. You can make it yourself or buy it from your garden store.
• For fast and simultaneous germination, you need to cover the container with transparent glass or film.
• A suitable temperature should be maintained around 27 degrees Celsius.
• Young seedlings need lighting. If natural light is not enough, phytolamps are additionally connected.
• If the seedlings are planted in a previously used container, they are cleaned and processed in advance.
• A plot in a greenhouse or in an open field is also prepared in advance.

The land in which young plants will grow must be suitable for fruit crops. Nutrients are added to the soil. The easiest way to buy land is from a store. On sale you can find mixtures designed specifically for tomatoes.

Cherry soil should include the following elements:

• garden land;
• sod soil;
• peat;
• sand.

The self-prepared composition is treated with disinfectants, for example, a solution of potassium permanganate. You can also put boxes of earth in the oven for about 25-30 minutes.

Even novice vegetable growers who do not have proper experience in the cultivation of fruit crops will be able to grow cherry varieties. But success can only be achieved if the rules for caring for shrubs are followed.

The main principles of agricultural technology.

• Even those tomatoes that are heat tolerant do not tolerate drought well. The plantation should be watered regularly so that the fruits receive a sufficient amount of moisture. Its deficiency spoils the taste of vegetables, they become dry and lose their gastronomic qualities. In the sultry summer, irrigation is carried out almost every day, pouring water under the root in the evening or early in the morning.
• A suitable planting scheme is needed so that the shrubs do not interfere with each other. Cherry varieties are spreading, so you need to keep a gap of at least one meter between them. So the tomatoes will receive the right amount of light, and the shoots will not interfere with oxygen exchange.
• Shrub formation allows for maximum yield. It is also recommended to thin out the green mass, cleaning it from dry and damaged leaves.
• The supports will keep the crop from contacting the ground and prevent the branches from bending under their weight.

Almost all varieties of cherry tomatoes are hybrids.Breeders have developed a number of varieties with robust immune systems. It will protect plants from infections and diseases of various types.

Despite this characteristic, the plantation may suffer from the following ailments.

• If the plant begins to break down, it is most likely suffering from mosaic damage. This disease is very dangerous, and more than one garden bed can die from it.
• Late blight affects some varieties, and chemicals must be used to protect the tomatoes.
• Cracking vegetables indicates over-watering the vegetables. In this case, it is necessary to reduce the volume of water and the frequency of irrigation.

For the prevention of diseases, ready-made products are used. The following drugs are widely used: "Mikosan", "Aktofit" or "Fitosporin".

Among insects, there are also those that can become a problem for vegetable crops. The bear is considered the most dangerous. It attacks the root system of the plant. You can get rid of pests by digging up the site or using special protective compounds.

Tomatoes are removed from the shoots immediately after they have reached full maturity. During this period, the harvest is as tasty, aromatic and healthy as possible. Due to their small size, picking tomatoes one at a time is difficult and time-consuming, so it is more convenient to cut off a whole bunch at once. If tomatoes are grown commercially, the tomatoes are carefully detached from the brush after cutting.

Sometimes vegetables are removed from the bushes unripe. They are neatly folded in cardboard containers, and a newspaper is laid between the layers. You need to store the crop in a dark place where it gradually ripens. In this case, the fruits will acquire a bright color, but their taste will be impaired. In terms of gastronomic indicators, tomatoes harvested in advance cannot be compared with those that were harvested from the garden.