- Authors: Dederko V.N., Postnikova O.V.
- Year of approval: 2006
- Category: grade
- Growth type: indeterminate
- Appointment: fresh consumption
- Ripening period: mid-season
- Ripening time, days: 108
- Growing conditions: for open ground, for film greenhouses
- Marketability: Yes
- Marketable fruit yield,%: 97% incl. ripe - 75%
There are a wide variety of tomato varieties on the market. Tomato Malachite box is distinguished not only by its taste, but also by its interesting color.
Breeding history
Tomato Malachite Box was bred by Novosibirsk breeders VN Dederko and OV Postnikova. The main task of scientists was to create a variety that can tolerate temperature extremes well, as well as a drop in temperature to –2 degrees. The culture grows ideally in unprotected areas. The tomato was approved for use in 2006.
Description of the variety
Tomato Malachite box belongs to indeterminate varieties with a bush height of 120-150 cm. There are also higher stems. Their height reaches 2 m. Because of the unlimited growth force, bushes and branches should be tied to pegs or trellis system.
The stem is strong, strong and well developed. During the growth period, it gives many stepchildren, which must be thinned out so as not to lose the crop. The recommended number of stems is 2.
There are many leaves, they are abundantly formed on the branch. The color is deep green, matte.
The first ovary is formed at the level of the 3rd leaf. The inflorescences are simple and do not require additional pollination. This variety has no barren flowers.
From 4 to 5 fruits are formed in one cluster.
The advantages of the variety:
unique sweet taste;
resistance to some fungal diseases;
the ability to grow in any climate;
unpretentious care.
The disadvantages are:
overripening of fruits;
impossibility of long-term storage;
poor transport tolerance.
The main qualities of the fruit
The fruits are large, round. The average weight of tomatoes is 250-300 g. In the lower part of the bush, fruits that are larger in weight ripen and reach 700-900 g.
Tomato Malachite Box is famous for its color. In unripe fruits, the peel is green with pronounced longitudinal veins. When ripe, the color of the peel changes, and the tomato turns yellow with dark emerald longitudinal veins. Many gardeners recommend not picking fully ripe fruits, as they lose their taste, and the pulp becomes very watery and tasteless.
4 seed chambers are formed inside the vegetable, they contain a small amount of small seeds. The pulp is light green, firm and juicy.
Due to the absence of red pigment, the variety is suitable for allergy sufferers and children. And the high content of chlorophyll helps to increase oxygen in the blood.
Tomatoes are advised to be consumed only fresh or used for making salads. The variety is not suitable for canning because of the size of the fruit, as well as because of the thin peel, which bursts during processing. Tomatoes are perfect for appetizers, lecho, sauces, jams and preserves.
Taste characteristics
Many people note a specific sweet melon flavor. Others argue that the aftertaste is more kiwi-like. The sucrose content of the variety is several percent higher than that of other tomatoes.
Ripening and fruiting
Tomato Malachite box belongs to mid-season varieties with a ripening period of 108-110 days. Full ripening of the fruits occurs on day 120-125. Fruiting in a culture is long and extended. Harvesting takes place from July to September.
Yield
Although fruiting is long, the variety does not have a large yield. On the open ground, the average yield is 4.3-5 kg per 1 m2. In greenhouses and with good care, the yield reaches 15.1 kg per 1 m2.
The timing of planting seedlings and planting in the ground
Although the producers claim that the variety can be grown in any territory of Russia in the open field, gardeners argue that without preliminary germination and subsequent cultivation of a crop in greenhouses in the northern regions, large yields should not be expected.
The soil for the seedling boxes can be prepared by yourself or purchased at the store. An important point is that the soil should be loose, light and slightly acidic. Before planting seeds, the soil is abundantly watered with a solution that consists of water, urea, superphosphate and potassium sulfate. This promotes the rapid growth of seedlings.
Before sowing, the seeds are soaked in water to weed out empty seeds. After that, they should be soaked in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. To avoid fungal diseases, seeds can be sprayed with biostimulants.
It is necessary to make small depressions in the ground - these can be pits or grooves. The depth is not more than 2 cm. After sowing, the containers are covered with foil or glass and removed to the windowsill. The room temperature should not exceed +25 degrees.
If there is not enough sun for germination, then a UV lamp must be used. The average amount of daylight hours for seedlings should be 14-16 hours.
After pecking the seeds, the film is removed, and the temperature in the room should be +15 degrees.
A pick is made if the seedlings have several strong leaves. At the time of replanting the bushes, the soil can be fed with wood ash, which helps to fight the black leg.
For adaptation, tomatoes are taken out into the street 10 days before planting in the ground. The transplant is carried out at the end of May or at the beginning of June. Before the dive, the earth is dug up, spilled with warm or hot water with a solution of potassium permanganate.
After planting, the seedlings are spilled abundantly with warm water. The next watering is carried out in 3 days.
Growing tomato seedlings is an extremely important process, because it largely depends on whether the gardener can harvest at all. All aspects must be taken into account, from seedbed preparation to planting in the ground.
Landing scheme
The planting pattern is 45x45 cm. The hole is 15 cm deep. There should be 3 plants on a square meter so that the bushes do not interfere with each other, since they are very tall. Thanks to this distance, you can easily care for the bushes, it is easy to cut off stepchildren and feed the seedlings.
Growing and care
For a good harvest and a healthy crop, some rules must be followed.
It is recommended to set a watering schedule, approximately 1-2 p. during the week. In dry weather, the procedure can be increased, and in rainy climates, it can be reduced.
It is worth tying up the bushes immediately after planting the seedlings in the ground. Therefore, pegs or a trellis system are prepared in advance. In the variety, in addition to the stem and branches itself, flower stalks are also tied.
Grasshopping is carried out as the stems form. 2 stems are formed on the bush, and the number of inflorescences should not exceed 8.
Loosening of the soil is done 2 times a week.At this time, excess weeds are removed. To keep weeds a little, the land around the bushes can be covered with peat or dry straw. This will help prevent active weed growth and retain moisture.
Top dressing is carried out several times per season. After planting in the ground, nitrogen-containing minerals are used, during the flowering period - phosphorus and potassium, as well as a solution from wood ash, peat and manure.
A plant needs different micronutrients at each stage of growth. All fertilizers can be divided into two groups: mineral and organic. Folk remedies are often used: iodine, yeast, bird droppings, eggshells.
It is important to observe the rate and period of feeding. This also applies to folk remedies and organic fertilizers.
Disease and pest resistance
Tomato Malachite Box is genetically immune to late blight, but in order to prevent it, the bushes should still be sprayed.
The whitefly is very active in eating the juice of shoots and leaves. To combat it, glue traps are used. Among the chemicals most often used are "Iskra", "Fitoverm", and from folk remedies - soapy water or garlic infusion.