- Authors: Altai selection
- Category: hybrid
- Growth type: determinant
- Appointment: universal
- Ripening period: early
- Ripening time, days: 96-100
- Growing conditions: for open ground, for film greenhouses
- Marketable fruit yield,%: 98
- Bush size: medium-sized
- Bush height, cm: 100-120
For lovers of new varieties of tomatoes growing both in the beds and in film greenhouses, the Mashenka tomato, which is easy to care for, will become interesting. This type of tomato is many times superior in yield to similar European and American tomato varieties.
Breeding history
This type of nightshade was created by a group of Altai breeders over 10 years ago. Despite the fact that the tomato has not yet been entered into the State Register of Breeding Achievements of the Russian Federation, it is in high demand among gardeners and farmers. The variety is zoned in Siberia, the Urals, Central and Southern regions.
Description of the variety
The nightshade culture Mashenka is a medium-sized determinant bush that stretches up to 100-120 cm in height. The bushes have a weak thickening of green leaves, strong stems, a developed root system and simple inflorescences. The first fruit cluster is formed above the 10th leaf, where up to 4-5 berries are tied.
The plant during cultivation requires the formation of 1-2 stems, the obligatory garter to the support and the timely removal of unnecessary stepsons. Tomatoes are universal, so they are great fresh, processed and canned. Tomatoes are not suitable for whole-fruit canning due to the size of the berries.
The main qualities of the fruit
Mashenka's tomato grows up to 220-260 grams, but sometimes the berries gain a mass of 400-600 g. The shape of the berries is unusual - heart-shaped with a small "nose", and the classic color is bright red with a greenish speck at the base and without visible blotches. In an unripe form, tomatoes are colored light green.
The skin of the berries is perfectly smooth, quite dense, with a glossy surface. Despite the density of the peel, the keeping quality of tomatoes is poor - up to 3 weeks, subject to storage conditions. The fruits tolerate transportation well, and they also do not crack.
Taste characteristics
Tomatoes have excellent taste and spicy aroma. In the taste of the vegetable, there is a balance of sweetness and sourness, complemented by light sugar content. The pulp of a tomato is fleshy, moderately dense, with a small amount of seeds. With abundant juiciness, the vegetable does not have wateriness. In the context of a scarlet tomato.
Ripening and fruiting
The variety belongs to the early species of nightshade. Less than 3.5 months (96-100 days) pass from the moment the shoots appear until the first tomatoes ripen on the fruit clusters. Tomatoes spice up together, almost simultaneously and quickly enough, so further ripening and fruiting is sluggish. Tomatoes are removed with whole fruit clusters. The active fruiting phase occurs at the end of June - July.
Yield
The high yield of the variety is one of its advantages. Proper care will allow you to harvest excellent harvests, which will be enough for harvesting, and for processing drinks and dressings, and for eating fresh vegetables. On average, 18-20 kg of ripe berries can be harvested from 1 m2 per season. Typically, the yield in greenhouses is much higher.
The timing of planting seedlings and planting in the ground
Sowing seeds for seedlings is carried out in the second watering of March, and the sprouts are transplanted to a new place at the age of 60-65 days, while the stem and root of the bush must be strong. Seed germination will take 7-8 days.The greenhouse effect (covering the boxes with cellophane or glass) will help speed up the appearance of sprouts.
The soil for growing seedlings is suitable for purchase - universal. The main thing is to create favorable conditions - sufficient lighting for 14-15 hours / day and the air temperature in the room + 20-25 degrees.
At the stage of the appearance of several real leaves, the bushes can be dived into separate cups / pots. A week before planting, the plants are lightly hardened - the containers are exposed daily to fresh air. A transfer to a new place is carried out at the end of May, when the air and soil are well warmed up, and there is also no threat of nighttime drops in temperature.
Growing tomato seedlings is an extremely important process, because it largely depends on whether the gardener will be able to harvest at all. All aspects must be taken into account, from seedbed preparation to planting in the ground.
Landing scheme
The productivity of the culture directly depends on the density and location of the seedlings. It is recommended to plant no more than 3 plants per 1 m2. The correct scheme for landing is 65x45 cm.
Growing and care
For growing crops, fertile loams are suitable, which are not knocked down and are good for air. The site is pre-cleared of weeds and other debris, and is also well dug up.
The culture will certainly thank you with an excellent harvest, if it is provided with proper care. Agricultural technology includes watering, fertilizing, loosening the soil, forming and tying bushes, frequent pinching, removing the lower leaves, ventilating the greenhouse, as well as measures to protect against pests and viruses.
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
The tomato variety Mashenka is practically not affected by diseases - the tobacco mosaic virus, black bacterial spot, fusarium wilt and late blight. The plant is damaged by invasions of pests - aphids, thrips, spider mites and a bear, spraying with insecticides will help prevent the appearance of which.
Resistant to adverse weather conditions
The culture tolerates sharp temperature jumps, prolonged heat, a short shade, but reacts negatively to a lack of moisture. During prolonged droughts, tomatoes can lose their high taste qualities, for example, sugar content.
Review overview
Mashenka tomatoes are massively grown both by summer residents and farmers. The popularity of the variety is due to its advantages: excellent taste, quick ripening, abundant harvests and standard agricultural technology. Of the shortcomings, most gardeners point to the short keeping quality and the huge size of the fruits, which interferes with whole-fruited rolling.