Tomato German Red Strawberry

This medium-sized tomato, originally from Germany, has become popular in our country due to its unusual heart-shaped raspberry-red fruits in the form of strawberry berries. Hence its name - German Red Strawberry. Large tomatoes in the shape of giant strawberries look original and beautiful, and their taste is also unusual - sweet-fruity, with a delicate aroma.

The name of the German Red Strawberry variety indicates that the crop selection was carried out in Germany, it even became a kind of family heirloom. It was brought to Russia about 30 years ago. The peak of popularity of original tomatoes came in the 90s of the last century. The synonym for the name sounds in English like German Red Strawberry. Interestingly, in 2015, this variety featured in the top 10 popular tomatoes.

The German red strawberry is an early ripening tomato. Although the bush is indeterminate, it grows relatively low - up to 140, up to a maximum of 160 centimeters. But this is for greenhouse cultivation, with powerful bushes. In open beds, however, the growth is much less, about 120 cm. Plants have a moderate foliage with dark green medium-sized plates. Tomatoes ripen in clusters of 4-6 fruits. The variety has many positive qualities:

• fruits are not prone to cracking;
• transportation is possible, for this the berries are laid in 1 row, at a distance from each other.

But there are some features that can be considered disadvantages:

• the need for support for a high trunk, tying hands with fruits;
• tomatoes are tied only at high temperatures;
• ripe tomatoes are stored for up to two weeks.

As already mentioned, Russian summer residents fell in love with the variety primarily for its unusual shape, the fruit is very similar to strawberries, but only of huge sizes. So, tomatoes grow round, have a characteristic strawberry nose. They are red in color at the stage of full maturity, the weight of each such berry is from 180 to 400 grams. Fruits are dense, well transported.

Excellent fruit taste, pulp is fleshy, juicy.

The culture in question belongs to varieties with an average ripening period, therefore, after germination, it takes from 100 to 110 days before the long-awaited harvest. At the same time, the fruiting stage is very extended, almost until October, according to other sources - until frost.

The German red strawberry variety is very fruitful. With proper agricultural technology, it is possible to harvest from 6 to 8 kg of very tasty salad tomatoes from each tomato bush.

The German red strawberry is primarily a variety, so it is possible to collect the seeds yourself. Sowing of seed is carried out from the first to the third decade of March. It is advisable to purchase soil mixture at a gardening store. The soil should be slightly moistened before planting. The seeds also need to be prepared by holding them in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for about 35 minutes, then rinsed in running water and at the end immersed in a growth stimulant solution for 9-12 hours.

In a container with soil, seeds are laid out, 1-2 pcs., Sprinkled with earth, covered with glass or polyethylene, and removed into the heat. It will take literally a few days - and the first shoots will appear, and somewhere in the 3rd week and leaves. After their appearance, the plants dive into separate containers.

The transplanting of grown seedlings most often occurs according to the scheme of 3-4 bush on an area of ​​1 m2. Plant density will depend on the formation of the plant.

Suitable for growing in greenhouses and outdoors. During the growing season, all agrotechnical measures necessary for normal growth and fruiting should be carried out, such as watering, loosening the soil, mulching, feeding.

You should feed it, adhering to a certain scheme:

• at the flowering stage - fertilizers containing nitrogen;
• pouring and ripening of fruits - phosphorus and potassium.

It is imperative to cut off the lower leaves during the cultivation of this tomato variety - this way better air flows to the base of the stem, and this also prevents gray mold damage. German Red Strawberry is a thermophilic variety, so it is best grown in a sunny area.