- Authors: USA
- Category: grade
- Growth type: indeterminate
- Appointment: fresh consumption, for juice, for ketchup and tomato paste
- Ripening period: late ripening
- Growing conditions: for open ground, for film greenhouses
- Marketability: high
- Bush size: tall
- Bush height, cm: 150-200
- Ripe fruit color: orange with red blush
Unusual fruity taste of tomatoes Virginia Sweets fully corresponds to the name of the variety. This rare American thermophilic variety in the middle lane and more northern regions of the country is recommended to be planted in greenhouses, but in the south it can also be grown on open land.
Breeding history
The country of origin of the exotic tomato variety is the United States. The original name is Virginia Sweets. Some sources translate it differently - Virginia Candy. Earlier it was said that the variety is thermophilic and requires some careful care.
Description of the variety
A tall bush of a foreign guest in a greenhouse can reach two meters in height, while in an open garden it grows no more than one and a half meters, despite the indeterminate type of development. The plant foliage is average. The leaves themselves are smooth, ordinary in shape. The first fruit cluster will be formed in the range of 9 to 12 leaves.
The main qualities of the fruit
Virginia Sweets tomatoes are mostly large, flat-round in shape. Upon reaching full maturity, the fruits become a beautiful orange color with a red blush. The weight of tomatoes can reach half a kilogram, but there are examples of growing more weighty fruits, up to a kilogram. The skin of the berries is not very thick, but rather firm. However, the disadvantage is the tendency of the fruit to crack, so they are not transported very well. And also they cannot be kept fresh for a long time. The maximum shelf life is from 10 days to two weeks, but only in a dark and cool place.
Taste characteristics
Gardeners who grow American varieties of tomatoes on their site, and those who just tried these tomatoes, speak only enthusiastically about their taste. Almost everyone notes an excellent sweet and harmonious taste, in which fruity, even peach notes are felt. And also summer residents say about the absence of sourness characteristic of tomatoes. The pulp is fleshy, juicy, also two-colored in the cut, yellow-orange, has red blotches, which looks quite beautiful.
This product is ideal for fresh consumption, summer salads, slicing, delicious juices and sauces, as well as ketchup and tomato paste. As for winter preparations, large fruits are not very suitable for whole-fruit canning, they are canned only as winter salads in a sliced form.
Ripening and fruiting
Virginia Sweets are considered to be late-ripening crops.
Yield
The only thing that the overseas variety does not stand out for is its yield. It is rated as low or medium. To a large extent, it will depend on various factors, such as light conditions, as well as sufficient or insufficient care. However, there is evidence that the bush is capable of producing up to 8 kg of fruit per season. And this is a good indicator.
The timing of planting seedlings and planting in the ground
Sowing seed for the purpose of germinating seedlings should be carried out 60-65 days before they are planted in the ground.In this case, the picking of young plants is done at the stage of the appearance of 2 true leaves. It is worth noting the long germination of seeds of this variety - from 7 to 14 days. The seedlings can be transferred to the ground when the risk of frost is completely absent.
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
Planting grown bushes in the ground should be carried out with a certain density. So, if the plant is planned to be kept in 2 trunks, it is advised to have 3 bushes per square meter. If the formation will be carried out in 1 trunk, then 4 copies can be planted. The optimum distance between seedlings is 60 cm. The same distance is kept between the rows.
Growing and care
Virginia Sweetness responds very well to warmth and quality care. When growing, pinching will be a mandatory procedure, as well as tying to a support. Practice shows that the variety shows the best performance if the trunk is formed into 1-2 stems. Moreover, in the second case, leave the stepson that will grow under the first flower brush. After the plant reaches 4-5 brushes, the bush must be pinched.
As for the care of the described variety, it consists of proper irrigation, careful weeding, top dressing. The soil must be loosened, avoiding excess moisture. Prevention is very important in relation to protecting the crop from common ailments and insect pests. The culture is fed primarily with nitrogen, then minerals such as potassium and phosphorus are involved, and the feeding is done every 2-3 weeks.
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
One of the challenges of growing the American Virginia Sweets is the fact that tomatoes can be prone to some of the diseases common to nightshade crops. They are fought with special means, while not forgetting about prevention.
