- Authors: Panchev Yu.I.
- Year of approval: 2001
- Category: grade
- Growth type: determinant
- Appointment: universal
- Ripening period: early
- Ripening time, days: 93-95
- Growing conditions: for open ground
- Marketability: high
- Bush height, cm: 60-70
Among the wide variety of tomatoes, gardeners especially highlight varieties that give a good harvest from compact bushes. This is exactly what the Golden Heart tomato belongs to. And also the advantages of the variety are the original appearance, early maturity, resistance to diseases and cold. Having appeared in 2001, the tomato immediately became popular. And today he does not give up his position, delighting his constant fans with tasty and beautiful fruits.
Description of the variety
The tomato belongs to determinant, intended for growing in an open area. Compact bushes grow up to 60-70 cm. Plant leaves are small, dark green. The flowers are standard, yellow. The stalks are articulated. The bush is usually formed into 2-3 stems.
The main qualities of the fruit
The shape of the berries resembles a heart, as the name of the variety implies. Fruits, wide at the top, taper downward. Before ripening, they have a green tint with dark spots at the stalks. Ripe tomatoes take on a beautiful golden orange tone.
The variety is considered large-fruited. The weight of one berry can be 90-107 g. The skin of tomatoes is dense. This allows them to be stored for a long time without losing their presentation, as well as to transport the crop over long distances. You can pick the fruit unripe. They successfully reach full ripeness in wooden boxes or plastic trays. To extend the shelf life, it is best to place the crop in a cool place (such as a refrigerator).
Taste characteristics
Tomato fruit Golden heart multichamber. The pulp is juicy, fleshy, few seeds. The taste of the fruit is sweetish, delicious. The increased content of beta-carotene and other vitamins makes the berries suitable for any culinary experiment.
Salad fruits are good fresh. And also the berries of this variety are suitable for whole-fruit preservation (pickling, pickling). They make delicious tomato juice, rich sauces, excellent preparations for borscht. They are also ideal for preparing baby food.
Ripening and fruiting
From the emergence of seedlings to the formation of berries, 93-95 days pass. This allows the variety to be classified as early ripening. At the same time, fruits can be harvested until frost.
Yield
On each brush, 5-7 tomatoes are formed. Therefore, subject to the observance of agricultural technology, a gardener can receive up to 7 kg of harvest from one square meter.
The timing of planting seedlings and planting in the ground
Sowing seeds for seedlings is carried out in late March - early April. For this variety, a mixture of turf and humus, as well as soil with the addition of peat, is excellent. The pick is done after the formation of the second true leaf.
The plants are moved to the site with the onset of summer (at the beginning of June). By this time, they should already reach 20-25 cm in height and have 5-7 leaves. The variety is resistant to cold, but nights at temperatures less than 8 degrees are not good for young bushes. Therefore, if the weather does not reach stability by the time of planting, the tomatoes are covered with spunbond.
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 seeds are placed in a container with soil to a depth of 2 cm. At the same time, the distance between future plants is 3 cm. As for planting tomatoes on a plot, a standard density is recommended here - no more than 4 plants per square meter. Despite the compactness of the culture, it is not worth thickening the plantings.
Growing and care
The yield of this variety largely depends on the quality of care. The soil should be moistened regularly, but in compliance with the measure. The optimal amount of watering is 1-2 per week. The water should be warm. Irrigation with cold water can cause the ovaries to shed. To maintain an optimal moisture level, mulching is carried out using straw, peat or humus. And also regular loosening of the soil and removal of weeds is mandatory.
Fertilizers are applied throughout the season. 2 weeks after planting on the site, the tomatoes are fertilized with urea. Nitrogen helps the bushes to grow green mass. During the flowering period, wood ash and potassium must be added to the soil. In the process of ripening the berries, superphosphate should be used to maintain the strength of the plants.
The stepsons are removed in a timely manner. This is done by hand to avoid possible injury to the bushes. The pinching of the growth point is carried out as needed. A garter is a must, despite the slight growth of tomatoes. Otherwise, due to the abundance of fruits, the stems may break off.
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 Golden Heart tomato is resistant to most nightshade diseases. However, with a lack of sunlight and high humidity, the bushes can get late blight. To prevent this trouble, it is worth carrying out spring treatment with a complex fungicide, for example, "Fitosporin".
If the disease overtook the plant before fruiting, treatment is carried out only with the help of folk remedies (soap solution, garlic infusion, tobacco). Prevention of pest attacks is carried out 2 weeks after planting in open ground. Complex insecticides or wood ash and manganese solution are used.
Resistant to adverse weather conditions
The variety is resistant to cold, but the culture does not tolerate hot weather. Too high a temperature can cause wilting and dropping of flowers. Therefore, the Golden Heart tomato is not very suitable for the southern regions.
Growing regions
The variety is successfully cultivated in the north and north-west of the country, as well as in the central regions. It can be found in the Volga-Vyatka, North Caucasian, Middle Volga, Nizhnevolzhsky, Ural, West Siberian, East Siberian, Far Eastern and some other regions.
Review overview
Gardeners love this variety for its excellent taste. Delicate and juicy pulp of the fruit perfectly complements salads. She is good in various blanks. The variety requires some attention, but does not cause any special difficulties in growing.
With proper care, the bushes give a consistently high yield, practically do not get sick. The fruits ripen gradually. In cases of summer frosts, the harvest may be a little late, but still the berries appear quite early. In general, the Golden Heart tomato leaves only a positive impression. Therefore, most summer residents who have tried it once continue to grow it on their plots.