Pay attention to the ultra-early ripening tomato Golden Heart
When growing tomatoes, every farmer strives to get a good harvest as soon as possible. Many people choose the Golden Heart tomato for planting, since up to 3-4 kg of massive orange fruits can be harvested from one bush. In addition, this variety belongs to ultra-early maturing and does not require special "privileges" in care. Still, it's worth learning a little more about him.
Let me introduce you Tomato Golden Heart
This variety of yellow-orange tomatoes successfully combines 3 distinctive features:
- early maturity;
- large-fruited;
- high yield.
After full sprouting, it takes about 80-85 days before the first harvest. This rate of maturation allows the variety to be used commercially.
On average, the weight of one fruit varies from 100 to 130 g. Up to 5-7 large tomatoes usually grow on one cyst. In their shape, they resemble a heart. The upper part is presented in the form of light ribbing, and the lower one is as narrowed as possible, elongated. The shade of the fruit is usually orange, but close to yellow-golden. Yet at the ripening stage, they are mostly light yellow. From the description of the Golden Heart tomatoes, it follows that the chosen name fully corresponds to the characteristics of the variety.
The peel is particularly dense, which allows you to transport the fruit over impressive distances. The vegetable is perfectly stored in warehouses. If necessary, ripens if plucked still green.
Important details
We should also pay attention to the structural features of the bushes. As the producers point out, the culture is determinant, capable of stopping growth at a certain level. In height, the bushes often reach 30-40 cm. Despite such compactness and extraordinary strength of the stems, farmers recommend tying up the seedlings.
Together with this, the Golden Heart tomato has some unique characteristics.:
- has an increased content of beta-carotene;
- intended both for fresh consumption and for processing;
- resistant to the main disease of the Solanaceae family (late blight and fusarium).
In the State Register, the Golden Heart variety belongs to the universal class. The high content of the natural antioxidant beta-carotene allows tomatoes to be used in a variety of diets.
The leaves of the vegetable crop, in comparison with other representatives of this genus, are quite small. Although the stems are short, the shoots often "lie down" on the ground. According to various estimates, the yield of the Golden Heart tomato is 7-9 kg / m², or up to 3-4 kg from one bush. Fruiting of a vegetable plant continues until frost. At this time, I especially want to feel the sweetish (delicious) taste of the tomato.
Tomato Golden Heart resembles persimmon in appearance, aftertaste and aroma.
From theory to practice
The variety also benefits from its ability to withstand abnormal weather conditions. During dry periods or during a sharp cold snap, the culture retains its characteristics. Yet among the disadvantages of tomatoes stands out: the need to form a bush.Therefore, you should carefully consider some of the features of planting and caring for Golden Heart tomatoes, which are presented in the following sections.
Sowing seeds
Most of the sowing work (for seedlings) is carried out in the third decade of March (on the 20th). In regions where weather conditions are more severe than in the southern regions, this time is calculated differently. Planting seeds of tomato Golden Heart is planned 2 months before the proposed transplantation of seedlings in open ground. If the subsequent cultivation of the vegetable plant is carried out in a greenhouse, then the dates are shifted to the end of February or to the beginning of March.
The main features of sowing:
- the soil substrate must consist of peat and garden land taken in equal parts;
- planting is performed in a separate peat or plastic cup (others practice mass planting in a container);
- up to 2 seeds are discharged into each separate container;
- the soil is sprayed abundantly with water.
The picking of emerged seedlings is carried out in the phase of 1-2 true leaves.
To create a greenhouse effect, farmers recommend covering crops with film or glass. Moreover, every day it is necessary to ventilate the substrate to prevent the appearance of fungal microflora. During the dive, weak seedlings are necessarily removed.
Caring for transplanted seedlings consists of procedures familiar to all:
- maintaining the temperature regime within + 20 ... + 22˚С;
- daily watering with warm water, avoiding waterlogging;
- prolongation of daylight hours up to 12 hours using phytolamps.
These are just the basic rules. However, each case requires an individual approach. For example, the humidity in a room can be high or very low for various reasons. Therefore, the frequency and amount of watering may vary. In addition, the lighting should also be moderate.
The seedlings are carefully and regularly examined for diseases and waterlogging of the substrate.
Planting seedlings
The instructions show a diagram of how to properly transplant seedlings into open ground. The right time for this will be the end of May or the beginning of June, depending on the climatic conditions of the region. The weather should return to normal, with 8-10˚С allowed at night. Under a film or in a greenhouse, farmers are advised to transfer tomatoes in mid-May.
To get a good harvest during the planting process you need:
- follow the planting pattern 50 × 40 cm, and for the greenhouse - 50 × 70 cm;
- form a hole up to 20 cm deep;
- tamp the root circle of the seedling tightly;
- water abundantly (5 l / 1 pc.).
At the time of transfer to open ground, the age of seedlings is usually 60-65 days (in the phase of 5-7 true leaves). Such specimens are distinguished by their endurance, as well as immunity.
In other cases, water is introduced into a dug-out funnel. As soon as the liquid is absorbed into the soil, the seedling is unloaded into the hole and covered with earth.
To provide the culture with a sufficient amount of useful and nutritious elements, the following is applied to the site or directly to the hole:
- compost;
- peat;
- humus.
The use of a mixture of the proposed fertilizers is practiced.
A week before transplanting seedlings, the seedlings are hardened. Daily containers with tomatoes are taken out into the street, veranda or balcony. Their stay in the air gradually increases from 1 hour to a day. This procedure helps the plant to acclimate and go through the development process faster in a new place.
How important is proper care
Growing any tomato requires compliance with certain rules. Regardless of the variety, the farmer must water the young seedlings. The event is held every 2-4 days, depending on climatic conditions. Loosening of the soil and, as in the case of potatoes, hilling is necessarily planned. The plot is free of weeds and thoroughly mulched with hay / grass cuttings.
This is followed by the formation of a bush according to the standard scheme:
- 1-2 stems for open ground;
- in 3 stems for greenhouse conditions (2 first stepsons are left under or above the first flower brush);
- obligatory transfer of the growth point to the lateral shoot (for the greenhouse).
Formation into 2 stems is performed in this sequence. The strongest and healthiest stepson is left under the first brush, if desired, two. All other processes, as they arise, are completely removed to the first hand. The bushes are very unstable, therefore they are fixed to the pegs.
In the northern regions, the inflorescences that appeared in mid-August always break off, since the fruits simply do not have time to grow and ripen.
Top dressing
For the whole season, up to 2-3 dressings are made. The first is planned 14 days after planting, the second - at the beginning of flowering, the third - after the formation of ovaries. Nevertheless, the presented variety is additionally fed on the 7th day after transferring to the open ground and 2 weeks after the 3rd (last) procedure. In this case, only organic fertilizers are used.
This member of the Solanaceae family is not prone to cracking. However, excessive waterlogging of the soil during the ripening of the fruits is not recommended.
The unpretentious Golden Heart tomato will appeal to many gardeners. Moreover, thanks to its unique taste characteristics, it will become a favorite vegetable of every member of the farmer's family.