Is it worth planting Abruzzo tomatoes, the pros and cons of the variety

Description of the Abruzzo tomato variety with photo

The originator of the Abruzzo tomato and the holder of the patent for it is the well-known agricultural company Aelita. The variety was declared for admission in 2022, and entered into the State Register of the Russian Federation in 2022. It is approved for cultivation in private households in open ground and under film cover. Description of the Abruzzo tomato:

• height 1.7-2 m;
• The leaves are medium length, green in color;
• the stalks have no articulations;
• intermediate inflorescences;
• friendly formation of ovaries;
• From the emergence of seedlings to fruiting, 3-3.5 months pass.

The Abruzzo tomato is approved for cultivation in any region. The features of the process must be oriented towards climatic conditions. In the middle zone, film shelter is recommended.

Refers to indeterminate varieties. Its growth will continue as long as space and weather conditions allow. Because of this feature, planting of plants is mandatory.

Tall Abruzzo tomato bushes require garter, otherwise they will break under the weight of the fruit

Description of fruits

The Abruzzo tomato has large fruits, weighing 0.25-0.3 kg. The weight of individual specimens can reach 750 g. Main characteristics:

• pear-shaped;
• pronounced ribbing;
• the skin is quite thin;
• strong tomato aroma;
• fleshy pulp;
• good taste;
• red, immature specimens light green with dark spots;
• peel with a strong shine;
• a small amount of liquid and seeds;
• 4-6 nests (chambers).

The Abruzzo tomato is high in lycopene. This pigment not only determines the color of fruits, but is the strongest carotenoid antioxidant in human blood. It enters the body only with food.

The Abruzzo tomato also contains a lot of sugars. They make the fruit pulp sweet, which is especially noticeable when eaten fresh.

Comment! The Abruzzo tomato should be harvested after it is fully ripe. It should happen on the bush.

To ensure that the flowers and fruits of the crop are formed along the entire height of the stem, it is effective to use trellises for tying.

Description of the variety

• An ancient Italian variety from the Abruzzo coast. Indeterminate tomato, plants reach a height of 1.6-1.9 m. The fruits are elongated, slightly flattened, ribbed in shape.
• When ripe, tomatoes turn bright red.
• With proper care and proper agricultural technology, you can harvest up to 8 kg of product from a bush.
• The fruits of the Abruzzo variety are quite fleshy and juicy, have a thin skin that can crack. This factor determines the short storage time for tomatoes.
• If tomatoes are grown for commercial purposes, then harvesting should be carried out while the fruits are in a state of technical maturity.
• When cut, the pulp looks like a ripe watermelon - with pink tints and a pearlescent sheen of juicy, ripe cells.

The fruit does not spread after being removed from the bush, there are no fibers, there are very few seeds. The taste is radically different from most salad varieties in a positive way; it is very rich and balanced. The price for seed material of the ancient Italian variety Aruzzo is moderate.

Characteristics of the Abruzzo tomato

The Abruzzo tomato attracts with its productivity. Its fruits can be used in different ways.

Abruzzo tomato yield and fruiting

When moving the Abruzzo tomato into the ground in May-June, the harvest can be harvested from July. Fruiting lasts 2-3 months if the crop is planted and grown correctly. Subject to agrotechnical rules, each bush can produce up to 7 kg, and 1 m² up to 28 kg of tomatoes.

Productivity depends on several factors. For its abundance it is important:

1. Form bushes correctly.
2. Choose an area with good lighting and protection from drafts.
3. Maintain crop rotation. It is better to plant tomatoes after pumpkin crops, carrots, beets, green onions, green manure, and cabbage. Other nightshades and strawberries (strawberries) are poor predecessors due to the same diseases and pests.
4. Plant seedlings when the threat of frost has passed.
5. Properly water the bushes, weed and feed them regularly.
6. Tie up and prun the plants in a timely manner.

It is effective to plant Abruzzo tomatoes in combination with smaller varieties. This provides it with enough light for fruit growth and ripening.

Comment! For a bountiful harvest, it is better to leave two stems on the bush. A larger number of them is an obstacle to the formation of large tomatoes and slows down their ripening.

The Abruzzo tomato is an indeterminate variety and therefore requires a lot of sun. It is more profitable to grow it in warm regions.

Area of ​​application of fruits

Abruzzo tomatoes are considered salad tomatoes. They are great for fresh consumption, and the duration of fruiting allows you to get delicious tomatoes for the table for several months.

This variety is not used for whole-fruit canning due to its large size. Abruzzo tomatoes can be used for making juices, sauces and pastes, lecho, and salads for the winter.

Resistance to diseases and pests

The Abruzzo tomato ripens early and is therefore rarely affected by late blight. This variety has good immunity to other diseases and pests. To maintain it, it is important to observe crop rotation, promptly get rid of plant residues, and carry out the necessary agrotechnical measures. If other crops in the garden are affected, preventive measures should be taken immediately.

Pros and cons of the variety

Advantages and disadvantages

The Abruzzo tomato is quite unpretentious. In addition to tying and pinching, he needs standard care.

In ribbed varieties, the sourness characteristic of tomatoes is weakly expressed

pros

• excellent taste;
• high productivity;
• good immunity;
• early and long fruiting;
• high content of lycopene and sugar.

Minuses

• need for tying;
• mandatory stepsoning.

Tips for growing the variety

The first step is to reject low-quality seeds. To do this, pour a glass of cold water over the seeds. Feel free to discard any seeds that float to the surface.

Next you need to carry out the hardening procedure. To do this, place the seeds in a non-concentrated solution of potassium permanganate for 10-15 minutes.

How to prepare a disinfectant solution:

Prepare a concentrated solution of copper sulfate in hot water: 1 tablespoon per half liter of water. The solution turns out to be bright blue. Pour the seeds into containers, mix and let stand for 5-10 minutes. Next, drain the spent solution and dry the seeds on gauze or paper towel. The surface of the seeds slightly changes color, a light brown tint appears. This is fine. Such seeds will have better germination.

After all these procedures, the seeds should be wrapped in a damp cloth and allowed to swell thoroughly.

Next, the seeds are planted in cups or a container with a pre-prepared soil mixture. For active growth, pots can be covered with glass or some other transparent material.

When to sow Abruzzo tomatoes for seedlings

Sowing of seeds should be carried out no earlier than 65 days before the expected time of planting in the ground.

Pay special attention to the choice of location for growing this crop. The soil must have a neutral pH value. The place should be well lit by the sun and, if possible, protected from northern winds. Legumes are ideal predecessors. It is not advisable to plant the Abruzzo tomato in places where potatoes and eggplants grew.

How many days do the seeds take to germinate?

Abruzzo tomatoes sprout 7-9 days after sowing the seeds, subject to optimal temperature and humidity conditions.

When and at what distance to plant in the ground

Seedlings are planted in open ground 35-40 days after sowing the seeds. There is no need to rush into planting in open ground; you need to wait for stable warmth. The distance between bushes should be at least 70 cm.

Ripening period

It begins to bear fruit on the 105-110th day from germination. When the first flower clusters appear, you need to water 1-2 times a week.

Watering

For irrigation, use warm, settled water; if desired, you can add a handful of wood ash to it.

It is advisable that the water used for irrigation be the same temperature as the air in the room where the seedlings are growing.

Watering is done directly under the root, otherwise there is a risk of sunburn.

What and when to feed

When feeding Abruzzo seedlings, it is advisable to use liquid fertilizers and add them every fifth watering.

Should I dive?

After three true leaves appear, the sprouts are planted in separate pots. This procedure will help in the future to correctly form the bush.

Picking (pinching the roots) does not harm young plants; on the contrary, it stimulates the growth of lateral roots.

Diseases and pests

The plant has good immunity to diseases and pests.

To grow seedlings, you must use a ready-made soil mixture. In the first days after planting, the plant requires abundant watering, but do not overdo it, as with excess moisture late blight may develop and spider mites may appear.

Features of cultivation

Abruzzo tomato seeds should be sown for seedlings 60-65 days before planting in the ground. It is better to do this in March-April.

For seedlings, purchased peat soil or steamed garden soil are suitable. You can take chernozem, adding 75% humus or part sand and ready-made soil mixture.

Containers, boxes, plastic or peat pots, and cassettes are suitable for sowing seeds. The algorithm is like this:

1. Disinfection in a solution of potassium permanganate or hydrogen peroxide (3 ml per 0.1 l of water).
2. Germination in warmth between damp layers of cotton fabric for 2-3 days. Ventilate daily.
3. Fill the containers with soil.
4. Pour water at room temperature and leave covered with film for several hours.
5. Make holes or grooves.
6. Sow the seeds, deepening them to 0.5 cm.
7. Sprinkle with soil.
8. Lightly moisten with a spray bottle.

Keep the crops under film or glass at 23 °C. After emergence of seedlings, remove the shelter. After a week, gradually reduce the temperature to 17-19 °C.

Caring for Abruzzo tomato seedlings involves regular ventilation and watering. In the phase of 1-2 true leaves, picking is needed. Feed with complex fertilizers for tomatoes.

Comment! On cloudy days, plant tomato seedlings in the ground in the morning or afternoon. In sunny weather, it is better to plan work for the evening.

Seedlings in peat tablets or pots can be immediately planted in the ground

Seedlings are moved to open ground in the second decade of June, under film at the end of spring, and into a polycarbonate greenhouse in the first half of May. 3-4 bushes are placed per 1 m². The algorithm is like this:

1. Prepare the wells.
2. Add fertilizer.
3. Install pegs for tying.
4. Carefully place the plants with the earthen ball on their side into the recesses.
5. Pour in several steps.
6. Fill the holes with soil.
7. Carefully give the bushes a vertical position.
8. Tie it up immediately.
9. Mulch with dry peat.

Pick off the shoots of the Abruzzo tomato using rubber gloves or trim with garden shears.

Comment! It is important to carry out pinching in a timely manner. The smooth appearance of ovaries and ripening of fruits depends on this.

In addition to tying and pinching, caring for the Abruzzo tomato is as follows:

1. Watering. Start in 1-1.5 weeks. With active growth, every 5-7 days, 3-5 liters per bush, with the beginning of ripening, increase the consumption.
2. Feeding. The first after 1.5 weeks - 5 g of urea, 10 g of potassium salt, 25 g of double superphosphate. At the beginning of growth, liquid organic matter, with pale green foliage, nitrogen, with bluish color of stems and petioles, phosphorus. Green fertilizer every 1-2 weeks.
3. Loosening after watering.
4. Regular weeding.
5. Mulching with compost, humus.

Comment! Water tomatoes in open ground in the evening, and greenhouse tomatoes in the morning. Cold water is unacceptable.

Is it worth planting Abruzzo tomatoes in your garden?

One of the main advantages of Abruzzo is that it is an old, proven variety. As you know, varietal tomatoes retain their characteristics during subsequent plantings. In other words, if this year you grew juicy and sweet varietal tomatoes, you can be sure that if you collect and plant the seeds, you will get the same tomatoes next year.

Suitable for the Moscow region. In the northern regions, Abruzzo tomatoes are grown in a greenhouse. Maintenance is not difficult. The yield in a greenhouse will be significantly higher than in open ground.

Main characteristics of the variety

Abruzzo tomatoes have gained popularity primarily due to their taste characteristics. They are used to prepare fresh salads, used in stock recipes, and also make excellent juice.

But the beneficial composition of the fruit is much more important. Not only do they contain a sufficient amount of natural sugar, but they also contain large amounts of lycopene. It has pronounced antioxidant properties, helps support the functioning of the heart and blood vessels, promotes the breakdown of fats, and reduces the risk of cancer.

Abruzzo should be included in the diet primarily for those who suffer from excess weight, who have problems with the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, who are prone to diseases of the cardiovascular system, who have bad habits, and also live in industrial centers with a polluted atmosphere.

Although tomatoes will not harm healthy people.
Only benefit. Note! It has been proven that the pleasant aroma of the Abruzzo tomato variety stimulates appetite, and when consumed, increases the percentage of absorption of nutrients coming from other products.