Tomato RED Guard: photos, reviews, characteristics

Description of tomato

The Ural tomato variety, created for planting in closed areas, is successfully cultivated in mid-latitudes, in the Urals, and Siberia. Tomato tolerates unfavorable conditions. The superdeterminate plant has a compact size; the height of the bush rarely exceeds 80 cm. Up to 9 tomatoes are tied on one bunch, which ripen 66 days after planting in the greenhouse.

Based on the reviews, tomato Red Guard f1:

1. Practically not affected by diseases.
2. Tolerates low temperatures normally.
3. Less susceptible to pests than other varieties.
4. It is distinguished by fast and friendly fruit ripening.

In order for the crop to please with its harvest, in cool climates 3 shoots are left on the plant; in regions with hot summers, 4 trunks are formed.

Attention! Although the height of a tomato rarely exceeds 80 cm, it needs to be tied up, since the branches can break off under the weight of the fruit.

The first small yellow inflorescence is formed above the 7th, sometimes above the 9th leaf.

Red Guard hybrid tomatoes are enjoyed already in the 2-3rd decade of June, and the last tomatoes are harvested in September.

Strong bushes do not need to be pinched, there is no need for increased lighting, the variety is cultivated by seedlings, which accelerates its development and the ripening of tomatoes.

Description of fruits

The Red Guard tomato variety is valued not only for the fact that it takes root in cold climates and does not require additional pollination for the ovary to appear, but also for its large round fruits:

• with fleshy pulp;
• with glossy elastic skin;
• high level of sugar content.

Tomatoes are distinguished by a bright scarlet hue and have a small number of chambers with seeds.

Important! Individual specimens weigh 230 g, the average weight is 160–200 g.

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

The tomato belongs to the new generation of hybrids. The plant is resistant to weather disasters and can be grown both in open ground and under cover.

Red Guard tomatoes have a beautiful uniform color, thick skin, pleasant tomato aroma and taste

pros

• tomatoes can also be grown in regions with cold climates;
• the bush is low-growing, does not need pinching or tying;
• friendly and early ripening of fruits;
• good keeping quality of tomatoes;
• transportability;
• strong immune system.

Minuses

• susceptibility to whitefly attack.

Important! And although the hybrid successfully bears fruit in open ground, maximum yields can be achieved if the tomato is grown in greenhouse conditions, where it is possible to extend the growing season.

Characteristics of tomato

Flowers on the bushes of super-determinate hybrids, which include Red Guard, appear early, and the tomatoes have time to ripen before the plant is affected by disease.

The short hybrid is characterized by medium branching and has smooth green leaves. The tomato does not suffer from temperature changes, is resistant to viruses and fungi, cold, and is rarely affected by pests. The plant reacts positively to the removal of side shoots and pleases with an abundance of fruits.

Productivity and fruiting

When a bush is formed with 3 stems, timely feeding and watering, the hybrid rewards with a significant amount of sweet and bright tomatoes, which begin to be harvested 60 days after planting the seeds. However, when 4 or 5 clusters appear, the growth of the tomato stops.

Under polyethylene, tomatoes fill with juice faster and ripen. After reading reviews about the yield of the Red Guard tomato, and carefully studying the photos, some summer residents bought hybrid seeds and were satisfied.

If the bush is formed correctly, Red Guard produces from 3 to 4 kg of vegetables per season, which do not wrinkle and do not lose their taste throughout the month. In mid-latitudes, the variety is planted under film; the tomato quickly takes root in a heated greenhouse in both the Northern regions and the Urals.

Area of ​​application of fruits

Although tomatoes called Red Guard ripen not in the garden, but in closed ground, they have a good taste and a pleasant aroma. Both adults and children enjoy eating salads and vinaigrettes with fresh tomatoes, and consume the sweet and sour fruits whole.

Tomatoes are salted, fermented, sealed in jars, stuffed with mushrooms, minced meat, and vegetables. They improve the taste of borscht and soup, and are suitable for preparing juice and pastes, where vitamins and minerals are preserved.

Resistance to diseases and pests

Gardeners whose tomatoes were constantly dying from late blight became interested in the description and characteristics of the Red Guard tomato variety. The hybrid is rarely affected by disease even in unfavorable climate conditions. Thanks to its strong immunity, the plant is not afraid of:

• Alternaria blight, when leaves and fruits become covered with spots;
• black leg, which leads to rotting of the roots;
• bacteriosis, which is fraught with withering of the bush.

The tomato is resistant to infection by fungi that cause cladosporiosis, which affects tomatoes planted in a greenhouse during flowering and ovary formation. Red Guard does not suffer from fusarium wilt.

Comment! The variety is rarely attacked by insects; nematodes are not dangerous for it; the bushes attract whiteflies.

A miniature butterfly inside a leaf blade lays many eggs per season, from which larvae crawl out and feed on the sap, which can lead to a decrease in photosynthesis. Tomato leaves first become covered with whitish spots, and then dry, curl and die.

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

The new generation hybrid, created by Russian breeders, was liked by gardeners and farmers. It has virtually no downsides. The advantages of the Red Guard tomato variety include:

• the presence of high immunity to diseases;
• resistance to sudden temperature changes;
• fast and smooth ripening of tomatoes;
• ease of care.

The plant is cultivated under cover in the Northern regions; tomatoes are planted in garden beds in the South. Low-growing bushes do not need to be pinched; novice gardeners can grow such tomatoes. Beautiful and fragrant fruits are stored for a long time without cracking and do not lose their appearance when transported over long distances.

History of variety development

There is a legend on the Internet that the tomato is a breeding creation of the Chelyabinsk experimental station. Seeds can be bought in the Ural Summer Resident online store, under different brands, including: Ural Estate, Zolotaya Sotka Altai. In the latter case, an address in the city of Barnaul is printed on the packets of seeds, which cancels the version about the Ural origin of the Red Guard.

Red Guard seeds can be purchased in the Ural Summer Resident online store

But he is not involved in selection, but only buys seeds from various domestic and foreign producers, packages them and sells them wholesale. "Ural Summer Resident" buys and distributes at retail. These sellers may know who the creator of the hybrid is, but they consider it necessary to advertise the excellent characteristics of the tomato, and not its origin.

The earliest reviews about the purchase of seeds of the Red Guard hybrid were left in 2015; the tomato was not included in the State Register of Plants, which means it did not pass or did not enter variety trials at all. The description given by the online store has not been officially confirmed. There are very few real reviews from gardeners.

“most popular”, “newest”, “unique”, “super”, “extra”, “ultra”, “premium seeds”, etc. The packaging is colorful, the photos show mouth-watering tomatoes, and the prices are simply prohibitive - 70–100 R. for 5–8 seeds. I am 100% sure that from the seeds of the “Ural summer resident” Red Guard, tomatoes will indeed grow and, perhaps, will correspond to the description.

But I admit the idea that the Red Guard is some kind of tomato that has existed for a long time under a new name, because there are a lot of twin tomatoes. I would for 74.50 rub. I didn’t buy 8 seeds. This is precisely the price of the Red Guard today. By the way, there is a typo in the description on the site and it is written in some kind of aggressively flashy form.

From year to year, Ural breeders are engaged in breeding varieties of vegetable crops that could grow and develop normally in difficult climatic conditions. One of the directions of these specialists was the development of new varieties and hybrids of tomatoes.

The Red Guard tomato is one of the new varieties bred by these breeders. In 2012 it was included in the State Register. The name suggests that a large number of red ripe fruits ripen on the bushes at the same time.

Growing rules

In order for tomatoes to delight you with productivity, you need to comply with the requirements of agricultural technology and take care of them. It will not be possible to collect seeds from hybrids; you need to buy tomato seed not at the market, but at a specialized retail outlet. You can't ignore the landing rules:

• in closed ground per 1 sq. m place up to 3 plants;
• when forming a bush, at least 3 shoots are left;
• In a heated greenhouse, the seeds are immediately placed in the ground.

Important! In order for the seed to sprout quickly and amicably, it is dipped briefly in the Fitosporin solution. Soaking in a growth stimulator also prevents the development of diseases in tomatoes.

Planting seedlings

The soil mixture for growing tomato seedlings is prepared on the basis of garden soil, but since it contains fungal spores and harmful microorganisms, it is disinfected by steaming, freezing, or simply watered with a solution of potassium permanganate.

Seeds are planted no later than 2 months before planting tomatoes in a permanent place. The soil is poured into a container, the seed is placed in furrows 10 mm deep, covered with earth, and the container is placed in a dark, warm place.

Attention! Tomato seedlings peak when 2 leaves form. They need light for at least half of the day.

Tomato transplant

In the fall, the top part of the soil in the greenhouse is removed, and in the spring, they dig and mix the soil with compost. Young Red Guard bushes are planted in holes a quarter of a meter deep, leaving 35 to 45 cm between each, and moisturized well.

Subsequent care for tomatoes

Hybrid tomatoes ripen even in the absence of heat; they ripen so quickly that the plant does not have time to get sick. It’s not at all difficult to form a low tomato bush; just leave 3 shoots and remove the extra stems on the tomato.

The tops of the tomatoes are tied using a wooden peg, or better yet, a metal rod.

Advice! Once every 6-7 days, half a bucket of settled heated water is poured under each tomato bush, a little more during the period of flowers appearance, carefully loosening the soil. When tomatoes ripen, the amount of moisture is reduced.

2 weeks after planting, the hybrid is fertilized with urea solution or cow manure, diluting 1 kg of organic matter in 10 liters of water. For the second feeding of the Red Guard, you can use a weed tincture. Spraying with a composition prepared from a packet of yeast, a glass of sugar and 4 liters of water helps prevent the proliferation of bacteria and fungi on tomatoes of this variety. When the ovary appears, potassium fertilizer or diluted ash is applied under the tomatoes.

Care

After 2 weeks, the first feeding is carried out. For this purpose, nitrogen fertilizers are used: ammonium nitrate or urea. This provides the seedlings with good growth of above-ground organs.

After 3 weeks, a second feeding is needed, during which a complete mineral fertilizer containing nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (Nitrophoska) is used. Fertilizers are applied for the third time 3 weeks after the second feeding. Phosphorus-potassium fertilizers are used: potassium nitrate and superphosphate to form large, sweet tomatoes.

Watering

Watering is carried out using warm water at intervals of 3-4 days. If dry weather prevails in your region, you need to irrigate the bushes every 2 days.

After moistening the soil, it is loosened to a depth of 5 cm. Use mild garden tools for this so as not to harm the roots of the plant. Remove weeds every week. This will provide reliable protection against pests and fungal infections.

Garter and bush formation

It is better to form a bush with 3 stems. This way the fruits will be larger, and their taste will surprise even the most experienced gardener.

The garter is carried out a month after planting the seedlings so that the stems do not break under the weight of the fruit. To protect plants from the first frosts and drying out of the soil, the root zone is mulched. This procedure is carried out using humus.

Pest and disease control

Care will be incomplete without protection from pests and diseases. A solution of laundry soap (2 pieces grated and poured 3 liters of warm water) helps fight the signs of powdery mildew and brown spot.

In the fight against whitefly, which often infects Red Guard bushes, use a solution of copper sulfate (300 g per 10 liters of water). Processing is carried out every month. The peculiarity of copper sulfate is that it not only destroys pests, but also creates a protective coating on the plant that prevents re-infection.

Copper sulfate is a fungicide drug, it is used to protect against fungal diseases. To combat whiteflies, insecticides are used: Aktaru, Regent, Konfidor, etc.

Care in greenhouses and open ground

Caring for greenhouse tomatoes has its own specifics, which will be discussed later in the article. Care in open ground in the case of this variety differs from greenhouse care in the absence of the need to ventilate the room and the loose requirement of hilling.

Find out what you need to do to make tomatoes turn red faster.

Watering and ventilation

In the first days, the plants are not watered, giving them time to adapt. After a week, it’s time to irrigate the bushes with warm water at the roots, avoiding water getting on the leaves. Watering is carried out on average once every 4 days, based on the condition of the soil. 2 hours after watering, the greenhouse is ventilated by opening the window or doors / lifting the film. The air temperature in the greenhouse should not exceed +25°C – +26°C during the day, +15°C – +16°C at night.

Feeding

The variety does not require additional mineral fertilizers, but will respond favorably to organic fertilizers (for example, bird droppings.) The fertilizer is fermented and then diluted with water. The resulting liquid is watered onto the ground around the plants.

What tomatoes does the Red Guard hybrid look like, what are its pros and cons

The main disadvantages of the hybrid:

• has not been tested by the State Variety Commission, which means its yield and other characteristics have not been confirmed, its origin is unknown, for which region it is zoned;
• for at least three years of existence it has remained a little-known “newest hybrid”;
• high price of seeds;
• The seeds are not available in regular garden stores; they must be ordered online.

The red guard is called a raceme tomato, that is, the fruits hang in clusters of 7–9 pieces each

Advantages voiced by sellers: ultra-earliness, super-determination, cold resistance, excellent fresh taste.

There are varieties with the same advantages, adapted to all regions of the Russian Federation, that is, they bear fruit well both in the heat and in the cool:

• Sunrise F1 is a Dutch hybrid that grows as a low but very productive bush. Tomatoes 160–180 g to 240 g, red, round, fleshy, for salad purposes. Ripening period is early (85–100 days).

  Sunrise is a productive, low-growing hybrid, fleshy fruits

• Big Mama is also a short and early tomato (85–95 days) with large and fleshy fruits. This is a variety, you can buy it once and collect your own seeds.

  The Big Mommy variety has large fruits on strong, low bushes

• Explosion is also a variety, the creation of the popular breeder Vladimir Ivanovich Kozak. The tomato was officially registered in 2007, salad, super-determinate, early. Fruit weight is 100 g for industrial cultivation and up to 250 g for personal plots.

  Explosion is a variety with good potential; with an individual approach, it produces twice as much fruit as in field conditions

• The Red Army is similar in name, and even more so in its characteristics. The application for variety testing and registration was submitted by the agricultural enterprise in 2016. The tomato is early, productive, the tomatoes are round, slightly ribbed, weighing 180 g. Unlike the Red Guard, the hybrid is also resistant to late blight.

  The Red Army is a productive new product from Aelita

The Red Guard is practically the namesake of the Red Guard, but this is a completely different tomato

Application of fruits

Red Guard tomatoes have ideal parameters both for canning and for fresh consumption. The fruits have a beautiful cut with 6-8 seed chambers, excellent taste and delicate aroma. They can be served as an independent dish, cut into salads, or used to make sandwiches.

Thanks to its early ripening, the tomato can be cultivated in northern regions with short summers. Cultivation is carried out using seedlings.

ATTENTION: Immediately after opening the package, the seeds must be kept in a sterile environment to avoid contamination by third-party bacteria.

Hybrid tomatoes have improved germination and stability, so seed preparation can be carried out according to a simplified scheme:

• Neutralization in potassium permanganate (10 mg per 50 ml of water). Allows you to destroy surface microbes and prevent infectious diseases at an early stage of growing seedlings;
• Soaking in purified water (preferably melt water). Within 24 hours, the seeds absorb moisture, due to which, after entering the ground, they begin to germinate at an accelerated rate.

Sowing is carried out in early April. The seeds are placed in a planting container at a depth of 1 cm. The seedlings are kept under film for the first week, and after emergence, they are opened.

In order for plant productivity to correspond to nominal indicators, certain rules should be followed when growing seedlings:

• Provide seedlings with sufficient lighting (at least 16 hours a day). Considering the weak solar activity in April, the seedlings must be illuminated with fluorescent lamps installed at a distance of 50 cm from the top leaf.
• At least once every 2 weeks, apply mineral fertilizers to stimulate the growth of the root system. It is especially important to add superphosphate immediately after picking.
• Picking is carried out after unfolding the third sheet. It is advisable to plant seedlings in separate peat pots so as not to overload the plants when planting.

Planting is carried out 45-55 days after sowing. The planting holes are first disinfected with potassium permanganate, humus and peat are added, and wood ash is added. Plants are placed so that the bottom leaf is 4 cm from the ground. The distance between bushes should not be less than 60 cm in open ground and 80 cm in a greenhouse.

IMPORTANT: By the time of planting, the seedlings should have about 6-8 leaves and one flower cluster.

• The fruits of the “Red Guard” are equal in size, round, with barely noticeable ribs near the stalk. The thick, glossy skin of tomatoes is colored scarlet. The inside of the fruit is also bright red, without hard whitish veins. The pulp with a low seed content is fleshy, sugary at the break, dense, but at the same time juicy.
• Unlike the insipid and watery hybrid Dutch tomatoes, the taste of the “Red Guard” fruits is bright, rich, sweet, typically “tomato-like”
• Weighing from 160 to 220 g, the tomatoes of this hybrid are collected in 7-9 pieces in compact, elegant clusters.
• Red Guard tomatoes are not prone to cracking and can withstand long-term transportation perfectly.
• Being picked slightly unripe, tomatoes of this hybrid variety can be stored for 3-4 weeks without losing their presentation.
• “Red Guard” bears fruit until frost; its last tomatoes, picked at the stage of milky ripeness, ripen together in a dark and warm room.

The taste of the fruits of this hybrid cannot be called particularly delicious, however, taking into account its fantastic disease resistance, absolute unpretentiousness and high yield, the “Red Guard” tomato can be safely recommended to all amateur gardeners living in the risky farming zone. Being practically problem-free, this hybrid can also serve well vegetable growers in the southern regions, where it makes sense to cultivate it as a kind of “safety net” option.

How to grow tomatoes

The best predecessors for tomatoes are legumes, cucumbers, cabbage, turnips and onions. The crop can be planted in the same place no earlier than three years later.

When moving seedlings into open ground under a film cover, it is recommended to place them on 1 sq.m. no more than four plants, when transplanted into a greenhouse - no more than 2-3 bushes per square meter.

It is worth taking care of the quality of the soil in the fall; the upper part of the soil, about 10 cm, must be removed, as it may contain insect larvae and fungal spores. In spring, dig up the soil and add compost. Young plants are transferred to prepared holes with a depth of 20-25 cm. This depth will guarantee comfortable placement of the root system. Immediately after planting, the plants need to be watered abundantly.

Red Guard tomatoes require moderate weekly watering. If the weather is dry, the plantings need to be moistened every three days. At least 4 liters of water must be added to each bush. Soil moisture should be kept at a level of at least 85%. During the flowering period, watering should be increased, adding at least 5 liters of water to each bush.

After the fruits have formed, the plantings are watered twice a week. However, you should not use a large amount of water to prevent the tomatoes from cracking. When the tomatoes begin to turn red, reduce the application of moisture to once a week.

Weeding and loosening

Beds and row spacing must be regularly cleared of weeds so that weeds do not draw away useful elements that are vital for tomato bushes.

The soil around tomatoes needs to be loosened regularly to prevent crust formation. You can also mulch the soil a little with chopped straw. This will help retain moisture and eliminate the need to loosen the soil.

Stepsonning and formation

For the “Red Guard” variety, it is very important to carry out partial stepsoning, removing all shoots up to the first flower cluster, leaving all the stepsons above it and it is on them that the main crop is formed. If you ignore this procedure, the timing of crop ripening will shift slightly. The tomato bush “Red Guard” is quite compact and does not need shaping

The Red Guard tomato bush is quite compact and does not need shaping.

Garter

Considering that the hybrid forms powerful clusters, the number of fruits on which can be more than seven, garter is vital for the plant. To do this, a support is placed next to each bush and the branches are carefully tied to it one by one from the bottom up.

Top dressing

Tomato plantings are fed several times a season, alternating different types of fertilizers.

The first application is made after two weeks. The tomato is fed with a urea solution. The main thing is to observe the dosage, since excess nitrogen negatively affects the formation of fruits.

A week after nitrogen feeding, you need to add a solution of potassium and phosphorus by watering. Mineral fertilizers can be replaced with ash, which is added to the soil. Yeast can also be used for the second feeding. This will help suppress the development of pathogens and promote the proliferation of beneficial bacteria.

During the fruiting period, tomatoes can be fed by spraying. To do this, prepare a solution of 10 liters of water and 1 tbsp. superphosphate. Spraying is carried out on the leaf.

Features of cultivation and possible difficulties

When planting seedlings in a permanent place, it is important to remember that this hybrid is cold-resistant and keeping overgrown seedlings at home until warm weather sets in does not make the slightest sense. Plantings should not be thickened. Too often planted bushes will grow poorly, bloom poorly and lose ovaries

Too often planted bushes will grow poorly, bloom poorly and lose ovaries

Plantings should not be thickened. Too often, planted bushes will grow poorly, bloom poorly and lose their ovaries.

When tying the stems, it is important not to apply too much pressure. There may be difficulties with this, since the hands of the “Red Guard” are quite heavy. Incorrect garter can lead to the formation of constrictions, and sometimes to the death of the stem

To prevent this, when twisting, you need to wrap not the tomato stem around the twine, but the twine around the stem

Improper garter can lead to the formation of constrictions, and sometimes to the death of the stem. To prevent this, when twisting, you should not wrap the tomato stem around the twine, but the twine around the stem.

The only insect that can harm this crop is the whitefly. You can repel a pest attack using smoke or insecticidal preparations.

Pests and diseases

Weakened bushes in unfavorable weather conditions may be attacked by pests:

1. Spider mite. It affects bushes in dry, hot weather or high humidity combined with cool weather. Signs of infection are leaves and shoots covered with cobwebs. The most effective drug for pest control is colloidal sulfur.
2. Aphid. It settles on young leaves and shoots, feeding on their juice. The pest is destroyed with Tanrek, Fitoverm, Alatar.
3. Raspberry beetle. Activates when the soil warms up to 12ºC. Adults emerge from the soil and begin to settle on young plants. The beetles feed on shoots and leaves and lay eggs in buds. By the time of fruit formation, caterpillars appear and damage the berries. To destroy beetles, before laying begins, bushes are treated with Actellik, Karbofos, and Confidor.

Attention! Violation of agrotechnical recommendations and difficult weather conditions can lead to infection of raspberries with fungal diseases. Most often the plant is affected by: powdery mildew, didimella, rust

For prevention and treatment, spraying with Topaz, Forecast, Fundazol, Kuproksat is used.

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