It is impossible to imagine a single garden without tomatoes, and a summer feast without a vitamin-rich cucumber and tomato salad. Every gardener tries to choose a variety that is easy to grow and care for, has a rich harvest, and tomatoes that have excellent taste characteristics. The Delicacy Tomato, which we will look at in this article, fits these characteristics well.
In this article you will get acquainted with the Delicatessen tomato variety. You will learn a description of the tomato, the main characteristics of its fruits, what are the advantages and disadvantages of this variety. We will also talk about the features of growing Delicacy tomatoes, how to plant them correctly and further care for them. We will also touch on the topic of diseases and pests, and also share reviews from gardeners.
Description
The bushes are determinate, standard type, the ripening period is mid-early, usually 100-110 days pass from the emergence of seedlings until the moment of ripe fruits. The variety can be grown both in open beds and in shelter; some even plant “Delicacy” in pots on the balcony.
The height of the plants can range from 40 to 60 centimeters, the stems are quite strong, the leaves are of normal size and green. The inflorescence is simple, the stalk has an articulation. Tomatoes have 5-6 chambers, contain 5% dry matter, they are round or flat-round in shape, weigh 85-120 grams, the skin is smooth and of medium density. At the ripe stage, the fruits turn a rich pink color. The taste of the fruit is excellent. The yield is quite good: 1.5-2 kg per plant, which is up to 16 kilograms per square meter when planted per 1 square meter. m. 8 bushes.
You can eat it fresh or add it to various dishes. Also, this variety is perfect for any type of preservation; tomatoes tolerate heat treatment well and do not lose their original taste and appearance.
Tomato Delicacy: planting varieties
Moscow tomato Delicacy: video about the variety
- Pour fertile soil into the container you have chosen for Delicatessen tomato seedlings, then make holes 1 cm deep, with a distance of at least 2 cm from each other - this will allow you not to thin out the seedlings in the future.
- Then we water the seedlings daily until the first shoots appear - this is done so that a crust does not form, which prevents the “pecking” of the Delicatessen tomato seedlings. Further, as the seedlings appeared, watering is carried out approximately once a week.
- Delicatessen tomato seedlings need to be created with comfortable conditions - we place them in a warm, bright place, plant them in a timely manner and water them. Before planting the plants in a permanent place, it is necessary to gradually harden them, this will allow them to adapt faster.
- In the area prepared for transplanting Delicatessen tomatoes, holes are made. Next, carefully remove the plant from the container along with the earthen lump and transfer it to the prepared hole, after which we sprinkle it with earth and water it.
Diseases and pests
The variety is resistant to drought conditions and blossom end and root rot. But it can become infected with brown spot; this disease is especially common in the southern zone, both in open ground and in greenhouses. For treatment and prevention, a drug called “Zaslon” is used; watering should also be reduced and the greenhouse should be ventilated regularly. Another disease to which “Delicacy” is not tolerant is powdery mildew, “Profi Gold” will help in the fight against it.
The Colorado potato beetle is a common pest of tomatoes growing in garden beds; it can cause irreparable damage to the bushes. When a beetle appears, it should be collected manually, and then the plants should be treated with Prestige. In greenhouses, the main pest is the whitefly; Confidor will help get rid of it. A mixture of pepper and ground mustard, which is added when loosening the soil, per 1 square meter will help deal with slugs. use 1 teaspoon.
How to grow tomatoes
Once the seedlings are hardened off, they can be transplanted into the ground. You can choose where to plant: in open ground or in a greenhouse. The hardest part will come later, when the seedlings are in the soil.
Landing
First of all, check the acidity of the soil. It shouldn't be too high. If necessary, add lime or wood ash to the soil. Since this variety is determinate, you can plant more plants: 6-8 bushes per square meter. Scheme - 70 * 30-40 cm. Choose a well-lit place, but so that there is no through wind. Carefully remove the seedlings with a lump of earth, plant them in the hole, sprinkle with soil and water.
Care
When a summer resident does not forget about proper care, the plant generously rewards him with a good harvest and excellent health. After all, not everything depends on the characteristics of the variety itself. Much depends on the gardener: how he waters, feeds the plant and monitors the condition of the bushes and soil. Care consists of following the regime of watering, fertilizing, loosening, weeding, mulching, removing weeds, preventive and protective measures against diseases and pests. About each in more detail:
- Watering. The water should only be warm. Cold water will stress the root system and it will begin to rot. Type of irrigation: root. If you water otherwise, the drops fall on the leaves and can cause sunburn. Frequency: a couple of times a week. Watering too frequently will cause late blight to multiply.
- Feeding. Tomatoes are fed no more than 4 times per season. At the beginning of planting, they need nitrogen and phosphorus, during the formation of ovaries and the beginning of fruiting - potassium and phosphorus. Nitrogen is needed for the growth of green mass, phosphorus - for the health of the roots, potassium - for the taste and juiciness of the fruit. Types of fertilizers: organic, mineral. You can use bird droppings, mullein, wood ash, superphosphate, ammonium nitrate.
- Loosening. This is done after each watering. It saturates the roots with oxygen and maintains moisture balance.
- Removing weeds. Remove weeds by the roots as they grow. An excessive number of weeds provokes a lack of air and light.
- Mulching. This procedure will help save you from frequent weeding and loosening. Cover the bushes with dark non-woven material or a layer of sawdust, dry leaves, and straw.
- Preventive measures include visual inspection of bushes and treating them with fungicides and insecticides.
Features of cultivation and possible difficulties
The delicacy tomato does not cause any particular difficulties in care. The variety is unpretentious. The only thing that can cause difficulty is periodic pinching and the frequency of fertilizing. If you don’t know how and when to apply fertilizers, and what kind, read the forums and make a schedule.
Diseases and pests
The description of the variety says that this variety is practically not sick with anything. The only point is that the plant may develop spotting or powdery mildew (especially when grown in the southern regions). The drug Zaslon will save you from stains, and Profi Gold from dew.
The most dangerous pests of tomatoes are the Colorado potato beetle, which eats foliage, whiteflies, slugs and other insects.
Both of them cause significant harm to the plant: they deprive it of nutritional juices, vitamins and microelements.
Manual collection, visual inspection of the underside of the leaf (for egg laying) and treatment with Tabu or Prestige will save you from the beetle. The drug Confidor, ventilation of greenhouses and adherence to the watering regime will save you from white moths. Slugs eat leaves and even roots. A mixture of hot pepper and mustard will save you from them. Add them when loosening. Norm per sq. m. - teaspoon. Or place crushed eggshells around the hole.
The nuances of growing in open ground and greenhouses
The process of growing in closed and open soil is no different. Just ventilate the greenhouse more often so as not to provoke the proliferation of late blight, and follow the watering regime to avoid waterlogging of the soil.
Growing and care
In order to get a decent harvest, you must first of all use high-quality seed material. You can sow seeds in containers, in the south of the country directly into the soil. But with the latter method of growing, you need to be prepared for possible losses. The seeds are first disinfected and soaked, and only then are they immersed in the soil.
Typically, gardeners begin sowing in March, but it all depends on the growing region; by the time of planting in a permanent place, the seedlings must be at least 65 days old. Fertile soil for seedlings is poured into prepared containers, depressions of approximately 1 cm are made in it, seeds are placed in them, at a distance of 2 cm from each other, otherwise the planting will have to be thinned out after germination. Before the sprouts appear, future seedlings need to be watered daily so that the soil does not form a crust that will interfere with their hatching. Then you should water once every 5-7 days.
Interesting! Some gardeners advise treating seedlings with the drug “Vympel”, at a dosage of 0.5.
Further care consists of maintaining a room temperature that is comfortable for plants, lighting and timely picking. Before transferring, young seedlings are recommended to be hardened off.
Transplantation to a permanent place
Tomatoes love loose, nutrient-rich soil with low acidity, so they fertilize it in the fall or early spring. The crop should be planted in a bright place protected from the wind. Before planting, holes are dug, the seedlings are taken out of the containers along with a lump of earth, which must be supported by hand from below. After the plant is transferred to the hole, it is sprinkled with earth and watered.
Although the bushes are low-growing, they still require garter, otherwise the stem may break under the weight of the fruit. You need to water the tomatoes with settled warm water early in the morning or in the evening; this should not be done in hot weather, as the plant can get burned. The lower leaves are removed to ensure ventilation. Loosening and removal of weeds is carried out as necessary.
Tomatoes are fertilized several times a season; the “Delicates” variety takes phosphorus-potassium mixtures especially well; fertilizing is especially important during the period of flowering and ovary formation.
How to grow seedlings
According to the standard, the delicacy variety, like any other mid-season variety, is sown a couple of months before planting in a permanent place. Typically this occurs at the end of March or beginning of April. In order for your seedlings (and later adult plants) to grow strong, you need to prepare in advance. Both in terms of purchasing and preparing seeds, and choosing soil and planting containers.
Seed preparation
Seeds are the most important part in growing seedlings. If there are no strong and healthy seeds, seedlings will not grow. Therefore, pay due attention to pre-sowing preparation. To do this, carry out culling, disinfection, stimulation and germination. About each stage in detail:
- Rejection. This procedure is needed to save the summer resident from unnecessary expectations. It’s very unpleasant when you sow a whole bag, but only 2 seeds sprouted. However, this is common among tomatoes. How to cull: place the planting material in a glass of warm salt water. The norm per glass is a teaspoon. Time - half an hour. After the bad seeds float to the top, catch them and throw them away; rinse the good ones with water and dry them.
- Disinfection. This procedure will help you harden the seeds and strengthen future immunity. How to make: place dry seeds in a pink solution of potassium permanganate for half an hour. Afterwards, also rinse and dry.
- Stimulation. This procedure speeds up the seed germination process. Soak them with a solution of Epin or Fitosporin several hours before sowing.
- Germination. Not everyone resorts to this procedure, and in principle, it is optional. How to do it: wet a cotton pad or piece of cloth with warm water, spread out the seeds, cover with a second layer and put in a warm place for a couple of days. Don't forget to moisten the material as it dries. When the sprouts appear, they can be planted in the ground.
Container and soil
Equally important in the growing process is the preparation of the soil and planting container. You can make your own soil by mixing equal parts:
- River sand.
- Garden soil.
- Humus or compost.
- Purchase substrate from a specialty store.
Be sure to disinfect the soil: heat it in the oven at maximum temperature (an hour), or steam the purchased one in a bucket of boiling water without tearing the packaging. Time - hour.
As soon as the soil is ready, begin preparing and processing the container. It can be a plastic or wooden box. Before sowing, treat it with soap and water, boiling water or a hot, strong solution of potassium permanganate.
Sowing
As soon as the seeds, substrate and container are ready, start sowing:
- Fill the box with soil, not reaching the top a couple of cm.
- Make shallow grooves in the substrate. You can’t make it too deep, otherwise the seeds simply won’t reach the surface. The optimal depth is 1 cm.
- Place the seeds in these grooves, 1 cm apart and a couple of cm between rows. Sprinkle with a layer of soil, compact and moisten the soil.
- Cover with clear glass or film and store in a warm, bright place for a week.
Growing and care
Do not forget that seedlings in the first stages require more light, but a little less heat. Tomato is a light-loving crop.
As the seedlings sprout, be sure to lift the covering layer to allow the sprouts to breathe.
When the sprouts hatch, place them on a lighted windowsill. If there is a lack of light, compensate with special lamps. Moisten the soil as it dries. The temperature for normal growth and development is 22-23 degrees.
When the seedlings form a pair of leaves, drop them into separate cups. Container - plastic or peat cup, no more than 300 ml. Carefully remove the sprout with a lump, being careful not to damage the roots.
When the seedlings reach a height of approximately 25-30 cm and form the first flower cluster, they need to be hardened off. How to: take it out into the fresh air every day, gradually increasing the time. When: a couple of weeks before landing. Starting time: half an hour. Increase the interval by 5-10 minutes every day. Hardening off seedlings will help seedlings quickly adapt to the external environment.
Reviews
Marina 35 years old
I’ve been living at my dacha in the summer for several years; I have a small plot of land. I’m certainly not a professional, but I’m no longer a beginner. During this time, I became familiar with some of the subtleties of growing different crops. My family eats tomatoes more, so I plant most of the area with them. Last year, a neighbor shared the seeds of “Delicacy”, I planted them in April, by mid-June I planted them in the garden, in August I already had my own tomatoes, and the fruiting period is quite long, I picked a lot of the fruits green, since it got colder, they were already ripening at home.
Anna 55 years old
I have been planting this variety for more than 5 years, the harvest is always stable, the tomatoes themselves are to my taste and that of my family, they are suitable for any type of preservation. The germination of the seeds is excellent, the seedlings have never gotten sick over the years, I don’t know if this is due to natural immunity or if I was just lucky. They are completely unpretentious in care and are suitable for those who are just learning to grow tomatoes.
Features of cultivation
Among the features that can be safely attributed to the advantages are the general unpretentiousness of the plant. Also, the features include not the highest, but stable yield.
The plant, although not tall, requires staking. Its branches may suffer from breaking off under the weight of the fruit, so supports must be used. The bush is formed into one or two stems, but more often into one. At the stage of bush development, it responds very well to fertilizing containing potassium and phosphorus.
Read useful articles about fertilizers for tomatoes:
- Organic, mineral, phosphorus, complex and ready-made fertilizers for seedlings and the TOP best.
- Yeast, iodine, ammonia, hydrogen peroxide, ash, boric acid.
- What is foliar feeding and when picking, how to carry it out.
On our website you will find a lot of useful information about growing tomatoes. Read all about indeterminate and determinate varieties. And also about the intricacies of caring for early ripening varieties and varieties characterized by high productivity and disease resistance.
Features of planting and growing tomatoes
Apparently, the only danger facing a gardener when growing a Moscow delicacy tomato is the tendency of its seedlings to stretch and outgrow. Even when seedlings are kept in spartan conditions, they have to be planted obliquely in order to deepen the stem. The timing of sowing seeds for seedlings is usual - 55–65 days before planting them in the garden; there are no special care requirements.
Seedlings of the Moscow delicacy often have to be planted obliquely
The planting scheme depends on the preferences of the gardener; 3–4 plants are placed per square meter. Water this tomato moderately; it does not require a lot of moisture. There is no need for frequent feeding. If the bed is well filled with fertilizers, you can even skip the first regular fertilizing (two weeks after planting the seedlings), and only immediately after flowering, water the bed with an infusion of ash, and repeat the procedure after 2-3 weeks.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
The benefits of delicacy tomatoes are easy to list:
- high taste qualities;
- the ability to grow at home on the balcony;
- resistance to lack of moisture and drought;
- resistance to most diseases;
- duration of fruiting - until the first frost;
- versatility of fruit use.
Disadvantages include not the highest yield, demanding fertilizing during the plant growth stage. No other significant deficiencies were identified.
Description of the variety
First of all, you should understand the very definition of the Delicatessen variety in order to avoid possible discrepancies. In printed and electronic publications there are such varieties of tomatoes: Moscow delicacy, Pickling delicacy, Italian delicacy and even “Mega super productive and popular cherry tomato Delicacy F1”! Such a number of namesakes can only be explained by the special attractiveness and relish of this word itself.
Despite the fact that all of these are varieties of the variety, only the first of them has official variety status. The Moscow delicacy was included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements approved for use in the Russian Federation in 2001. But even he, like the “self-proclaimed” varieties, has nothing to do with the subject of our review. In addition, in most of the same publications, the registration date of the Delicatessen tomato variety is mistakenly attributed to 2001. In fact, it was added to the State Register only in 2007.
Attention! Do not confuse Delicacy with other delicacy-named varieties!
The characteristics and description of the variety, without excesses or discrepancies, are recorded in the original source. Here is an extract from the registration card:
- Included in the State Register of the Russian Federation for cultivation in open ground in private plots (personal subsidiary plots).
- Requires staking and plant formation. Salad. Mid-season. The plant is determinate.
- Medium sized leaf, green. The inflorescence is simple. Pedicel with articulation.
- The fruit is round, smooth, of medium density. The color of the unripe fruit is light green, the mature one is pink. Number of nests – 4 or more. Fruit weight – 100-120 g. Taste is good.
- The yield of marketable fruits is 6.1 kg per 1 sq. m.
- Drought resistant. Resistant to crown and root rot.
Distinctive features
The variety is determinate, standard - a low-growing bush reaches a height of only 40-60 cm. The stems are strong, but during the period of ripening and fruiting they require garter, since the fruits are large. The variety was cultivated for cultivation in open ground, and it is so unpretentious to environmental conditions that some tomato enthusiasts do it on their balcony.
Fruit characteristics and yield
The fruits are large, round in shape, slightly flattened at the poles. They have an attractive soft pink or hot pink color. 1.5-2 kg of tomatoes are harvested from a bush per season. Depending on the planting pattern and density, the yield ranges from 6 to 8 kg per 1 sq. m. The yield is not the highest (after all, the variety is determinant), but stable.
Other varieties of the Delicates series
Concluding the review, it is worth mentioning those same “namesakes”: Italian Delicacy, Raspberry Delicacy F1 and Cherry Delicacy F1. Their main difference from Delicatessen is that all these varieties and hybrids are indeterminate, that is, tall. This means that in terms of yield they are superior to the Delicatessen variety - over 10 kg per 1 sq. m.
In addition, they differ in the shape and weight of the fruit. For example, Moscow, Zasolochny and Italian have a cylindrical or pepper-shaped shape, and cherry Delicacy F1 has a plum-shaped shape and small fruits in weight - only up to 80 g, while the fruits of the hybrid Pink Delicacy reach 200 g. In general, these tomatoes can be confused with It will be difficult to become a real delicacy.
Characteristics of tomato
The Moscow delicacy is recommended for cultivation on private plots and small farms. The duration of tomato ripening requires placement under film covers for the middle zone and greenhouse conditions in more northern regions. In areas with a stable warm climate, tomatoes bear fruit well without shelter.
Productivity and fruiting
The variety is mid-season, the waiting time for the first harvest is 120 days. In the future, the variety is able to set fruit until the coldest weather. The last tomatoes are picked from the bushes while still green before frost.
In the official description, the Moscow delicacy tomato is listed as medium-yielding. The estimated number of fruits from one bush is about 5 kg. Experience shows that productivity strongly depends on the correct formation, soil fertility and watering. Good care allows you to get more than 7 kg from one plant. With a planting frequency of 4 bushes per 1 sq. m, the yield can exceed 30 kg/sq. m. In greenhouse conditions, the variety shows its best characteristics, and individual fruits reach a weight of 180 g.
Area of application of fruits
Thanks to its delicious, unusual taste, the variety is declared as a salad variety. In practice, its use is universal: processing, eating fresh, growing for sale.
The dense peel and fleshy pulp allow the Moscow delicacy to be transported and kept fresh for a long time. Tomatoes are removed from the bush along with the stalk, often still unripe. Due to insufficient juiciness, the variety is not recommended for making juices; it is suitable for purees, sauces, and whole canning.
Resistance to diseases and pests
Salad varieties are usually very susceptible to disease. The Moscow Delicacy tomato variety, according to gardeners, has stronger immunity. Sometimes plantings are affected by late blight. To protect tomatoes, it is enough to carry out preventive spraying, along with other varieties.
Fungal and viral diseases are extremely rare. Healthy, well-groomed bushes are not threatened by bacteria or rot. Proper agricultural technology and good ventilation are often enough to protect plants.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
The exotic appearance of the Moscow delicacy tomato in the photo and in the description of the variety makes novice gardeners suspect the crop of being capricious and demanding of care. According to reviews from those who have been growing tomatoes for several years, this species requires much less attention than others.
The advantages of the Delicatessen tomato variety include:
- non-standard shape, unusual taste;
- good yield, ease of growing in a greenhouse;
- increase in the weight of tomatoes towards the end of fruiting;
- transportability and keeping quality;
The possibility of propagation from one’s own seeds, without loss of varietal characteristics, is also considered an advantage of the Moscow delicacy. Tomatoes can be grown from a small amount of planting material. The seeds have excellent germination and are well stored.
Among the disadvantages of a tomato, one can only highlight the need to constantly monitor the rapid growth of the bush, tie up the stems in time, pinch, shape, and provide strong and high support.
Comment! Sometimes the main advantages of the fruit (taste, shape) are named among the negative qualities of the variety. Not everyone likes the delicious, “non-tomato” tomato.
