The southern regions of Russia, including the Rostov region, were the main suppliers of vegetables back in Soviet times. After the collapse of the Union and the general devastation that ensued in the Rostov region, state farms engaged in the production of vegetables in the open field disappeared, and seed production completely died out.
The population of the region has always been inclined to small-scale production of vegetables, therefore, in the absence of their own varieties, they tried to make do with foreign hybrids, the undoubted advantage of which was the ability to withstand long-distance transportation. But the quality of these hybrids was “Turkish”, that is, they were hard and completely tasteless vegetables.
The situation changed after the opening of an agro-selection and seed-growing department in the Rostov region. Thanks to this company and its branch in the Rostov region, not only have old varieties of vegetables been revived, but new hybrids and varieties have been created and continue to be created that meet the needs of small farmers.
New varieties require not only the ability to withstand long-term storage and transportation, but also excellent taste, heat resistance, disease resistance and the ability to grow in soil containing significant amounts of salt.
There is no adequate fresh water in the Rostov region. This land was once the bottom of the sea and all the water contains a significant amount of salts. Despite the phosphogypsum added to the soil, the variety intended for the Rostov region must be resistant to salinity. It is precisely these varieties that come out of the Rostovsky CC, since they initially receive brackish water when irrigated.
In addition, today farmers’ requirements for fruiting periods have also changed. If earlier the interest was in early determinate varieties with a friendly yield, today tomatoes with a long fruiting period, that is, indeterminate ones, have become in demand. It may well offer a choice of various domestic varieties that satisfy any requirements and is not going to stop there.
Attention! A distinctive feature of the newly bred tomato varieties from the Rostovsky plant is the “spout” fixed at the genetic level.
Amateur vegetable growers in the southern regions of Russia try to select tomato varieties with different ripening periods in order to obtain fresh tomatoes throughout the warm season.
Tomato varieties for garden plots in the Rostov region
"Voyage F1"
The hybrid is early ripening with unlimited stem growth and a growing season of 100 days. They are grown in greenhouses and outdoors. It is resistant to diseases and has high yield.
Tomatoes are aligned, round in shape, reminiscent of a stylized heart, with a characteristic “spout”, intended for salad. Weight up to 150 g. Taste is usual “tomato”.
Important! There is a possibility of buying a re-grade under the guise of “Voyage”.
"Marshmallow in chocolate"
The variety is not a hybrid, that is, you can get your own seeds of this tomato on your plot. Mid-season. 115 days pass before harvest. An indeterminate variety with a bush height of up to 170 cm. Requires staking.
On average, tomatoes of this variety reach a weight of 150 g. The fruits have an unusual dark red-brown color and an excellent sweet taste. Salad variety.
Resistant to diseases. Unfortunately, the variety has very poor shelf life and is not intended for long-term storage.
Important! When growing bushes of this variety, there should be a distance of at least 70 cm between plants.
"Banana yellow"
Indeterminate variety up to 3 m high. Medium late, 125 days pass before harvest. The bush is well leafy, not standard. Medium sized foliage. Up to 10 fruits are laid on simple clusters.
Advice! After the ovaries form, the top of the stem must be pinched to better provide the fruit with nutrients.
Tomatoes are yellow in color, up to 7 cm long. The shape is elongated with a characteristic “spout”; sometimes tomatoes can be curved, resembling a banana, hence the name. The pulp is sweet, fleshy, dense. The weight of tomatoes is up to 120 g. The tomato belongs to the salad category, which does not interfere with its universal use. Suitable for whole-fruit canning and juice production.
The advantages are the ability to stay on the stem after ripening and resistance to diseases. It can be grown outdoors and in greenhouses.
"Bison orange"
Large-fruited mid-late variety for greenhouses. A tall bush requires tying and shaping. Tomatoes are round, flattened at the “poles”, slightly ribbed. The weight of one fruit is up to 900 g. Ripe tomatoes are orange in color. Salad variety. Can be used in cooking.
In addition to the Orange Bison, the Search assortment also includes Yellow and Black Bison.
"Blush"
Variety for greenhouses, mid-late. Due to its significant growth, the bush requires garter. The pink fruits are quite large in size, up to 300 g, with sugary sweet pulp. Tomato belongs to the salad category.
Important! There are other varieties with the same name from other producing companies, the quality of the fruit varies.
Heat resistance is at the forefront of everything
Growing tomatoes in the Rostov region imposes its own characteristics, and if you plant the wrong varieties, you can be left without a harvest.
By giving preference to stress-resistant and heat-resistant varieties, you can be sure that you will not be left without tomatoes:
- "Adeline." Egg-shaped, red, transportable, smooth fruit weighing up to 90 g with excellent taste and yield, resistant to both heat and drought;
- "Knight". A versatile, cylindrical fruit with excellent taste, yield and heat resistance;
- “Semko 18” An early, round, dense and red tomato weighing up to 100 g. The variety will give you up to 750 centners of such fruits in the hot summer;
- "Lord of the Steppes". This salad tomato is determinate, round, up to 160 g with excellent taste and yield up to 650 c/ha;
- "Mariana" Mid-early. Red elliptical tomatoes with 3.5% sugar and 5.9% dry matter. Excellent yield and heat resistance;
- "Manatee". This variety is not only heat-resistant, but also super productive. By planting this variety you can get 1135 quintals per hectare.
But the “Bolshevik” tomato is early-ripening, determinate, high-yielding (850 c/ha), and tolerates both extreme heat and excessive waterlogging of the soil.
But the “Bolshevik” tomato is early-ripening, determinate, high-yielding (850 c/ha), and tolerates both extreme heat and excessive waterlogging of the soil.
The best varieties of tomatoes in the Rostov region, suitable for professionals and amateurs
"Scarlet Caravel F1"
The variety is one of the new ones, but has already received appreciation from vegetable growers. Indeterminate tall hybrid grown indoors. The period until harvest is 110 days. Due to its growth and large number of fruits, it requires tying.
Up to 11 ovaries are formed on the brushes. Tomatoes are aligned, slightly elongated, even red in color when ripe. Weight 130 g, the tomato pulp is dense, which is a distinctive feature of this company.
An absolute advantage is its resistance to cracking and the ability not to crumble during ripening, which reduces crop losses. Tolerates sudden temperature fluctuations well. Used fresh, recommended for whole-fruit canning.
"Krasnodon F1"
Mid-season, large-fruited salad hybrid. The harvest ripens in 115 days. The height of the bush is not more than 0.7 m, determinate. It can be grown outdoors and in greenhouses.
The tomatoes are round, slightly ribbed with uniform red dense pulp of excellent taste. Weight up to 300 g. Universal purpose, except for whole-fruit canning. Due to its size it will not fit into the jar.
Resistant to pathogenic microorganisms.
"Elf F1"
The tomato belongs to the “cherry” group; harvesting is done in whole clusters. The growing season is 95 days. Bush with unlimited stem growth. The variety can be grown both in greenhouses and outdoors. The tomatoes are dark red, spherical. Sometimes they may be slightly oval shaped. Fruit weight is up to 20 g. Tomatoes, uniform in shape and size, are collected in simple clusters of up to 16 tomatoes each. The pulp is dense, sweetish. The purpose of the variety is universal.
The advantages include resistance to pathogenic fungi, good transportability of fruits, the possibility of cultivation at any time of the year, adaptability to hydroponic cultivation and the ability to produce crops when cultivated on the ground.
"Sweet Fountain F1"
Designed mainly for industrial cultivation in greenhouses. The growing season is 100 days. Bush of indeterminate type. The tomato is characterized by high productivity, producing a lot of medium-sized (up to 20 g), very tasty tomatoes.
Ripe tomatoes are uniform red in color. There is a spot near the stalk that completely disappears when ripe. Each cluster produces 15 to 30 oval tomatoes with a sweet dessert taste.
The variety is resistant to pathogenic microorganisms, shedding and cracking. Very good for canning whole fruits and eating fresh.
"Golden Stream F1"
High-yielding mid-early hybrid with a growing season of 110 days.
Attention! The hybrid from the “Oriental Delicacy” series differs from a variety with the same name, owned by another manufacturer.
The varieties are completely different; only the name unites them. The hybrid from “Poisk” is indeterminate with round fruits weighing up to 50 g. The bush requires a garter. Tomatoes are collected in clusters, each containing an average of 11 fruits. The tomatoes are bright yellow, shiny, with dense flesh. The hybrid is harvested immediately in whole clusters. The hybrid is plastic, calmly tolerates temperature changes, and is resistant to pathogenic microflora. It is an interesting and original object for whole-fruit canning.
The “Golden Stream” variety from another manufacturer is determinate with oval dark yellow fruits weighing up to 80 g. Brought out in Kharkov.
"Magic Harp F1"
Mid-early indeterminate variety with a growing season of 95 days. It is grown on an industrial scale in greenhouses. Requires a closed space, bush formation and tying. Can grow both in soil and using a hydroponic system. Harvesting is done in whole clusters.
The bush is powerful, well leafed. Yellow-orange tomato balls with a diameter of up to 3 cm and a weight of 21 grams are collected in dense clusters of 15 fruits each. The pulp of the fruit is dense and sweet in taste.
The advantages of the variety include its resistance to cracking and shedding, resistance to pathogens and stressful conditions. Recommended for whole-fruit canning and fresh consumption.
Agricultural technology
As you know, tomatoes can be grown:
- using seedlings;
- using the seedless method.
Both have an economic rationale. An arid climate requires the presence of seedlings and greenhouse conditions. Soft seaweed is native to tomato crops; here you can get by by sowing seeds in open beds.
The soil should be light and nutritious. A mixture of humus, sand and earth is ideal. Usually the soil is prepared in late autumn, spreading humus throughout the area. During the winter and part of spring it rests, some of the nutrients are absorbed into the soil with the help of melt water. After this, complex fertilizers are added and dug up. All that remains is to choose the right time to plant seedlings, care for them and wait for the harvest.
The soil characteristics in the Krasnodar region must be taken into account when planting. Arid steppe lands consist of carbonate, leached chernozems. Mineral feeding is needed here.
Complex fertilizers are usually used - the risk of overfeeding the plant with a single element is reduced. Sometimes there is a need for spot feeding of tomato varieties for the Krasnodar Territory - open ground allows the application of fertilizers using liquid or dry methods.
For these purposes they usually use:
- superphosphate (phosphorus content 20%) or double superphosphate (45%);
- potassium nitrate;
- urea
To plant bushes in such soil, it is pre-treated with all three types of fertilizers. The recommended ratio is 1:1:1. After the first fruits appear, the proportion is changed - 3:9:1.
The proportional composition of the fundamental elements in Krasnodar and the region is selected individually by region. The soil is different everywhere; after harvesting, its composition changes greatly. The increase in the amount of potassium and phosphorus during fruit formation is due to the increased need of the crop for these elements. Fertilizer application schedules can be considered as zoned - their composition varies over the entire area of the region.
The main thing is not to overfeed the plant. Increased levels of nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium lead to diseases, decreased yields, and slower growth.
Foliage is a kind of indicator of increased concentration of elements:
- magnesium, phosphorus - leads to blackening of leaves along the edges;
- nitrogen - yellowing;
- potassium - development of necrosis;
- calcium is a growth stimulator; the crop cannot cope with such a load and dies from a lack of other elements.
Every gardener before the start of the season wonders when to plant tomatoes. The usual period is 40 – 45 days before the start of disembarkation. When growing, they strive to create a plant that meets certain requirements:
- color - rich dark green;
- strong elastic leg;
- the number of fully formed leaves is 5 – 6;
- height - at least 20 - 30 cm;
- appearance is fresh.
You can use a planting calendar and decide when to plant tomato seedlings. It is also called lunar. It is believed that seedlings grow better when the moon is rising. Why is this happening? Perhaps the plant receives more moonlight or is exposed to gravitational fields.
Experienced gardeners plan in advance the time to plant tomatoes and study the weather forecast.
The main risks associated with its growth:
- You can get overgrown seedlings. In this case, it becomes unsuitable for planting. Before sowing tomatoes for seedlings, you need to plan fertilizing. When there is an overdose of beneficial elements, the sprouts grow too quickly. The stem turns out thin, unable to hold foliage and ovaries.
- Lack of lighting can cause the plant to grow rapidly. Usually in Kuban when the season begins, the weather is sunny. When growing at home, nuances are possible. To prevent this from happening, it is recommended to use artificial lighting. This is done using specially installed LED lamps in red, green, and blue colors. It is necessary that the light washes the plant - in this case, a thick stem and elastic foliage are formed.
- Usually they take a supply of three to ten days from the moment when the seeds are sown. This is done to check germination - low-quality seeds take a long time to produce the first shoots. Healthy, strong seeds produce the first shoots already on the third day after planting.
To check germination, your favorite or best tomato varieties must first be checked. Seed material is poured into warm water and waited for at least 10 minutes.
Healthy seeds will quickly become saturated with water and settle at the bottom of the container. Hollow ones will remain on the surface. They need to be sorted. It is not recommended to use hollow seeds.
Two best varieties of tomatoes for the Rostov region
Two of the most famous and recognized hybrids by vegetable growers from Poisk.
"Premium F1"
Determinate, non-standard, early-ripening hybrid with a growing season of 90 days. The main purpose is open beds, but it also grows well in protected ground. Undemanding to soil, but prefers sandy loam and loam.
The bush requires quite a lot of space; it is grown in two stems with a planting pattern of 0.5 x 0.7 m. In open ground, pinching is not required; in greenhouses, pinching is done sparingly. Productivity up to 5 kg per bush. The bushes give away the harvest together.
The tomatoes are medium-sized, weigh up to 140 g. The flesh is red, dense, fleshy, with a pleasant taste. The tomatoes are round, longer than in diameter, with a “spout” characteristic of Rostov tomatoes.
The variety is well stored and can be transported over long distances; it is resistant to many diseases, except late blight. With high humidity, there is a high probability of late blight.
Important! The variety requires tying.
"Sovereign F1"
Salad tomato with a growing season of 100 days. The variety is determinate, up to 0.8 m high. Productivity is high. It grows well in greenhouses and open beds, but in greenhouses it produces up to 17 kg per m², while in open ground the yield is half as much.
The tomatoes are red, spherical, with a characteristic feature of the variety from the Rostovsky CC: an elongated spout. Tomatoes are very hard, with many chambers inside. Weight on average 165 g. They are distinguished by their evenness and very good keeping quality. After two months of storage, 90% of the fruits from the total mass stored in the storage are suitable for sale.
Resistant to diseases.
Sowing seedlings in [year]
Favorable days for planting tomato seedlings 2022 in the Rostov region in March fall on 2 and 3, 6 and 7, 15, 18 and 19, 21, 22 and 30. Sowing in open ground under greenhouse shelters can be done in April 2 - 4, 12 and 13, 29 and 30.
If the seeds are soaked and heated, the shoots will appear 5 - 6 earlier. Many experienced vegetable growers sow at home in tubs and quite thickly, but dive under greenhouse shelters.
Some sow several seeds in a permanent place and cover them with bottles, jars, or mini greenhouses.
If you choose early varieties of tomatoes and sow them in open ground, then by August you can have an excellent harvest for processing into tomato juice, sauce, ketchup, canning, pickling and pickling.
Having chosen a variety suitable for cultivation, do not rush to draw conclusions after one year of growing season; perhaps it simply turned out to be unproductive. Repeat sowing, and if the second time fails, then most likely the variety is not suitable for the soil or climate zone. The choice of varieties is very large and you will certainly choose tasty and productive tomatoes.
