Bull's heart tomatoes: reviews with photos and growing tips

If you ask gardeners about their favorite variety of tomatoes, many will say that these are “bull’s heart” tomatoes. Reviews with photos and the characteristics of this amazing fruit are of interest to most summer residents, and everyone has at least once tried to grow it on their own plot. It is not surprising that most of the harvest simply does not survive to canning, because the tomatoes are eaten “live”. It’s impossible not to try these tomatoes: juicy, large, incredibly aromatic and tasty - the real tomatoes we miss all winter.

This variety is grown in order to eat enough in the summer, and smaller representatives are suitable for “cans”. Today we invite you to take a closer look at ox heart tomatoes. Reviews with photos of the tomato variety will be presented in this article. In addition, here you can also find advice from experienced gardeners on selecting seeds, growing tomatoes, and several canning secrets.

Bull's heart tomatoes: reviews with photos and description

Distinctive features of the variety are the large size of the fruits. It’s one thing to grow these tomatoes, another thing to achieve a really large-fruited and high yield. The weight champions on the site can be seen from afar. They leave no one indifferent and are a source of pride for the master gardener who grew such a miracle. As a rule, the very first fruits are the largest. The average weight of one is 300-400 grams, there are also half a kilo each. The shape of the fruit is slightly elongated, reminiscent of the shape of a real anatomical heart, the surface is slightly ribbed. Subsequent tomatoes are smaller in size - 100-200 grams each.

Another feature of the variety is the unevenness of the fruits. According to reviews with photos about “ox heart” tomatoes, it is noticeable that on the lower branches the tomatoes are larger, and towards the top they begin to become smaller. The yield will please everyone; it ranges from ten to twelve kilograms per bush if it grows in a greenhouse. If the tomato is planted in open ground, then it will be less - from seven to nine kilograms, and the fruits themselves will also be smaller in size. Reviews with photos about bull's heart tomatoes confirm this fact.

The bush itself is tall - from 1.5 to 1.7 in height, spreading, growing very quickly. He needs a garter. The leaves are large, dark green, their appearance is the same as other varieties.

Characteristics of the variety

Tomato "Bull's Heart" f1 has the following characteristics:

Powerful, low-leafed bush, mid-season and spreading;
The fruits appear after 120-130 days from the date of germination of the first shoots;
When grown in a garden, the yield of one bush is 4-5 kilograms, and in a greenhouse - 8-11 kilograms;
The bushes are not standard, tall, and have a determinate type;
When 5-7 clusters of tomatoes are formed, the growth of the bush stops;
The length of the stems can reach 1.5 – 1.9 meters;
The first ovary appears above the 8th leaf, after which clusters of tomatoes appear after 1-2 leaves;
The yield of each cluster can be up to 5 fruits;
The weight of vegetables growing in the upper part of the bush is 100-200 grams, and in the lower part - 350-500 grams;
The fruits are moderately resistant to diseases, but are sometimes infected with late blight;
The variety is suitable for transportation, and losses are only 5%.

It is important to know! To sow tomatoes, you need to choose light and fertile soil. Then growth will be successful and the yield will be rich.

Taste qualities

One has only to cut a tomato and it will spread its extraordinary aroma for many meters. The tomato pulp is fleshy, very sweet, and all because this variety takes up less water than others. The taste and aroma cannot be confused with anything else; they are completely sugary and compare favorably with other tomatoes. The skin is delicate, thin; it often happens that the fruits crack, and this can spoil their appearance, but not their taste! The “ox heart” tomato variety, photos and reviews of which are presented in this article, is grown to be eaten fresh precisely because of its ideal taste.

The variety is mid-season, fruiting occurs on average on the 130th day after germination of seedlings.

Tall tomatoes for the greenhouse

I definitely plant the listed varieties, but there are also some that I just liked, and I periodically grow them in the greenhouse, but I have not become a fan of them. Of the indeterminates, I like the raceme varieties the most. Again, this is primarily because they look beautiful on the bush. There are only three varieties, and each has a special reason to grow it.

“Intuition F1” is a mid-season hybrid, but I would classify it as a late-season hybrid. Not only does it reach harvest ripeness only by mid-August, but biological maturity also comes quite late. Some specimens of these tomatoes ripen even until the end of October. But, on the other hand, this is convenient because as a result, we have our own fresh tomatoes at home for a very long time. That's why I sow it in February.

Rice. 12. Photo from the end of July, but the fruits have not yet begun to ripen.

But “Intuition F1” is very easy. This hybrid is great for freezing for future use. In winter, I make pizza and frittata with them, as they do not defrost like porridge, but retain their meatiness well when cut.

Rice. 13. The fruits are all smooth and beautiful.

Rice. 14. In this form, I send “Intuition F1” to deep freeze.

“Scarlet Candles” is a cluster variety, mid-season. They don’t have a special taste, but what a shape! Looks impressive in preparations with cucumbers. However, this is why I grow them. It’s nice to admire such a jar later in the winter.

Rice. 15. The length of “Scarlet Candles” is almost like pickling cucumbers.

Rice. 16. “Scarlet candles” look neat, they all have a characteristic “spout”.

“De Barao” is quite late-ripening; I sow it earlier than the bulk of tomatoes. I really like it in preparations, it does not crack and is very tasty, both fresh and pickled.

Rice. 17. "De Barao" is resistant to disease. I always plant it on the north side, tying it above the entrance to the greenhouse, because it is very tall, and the upper tier ripens even in the last ten days of August, despite the first cold nights.

Rice. 18. The fruits are beautiful, all as one.

I have tried a great variety of salad varieties, I still want to find the most delicious one. Of the unusually colored tomatoes, I really like the taste of Malachite Box and Black Prince . Both are tall and require pinching, gartering, and formation into 1-2 stems, but the effort is worth it, the fruits are magnificent. “Black Prince” is dark burgundy when fully ripe.

Rice. 19. “Malachite box” in biological maturity – green.

Rice. 20. All these “Malachite Box” tomatoes are already ripe, although in appearance they seem unripe.

The yellow giants are not inferior in taste, of which the most fleshy and tasty for me are “Yellow Truffle” - of an unusual shape, “Persimmon” - indeed, the pulp is cut like the fruit of the same name, “Golden King” and sweet as a melon, “ Golden Bull" . “Golden Heart” and “Altai Yellow” were less impressive But it should be noted that the shelf life of yellow tomatoes is inferior to red ones. From salad reds, I grew “King of Large”, “Cardinal”, “Canary”, “Bear’s Paw”, “Mazarin”, “Altai Red” . What can I say about them - they are all equal, as if they were selected. It tires them to constantly tug and tie them up. One good thing is that they are large.

Rice. 21. Everyone looks the same on the bush. This is Cardinal.

Rice. 22. “Cardinal” is well kept.

Rice. 24. In the foreground is “Mazarin”. It differs only in shape, in taste - like all other red-fruited ones.

Rice. 25. “Altai Reds”, however, can be praised for their friendly maturation.

Separately, I would like to mention the pink-fruited tomatoes “Miracle of the Earth”. If you are lucky with the summer and it is not very hot, then you can get a good harvest from this variety.

Variety varieties

We have given a general description of the “ox heart” tomato. In fact, there are several varieties of the variety. The features of agricultural technology do not differ, but they differ greatly in appearance and size. We invite you to familiarize yourself with each one separately.

A favorite type of many are pink oxheart tomatoes. According to reviews from the photo, it is clear that they are larger than all their counterparts of other colors; one fruit on the lower cluster can grow up to 900 grams! The color of the tomatoes is pink. Reviews about the variety are the most enthusiastic. They write that they are ideal for preparing fresh summer salads and for tomato juice. The peculiarity is that it matures later than other species. The pink tomato is unpretentious and has immunity to many diseases, including late blight.
The red "bull's heart" is distinguished by very strong branching. The size of the fruits is rarely inferior to the previous type.
Orange - has excellent taste, unlike any other variety.
Black - is an individual, recognizable by the color of the dark burgundy fruit. The latest of all “hearts”.

And for their diversity, many people also loved the “ox heart” tomatoes. Reviews with photos from summer residents show how beautiful winter salads can be rolled up in jars of colorful tomatoes! Also, no one will refuse to try a fresh salad of several types of tomatoes - the taste of each complements each other, and such a dish looks very appetizing!

Preparing tomato seeds Oxheart for planting

Tomatoes Bull's heart: photo of the variety

As we noted earlier, Bull's Heart tomatoes are planted for seedlings in early March. But if your region has favorable climatic conditions, you can plant tomatoes in April. Tomato seeds Bull's heart must be prepared for planting, their similarity must be checked, and they must be disinfected. If you carry out this event, the seedlings will be stronger. Before planting, you should soak the Oxheart tomato seeds in warm water to stimulate growth. Sometimes melt water is used for this. Freeze a bag of water in the freezer and then melt it, then place the tomato seeds in it and leave them in the room for 12 hours. To disinfect seeds, gardeners use potassium permanganate; the solution should be weak, slightly pinkish. It keeps the seeds in it for no more than 20 minutes. After this they are washed again. Some gardeners also recommend soaking Oxheart tomato seeds in a growth stimulant in order to increase the germination rate. Before sending the seeds into the holes, they need to be placed on a moistened cloth or gauze and left for a while. In a couple of days, the seeds will germinate and can be planted.

Soil for planting tomato Ox heart is prepared either independently or purchased in a specialized store. Note that very often these same stores sell special soil for tomatoes; it already contains all the necessary nutrients and microelements. If you are planting a lot of Oxheart tomato seedlings, then you can buy one bag of such soil and mix it with plain soil, and after that you can plant tomatoes. The soil must be warmed up, and only then poured into containers. Before planting the Oxheart tomato, water the soil generously, and only after that the seeds are spread on the surface of the soil with tweezers. The seeds are covered with a small layer of dry soil on top. After this, the boxes with Ox Heart tomato seedlings are covered with film in order to create a favorable climate inside. The containers are placed in a dark, warm place, and placed on the windowsill only after the sprouts have hatched. It is best to place the Ox's Heart tomatoes in a warm place; if you have a choice, then place the boxes with seedlings on the windowsills on the south side.

Advantages of the variety

It’s very easy to judge the advantages of the bull’s heart tomato based on reviews and photos. Positive characteristics include:

taste qualities of tomatoes, their meatiness;
a large number and size of fruits, when compared with other varieties of tomatoes, the bushes of which are the same in size;
the tassels are tied almost at the same time, so the crop ripens together every time until the end of the season;
early ripeness of the fruit allows you to enjoy tomatoes as soon as possible;
The most delicious tomato juice is obtained from the “bull’s heart”.

It is these factors that influence the choice of variety by many summer residents. What can disappoint you and create additional troubles in this amazing variety?

Flaws

Some gardeners write that the variety has its own characteristics, which cannot be classified as disadvantages, because everything depends on care. So, what problems might a beginning vegetable grower encounter?

Bushes can be attacked by diseases, as they have a huge number of ovaries.
The harvest will not be large, and the fruits may be much smaller than expected. To prevent this from happening, increased feeding with mineral fertilizers is necessary.
Improper care can cause the bushes to terminate early, and they will stop forming new ovaries, and this will affect the amount of harvest.

Now we propose to move on to the rules for planting and caring for “ox heart” tomatoes. Reviews with photos of tomatoes will help us with this.

Ideal seeds

There are many gardeners who were disappointed when growing "ox heart". They write that there are few ovaries, the shape of the fruit does not resemble an organ, the tomatoes burst and do not reach the characteristic size. There are also comments that say that the variety is most often affected by late blight.

In defense, I would like to say that not everything is so tasty when it is unpretentious. “Bull’s Heart” is the result of selection by amateur gardeners, and no one has been maintaining the variety for a long time. Taking advantage of the popularity of tomatoes, amateur seed growers have actively launched the sale of seeds. This would be good if the planting material were not made from everything that grows in their beds. Usually such an attitude towards a variety leads to its degeneration.

Many gardeners recommend purchasing seeds for a good harvest of “bull’s heart”. They write that their germination rate is good; if you form a bush from one stem, there will be at least eight clusters. The size of a tomato is on average half a kilo, and with proper care, even more. Compared to tomatoes of the same variety, tomatoes with a small number of seeds grow from others. The taste of the fruit is excellent.

How to prepare seeds from grown tomatoes?

If you are satisfied with the tomatoes from the seeds that you bought, then you can prepare your own for the next season. Experienced gardeners still recommend purchasing store-bought seeds at least once every four years in order to slightly update the variety. So, in order to get tomato seeds from your plot, you need to pay attention to the second brush from the bottom. Select the largest of the tomatoes from there, wait for it to fully ripen until the green spot at the peduncle disappears. After this, pick the tomato and place it at home in a warm, dark place for three days until the fruit becomes soft. The seeds must be removed, dried and stored in a paper envelope, which is placed in a dark box at room temperature.

Seedling

The optimal time for preparing seedlings is early March. Take plastic jars for planting seeds and make holes in them on the sides and bottom. Self-dissolving peat cups will not work, as it will be necessary to pick when three true leaves appear.

Seeds are planted to a depth of three centimeters in containers half filled with soil. As the plant grows, it will be necessary to add more soil. Before planting, planting material must be washed and soaked in a manganese solution for disinfection. Only after this are the seeds planted. During growth, seedlings should be fed a couple of times, and a couple of weeks before planting, harden them by taking them out to the balcony or yard for a day (in good weather with an air temperature of at least +18).

Growing

To grow a decent harvest of tomatoes, it is not enough to take into account all the features and properties of a particular variety; you also need to follow the rules of agricultural technology. This is not to say that Ox's Heart is a particularly capricious variety, but this tomato has its weak points, and this must be taken into account.

The disadvantages of the Bull's Heart include the following nuances:

The need to tie up the bushes due to their high growth and large mass of fruits.
Due to the fact that the bushes are very spreading, they often do not have enough air, therefore, in the open ground, the Bull's Heart is planted with an interval of at least a meter between the bushes, and the greenhouse must be ventilated.
The variety is able to withstand many diseases, but Ox Heart is often infected with late blight, so it needs to be prevented from this fungal disease and followed the rules of cultivation.
The ripening period of tomatoes is late; not in all climatic conditions the fruits will have time to ripen before the onset of autumn cold weather. The way out of this situation is greenhouses and greenhouses.

Advice! If a gardener is going to grow Ox's Heart for the first time, he must read the description of the variety and reviews of other owners. It is best to plant a couple of bushes in the first year in order to observe their development and, if necessary, adjust agricultural practices next year.

Preparing seeds for planting

Like all late tomatoes, Bull's Heart is sown as seedlings in early March. Tomato seeds need to be prepared for planting, then their germination rate will be higher, and the seedlings themselves will be healthier and stronger.

The preparation of Ox heart seeds is as follows:

soaking seeds in melt water to stimulate growth. It’s easy to get melt water: pour tap water into a plastic bag and freeze it for several hours. When most of the liquid turns into ice, you need to drain the remaining water. The ice is melted and tomato seeds are placed in the resulting water. They are kept for 12-14 hours at room temperature.
To disinfect tomato seeds, they are placed in a solution of potassium permanganate. The solution should be weak and pinkish. The seeds are kept here for a short time - 15-20 minutes, after which they are washed with running water.
If you bought expensive seeds, you can use growth stimulants or feed them with special mineral complexes - this will significantly increase the number of sprouted tomatoes.

Prepared Ox heart seeds are laid out on a moistened cloth or cotton pad, cover the container with a lid and place in a warm place. In a few days, the tomatoes should germinate - the seeds will sprout.

Planting seeds for seedlings

It is recommended to plant tomato seeds in special purchased soil intended for seedlings. It is likely that the store will have soil whose composition is ideal for Bull’s Heart tomatoes - you need to ask the seller about this.

Advice! In order for the seedlings to better acclimatize to specific conditions, it is recommended to mix purchased soil with the soil in which tomatoes will subsequently grow.

The soil is heated to room temperature, placed in plastic cups so that the layer of soil is uniform and approximately 3 cm. Now water the soil with settled water at room temperature. Take tweezers and place the Ox heart seeds into each glass. Sprinkle the seeds with a thin layer of dry soil.

Containers or cups with tomato seeds are covered with film or an airtight lid and put in a warm place for germination. When the first sprouts appear, remove the lid - this must be done gradually. The tomatoes are moved to a cooler and brighter place (a south-facing window sill is ideal).

Diving tomatoes

When two true leaves appear on the tomato seedlings, it is time to pick them, that is, plant them in separate containers. Diving has a beneficial effect on seedlings: the roots of the plants are strengthened, the tomatoes become more hardened, they are prepared for subsequent transplantation to a permanent place.

Before diving, the seedlings need to be watered. After a couple of hours, carefully remove the sprouts and transplant them into large containers with soil of the same composition.

Attention! In order for the seedlings to be strong, they must be hardened off. To do this, the seedlings are taken out onto the balcony or I open the window, gradually lowering the temperature and increasing the procedure time.

Planting Oxheart seedlings in a permanent place

If you plan to grow Ox's heart in a greenhouse, you need to plant the seedlings in early May. The height of the tomatoes by this moment should be 20-25 cm, the bushes should have 7-8 strong leaves, and the first buds of inflorescences may be visible.

When growing Ox's heart in open ground, it is worth considering the climate of a particular region. As a rule, this variety is grown in garden beds only by gardeners in the south of the country; in other regions it is better to prefer a greenhouse, since the tomato may not ripen.

The distance between the holes is at least a meter. The depth of the hole should be such that there is 3-4 cm left from the ground to the first leaves. It is better to water the seedlings less often, but more abundantly. Mulch or cardboard should be used to retain moisture in the soil.

Important! As Oxheart develops, these tomatoes need to be fertilized at least three times. It is better to use humus and mineral supplements; fresh organic matter is undesirable.

Bull's heart tomatoes: reviews with photos, cultivation

It is recommended to plant in open ground or in greenhouses at the end of May or beginning of June, when there is no longer a risk of frost. One or two stems are formed; excess shoots and shoots must be constantly removed. No more than 2 bushes should grow on one square meter; they should be tied to trellises.

Gardeners recommend helping with pollination by spraying plants with water; stable fertilizing is also necessary:

Phosphorus-containing mineral fertilizers are applied twice during flowering with an interval of one and a half weeks.
During fruit filling, potassium and nitrogen are needed. Feeding is done twice with the same interval.
Again phosphorus fertilizers during the flowering period of the fifth and sixth clusters.
Every ten days during the formation and ripening of fruits, foliar feeding with calcium fertilizers is necessary.

Features of cultivation and care

The variety has a long growing season, so it is recommended to grow it only through seedlings. The optimal age for planting tomatoes in a permanent place of growth is 50-70 days.

Before planting, the seeds must be scalded with boiling water to kill all fungi on their surface. It is also recommended to disinfect the soil by pouring boiling water over it.
The seeds are sown in the prepared soil to a depth of no more than 2 cm. The distance between the seeds is at least 1.5-2 cm. The plantings are covered with film and taken out to a dark, warm place.
When the sprouts hatch, the film is removed and the containers are transferred to a windowsill or under a fluorescent lamp.
In the phase of 2-3 leaves, seedlings are planted in separate containers. Seedlings are fertilized once every 14 days. Use complex fertilizers for tomato seedlings.
7-10 days before planting in a permanent place, the seedlings are hardened, that is, taken out into the fresh air. First for 1–2 hours, and then the time is increased to the whole day.

Planting in a greenhouse

When the seedlings grow to 20-25 cm in height, they need to be transplanted into a greenhouse. As a rule, this is done in mid-April. The greenhouse should be well heated and well lit.

Seedlings are planted at a distance of one meter from each other. I make holes 15 cm deep and add humus. After planting, the plants are watered well with warm water.

Greenhouse care

The air temperature in the greenhouse is maintained at 20-22 °C during the day and 16-18 °C at night. Water the plants once every 7 days. For 1 sq. meter uses about 7 liters of water. During the period of fruit formation, the amount of water is increased to 15 liters per 1 square meter. meter.

The greenhouse is ventilated every day for 30 minutes. Tomatoes are pollinated by hand. The bush must be formed and the stepsons removed. Organic fertilizers are applied every two weeks.

Growing tomatoes in open ground

The bed has been prepared since the fall. All weeds are removed, rotted manure is added, and the soil is dug well. Seedlings are planted in early May.

Care

Plants are fed 2 weeks after planting with organic fertilizers.

After the first feeding, a layer of mulch no more than 5 cm thick is poured onto the ground. Pine needles, sawdust or straw are used.
The plants are fed a second time ten days after the first ovaries appear. 2 liters of manure solution are poured under one tomato bush.
The plants are fed the third time during the ripening period. Pour 2.5 liters of manure solution under each tomato bush.

Water the plants strictly at the roots, twice a week. If the weather is hot - 3-4 times a week. Also, the bushes are formed, tied to a trellis and the stepsons are cut off.

Getting ready for winter

You can still create beautiful “jars” of pickled tomatoes from ox heart tomatoes. To do this, cook them in the microwave. In a 1.5 liter jar you will need to place three allspice peas and two bay leaves, cut the tomatoes into quarters and place them well, being careful not to crush them. Pour boiling water in which a tablespoon of salt and four sugars have been dissolved so that the tomatoes are slightly hidden. Place the jar in the microwave, set to maximum mode and time for 2 minutes. If the brine does not boil, add time and immediately remove the jar after boiling. Pour half a teaspoon of acetic acid, roll it up, and place it upside down to let the air out.