Cranberry tomatoes in sugar: description and growing tips

Tomato Cranberry in sugar is one of the most recognized types of small-fruited tomatoes created by domestic breeders. They are distinguished by excellent taste characteristics, versatility of use and decorativeness. The small size of the bush makes it possible to grow it at home and get fresh tomatoes all year round. At the same time, “Cranberries in Sugar” will serve as an excellent decoration for balconies, loggias, and window sills.

The advantages of the variety are early ripening and good resistance to various tomato diseases.

Characteristics and description of the variety

Cranberry in sugar is an early ripening variety, the ripening of which occurs within 80 days from the moment the first sprouts appear. The height of the bushes is small: barely reaches 50 cm. Having stopped growing, the bush forms a flower brush at the top. The plant is distinguished by small dark green leaves with a compact structure and complex inflorescences. When the fruit begins to ripen abundantly, the bunches are strewn with small red tomatoes, the size corresponding to the berries of the same name.

These cherry tomatoes are round small fruits weighing approximately 15 to 20 grams with a dense, smooth shell that is uneven near the stem. Tomatoes grown in greenhouses or at home are characterized by increased peel hardness. In those cultivated in open ground it is much thinner. This hybrid tomato variety is not particularly suitable for salads, but when preserved, it performs quite well due to its dense pulp and average juice content. Cherries have a distinctly sweet and sour tomato taste and a specific aroma that evokes appetite. The characteristic sourness is good for making sauces, gravies, and borscht dressings. The fruits are absolutely identical in size and color, even the stalk lacks a green spot.

Aging for 80 days

Fruit weight from 15 to 20 grams

Bush height 50 cm

Tomatoes “Cranberry in Sugar”, the description of which was included in the catalog of breeding novelties in 2012, was developed by Moscow agro. The variety is recommended for cultivation in any Russian regions; it is a good choice for farmers and hobbyists.

Characteristics

Ripe fruits are red or dark red in color, round in shape, smooth, and of the same size. The pulp is dense, fleshy. The first tomatoes can reach 130 g, but later from 100 to 120 g.

The number of chambers is 5-6, the dry matter content is about 5%. Collected fruits can be stored for a long time and tolerate long-distance transportation well. For these properties, it is loved by farmers who grow “Raspberry Sweetness” in large volumes.

This type of tomato was bred by domestic specialists in 2008 and received state registration as a variety intended for cultivation in greenhouses, greenhouses, under film and in unprotected soil. Since then it has enjoyed well-deserved respect among hobbyists and farmers.

In unprotected soil, the Raspberry Sweet tomato is best grown in the southern regions, such as the Crimea, Rostov or Astrakhan region. In the middle zone, it is necessary to cover with film to avoid loss of yield. In more northern regions, cultivation of this species is possible only in heated greenhouses.

The fruits of the Raspberry Sweet tomato look great in prefabricated pickles. Good for making lecho, combined with other vegetables. Tomatoes from the first harvest are not suitable for canning, as they are too large for this; it is better to wait for the second or third harvest. They will be smaller and then it will be possible to preserve them. The juices and pastes are very tasty.

This type of tomato is valued, among other things, for its high yield. With careful care, you can get up to 4-5 kg ​​from each bush. Recommended planting density is 3-4 bushes per square meter. m, and it comes out to about 18-20 kg. This is a very good indicator of productivity. You can compare it with other varieties in the table below:

Productivity

Tomato “Cranberry in Sugar” produces a fruit yield of 2.5 to 2.8 kilograms per square meter. Considering the tiny mass of each tomato and the fact that fruiting occurs simultaneously - the tomato bushes are literally covered with fruits at the time the vegetables are harvested - this is a good result.

Although the same company specializes in producing other varieties of cherry tomatoes with much higher yields. However, for this reason, this variety is not in demand by some vegetable growers. The productivity of the Cranberry tomato variety can be increased with careful care, watering and timely fertilizing.

Pros and cons of the variety

When registering the variety Cranberry in Sugar, tomatoes were recorded as salad tomatoes and intended for whole-fruit canning, but experts unanimously regard its purpose only for preparations. Not everyone likes the sour taste either, but there are also admirers of this feature of tomatoes. Many are attracted by the early ripening tomato variety cranberry and its resistance to diseases, as well as its unpretentiousness to climatic and weather conditions. The variety is immune to diseases characteristic of tomatoes and is rarely affected by fungi and late blight. The powerful stem ensures the stability of the bush, which does not require staking.

Advantages of the variety:

• early ripening;
• low maintenance;
• low height of the bushes, allowing them to be planted at home and on the balcony;
• no need for stepsoning;
• no requirement for tying;
• resistance to diseases and sudden weather changes.

The disadvantages of this type include:

• low yield;
• excessively strong skin;
• excessive presence of sour taste.

Possible diseases and pests

The plant has good immunity to diseases; it rarely gets infected with dangerous diseases. Cranberries in sugar are not threatened by late blight and fusarium; the only infection that cherry is afraid of is mosaic disease, against which there is no effective remedy yet.

Dangerous enemies for the “cranberry in sugar” tomato are aphids and spider mites, which feed on plant sap, as a result of which fragments of the bush undergo a change in shape, become yellow, dry out and die. Aphids are hard to miss. Insects settle on the bush in large groups, densely dotting the crown, the underside of fresh leaves, buds and ovaries. Aphids are a universal pest; they are dangerous for tomatoes both in the garden and on the windowsill at home.

Spider mites are difficult to detect; they are identified by thin transparent threads wrapping around the brush and the top of the bush.

Pest control

Aphids
To protect against aphids, chemicals are used, but this is done no later than 2 or 3 weeks before fruiting. Preventive measures consist of weekly spraying of tomato bushes with any herbal infusions that have a pungent odor:

• orange;
• onion or garlic;
• tobacco

With a small number of insects, these products can also save tomatoes, but the number of treatments should be increased to 2-3 times daily. Mass colonies of aphids are exterminated with general-action insecticides. 2 or 3 sprayings are required with a break of several days.

To prevent the threat of spider mites, tomato bushes are treated with garlic infusion or a decoction of cyclamen tubers at intervals of a week or a week and a half. If an enemy appears, special chemicals - acaricides - should be used. Protection against slugs is provided by systematic spraying with an aqueous solution of ammonia.

Disease Control

Tomato late blight
Diseases and their control require special care from gardeners. Detection of mosaic disease urgently requires urgent removal of the tomato bush from the site and its destruction. The infection is transmitted through insects; the slightest crack in the bush is enough for it to spread. Viruses remain viable for a long time. After removing a diseased tomato, the soil must be disinfected.

We have not yet learned how to save plants from this infection. This is why increased care should be taken to prevent the disease. To prevent infection with fungal diseases, you need to treat cherry tomatoes twice or thrice during the season with a weak fungicidal solution. The similar effect of proven drugs - copper sulfate and Bordeaux mixture - is well known. The latest tools have been created specifically to make growing tomatoes easier.

Brief information about the variety

• Fruits and bush : bright red tomatoes, weight - 15 g, determinate bush, reaches 0.6 m.
• Productivity : up to 3 kg per 1 m².
• Resistance : tomatoes tolerate frost well and are resistant to fungal diseases and most pests.
• Distribution : the variety can be grown in any region, both in open ground and in greenhouses.
• Application : tomatoes are used for canning, preparing salads, sauces and juices.
• Planting : the seedling method is used. The procedure is performed in early May according to the 40x60 pattern.
• Soil : it is better to choose light, loose and nutritious soil.
• Care : watering - once a week, fertilizing - 3 times during the season, every 2 weeks, pinching is not required, formation - 1-2 stems.
• Ripening period : Harvest ripening occurs in July. The growing season lasts 70-75 days. Fruiting continues until August. Long-term storage possible.

Features of cultivation

Sugar-coated cranberry tomatoes are usually sown by the end of March. You must first prepare containers, the size of which will depend on the planned conditions for growing tomatoes. For the balcony, you should immediately sow the seeds in a separate container, then you will not have to dive the seedlings. For planting in open ground, it is convenient to sow in a common container for easy care of the seedlings. Many gardeners like to sow seeds in peat pots.

The containers are filled with light nutritious soil mixed from humus, turf and peat. Before sowing, it must be fried in the oven to destroy possible microbes. Then the seedlings will be hardy and strong.

Agricultural technology for growing cherry tomatoes Cran in sugar

Cranberry tomato seeds in sugar are planted in garden beds only in the southern regions of Russia. You can also grow this tomato with seeds in a room on a windowsill. In other areas, it is necessary to first grow seedlings at home, which after a couple of months are transplanted to a permanent place.

Tomatoes on the windowsill for beginners to grow them - video

Seed preparation

Tomato seed material Cranberry in sugar is planted for seedlings in the second ten days of March in such a way that in the second ten days of May the plants can be transplanted into a greenhouse or open ground.

Purchased seeds do not require preliminary preparation. But those harvested from our own beds need to be disinfected before planting. But first, these seeds are dipped in a salty solution to determine germination. All the seed material that has sunk to the bottom can later be planted in the beds - it is full and will sprout well.

Then the seeds are dipped in a pink solution of potassium permanganate for half an hour to disinfect, then they are washed, dried and soaked to improve germination and germination in a solution of any biogrowth stimulator.

Growing seedlings

To plant seed material, you can purchase a commercial nutrient substrate, or you can prepare it yourself. To do this, mix turf soil, humus and river sand in the following proportions: 2:2:1.

The soil prepared at home is spilled with pink potassium permanganate before being placed in containers.

The height of containers for growing tomato seedlings should be no more than 8 cm. They are filled with prepared soil, leveled and watered.

The seeds are buried several mm into the soil, and the distance between them should be at least 3 cm.

A thin layer of sand is poured on top and watered. The containers are covered with glass on top and placed in a dark, warm place until the first shoots appear. After germination, the glass is removed and the containers are transferred to a bright place for further cultivation.

In the future, it is necessary to water the seedlings regularly so that the soil in the containers is constantly moist. When the seedlings have a pair of permanent leaves, they are picked out in separate cups. A couple of weeks after picking, you can feed the seedlings with nitrogen fertilizer for the first time.

Important!

A couple of weeks before transplanting, the plants need to be hardened off little by little by taking them outside.

Low-growing early tomatoes for windows have sprouted CRANBERRY IN SUGAR - video

Transplanting tomato seedlings to a permanent place

Transplanting tomato seedlings Cranberry in sugar in greenhouse conditions can begin from the second ten days of April, and into open ground - from the second ten days of May.

On one square of area you need to plant no more than 5 bushes of this tomato:
one should be in the center, and the rest should be in the corners. Planting is done in cloudy weather or in the evening.

Picking low-growing early tomatoes into pots CRANBERRY IN SUGAR - video

Planting holes are made no more than 10 cm deep, and a layer of wood ash is placed on their bottom. The plants are transferred into the holes along with a lump of ash, deepening them to the first true leaves, adding soil and compacting them.

At least 2 liters of water are added to each bush, and the soil is then mulched. After planting, tomato bushes are watered daily for a week so that the plants acclimatize faster.

Seed selection

Before sowing, the seeds must be treated with a manganese solution, washed and dried. To improve the properties and productivity of seedlings, it is advisable to keep the seeds in a growth stimulator, especially if there is no confidence in their quality.

Sowing

Sowing tomato

Tomato seeds should be placed on fairly moist soil, covered with a layer of soil 1 centimeter thick on top and moistened again. The container should be covered with film covers to create favorable conditions for germination. When the first sprouts appear, the cover is removed and the container is moved to a bright place, for example, on a windowsill. Usually, the leaves of cherry tomatoes come out at the same time a few days after sowing.

The best temperature for germination is considered to be approximately 25 degrees. The duration of illumination for this is required for 16 hours.

When two open leaves form, seedlings placed in a common container should be pricked. It is carefully transplanted into separate small containers, where it will develop for another month. Care during this period will consist of moistening the soil and fertilizing.

Some time before planting on the beds, it is necessary to harden the sprouts, for which they should be regularly taken out into the air for a short period of time in order to strengthen the protective forces of young shoots in case of weather changes. Hardened seedlings are usually accepted faster and withstand the vagaries of the weather better. If night temperatures remain at least 10 degrees, the seedlings will not be harmed by being on the balcony around the clock.

Transplanting seedlings into the ground

The place for planting tomatoes is chosen in a well-lit, windless area. It is not advisable to plant cherry tomatoes after other representatives of the nightshade family, so that the remaining bacteria do not transfer to the new crop. Cabbage and cucumbers are considered the preferred predecessors of tomatoes.

By the time of planting, the soil should be warm, drained and quite nutritious. It must be dug up in advance with the addition of peat, compost or rotted manure, as well as mineral fertilizers.

In all the depressions, the distance between which should be about 40 centimeters, it is necessary to pour a handful of ash and superphosphate, and spray the seedlings in advance with boric acid, which will reduce the likelihood of the sprouts becoming stressed and, as a result, the possibility of stopping their growth. By the time the seedlings are planted in the ground, they should be two months old; it is not advisable to let them outgrow. During the flowering period, it will withstand replanting much less well.

Due to the compactness of the “Cranberries in Sugar” bushes, the seedlings are transplanted at a closer distance from each other than other varieties of medium-sized tomatoes. It is best to plant plants in such a way that all bushes receive sufficient sunlight and fresh air. Deep planting is undesirable. The roots should be only 2 centimeters below ground level. After placing the bush in the hole, it is filled with soil and lightly crushed to ensure the stability of the sprout.

Transplanting seedlings into open ground

They begin to plant seedlings in a permanent place at the age of 60-65 days . First you need to prepare the soil for planting, and spray the seedlings with the following solution - dilute 1 g of boric acid in 1 liter of water. Thanks to this, it will be possible to reduce the stressful situation for the bush so that it does not drop its inflorescences.

Tomato seedlings should be planted in loamy and fertile soil , and wood ash and superphosphate should be added to each hole. The interval between the holes should be 45 cm, and between the rows - at least 60 cm, and, preferably, they should be staggered.

First shoots from seeds

Care

The tomato variety “Cranberry in Sugar” is distinguished by its unpretentiousness of care, which is considered a very attractive factor among gardeners. However, tomatoes do not forgive careless handling. But the cherry bushes will reward you for your attention and care with a wonderful harvest. Features of care include the usual procedures for all types of plants.

Watering

The tomato variety is quite picky about soil moisture. As a rule, watering is carried out with settled water in the early morning hours or shortly before sunset. The water should not be too cold so that plant growth does not stop and flowers fall off. The roots of tomatoes are not sufficiently formed; they absorb water after watering more slowly than their larger relatives. To avoid waterlogging, you should not water very much. One bush requires approximately 2 liters every 5 days, although during flowering and ripening it is necessary to increase this rate to 10 liters twice a week.

Top dressing

Fertilizer application for better growth and increased yield is also included in the tomato care system. Fertilizers must combine the entire combination of useful substances. The first dose of liquid manure and nitroammofoska should be added approximately two weeks after planting on the site. After the same period, fertilizing is done again with organic fertilizer and potassium sulfate. During the first harvest of fruits, the bushes also need to be fed with organic matter and minerals. For tomatoes growing at home, the same plant nutrition schedule is suitable.

Protection from diseases and pests

Tomatoes of this variety, which have innate immunity, are well protected from diseases and insects. Only tobacco mosaic is dangerous to them. To eliminate the threat of this scourge, preliminary scrupulous soil treatment is required before planting. The key techniques for protecting a variety from infection are:

• implementation of the procedure for changing plantings;
• regular soil moisture;
• systematic treatment with fungicidal preparations;
• regulation of temperature and moisture content in the air when planting in a greenhouse.

Other care procedures

One of the advantages of “Cranberries in Sugar” cherries is the fact that there is no need for pinching and pruning. It is advisable to occasionally remove the lower and yellowed branches.

To create ideal conditions for the development of tomatoes, you need to control the condition of the soil. It should not be excessively compacted so as not to disrupt the flow of moisture to the roots. This requires regular loosening of the soil, especially after watering or rain.

In the hot summer, it is recommended to mulch the plantings with straw or sawdust, which can protect the roots from overheating and stop the loss of moisture due to evaporation. In addition, this procedure will simplify maintenance: you will not have to weed.

Growing at home

When growing cranberry tomatoes in sugar on a windowsill or balcony, each sprout should be planted in separate large pots with a volume of at least 5 liters. Growing tomatoes at home is more difficult; it will require much more care, which is due to the susceptibility of tomatoes to diseases when kept indoors. With normal care, the sweet miracle on your windowsill will reward you with a decent harvest.

The characteristics and descriptions of tomatoes create a positive reputation for the product. The “Cranberry in Sugar” variety is considered a wonderful version for fans of grace, color and unique sour taste, used to preserve vitamins for the winter. Vegetable growers are attracted by the unpretentiousness of cultivation and the early harvest of tomatoes.

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