Tomato Gnome Wild Fred: photos, features of the variety, reviews

The Wild Fred tomato was released in 2010. Belongs to the "Gnome" series. Created as part of the Dwarf Tomato Project. The essence of the project was to create special varieties of tomatoes with a certain characteristic. They had to be distinguished by high yield, shelf life, resistance to disease and the ability to fully grow in a limited space.

Characteristics and description of the variety

New Big Dwarf and Carbon were used as parent varieties. Initially, the resulting new variety was called “Sleazy,” which translated means “sloppy.” But later, one of the founders of the project, Craig LeHoullier, renamed it Wild Fred in honor of his father.

The plant is low-growing, height no more than 60 cm.

Representatives of this series are often called columnar, since they have one or two weakly branched stems and therefore do not require regular pinching.

The Dwarf Wild Fred tomato is suitable for growing both indoors (greenhouses, greenhouses, balconies) and outdoors. The bush is compact. The stem is strong, thick, the leaves are dark green, large, similar to potato leaves. Up to 7-8 clusters are formed on one plant, each with 3-5 fruits.

Tomatoes are flat-round and when ripe can be dark pink or acquire a beautiful purplish-violet hue.

Sometimes a green spot appears near the petiole of a ripening fruit - a “crown”, indicating its high taste. The pulp is oily, the walls are thick.

The fruit is very juicy, has a pronounced aroma and a rich sweet taste with a slight but harmonious sourness. Very beautiful in cross section. There are few seeds.

Wild Fred tomatoes are intended for fresh consumption, as well as for making salads, juice, ketchup and other sauces.

Plant characteristics

Let's look at the main “parameters” of this bush - they will help you get a general idea of ​​Wild Fred:

• The bushes can reach about 70 cm in height; they do not need to be tied up, which greatly simplifies the process of caring for the plant;
• Tomato fruits have an oval, less often round, shape. The lower and upper parts have slight “flattening”;
• Ripe fruits have a very unusual color - brown. Sometimes tomatoes may grow in a dark purple hue;
• The weight of ripe tomatoes is about 150 grams. It depends on the area where the plant is grown, as well as on the characteristics of care;
• Wild Fred's taste is very rich, the aroma is pronounced;
• The main purpose of this variety is its use in preparing various salads, where their taste parameters are revealed most fully;
• The pulp is often used to create homemade sauces, ketchups, etc.

Timing of sowing seeds

The tomato variety Gnome Wild Fred is considered mid-season. Technical maturity of the fruit occurs 110-125 days from germination. Seedlings should be sown 60-65 days before the planned planting in the ground, approximately in the first half of March. To improve germination, you can soak tomato seeds in a special growth stimulator, and when they hatch, sow them either directly into individual containers or in rows in one large box.

Some amateur gardeners germinate seeds on coconut tablets, vermiculite with water, and even in hydrogel. Each method has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Coconut tablets are quite expensive, but they save space when forcing seedlings. The hydrogel is capable of retaining moisture, so the sprouted seeds are not washed, but are immediately placed together with it in a container with soil. Soaking planting material in vermiculite fraction 0.5 or 1 mm (Micron or Super Fine) allows not only to reduce germination time, but also to obtain strong seedlings, especially if growth regulators are added to the water.

Growing seedlings

There are no special requirements for caring for Wild Fred tomato seedlings. It is grown in the same way as other types of tomatoes.

First, the seeds are sown in one container filled with soil for seedlings. Until the first shoots appear, it is covered with film or glass, after which it is placed in a warm place, even without lighting.

Water with a spray bottle. When using a watering can, a crust may form on the surface, which will make it difficult for seeds to germinate.

As soon as the first shoots appear, the cover is removed. The box is moved to the window, otherwise the seedlings will stretch out, which will negatively affect the quality of the seedlings.

In the phase of one or two true leaves, the tomatoes are picked and transplanted into separate pots.

Water the seedlings from a watering can as the earthen ball dries out. Plants should not be over-watered, otherwise they may die from root rot, which is popularly called blackleg.

Tomato Wild Fred Gnome Dwarf Wild Fred Growing and Care

Growing indoors

Caring for Wild Fred Gnome Dwarf Wild Fred tomatoes at home is not difficult, you just need to comply with certain conditions:

The pot must be large enough for the plant (from 5 liters). The soil in the growing container should be superior in fertility to garden soil. Sufficient daylight hours. Compliance with the feeding regime.

These conditions that dictate how to grow the Dwarf Wild Fred tomato are due to the limited space in which the plant's root system can develop. There are also advantages to growing a Dwarf Wild Fred tomato from seeds on a windowsill: the seeds can be immediately planted in the desired container.

Choose a sunny place for it and a pot with good nutritious soil with a volume of at least 5 liters. And it will delight you for a long time.

As it grows, turn it to evenly distribute sunlight, then the plant will be more symmetrical. All those who like to grow tomatoes in pots will surprise themselves and their guests!

Sowing seeds To sow tomatoes, you must use special containers: plastic containers, seedling cassettes, and so on. Any containers must have special drainage holes at the bottom, otherwise the plants will be susceptible to blackleg disease. Before starting sowing, it is necessary to ensure good lighting, regular temperature and air ventilation.

To sow tomato seedlings, you can use any universal substrate or a mixture of sand and peat, taken in equal parts. You should not sow too thickly, otherwise the seedlings will stretch out and be thin and weak. In a greenhouse, sowing should be done in rows, this will allow the lighting to be used to maximum advantage.

Immediately before sowing, the substrate must be thoroughly moistened. You can sow dry or pre-soaked in a 1% solution of potassium permanganate. Place the seeds in a glass with the solution and leave for about half an hour. After this, the seeds must be washed in running water for about 10 minutes. Immediately after sowing, the substrate must be covered with film or a thin (about 5 mm) layer of vermiculite, this will help maintain soil moisture.

Until the first shoots, the temperature must be maintained no higher than +28°C. And immediately after their appearance, the film must be removed from the seedling containers. In order not to expose the still very weak seedlings to excessive evaporation, it is better to remove the film in the afternoon. Watering should be done with a finely sprayed stream; the seedlings should not be overly flooded with water. It is also necessary to observe the temperature regime: as soon as the first shoots appear, the temperature should be reduced to +8...+10 °C at night and +10...+15 during the day - within 3 days, thus hardening the seedlings from the first days of their growth. Hardening must be continued until it is transplanted into the greenhouse, but for no less than 15 days during the entire period of its growth.

When the seedlings get a little stronger, the temperature is again raised to 20-25 degrees. The recommended air humidity for growing seedlings is 60-70%.

At two weeks of age, the seedlings are planted in separate cups. Plants are planted in the garden at the age of 60-70 days.

Planting in the Ground In order for tomatoes to produce a good harvest and not get sick, it is necessary to observe crop rotation. The best predecessors for them will be root vegetables (excluding potatoes), all types of cabbage, and perennial herbs.

The soil should be neutral or slightly acidic. Light and fertile soil contributes to earlier harvesting.

Tomatoes are planted in open ground after the threat of frost has disappeared; the seedlings must first be hardened.

At first, it is recommended to cover the plants with film or agricultural material to protect them from the cold.

Drop off rules:

Most often, tomatoes are planted in two rows with an interval between plants of 25-30 cm. Row spacing should be 50-65 cm wide. Overgrown seedlings are planted obliquely, with their tops facing north. After planting, make sure that a hard crust does not form; the soil is regularly loosened after watering.

15-20 days after planting, the tomatoes need to be hilled; in the future, this procedure is carried out twice more. Simultaneously with hilling, mineral fertilizers are applied. Their deficiency can be identified by the appearance of the plants.

Tomatoes do not like irrigation by sprinkling; moisture is applied strictly at the root. The culture requires rare but abundant watering. You can determine the need for moisture by the appearance of the tomatoes - the leaves darken and become drooping.

For the first 10-15 days after planting the seedlings, tomatoes do not need to be watered; the moisture added during planting will be enough for them. With the appearance of ovaries, the need for water in tomatoes increases sharply. At this time, the plants are watered at intervals of 5-7 days, adding up to 10 liters of water under each bush.

To retain moisture in the soil during the fruiting period, mulching is used. When the tomatoes begin to yield, watering is reduced.

Planting in the ground and caring for tomatoes

Seedlings are planted in the ground when the threat of return frosts has passed and the air temperature is not lower than 16-170C. The optimal planting density is 4-5 bushes per 1 m2, the distance between plants is at least 40-50 cm.

Despite the fact that the bush is relatively low-growing and standard, it should still be tied up. Otherwise, he may lie down under the weight of the fruit.

If there is no possibility of gartering, it is best to lay black agrofibre on the ground, on which the fruit will ripen. Moreover, it will not allow weeds to germinate, and at the same time will act as mulch, maintaining the necessary moisture.

Tomatoes from the “Gnome” series - in the garden and on a plate

general characteristics

All varieties in this series have some similarities, namely:

• mid-early fruiting (from 100 to 120 days);
• determinate forms (varieties are rarely taller than 60 cm);
• not shaping, but require garter;
• long-term preservation of presentation;
• easily transported;
• tomatoes of the “Gnome” series, a tomato product that allows you to obtain high quality;
• Temperature changes are well tolerated, and sets fruit under any conditions.

The Gnome series is not straightforward. Tomatoes are very responsive to fertilization and their height is sometimes uncontrollable. Reviews from experienced gardeners indicate that tomatoes behave differently in different climatic conditions, on different soils and with different agricultural practices.

It is no coincidence that lovers of exotic tomatoes may have different reviews about the same variety. Some people are delighted, while others refuse after the first cultivation.

Disease resistance

Dwarf varieties do not all behave equally under abnormal weather conditions in terms of fungal diseases. Whatever the stability of a particular variety, growing conditions leave their mark. For example, if a variety decorates a terrace and has never felt external irrigation, then naturally it will not experience the horror of late blight. But those grown by farms in open ground are not satisfied with the susceptibility of the varieties to late blight.

Features of growing the series

When describing Gnome tomatoes, reviews from vegetable growers are very different. Some people liked tomatoes, and they are no longer going to part with them. Some were dissatisfied, expecting more. However, all vegetable growers are unanimous that this series does not require special attention and care.

“Gnomes” do not differ in agricultural technology from their other “brothers” and set fruit perfectly even when the weather dictates an anomaly.

Characteristics and description of varieties of the “Gnome” series

This series is rich in its representatives, but the very first one appeared was a true gnome.

This variety was entered into the register of breeding achievements of the Russian Federation back in 1997 under number 9401318. The originator of the variety is the Federal Scientific Center for Vegetable Growing, Moscow Region.

The variety is recommended for cultivation in the Volga-Vyatka region in open garden beds on personal plots, as well as in small farms.

The variety is universal. Its fruits are suitable for preparing salads, canning and pickling.

Tomato “Gnome” description of the variety, photos, reviews, everything suggests that the variety has average foliage. The plant form is not standard, weakly branched, semi-spreading. The height of the plant barely reaches 50 cm.

The leaf is a classic tomato type, light green in color, medium in size, with a beautiful, glossy shine.

The inflorescence is compact and simple. The first is laid above the 6th sheet, and then through the sheet.

The fruit of this variety is round and smooth, weighing about 35 g. According to tasters, the taste is satisfactory.

Advantages

• high degree of fruit set;
• stable yield;
• resistance to climatic anomalies;
• crack resistance;
• good quality processed products.

Flaws

• satisfactory taste of fresh fruits;
• average resistance against blight.

"New Big Dwarf"

This tomato is still little known to amateurs. Those who have already tried it describe it as semi-determinate, reaching a height of 1 meter.

The bush, despite the fact that pinching is not carried out, is compact. The leaf is classic, wide. The plant requires staking to a support due to the high weight of the fruits.

The tomatoes reach a weight of 300 g, are flat-round, fleshy, with excellent taste and a small amount of seeds. The color is red-pink.

Advantages

• resistance to late blight;
• impeccable taste;
• good yield.

Flaws

• a little tall, as for a series of gnomes;
• requires a garter.

Tomato New Big Dwarf is a medium-ripening plant. When sown in early March, it quickly gains marketable weight.

"Gnome Arctic Rose"

"Arctic Rose" tomato bred in the USA. Recommended for cultivation in the northern regions of the country.

The “Gnome Arctic Rose” tomato does not have a tall bush, up to 40 cm. Being quite compact, it is very similar to the standard one.

The fruits are round, pink and weigh up to 300 g.

The taste of tomatoes is harmonious, pleasant and rich.

Advantages

Flaws

Requires garter because the fruits are very large.

"Gnome Purple Heart"

Standard type variety. The height of the tomato bush reaches 60 cm. It has a mid-season ripening period. The weight of the fruits is from 100 to 200 g, sometimes more.

The Purple Heart Gnome tomato has heart-shaped fruits with a rich burgundy skin color. The inner pulp is rich, dark cherry color.

The taste is excellent, there are few seeds and they are right in the pulp.

Advantages

• high productivity;
• excellent taste;
• does not require formation;
• unusual appearance.

"Sweet Sue"

Tomato bred by US breeders. The plant is compact, up to 70 cm high. Medium ripening period.

The tomatoes are light yellow, sometimes tanned slightly pink. Round with an average weight of up to 150 g.

The Sweet Sue tomato has a pleasant, sweet taste and amazing aroma. Those who have already managed to grow the variety compare it to melon.

Reviews indicate that this tomato remains unharmed by diseases under any circumstances. Gardeners consider it the most stable.

Advantages

• Great taste;
• Increased resistance to diseases;
• Undemanding to weather conditions.

Flaws

• Need for fixation;
• Requires high nutritional soil.

"Purf Pride"

Early tomato. Plant height up to 60 cm, with a wide leaf blade. The plant does not require shaping.

"Purf Pride" has fruits up to 120 g, but their color is mesmerizing. Rich, red-brown with a burgundy tint. The fruits are round in shape.

The taste of tomato is surprisingly harmonious. The content of sugars and acids is very balanced. Those who have once tried a tomato remain delighted and are happy to grow it in their gardens.

Advantages

• Amazing taste;
• Does not require pinching;
• Resistant to diseases.

"Tasmanian chocolate"

This variety can be grown both in garden beds and in a greenhouse. Medium ripening juice.

The plant is not tall, but sometimes reaches one meter. It does not require cutting off the shoots and forming them, but it does require careful gartering, since it is not easy to hold heavy fruits.

The Tasmanian Chocolate variety has a potato-type leaf that is large and wrinkled.

The fruits are flat-round and often weigh up to 400 g.

Advantages

• excellent taste;
• high marketability;
• good keeping quality;
• versatility of use.

Flaws

• fixation of shoots and fruits is required;
• needs timely prevention from diseases.

"Victorian Gnome"

Tomatoes of this variety are mid-early.

The bushes are not tall, up to 50 cm, spreading, do not require shaping, but they do need fixation.

The bush is literally covered with fruits; under their weight, the shoots bend and lie down, which is why they should be fixed.

"Victorian Gnome" produces fruits that are flat-round, even, dense, and have an even skin. The color of the tomato is rich red, evenly colored when cut.

The taste is salad. The consistency is juicy and soft.

Advantages

• resistant to diseases;
• gives good yield;
• suitable for processing into tomato products.

Flaws

• requires constant fixation of shoots;
• has average keeping quality.

When selecting varieties, please note that only the “Gnome” variety is included in the register of breeding achievements and is recommended for cultivation. All other listed varieties are either amateur or foreign selection, but have not been tested.

Advantages

Those who have already tried to grow the Wild Fred tomato in their gardens and summer cottages have noted its advantages over other varieties.

• Unpretentiousness. Sets fruit even with irregular watering. This makes it suitable for growing in summer cottages, when the owners appear only on weekends.
• Endurance. The plant can tolerate temperature changes and even return frosts in June. To protect it, it is enough to cover it with agrofibre.
• High yield. With proper care, you can get 4-5 kg ​​of tomatoes from one bush.
• Good transportability. Fruits tolerate transportation normally if they were picked at the stage of technical ripeness. Their skin is resistant to cracking.
• Easy care. The bushes are compact and do not need to be formed. Stepchildren grow inactively, but the main stems should still be tied up.
• Possibility of growing indoors. The Wild Fred tomato bears fruit even at home, for example, when cultivated on a balcony or loggia.

The list of advantages can be quite long. After all, every lover finds in this variety those advantages that appeal to him specifically.

Description of the Wild Rose variety, its characteristics, growing region

The Wild Rose tomato was bred at the end of the last millennium by specialists from the Transnistrian Research Institute of Agriculture (Tiraspol). An application for registration of the variety was submitted jointly with agro, and in 1999 it was included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements of the Russian Federation. Intended for cultivation on garden plots of all forms of ownership, regions of admission are not defined. In the southern half of the country, the variety is grown in unprotected soil, in the northern half - in unheated film greenhouses.

Infographics: a brief description of the Wild Rose tomato variety according to the State Register

Brief description of the Wild Rose tomato variety according to the State Register

Wild rose is an indeterminate variety; the spreading bush reaches a height of almost two meters. Like all indeterminates, it requires the obligatory formation of a bush and tying up of shoots. The leaves are of the usual green color, large, the foliage of the bush is above average. The first inflorescence is formed after the ninth leaf, the subsequent ones - after two or three.

In terms of tomato ripening time, the variety is classified as an early ripening variety: in favorable conditions, the first tomatoes can ripen three months after germination. The fruits are round in shape, compressed at the top and bottom, smooth, and pink when ripe. The tomatoes are large, weighing 300–350 g on average, and contain more than four seed nests. The pulp is fleshy, the skin is thin. The taste is sour-sweet, considered excellent, the main direction of use is salad. At the same time, if there is insufficient sunlight, the fruits do not acquire enough sugars, and their taste deteriorates.

Fruits within even one bush can vary greatly in size

The yield of the variety, for a large-fruited indeterminate, is quite small: about 6 kg/m2. But the variety has high heat resistance, the ability to grow on saline soils, and is not susceptible to the tobacco mosaic virus. It feels best in the open ground of the southern regions.

Flaws

In addition to its advantages, the Wild Fred tomato has some minor disadvantages:

• Expensive seed material. There are only a few seeds in one package. For example, a bag containing 7-10 pieces costs 40 rubles (excluding delivery).
• Low keeping quality. Wild Fred tomatoes soften very quickly. Therefore, storing them is not recommended. Due to the large size, it is difficult to preserve whole fruits of this variety. But you can prepare juice for the winter, and also use them in crushed form as an additive to other types of preservation, for example, adjika or lecho.
• The need for tying. The stem of the plant cannot withstand the weight of several clusters with ripening fruits, therefore, if it is not tied up in time, it spreads along the ground, which can negatively affect the quality and appearance of the tomatoes.

All of the above disadvantages can be easily circumvented. Many people consider Wild Fred tomato seeds to be relatively expensive. But it’s worth thinking about: how many bushes do you need for a summer house? A dozen is enough, and even with irregular care they will be able to recoup the cost of the seeds, delighting with a bountiful harvest.

Low keeping quality is not a problem. In winter, homemade natural tomato juice is always held in high esteem. Ripe tomatoes can also be used in canning recipes that require tomato dressing.

Does it need to be tied up? Not necessary. As was already written above, it is enough to lay black agrofibre and let the crop ripen on it.

Advantages and disadvantages, features, differences from other varieties

Nowadays, you can find a variety of tomatoes to suit absolutely every taste and satisfy any gardener’s whim. But at the end of the last century, the appearance of a new variety with excellent fruit taste could be considered an event, and Wild Rose quickly caught the fancy of many gardeners who tried to plant it on their plots. However, after a few years, many of them were partially disappointed with the choice: it turned out that the variety also had many disadvantages. So, the advantages of the Wild Rose tomato include:

• excellent taste of fruits;
• large fruit;
• heat resistance;
• not picky about the composition of the soil;
• resistance to viral diseases.

Identified deficiencies:

• low yield;
• dependence of both the quantity and quality of fruits on weather conditions;
• the need for proper plant formation;
• the bush's need for a large feeding area.

Despite its shortcomings, this tomato is quite often found in amateur gardens. Firstly, its fruits are very tasty, although now this will not surprise anyone

Secondly, in many regions the soil is so contaminated with salts that it is very difficult to correct them, but for Wild Rose this does not matter. Thirdly, many varieties of tomatoes at extremely high temperatures drop flowers or do not set fruit; For the variety in question, extreme heat is not a problem

It is the last two factors that are the features of the variety that distinguish it from many others.

In recent years, many large-fruited varieties with pink-colored fruits have appeared. These are, for example, Pudovik, Heavyweight of Siberia, Velmozha, Raspberry Heart, etc. The taste of their fruits is amazing, and their resistance to prolonged cold spells is high, since they are mainly intended for the harsh Siberian conditions. But Wild Rose has its own niche, the opposite: it is a variety for hot climates.

Many pink tomatoes, for example, Velmozha, taste just as good, but they generally like cooler climates