Characteristics of the variety
Kolkhoz Queen is considered one of the most productive varieties of tall tomatoes. Large fruits by weight and type of pulp are classified as beef tomatoes. At the same time, the variety is capable of producing a harvest in the mid-early period, which is an excellent property for indeterminate plants.
Tomato fruits of the Kolkhoz Queen variety.
The tomato grows well in the open ground of Stavropol, Crimea, and Kuban, but starting from temperate latitudes, the Kolkhoz Queen requires planting under film or in a greenhouse. Excellent productivity and high quality of fruits are noted in regions of risky farming, as well as beyond the Urals and in Siberia.
Description of the bushes
The stems of the Kolkhoz Queen are powerful and tall. In greenhouse conditions, the plant can exceed 2 m, in the open air in the south it rises to 1.5 m. The branching of the bushes is average, few stepsons are formed.
The leaf blades of the Kolkhoz Queen have a typical “tomato” shape and are quite large in size. But due to strong dissection and small quantities, they do not obscure the bush. The plant is well ventilated without additional pinching.
The first yellowish buds appear after the 9th leaf. The flower brush is complex. The buds are laid abundantly, the fruit set of the Kolkhoz Queen is excellent. Each bunch can carry more than 6 tomatoes at a time. The fruits of the Collective Farm Queen from one brush gain mass and are colored alternately. Harvesting ripened tomatoes stimulates the harvesting of the next ones.
Tomato Kolkhoz Queen description of the variety, photos and reports from gardeners are classified as mid-season crops. The first tomatoes ripen on average within 100 days from the moment of germination. With good lighting, this period is reduced by 5–10 days.
In areas with cool, cloudy summers, ripening takes longer. So in the north-west of Russia, the Kolkhoz Queen gives away the first harvest on days 110–115.
Description of fruits
The Kolkhoz Queen variety is characterized by long flowering, and the fruit set is excellent. Vegetable growers note that unfavorable weather does not reduce the ability to pollinate.
Kolkhoz Queen tomatoes can compete in size with many beef varieties. The tomato pulp is balanced in terms of meatiness and juiciness, and the taste and aroma of the fruit regularly earn an “excellent” rating from professional tasters.
Varietal characteristics of Kolkhoz Queen tomatoes:
Form | Flat-round, depressed at the stalk, with fine ribbing. Irregularly shaped fruits are often observed. |
Size |
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Coloring | Depending on the variety: raspberry pink or bright red. The ripening is even, without “shoulders”. The coloring is uniform from the peel to the center. |
Peel | Thin, elastic, indistinguishable when eating. It cracks only with a prolonged increase in humidity and dew on the tomatoes. |
Pulp | Fleshy, moderately juicy, with 6 small seed chambers. The seeds are small and few in number. |
Taste |
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Productivity | Consistently high. Regardless of the characteristics of the open-air season, up to 15 kg per 1 sq. m; for greenhouses the average is 6 kg per bush. |
Keeping quality | The safety of ripened fruits is average. Transportation is possible in an unripe form, with careful packaging in boxes. |
Application | Universal:
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Tomato Kolkhoz Queen description of the variety, photos show it as a crop that has two varieties, differing only in the color of the fruit. Otherwise, pink and red tomatoes completely replicate each other’s characteristics.
Description of the variety
The Kolkhoz productive tomato variety is intended for cultivation in open ground. But this does not mean at all that it will not be accepted in greenhouse conditions. According to numerous reviews, the maximum amount of harvest is obtained in closed structures.
Reference ! Many gardeners confuse two types: Collective Farm Harvest and Collective Farm Queen. In terms of characteristics, photos and reviews, the Kolkhoz Queen is very different from the Kolkhoz Harvest.
Distinctive features
The type is determinate, not standard, of medium thickness, spreading, height up to 60 cm. The foliage is dense, the leaves are bright green.
Reference ! The main difference between non-standard and standard crops is the weak stem.
The species is mid-early, 100-105 days pass from the moment of sowing the seeds to full ripening.
The productivity is high, 3-4.5 kg of fruits are harvested from 1 seedling, provided that 5-6 plants are planted per 1 square meter. m.
It is distinguished by stable immunity to dangerous diseases of the nightshade family, and is immune to late blight and brown spot.
Preparation of planting material and propagation
Large seed companies in Russia do not produce Kolkhoz Queen seeds. Tomato planting material can be purchased from collectors and amateur vegetable growers. Seeds are often offered on specialized forums and websites.
The exact sowing time of the Kolkhoz Queen is calculated based on the readiness of the seedlings for planting on the 60th day. Work usually begins no earlier than March. At the end of February, tomatoes are sown only for cultivation in heated greenhouses.
Seed preparation
Kolkhoz Queen is a natural variety, therefore, when propagated by its own seeds, it retains all its characteristics. At the same time, material collected independently or received from amateur vegetable growers is subject to mandatory processing. Preparation is carried out to destroy infections and stimulate seedlings.
Treatment of tomato seeds Kolkhoz Queen before sowing:
- When storing planting material indoors, it is useful to carry out cold stratification in advance. The seeds are placed dry on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. It is advisable to let the tomatoes “overwinter” for at least a week.
- After cooling, the seeds are heated on a radiator for several days. This hardening will speed up germination and the sprouts will be stronger.
- The germination of the material is checked (calibrated) by pouring salted water over the seeds. After 15 minutes, non-germinating seeds float to the surface. You can throw them away and use those that have sunk to the bottom for sowing.
- Next, disinfection is carried out by soaking the seeds in a solution of potassium permanganate (1%) or hydrogen peroxide (10%) for 10–20 minutes.
- A more modern, environmentally friendly method that simultaneously destroys infections, strengthens the immunity of future plants and serves as a germination stimulator is treatment with a solution of Fitoverm, Baktofit, Trichoplant, and other bio-fungicides.
Seeds of the Kolkhoz Queen older than 3 years are recommended not only to be calibrated before sowing, but also to be treated with any growth stimulant or microfertilizer solution. As home remedies, aloe juice or honey solution diluted in half (1 tbsp per glass of water) is often used.
Hardening of already swollen or hatched seeds of the Kolkhoz Queen using low temperatures is recommended only if you have experience in such procedures. Keeping sprouted seeds in the refrigerator does not always provide the desired result.
Temperatures above +4 °C do not provide effective hardening, and at temperatures below +2 °C the planting material may die. It is believed that for fresh seeds of the rather resistant Kolkhoz Queen variety, calibration and disinfection are sufficient.
Growing seedlings
Indeterminate varieties, including Kolkhoz Queen, are famous for their strong, tall seedlings that are prone to overgrowth. Therefore, the choice of planting cups or boxes is especially important for the further development of tomatoes.
When sowing in individual glasses, try to choose the deepest ones. The requirement for peat pots is the same - the height of their walls should not be less than 7 cm.
If the containers are too small, you will have to replant several times, as the bushes quickly outgrow. When sowing the Kolkhoz Queen in common boxes, the seedlings must be picked.
Planting and growing:
- Soil for tomato seedlings can be purchased ready-made or made independently. It is important to ensure friability, nutritional value and neutral acidity. The Kolkhoz Queen is not demanding of other soil indicators.
- Self-prepared substrate must be disinfected. At home, it is convenient to heat the soil in the oven or pour boiling water over it. After this procedure, it is important to let the substrate sit for at least a month to restore normal microflora.
- Prepared seeds are planted as soon as possible after soaking. If the seed dries out for a long time, the seed loses its viability.
- A small layer of drainage is poured onto the bottom of the planting boxes or glasses, and a moist substrate is added on top. For the Kolkhoz Queen variety, it is recommended to fill the containers halfway.
- The seeds are laid out on the surface and sprinkled with a layer of soil no more than 1.5 cm. The soil is sprayed with warm water and the boxes are covered with film.
- With complete pre-sowing treatment, seedlings appear quickly within a week. From this point on, the film can be removed, and the sprouts can be provided with additional lighting (up to 12 hours/day) throughout the week.
- As the seedlings grow, water and fertilize them several times with a complete all-purpose tomato fertilizer.
As the stems of the Kolkhoz Queen grow, soil is poured into the glasses, ensuring the growth of new roots. In this way, it is possible to obtain not overgrown, strong seedlings.
Sprouts from common boxes are planted in individual glasses immediately after the appearance of 2 typical tomato leaves. Otherwise, the roots will become very intertwined and the transplant will be traumatic. Plants of indeterminate varieties planted closer than 5 cm quickly begin to inhibit each other.
When picking, the central spine of the Kolkhoz Queen should be shortened by 1/3. This will restrain the growth of the above-ground part and stimulate the development of the root system in width.
How to grow seedlings
Sowing seeds for seedlings begins 2 months before planting in the ground. Before sowing, it is necessary to prepare and disinfect the seed material.
Seed preparation
Seeds are determined for emptiness by immersing them in a saline solution for 10 minutes. Those that have floated to the surface are not suitable for landing. Then disinfection is carried out in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Manganese can be replaced with a 2% hydrogen peroxide solution.
Reference ! Disinfection prevents many diseases in the future.
To improve germination, grains are soaked in a growth stimulator for 10-11 hours. The most popular drugs are Epin and Kornevin. In the absence of specialized products, you can use aloe juice or potato juice.
The final procedure in preparing seeds is hardening. To do this, the grains are placed in the refrigerator on the bottom shelf at a temperature of +2°C for 12 hours. After this, the grains are heated for 14 hours at a temperature of +22°C. This procedure is carried out to increase productivity.
Reference ! Hardening is a serious procedure, which is carried out by experienced gardeners, since with the wrong technology you can ruin all the seed.
Container and soil
The soil is prepared from garden soil mixed with river sand and peat in equal quantities. 200 g of wood ash is added to the resulting mixture to normalize the acidity. If the acidity in the soil is neutral, the ash will serve as an additional nutrient.
The prepared soil is disinfected, destroying pathogenic flora. To do this, the soil is spilled with a hot solution of dark potassium permanganate or calcined in the oven at a temperature of 60°C for 10 minutes.
The cooled soil is laid out in planting containers, making drainage holes at the bottom in advance to easily remove excess moisture. Also, pebbles or sawdust are placed on the bottom as drainage. The containers are filled halfway with soil, gradually adding soil as the seedlings grow. This way the seedlings receive the required amount of nutrients.
Plant in a common wooden box or in separate containers. Planting in separate containers eliminates in the future many necessary procedures that are carried out when propagating seedlings in a common container.
Sowing
Seeds are sown to a depth of 1 cm with a distance of 3-4 cm from each other. The furrows are covered with soil on top, leveled, slightly moistened with a spray bottle with warm, settled water and covered with film to create a greenhouse effect.
The containers are left in a warm and dark room at a temperature of at least 25°C until germination.
Seedling care
When the first shoots appear, the film is removed and the containers are moved to the windowsill . The seedlings are carefully watered with warm, settled water, along the edge of the seedling with a tablespoon. There is no need to flood the soil; oversaturation with moisture will negatively affect the developing roots.
After the appearance of two true leaves, the seedlings dive and are planted in a separate container. If the seeds are sown in peat cups, picking is not required. The picking procedure involves removing the main root by one third. After picking, young plants intensively grow lateral roots, which helps strengthen the stem.
Reference ! During picking, stronger seedlings are left for further growth and development, and weak ones are disposed of.
After planting, the first fertilizing is carried out. Organic matter is used as fertilizer, for example, mullein infusion or chicken manure in a ratio of 1:15. Seedlings respond well to fertilization and grow vigorously. The second feeding is applied two weeks after the first.
During the seedling period, it is necessary to feed the crop twice. The plant is not standard, the stem is weak, so adding additional nutrition is important to strengthen the bushes.
1 week before transplanting, the seedlings are hardened off by taking the planting containers out into the open air for 2 hours. Gradually, the stay on the street is increased to 15 hours. At the same time, the night temperature in the room is reduced to 12°C.
Preparing the soil and planting site
Tomato Kolkhoz Queen description of the variety, photos and reports from gardeners in various regions are recommended as a crop capable of growing on different soils. But a tomato can produce a bountiful harvest only if the soil is well prepared.
Techniques for improving soil composition for growing Kolkhoz Queen:
- Digging of the site is carried out in the fall, adding all the additives that require uniform distribution in the soil. Tillage of the soil in the greenhouse is also carried out in advance.
- Dense, clayey substrate or chernozem is loosened by adding humus, leaf compost or rotted sawdust. Coarse river sand, perlite, and hydrogel are also suitable for this purpose.
- Manure and mineral fertilizers (superphosphate, potassium nitrate) are also applied during autumn digging.
- To reduce acidity, it is recommended to use dolomite flour, which provides tomatoes with calcium and valuable microelements.
When choosing a place for planting, they focus on good lighting and proper crop rotation. For greenhouses, it is better to take soil to replace the top layer from beds where potatoes, tomatoes, and other nightshades have not been grown for several years.
Reviews from summer residents
Ninel from the Moscow region. I have been growing tomatoes for several years in a greenhouse at the dacha. I consider this variety to be one of my favorites. I collect the seeds myself. Whatever the weather, I get an excellent harvest. The tomatoes are tasty and aromatic. We eat most of the fruits in salads. In the fall, I pick the remaining green tomatoes and put them in a box. They already ripen in a city apartment.
Tatyana from Belgorod. In one online store that sells planting material, I saw a photo of delicious, large tomatoes. I ordered seeds and grew seedlings. I got tall bushes with powerful shoots. I formed it into 2 stems, as I do with other indeterminates, and tied it to high stakes. I left 2-3 ovaries on the hands. The harvest turned out to be a success. One of the specimens weighed 600 g.
Kolkhoz Queen is one of those varieties that win the heart of an amateur from the first season. With a little effort, you can get an excellent harvest of delicious tomatoes every year.
Landing algorithm
The seedlings of the Kolkhoz Queen with one flower cluster, which have undergone hardening, show good survival rate. Young tomatoes for open ground begin to be taken outside on the 50th day of growth. If possible, the night temperature is reduced to +15 °C. For seedlings in greenhouses, frequent ventilation is sufficient. Before planting, it is left in the greenhouse for several days to adapt.
Sequence of work:
- Seating places are laid out in a checkerboard pattern, calculating so that per 1 sq. m area there were 3 plants.
- The holes are dug to a depth of at least 15 cm. A handful of compost with the addition of superphosphate, potassium sulfate and ash is sprinkled on the bottom of each (1 tbsp per bush).
- When planting, mineral fertilizers can be replaced with the ready-made mixture Red Giant or Gumi-Omi.
- The wells filled with fertilizers are watered abundantly with water, wait for it to be absorbed into the soil and young bushes are planted.
- The stems of the Kolkhoz Queen can be buried deeper than in seedlings. Leaves in contact with the soil should be torn off.
After adding soil, the tomatoes are watered with heated water and mulched. In the absence of materials (sawdust, straw, mown grass), the damp soil under the collective farm queen bushes can be sprinkled with dry peat or dried compost.
Care
The collective farm queen responds gratefully to care and feeding. With full agricultural technology, it can please with record harvests. Without proper care, the crop grows powerful stems, but does not bear large fruits and often drops buds that have not yet set.
Spraying and watering
Tomato Kolkhoz Queen, description of the variety, photos show it as a powerful plant that requires a lot of moisture both to provide stems and to fill large tomatoes. The tomato root system lies quite deep, so surface watering is not able to fully nourish the bush.
Tomato beds with the Kolkhoz Queen variety are recommended to be moistened rarely, but abundantly. At the same time, mulching helps to retain moisture in the soil longer and prevents the formation of a soil crust. The frequency of watering depends on the weather and can reach 3 times a week in the hottest times.
Drip irrigation for this variety, if possible, is carried out in the soil layer and not on the surface. This ensures effective delivery of moisture directly to the absorbent roots.
Top dressing
The large-fruited variety Kolkhoz Queen requires regular fertilization. Powerful bushes quickly absorb the substances introduced during planting, so the yield strongly depends on the quality of fertilizing.
Fertilizers are applied every 15 days after the next watering. For indeterminate varieties, the use of nitrogen compounds is not recommended. Otherwise, the bushes of the Kolkhoz Queen begin to grow green mass, and fruiting becomes very difficult.
Methods of feeding the variety:
- It is appropriate to use complex mixtures for tomatoes with a balanced composition of micro- and macroelements. Of the mineral fertilizers, the variety responds best to superphosphate and potassium sulfate.
- Among the “tomato” natural fertilizers, wood ash is a classic. It is sprayed under bushes or water infusions are prepared for irrigation.
- Foliar feeding allows you to quickly deliver microelements to leaves and fruits, and also repel pests and prevent infections.
- Standard preparations for tomatoes are diluted by half and sprayed on the leaves. During flowering, a weak solution of boric acid is used, and if there is a threat of infection, a 5% solution of potassium permanganate is used.
Stop soil application of mineral fertilizers a week before the Kolkhoz Queen tomatoes are fully ripened. During fruiting, fertilizing with ash, biological products, and humates is acceptable.
Shaping and pinching
For 1 sq. m in a greenhouse it is optimal to place 3–4 bushes of the Kolkhoz Queen, provided they are kept in 1 stem. If 2 bearing shoots are left, no more than 2 plants can be planted in the same area. This scheme ensures better fruiting of the variety.
To form 2 trunks, the Kolkhoz Queen leaves one stepson above the first brush. The remaining growths in the leaf axils are removed. When pinching out the stepsons, you should leave the stumps 1–2 cm high. This will delay the appearance of new growth.
Tying up
Since the plant is very tall, and the fruits of the Kolkhoz Queen are large and heavy, it is better to tie it to reliable trellises or special stands. The trunks should be fixed periodically as the bushes grow.
It is also advisable to support heavy bunches of tomatoes, otherwise the stems tend to get jammed or break off. Supports for the Kolkhoz Queen are installed before planting the seedlings, so as not to injure the young roots of the tomatoes.
Topping
If it is necessary to normalize the growth of the Kolkhoz Queen, the top is removed, moving upward from the last bunch by 2-3 healthy leaves. Pinching the central stem above 3-4 clusters allows you to get large fruits early.
This technique is useful for areas where late blight is especially rampant. It allows you to harvest the main harvest of the Kolkhoz Queen before the start of the fungal disease season. If there is an increased risk of infection, each pinching or pinching is completed by spraying with biofungicides or potassium permanganate solution.
In open ground, during a very hot early summer, the fruits in the lower clusters can get baked in the sun. Therefore, leaves are not standardized until they begin to ripen.
In the greenhouse, by this time all the leaves below the first tomato bunch are removed. Later, 2–3 plates are removed when each tier ripens and the growth shading the fruit is removed.
Optimal conditions
The collective farm queen has excellent taste in both the south and northern regions. The tomato aroma, more characteristic of the pink variety, appears even when ripening at home. Lack of sun does not affect the quality of the fruit, but only prolongs ripening.
The variety is called one of the most resistant to temperature fluctuations. The collective farm queen is capable of setting fruit and does not lose productivity in very hot weather and during sudden cold snaps, as well as heavy rains.
Only very young plants at the adaptation stage should be protected from sudden changes in temperature. In the sun, seedlings are shaded for several days after planting. In unheated greenhouses in the central and more northern regions, it is recommended to provide additional temporary shelters on arc supports.
Possible diseases and pests, ways to get rid of them
The Kolkhoz Queen tomato, judging by the description of the variety from experienced vegetable growers and numerous amateur photos, is not a particularly resistant crop. It can be affected by all typical tomato diseases.
Therefore, preventive measures for planting the Kolkhoz Queen are carried out in full:
- Spray tomato beds on the leaves and soil with copper-containing preparations (such as HOM or Bordeaux mixture) twice a season.
- The first treatment is carried out on unopened buds in the first brush. Tomatoes are sprayed a second time in the second half of summer, when the seasonal surge of late blight approaches.
- In between, be sure to use triple treatment with bio-fungicides based on beneficial bacteria. The break between spraying is about 1 week.
- Any plant debris, leaves, fallen or spoiled fruits are immediately removed from the site and disposed of outside the site.
They do not allow weeds to grow, thicken the plantings of the Kolkhoz Queen and waterlogging the soil. When any pests appear, they begin to fight them manually, while it is permissible to use traditional methods: infusions of bitter herbs, tobacco, ash, soap.
But if such measures are ineffective and remains of insect colonies are detected, chemical acaricides or insecticides should be immediately applied. Aphids, whiteflies, cutworms, and nematodes not only weaken the tomatoes themselves, but also spread bacterial and viral infections that can completely destroy the crop.
Pest and disease control
In a greenhouse with high air humidity, cladosporiosis develops on the Kolkhoz Queen tomato. To prevent the spread of infection, it is recommended to cut off all leaves after the fruits have formed. Fungal spores can lie dormant in the soil or on tools for more than 5-7 years. Therefore, when a problem is detected, the root circle and equipment are treated with copper sulfate, and the tomato is treated with Fitosporin or Oxyx.
The disease is identified by brown spots on the green mass
In an open area, late blight infection is possible. The fungus affects the entire part of the bush. It begins to actively reproduce approximately in July, when the Kolkhoz Queen tomato has fully formed fruits.
First, light brown areas appear on the tomatoes, then they begin to rot, the tomatoes become unsuitable for food.
Treat the seedlings after planting with copper sulfate. If brown spots are found on the leaves and stems, spray with Hom.
The most dangerous pest for tomatoes in a greenhouse is the whitefly.
Getting rid of parasitic insects with “Commander”
In an open area, you can observe the spread of aphids.
Getting rid of the pest "Iskra-Bio"
Peculiarities
Despite the collectible status of the Kolkhoz Queen variety, its undoubted advantages have made it very popular among vegetable growers throughout the country. Distributing tomato seeds from hand to hand, gardeners and summer residents collected a complete description of the variety, relying on reviews from those who planted this amazing tomato.
Pros of raising a Kolkhoz Queen:
- the ability to propagate the variety with your own seeds;
- excellent seed germination lasts for more than 3 years;
- tomato is resistant to temperature changes;
- consistently high yields in any region;
- pollination occurs equally well in the heat, during rains and when cold;
- the ability to grow the variety under film covers even in Siberia.
Kolkhoz Queen tomatoes have a spectacular, appetizing appearance and excellent taste. According to the description of the variety and photo, the fruits are not prone to cracking due to changes in humidity or overwatering. Among the disadvantages, farmers and gardeners note only the impossibility of transportation and the poor keeping quality of ripe tomatoes.
Advantages and disadvantages of the Kolkhoz Queen tomato
The Collective Farm Queen has larger tomatoes on the second bunch than on the first, and the weight of the subsequent ones is practically the same in size. Large fruits cannot be used for whole-fruit canning. If the goal is harvesting for the winter, then the brushes are not thinned out.
When part of the ovaries is removed, tomatoes grow up to 600 g
Pros:
- unpretentiousness;
- sets fruit even under the most unfavorable weather conditions;
- stable yield;
- high nutritional value;
- balanced taste;
- versatility in use;
- seeds are suitable for subsequent propagation;
- grown indoors and outdoors.
Minuses:
- poor resistance to cladosporiosis;
- the need to trim leaves when grown in greenhouses;
- prone to cracking in exhaust gas;
- transportable only when unripe;
- not suitable for long-term storage.
In order for tomatoes to meet the weight stated in the characteristics, constant feeding is necessary.