Tomatoes (tomatoes): detailed description, properties, plant characteristics, care and cultivation

In their natural environment, tomatoes grew widely in South America and were even used by local Indian tribes as a domestic crop from around the 7th or 8th century AD.

Today, tomatoes have spread all over the world, and, thanks to the development of a large number of varieties, they are grown even in climates that are not the most favorable for them: for example, in Russia.

Europeans began to use tomatoes for food relatively late - only in the 19th century. Since then, tomatoes have entered the traditional cuisine of most peoples and countries. Of course, such popularity did not appear just like that.

People appreciated the versatility of tomatoes, the ability to eat them both raw and dried, fried, baked. And in all cases, the fruits acquire a special, unique shade of tastes and smells.

Among other things, the composition of the tomato is especially valuable. It contains vitamins in sufficient quantities (for example, in terms of vitamin C, tomatoes are comparable to lemons and oranges), and the optimal balance of nutrients helps the body to be in good shape and prevent the development of many diseases, including dangerous ones.

Tomatoes. Botanical description

Tomato bush
Tomatoes are a herbaceous plant belonging to the nightshade family, widely used for cultivation as an agricultural crop.

Tomato fruits are considered berries, although in the world there are a lot of prejudices and even official data regarding the classification of tomatoes as vegetables or even fruits. In general, the debate is still ongoing.

Modern varieties (and there are more than 10,000 of them) differ:

• by shape (fruits are round, oval (elongated, flattened), heart-shaped);
• color (fruits are red, pink, burgundy, purple, yellow, orange, black);
• weight (varieties from 20 g to 1-1.5 kg);
• surface of the fruit (smooth, weakly, medium and strongly ribbed);
• ripening period (ultra-early, early, mid-early, late).

The root system of tomatoes is a classic taproot with a vertical or lodging arrangement in the upper layers of the soil. Small hairs extend from the main root shoots.

The leaves are arranged in strict order and consist of lobes.

The emerging inflorescences can be either simple or few- or multi-complex.

Fruits - berries - form on tomato bushes. Small, kidney-shaped seeds are concentrated in them closer to the core.

BY THE WAY. Tomatoes have one of the longest periods of seed germination. Under favorable conditions, they can maintain high germination even after 5-7 years.

What is a tomato

Oh, these nerds. They confuse vegetable growers and cooks so much that sometimes it becomes ridiculous. So, from a botany point of view, a tomato is a multi-locular syncarpous berry.

Is a tomato a vegetable or a fruit - the whole truth

For the British, everything is simple. They have no difference between the terms fruit and berry. In other countries, the debate about what a tomato is continues.

What is a vegetable

Vegetable is a culinary term, not a botanical one. It applies to all edible fruits except berries. This is where the hitch comes in. What then is a tomato? Of course, the science of vegetable growing deals with vegetables and the cultivation of crops.

Vegetables include not only fruits, but also shoots (purslane), stems (parsley), petioles (rhubarb), leaves (spinach), bulbs (garlic, onions), tubers (potatoes), roots (horseradish).

What is a fruit

In ancient times, all edible crops were called vegetables. The word fruit did not exist. Around 1705, the word fruit was borrowed from Polish and then the division into vegetables and fruits began.

The Latin word Fructus is fruit. Fruit is an economic, household, everyday term. Some languages ​​do not make a distinction and the words “fruit” and “fruit” are the same thing. In some countries, the tomato is considered a fruit.

What is a tomato?

In Russia, tomatoes are classified as vegetable crops.

Is a tomato a fruit or berry?

A berry is a multi-seeded fruit with a dense epicarp and a juicy endocarp. To put it simply, gota should have a dense shell, skin and a juicy, soft inner center, pulp with seeds.

Everything fits together. The tomato fully corresponds to the botanical term - berry.

How tomatoes originated and why the controversy arose

In 1893, the case reached the British Supreme Court. Since customs duties when crossing the border on vegetables and fruits are collected differently, it was necessary to clarify what a tomato is.

According to the method of use, it is a vegetable. After all, tomatoes are not served as dessert. And from a botanical point of view, it is a berry. However, in everyday life, everything small (strawberries, raspberries) is called a berry, but something larger (watermelon, tomato) is not called a berry.

The court recognized the tomato as a vegetable and a berry at the same time. However, I had to pay customs costs like a vegetable.

Appearance in Russia

Tomatoes came to Russia in the mid-18th century. They were brought from Europe by Russian aristocrats for decorative purposes. The bushes were small, frail, planted in pots and did not reach ripening. Attempts to taste them ended in solanine poisoning. Because of this, they began to be called “crazy berries.” Bouquets and garlands were formed from flowering tomato branches. They decorated the courtyard and holiday tables, but did not eat them.

Empress Catherine annually listened to the report “On Outlandish Fruits” and even then they told her about overseas tomatoes that ripen in flower beds. The offering of overseas fruits was accompanied by magnificent holidays and solemn processions. On this occasion, several copies (or a basket) were brought to Russia. Catherine was pleased. I liked the tomatoes and decided to cultivate them everywhere. And until the development of culture, fruits were supplied to the empress’s table from Italy.

The greenhouses and greenhouses of the royal court eagerly accepted the new product and the tomatoes thanked them with full ripening. At first, only those close to the nobility could enjoy tomatoes. Then the tomatoes were spread throughout the great country.

At the same time, on the outskirts of the Russian empire in Bakhchisarai they had long been familiar with the culture and did not consider it exotic. The cultivation and consumption of tomatoes was in full swing, which the yard did not suspect. Production became more widespread and trade gained momentum.

Tomato culture conquered Russia from two sides. From the south, tomatoes moved north and east, and from the north they tried to capture more southern regions. Time passed and the tomato swept the whole country. Mass cultivation of tomatoes in fields began only in the 50s of the last century, and then only in the southern regions of the country.

The main reason for the slow progress of the crop was spring frosts and early autumn. Too short a summer and lack of knowledge of growing technology led to the fact that middle and late varieties did not ripen. Cool summers with low temperatures and high humidity did not allow even early varieties to ripen. Science moved forward; not only early varieties were bred, but also those resistant to adverse weather conditions. Greenhouse farming developed and vegetables captured more and more new territories.

Not only scientific agronomists, but also amateurs began to study tomatoes. Often it is the collection, amateur varieties that can boast of a special taste, stability and productivity. Festivals and holidays are held for such folk breeders. On them the whole country can see the achievements in the tomato movement.

Is a tomato a berry or a vegetable?

Tomato fruit
Surprisingly, you probably won’t find another crop on the planet about which there would be so much controversy. The fact is that there is no consensus on what tomatoes should be classified as: berries, fruits or vegetables.

Botany clearly shows that tomatoes are berries .

The following characteristics of a tomato play a key role in this definition: propagation by seeds, and the fruits are eaten mainly raw. We can say that for this reason, it is officially more correct to consider tomatoes as berries.

But much confusion arose due to a number of factors:

• For example, since 1893 in the United States, a court decision has decided to consider tomatoes as vegetables. Although there is reason to believe that this decision was significantly influenced by the thirst for profit, because at that time vegetables exported from the United States were subject to duties (i.e., they brought income to the treasury), and the export of berries and fruits, on the contrary, was free of duties.
• Since 2001, the European Union has officially decided to classify tomatoes as fruits.
• Let us add to this that in Russian literature (agricultural textbooks including) tomatoes are considered exclusively as a vegetable crop.

Origin of the terms tomato and tomato

Trying to understand the botanical features, science will introduce us to the Latin name of the culture Solánum lycopérsicum. Solanum, because the green parts of the plant contain the toxic substance solanine. Perennial plant belongs to:

• genus Nightshade;
• the nightshade family.

Did you know that the first tomatoes were yellow? This color is native to the tomato plant.

Botanists and philologists came to a common opinion and agreed that in the Russian language both tomato and tomato would be correct.

Then it's easier. The plant (bush) is called tomato, and the fruit is called tomato. At the same time, in cooking it’s a little different: raw vegetables and tomato dishes made from them, for example, tomato salad. Those that have undergone heat treatment are tomatoes: tomato soup, tomato paste, sauce, juice.

Russia lives by state standards, GOSTs. There is a GOST 34298-2017 Interstate Standard for fresh tomatoes that is valid throughout the country.

Clause 1 of this document regulates the scope of the standard. It says that it applies to fresh tomatoes of botanical varieties supplied and sold for fresh consumption. According to the law, the correct one is a tomato.

How to correctly say: tomatoes or tomatoes

If you give an exact answer on how to speak correctly, then the conversational form can be any. No one will forbid vegetable growers and gardeners to speak as they see fit:

• tomato;
• tomatoes;
• tomatoes;
• tomatoes;
• tomatoes.

Everything will be right, as long as the tomatoes are beautiful and tasty.

Rule

But the spelling rule of the Russian language says this: masculine nouns, which in the initial form end in a hard consonant (orange, eggplant, tomato, fly agaric, tangerine) in the genitive case, plural will have the ending -ov (oranges, tomatoes, fly agaric , eggplants, tangerines).

Tomato or tomato which is correct

Now it has become clear that colloquial speech allows the expression tomato; you can say it any way you like, but you should write it correctly - pomodoro.

Examples

Let's remember!

• sowed 3 packets of tomato seeds;

• planted 100 tomato bushes;
• made 100 bowls of tomato salad;
• rolled up 200 cans of tomatoes.

Spelling rules help clarify things, and your favorite tomatoes are no exception.

Nutritional value and composition

Tomato is a dietary food product.
Tomatoes are an almost indispensable product for dietary nutrition. Despite the fact that the leader in water content is the cucumber, the tomato is not much inferior to it (about 94-95 grams per 100 grams of weight).

Another characteristic that is especially valuable for adherents of dietary nutrition is the absence of fat and cholesterol in tomatoes . At the same time, the natural antioxidants contained in the composition help remove excess fats and cholesterol from the body. The second most important positive effect of antioxidants is their very effective prevention of the development of cancer cells.

Vitamins and nutrients from tomatoes are best absorbed by the body if they are consumed raw, in combination with oils (olive, vegetable). But at the same time, the tomato is that rare fruit that retains its beneficial properties during heat treatment , and sometimes even improves its unique qualities.

Nutritional value of tomatoes (per 100 grams of product)

Content of key nutrients in tomatoes

Vitamins (per 100 g of product)

Micro- and macroelements (per 100 grams of product)

Classification and types

Variety of tomato varieties
All tomato varieties are divided into several classifications and types.

It is accepted to classify:

• according to the height of the bushes;
• by fruit ripening.

So, all known varieties of tomatoes are divided into:

• Determinate varieties . Such tomatoes are often used in central Russia, since their growth is limited to the formation of 4-6 clusters, that is, they quickly begin to form ovaries and fruits and rarely exceed 1 m in height. Determinate tomatoes are mid-season varieties, so they begin to produce crops in early to mid-August. These tomatoes need to be pinched and tied up.
• Semi-determinate varieties . They form fairly tall bushes, up to 1.5 - 2 m. Their distinctive feature is a large number of inflorescences on the bush, up to 9 - 12. Fruits are formed on them, which begin to ripen at approximately the same time. This means that the main feature of such varieties is high yield. But in this case, tomatoes definitely need to be tied up, and in most of Russia they need to be grown exclusively in greenhouse conditions.
• Indeterminate varieties. Another variety for planting in a greenhouse. Their growth is practically unlimited, so planting tomatoes and installing supports is an important condition for proper cultivation. Basically, the variety is used for commercial purposes, since with good care the fruits are laid almost throughout the entire growth of the tomato. Each bush can contain up to 50 brushes. But such tomatoes ripen 1.5 - 2 months later than the earliest varieties, that is, towards the end of summer.
• Superdeterminate varieties. The main feature of such tomatoes is their low bushes, which bear 4-5 ovaries. The harvest on them is formed almost at the same time, but the key characteristic of the varieties is the earliest ripening of the fruits, usually already in July.
• Standard varieties. These are the tomatoes that are sometimes called “for the lazy”. They are very unpretentious in terms of care, do not require pinching, and the thick stem allows you to not even tie up the bushes as they grow. The height of the bushes usually does not exceed 40 - 60 cm. Compact ovaries are formed on them. The only peculiarity is that each bush needs to be planted at a relative distance from each other, since for proper growth a tomato needs a free area around it of at least 0.5 m2.

According to ripening time, tomatoes are usually divided into:

• Ultra-early ripening . Rare varieties, planting of which is not particularly practiced in Russia. The peculiarity of these varieties is that tomatoes ripen already 80-85 days after the sprout appears from the seed. But for growth to occur, ideal conditions must be observed, which are extremely difficult to reproduce in open areas and even in greenhouses in Russia.
• Early ripening . These varieties can be used in the southern regions, in most areas of temperate climate, as well as north of Moscow. Tomatoes ripen 90-100 days after the first shoots appear. Therefore, early ripening varieties are ideal where summer and sunny days are short.
• Mid-season varieties are another very popular variety of tomatoes, which are distinguished by an excellent combination of both taste and keeping quality. They require more sun and light than early-ripening varieties; they ripen 100-115 days after germination. But they have a good harvest, and they are equally easy to grow both in greenhouses and in open areas.
• Late ripening tomatoes. These are varieties that need a lot of time to sprout shoots, ovaries, and then begin to bear fruit. They usually produce the first harvests 120-130 days after germination. Late-ripening tomatoes are rarely planted in open ground, as unexpected frosts can ruin all efforts. But in greenhouses they produce an abundant and high-quality harvest.

There are many types of tomatoes developed around the world. The differences can be very different.

Differences in tomato varieties

By fruit color:

• Reds.
• Yellow.
• Orange.
• Black.
• White.

According to the purpose of cultivation:

• For fresh consumption.
• For winter storage.
• Decorative.
• Universal.

According to fruit shape:

• Round.
• Oval.
• Ribbed.
• Heart-shaped.

By weight. The most famous of them:

• Small cherry tomatoes.
• Bull's heart.
• Large beef tomatoes (about 150 gr.).

Let's start with the yellow-orange pomo d'oro, the color "pommel de Peru"!

Honey Saved, Persimmon and Oxheart Orange and Gold. Golden heart

Honey saved

Filled with honey to the brim...

Typically, orange-colored tomatoes are considered more acidic than those with a “skin” of a different color. But these three have an excellent sweet taste! Especially Honey saved!

Bred by such a breeding luminary as V.N. Derenko, Honey Spas, registered in 2004 as a “variety for greenhouses and open ground,” quickly won its place in each region of Russia.

Growing freely in a greenhouse up to 2 m in height (in open ground - up to 170 cm), this nightshade forms on one cluster up to 6 large, round orange or deep yellow, rich berries covered with large green leaves. Berry weight up to 250 g.

Until the “child of the bush” has reached full maturity, a dark green spot remains at the top, near the stalk, which disappears as soon as the pomo d'oro is fully ripe.

Ripe pomo d'oro keeps well in the refrigerator until winter.

Here is a flattering review of Medov:

“I sowed the seeds in mid-March, since I don’t use lighting. The seedlings grew well and strong (spring brought us plenty of sunny days). I planted my tomatoes already in mid-May. I grow a lot of different ones in order to select the best ones for myself.

But the weather in the summer of 2014 was not on the side of gardeners; heavy torrential and prolonged rains were followed by heat. Many died, but Honey saved us, and the first babies on it had already matured by July 20, although it was declared as average, while the well-known Riddle gave nothing at all.

My Honey Spa fruited the longest and lasted until the last and survived the fight against late blight. The last tomatoes were picked clean and healthy, although not very ripe. Honey Spas showed its best side even in not very favorable conditions. Sow this variety and you won’t regret it!”

Persimmon

It even looks sweet!

The Persimmon tomato is not so tall - only 70-90 cm in open ground and 120-140 cm in a greenhouse. Needs a garter. This nightshade has good yields, but is susceptible to frequent diseases.

The shape of the Persimmon berry resembles a persimmon, weighing 350-400 g. Ripe Persimmon is very sweet and fleshy, but overripe ones begin to sour. Excellent for both salads and canning.

Persimmon is the leader in beta carotene content among yellow and orange varieties!

There is no exact definition for ripeness. Judging by the reviews, some believe that ripeness is in a bright, orange-yellow color, others argue that this color is a sign that the Persimmon is already overripe.

To get acquainted with the orange-sunny Persimmon, we suggest watching a short video:

"PERSIMMON"

Salad tomato variety

Bull Heart Orange

Indeed, it’s a bull’s heart, only a vegetable one...

Bull's heart Orange is another of the high-yielding and disease-resistant representatives of the “golden Peruvian apples”. For open ground, 5 kg is quite normal. per plant, and for a greenhouse and 12 kg. not the limit!

Oval “hearts” of amazingly balanced sweet and sour taste, large, from 150 to 400 g. There is an Ox heart of red and burgundy color.

It is worth noting that it has serious disadvantages:

• Completely unsuitable for storage and canning!
• Weak resistance to late blight.

Bull Heart Golden

A heart “cast” in gold!

Golden bull's heart is up to one and a half meters high with large, fleshy oval “hearts” weighing up to 600 g. The sugar and carotene content in these giants is simply off the charts, just like in the orange “tomatl”. This “love apple” is also good for eating in salads, but can also be processed.

All four yellow-orange vegetables feel good both in unheated greenhouses and under film cover. The planting pattern is 50x70 cm. For the middle zone and Moscow region, it is ideal to leave 1 stem; in a greenhouse you can leave 2-3.

Golden heart

Here's a golden brush

Ox heart is often confused with the Golden Heart variety. And this is not surprising: their shape, color and even taste are almost the same. But there is still a difference!

The leaves of the Golden Heart are small and dark, in contrast to the large, richly colored leaves of the Bull Hearts. And the Golden Heart bush is inferior in sprout size to “Bull Apples” - only up to 70-80 cm.

However, these are the tomatoes that are recommended by the State. Register of Russia for cultivation in garden and summer cottages.

Golden Heart, according to health workers, are ideal tomatoes for baby food.

"Golden heart"

Determinate tomato variety

When do tomatoes ripen?

Green and ripe tomatoes
The ripening of tomatoes directly depends on the prevailing weather, as well as the time of planting the crop. The further north the region, the later you need to plant tomato seedlings and the longer it will take for the bushes to produce a harvest.

The optimal conditions for planting tomatoes in open areas can be considered an air temperature of +15-20 degrees, and warming up of the soil to at least +10-12 degrees. In most of Russia this time falls at the end of May-beginning of June. If we are talking about planting in a greenhouse, then the timing is slightly advanced: to mid-to-late April, when the tomatoes will have enough sun.

Early varieties are the first to bear fruit in temperate climates. Tomatoes are harvested from them already in mid-July. For Siberia and the Urals, the deadlines are moving to the beginning of August.

Late varieties usually ripen by mid-August, and in continental climates beyond the Ural Mountains may require an additional 2-3 weeks.

INTERESTINGLY , the ripening time of tomato fruits strongly depends on the planting area. So, as you move from south to north, the growing season extends. The same variety in a warm southern region can ripen faster than in a temperate climate, by 2-3 weeks.

In Siberia and the Urals, for the first time after planting, it is advisable to “insulate” fragile tomato bushes. Experienced gardeners use tops, film, and plastic buckets and bottles for this purpose.

How to store fruits?

Storing tomatoes
Tomatoes should be removed from the bush gradually as they ripen. But if the air temperature drops below +10-12 degrees, then it is recommended to harvest the entire crop and leave the unripe fruits to ripen in a warm place. If this is not done, many tomatoes may turn black.

There are several rules for storing tomatoes:

• Fruits picked ripe should be eaten as quickly as possible. It is advisable to do this within 3-4 days from the date of cleaning. In this case, it is better to store tomatoes at a temperature slightly below room temperature.
• If tomatoes need to ripen, then it is better to place them in a dry room with sufficient ventilation: for example, in a cellar. The main thing is to prevent the fruit from rotting. Therefore, in order to limit the spread of possible rot, it would be a good idea to place the tomatoes in sawdust or dry sand.

In general, it is not recommended to store tomatoes at temperatures that are too cold. It is believed that this significantly reduces their beneficial qualities for humans.

Beneficial features

A tomato consists of 95% water
. Like many vegetables, tomatoes have a large supply of vitamins, micro and macroelements beneficial to the human body. At the same time, the tomato consists almost entirely of water (95% of its weight), and in 100 g. contains no more than 20-22 kilocalories.

In terms of vitamin C content, tomatoes are quite close to citrus fruits, which are known to be especially rich in this vitamin. Tomato also contains vitamins A, B, and E.

Other beneficial substances that tomatoes are especially rich in:

• Copper is the primary assistant in the prevention and fight against nervous disorders, joint dysfunctions, and chronic ailments.
• Iron helps to better absorb oxygen and also has a beneficial effect on blood circulation.
• Iodine – starts the process of burning excess fat in the body, improves the elasticity of the walls of blood vessels, and is invaluable for the thyroid gland.

It is known that, among other things, tomatoes are considered very healthy for the heart. They are an excellent alternative to fatty foods for those groups of people who need to follow a diet (those simply losing weight, as well as those with diabetes, hepatitis).

Tomatoes do an excellent job of increasing immunity, so they are recommended to be consumed during the cold season, during the peak incidence of viral infections.

The effect of tomatoes on women's health

For women, tomatoes can be an indispensable product for anemia, as well as a lack of hemoglobin in the blood.

Vitamin E, contained in fresh tomatoes in sufficient quantities for humans, is an excellent means of preventing the development of various cervical diseases.

Only fresh tomatoes (preferably grown without the use of pesticides) are often recommended for pregnant women. In addition to the optimal ratio of vitamins in them, the properties of the vegetable can improve blood circulation, saturate the blood with oxygen, which will have a beneficial effect on the development of the child.

On the other hand, it is not recommended to eat too many tomatoes. The presence of a large amount of acids in the vegetable can provoke spasms of the gallbladder and simply gastrointestinal disorders. Therefore, the daily norm should not exceed 200 grams. tomatoes in the diet. For pregnant women, it is better to reduce this figure to 100 grams. for 2-3 days.

Tomatoes for men's health

Tomatoes also have a good effect on men's health. In particular, they have a beneficial effect on the prostate gland, not only reducing inflammatory processes, but even acting as a preventive measure for the development of cancer. The most important role in this is played by the presence of iodine in tomatoes, which affects the functioning of the thyroid gland and the production of hormones.

Vitamin C, which, as has already become known, is slightly less rich in tomatoes than lemons and oranges, helps remove toxins from the body. This is especially true for those men who associate or have long associated their lives with hazardous production.

INTERESTINGLY , both fresh tomatoes and sun-dried, salted ones are equally beneficial for men.

Use in cooking

Tomatoes have spread so widely throughout the world that many popular dishes today simply cannot be imagined without their use. For the most part, tomatoes are used to make seasonings. Suffice it to recall, for example, the familiar ketchup.

It's hard to imagine pizza without tomatoes. Moreover, both the classic Italian recipe and the more modern, most common version of American pizza in the world.

Fresh tomatoes are used in many salads. Interestingly, they can be used both in composition with other vegetables, and without adding a large number of ingredients, being the central component of the dish.

Tomatoes are also used:

• In fast food.
• In soups of different nations of the world.
• With spaghetti or pasta.
• With scrambled eggs, in an omelet.
• For countless salads.
• In baked dishes with meat, potatoes, rice, fish.
• For preparing simple sandwiches and sandwiches.
• In fresh condition.
• Pickled, canned.

Now let's look at the red-cheeked representatives of la mela d'oro.

Red-red F-1, Siberian precocious, King of kings, Babushkino

Let's skip ahead to the classic hybrid.

Red-red F-1

Like a bright light in the garden

This is not just a red tomato, this is a pure scarlet tomato! And despite the fact that this “spark” still does not feel very comfortable among the established types of tomatoes, it is stable enough to recommend it for private greenhouses and plots - it is reproduced from the seeds that its berries contain without changes.

The berry size is average (at least 150 g, but not more than 500).

Number of scarlet balls up to 7 pcs., early ripening. The pulp is very juicy, classic tomato taste with a slight sourness, when broken it is sugary, loose, crystalline. The height of the stem does not exceed one and a half meters.

Babushkino

Everything for your beloved grandchildren!

But this is not a hybrid at all and, contrary to widespread rumors, the F-1 does not have any hybrids! Grandmother's Basket, Grandmother's Happiness, Grandmother's Kiss or Grandmother's Secret are separate varieties of “grandmothers”.

And Grandma’s Secret generally applies to pink tomatoes! True, this does not prevent Secret from growing sunny fruit weighing up to 700 g, but to be honest, the normal weight of the fruit is 350-400 g.

But let's return to the blush-red Babushkino. Their weight is 300-800 g. Outwardly, the skin of the flat-round, smooth, dense “granddaughters” may have a faint pinkish tint, but when scrapped you can see how bright red their flesh is. “Apple” can be stored for a long time, but its puree tastes simply excellent! Salads and marinades are also good. There are usually 12 of these red-cheeked “granddaughters” on the hand.

Grandmother's mid-early plant can be planted not only with seedlings, but also with seeds in open ground, because These sprouts tolerate low temperatures well and are resistant to common tomato diseases. So Babushkino tomatoes can be grown in any region of Russia!

Siberian early ripening

Turns red right before our eyes...

This Peruvian fruit especially pleases residents of the Urals and Siberia . It can be sold under different names: Siberian Tiger, Siberian Giant, Siberian Trump, Siberian Malachite, Siberian Bear and even Siberian Pirouette or Cossack. These are all varieties of an early, productive, low-growing variety of Siberian early ripening bunch tomato.

The name speaks for itself - a pleasant red color with yellow-green “streaks” or an orange-yellow tint, weighing 100-120 g , with a yield of up to 7 kg. from an open bush and up to 9 kg. in the greenhouse.

The bush is not tall, but it must be tied up - due to the abundance of heavy bunches, it can simply break.

Excellent pure tomato taste, ideal for juices and salads . The downside is that it is completely devoid of keeping quality, and when you try to fill it with marinade, it bursts.

But it is absolutely resistant to brown spot and tobacco mottle virus (TMV). It is resistant to other nightshade diseases with a solid “4”.

You can look at this striped-motley “Ural” here:

"Siberian precocious"

Early ripening tomato variety

King of Kings

A royal product - definitely!

This is another giant among tomate, the favorite “tomatl” of Ukraine and Moldova.

Bushes with medium foliage reach 1.80-2 m in height, so it is worth forming them into 2 stems and be sure to tie them up , otherwise round, dense, heavy tomatoes weighing 1 kg (and more!) will easily break the fragile support, and the entire harvest will be destroyed. 5-6 kg. from the bush will end up on the ground.

One can sing songs of praise about the taste qualities of the mid-late King, they are so good fresh, in salad delights, and in tomato pastes and juices. This is when the berry has already turned deep red, and while it is still yellow-green, it is readily used as an ingredient for interesting winter salads and as individual twists.

Nobleman or Budenovka?

How to distinguish and is there a difference?

And so - Nobleman .

Noble berries

The powerful stem grows up to 80 cm in height . Formed from 2 initial ones.

In order for the plant to become as fruitful as possible, only 1 stepson is left at the bottom under the very first flower cluster, the rest are pinched.

Somewhat similar to the Bull's heart - elongated, heart-shaped (sometimes adjacent to rounded, robust ones), weighing up to 500 g , fleshy, sugary at the break, excellent sweet, slightly sour taste of freshly squeezed juice. A whitish spot remains on the cut near the stalk.

Ideal for table consumption . Unfortunately, it cannot be stored for a long time.

Now - Budenovka .

The nobleman, having changed color, becomes... Budenovka!

A powerful bush grows up to 80 cm in height... And so on.

The description is one to one with the Nobleman . So why are they still separated by name? There is a difference - the color of the berry.

Velmozhi has red-burgundy fruits, while Budenovka has bright pink-scarlet fruits.

Both tomatoes have common related roots, hence their identity . The only difference is the color!

From reviews of Velmozhe and Budenovka:

“I grew Budenovka for many years and was very pleased. This year I replaced her with Nobleman. It is more productive, it seems to me, although the varieties are very similar. The fruits grow by leaps and bounds, are very fleshy and sweet. The trouble is that they quickly lose their elasticity, but they don’t go into salads and are not processed – that’s just it!”

Here's the opposite review:

“This year I tried Velmozha. Didn't like it at all! The fruits quickly lose their elasticity, begin to leak, and become soft. Next year I will return to my beloved Budenovka!”

Features of care

Caring for tomatoes is practically no different from any other crop. But there are, of course, some peculiarities.

Seedling

Tomato seedlings
For the most part, only in the south of Russia will it be possible to grow tomatoes without seedlings. In the rest of the area, you will have to first plant seedlings, and then, when conditions permit, transplant the plants into open ground or into a greenhouse.

The technology, developed over the years, involves planting tomato seeds in early or mid-March.

The approximate time for transplanting to open areas is 55-60 days after planting the seeds. In fact, this time falls around mid-May.

Tomato seedlings require standard care. As it grows, it needs to be discharged, fed, watered 3-4 times a week, and 1-2 weeks before transplantation, hardening should begin by taking the dishes with tomatoes out into the open air (first for 1-2 hours, and closer to transplantation - for a whole day and night).

Watering

Tomatoes are southern plants that love moisture. Therefore, you will have to be careful about watering this crop.

The most important rules: do not allow the top layers of soil to dry out, but also do not flood the crop, otherwise rotting will begin and pests will infest.

The optimal procedure is to water once every 3-5 days and periodically loosen the soil. The water should be warm.

Feeding

Tomatoes grow best in rich soils, such as black soil. The optimal combination is approximately equal proportions of chernozem, peat and humus.

Don’t forget about fertilizing tomatoes. It is best to alternate superphosphate fertilizers with organic ones. Between periods of fertilizing, 10-14 days of breaks should be maintained, and feeding can begin immediately from the moment of planting on the beds.

Stepsoning

Stepping
One of the most important conditions for obtaining a rich harvest of tomatoes is the removal of some shoots. Stepchildren should be removed before they reach 5 cm in length. Otherwise, you can harm the bush.

Those shoots that do not have ovaries are removed, otherwise they will simply take away the plant’s excess strength, preventing it from forming higher-quality fruits. You can also separate the lower leaves from the trunk.

Pests and diseases

In terms of immunity, all nightshades can hardly boast of strong protection against common pests and diseases. Therefore, tomatoes are especially susceptible to rot and blackleg. Among the pests that bushes can choose: aphids, Colorado potato beetles, beetles, mole crickets, nematodes, wireworms.

Control methods are standard, as for any other garden crop. It is better to prevent tomato diseases than to treat them. Most of them develop due to excessive dampness or are viral in nature.

You will have to fight pests either with purchased insecticides, or give preference to softer, but practically harmless to human health, folk methods.

Growing tomatoes in open ground

Only low-growing, early-ripening varieties of tomatoes are planted in open ground. For them, you can set aside a bed adjacent to the south side of the greenhouse. Since autumn, it has been seasoned with humus, dolomite flour and wood ash. In early spring, a row of beans can be planted on three open sides of the ridge, which will initially protect the tomatoes from the wind and bright rays of the sun.

Prepare planting holes, fill them with humus and wood ash, and spread plastic film. The next day, water the tomato seedlings generously and plant them in the prepared holes, deepening them down to the first leaves. The soil must be mulched with humus, chopped nettle and dandelion leaves.

If the weather is cold at the beginning of June, arcs are installed over the tomatoes and non-woven material is stretched; when it warms up, it is removed. A thick layer of mulch from humus and mowed grass in the root zone makes the soil loose and moist, but during drought, watering is carried out with warm water.

Once every two weeks, feed the tomatoes with mullein infusion, green or mineral fertilizer. Before the onset of cold August nights, you can have time to pick the fruits from “street” tomatoes.

If the weather is cold at the beginning of June, arcs are installed over the tomatoes and non-woven material is stretched; when it warms up, it is removed. A thick layer of mulch from humus and mowed grass in the root zone makes the soil loose and moist, but during drought, watering is carried out with warm water. Once every two weeks, feed the tomatoes with mullein infusion, green or mineral fertilizer. Before the onset of cold August nights, you can have time to pick the fruits from “street” tomatoes.

In August, tomatoes are watered only in the mornings, no more than once every 10 days. In cool, damp weather, watering is not needed at all; it is better to loosen the soil once again and fill it with rotted sawdust or unripe compost.

If the days are cool, then the top of the mulched bed is additionally covered with black non-woven material or film. This will allow the soil to warm up better, because mulch is an excellent heat insulator. In addition, spores of pathogenic fungi remaining in the soil will not be able to get out.

If tomatoes are grown every year in a permanent place, then after harvesting the mulch must be removed and sent under the currant bushes.

The top layer of soil (approximately 10-15 cm) can be transferred to a compost pit or flower bed. Then pour one bucket of humus, a liter jar of wood ash, a half-liter jar of dolomite and bone meal onto 1 m2 of soil, mix everything well and loosen it. For the winter, the bed must be mulched with a thick layer of humus.

Interesting Facts

• Surely many remember from school that tomatoes were brought to Europe from America. This happened only in the 16th century. In general, people have been growing this vegetable as a useful crop since about the 7th century. The Indians called tomatoes very similar to the modern name - “tomatl”. This roughly translates to "big berry".
• It is interesting that the enlightened public for a very long time considered tomatoes to be a poisonous plant (perhaps they were repelled by their bright red color) and were afraid to even touch the fruits. It was possible to convince the broad masses only at the beginning of the 19th century, when, according to legend, Colonel Robert Gibbon Johnson ate a whole bucket of tomatoes in front of a crowd of onlookers and, naturally, remained alive.
• To date, about 10,000 different varieties of tomatoes have been bred. The size of the fruit ranges from 2 cm in diameter to 1.5 kilogram giants.
• There is still ongoing debate about what tomatoes are. Botany classifies them as berries. In Russia and America they are usually called vegetables (surprisingly, in the USA this is even a court decision). Although they appear from seeds, eating them raw played a role. In Europe, since 2001, it was decided to call tomatoes fruits.
• If we classify tomatoes as a fruit, they are the leaders in the world in terms of annual harvest - 60 million tons. In second place are bananas (44 million tons), in third place are apples (36 million tons). The largest number of tomatoes is produced in China - about 16% of global volumes or more than 10 million tons. in year.
• Tomatoes have no cholesterol at all, and also contain the substance lycopene, which the human body does not receive from anywhere else. Lycopene is a natural antioxidant, so it is a good preventative against the growth of cancer cells.
• Tomatoes also contain a lot of serotonin, or, as it is also called, the “happiness hormone.”
• Tomato is one of the few vegetables that not only retains its beneficial properties during heat treatment, but sometimes even increases them. It is known that the amount of picotine doubles when cooked for 2-3 minutes, and lycopene - by 1/3.
• Low temperatures, on the contrary, are harmful to tomatoes. Therefore, it is not recommended to store them in the refrigerator, but it is better to give preference to places with room temperature. But in this case, obviously, the vegetables will not last long.
• Phytoncides contained in tomatoes are substances that prevent the development of infections. That is why many folk recipes for using tomatoes involve treating wounds, burns, and other skin injuries.
• Buñol, a city in Spain, is famous for its tomato festivals, which are held every year in the last week of summer. The city is literally drowning in tomato juice as people throw freshly picked tomatoes at each other like snowballs.
• Today, tomatoes are used not only for growing vegetables for food, but also as a decorative decoration for plots. As a rule, for such purposes, varieties are chosen that bear fruit of medium-sized tomatoes of the same size.

History of tomatoes

Tomatoes are an interesting crop and their history is also interesting. As evidenced by handwritten sources, the fruit came to Portugal and Spain back in the 16th century from America. The first specimens were grown on the Iberian Peninsula, then they migrated to Italy, from there to France and further across Europe. Initially, the fruit was considered poisonous and the plant was considered ornamental. The first mention of tomato culture was made in 1554 by Italian botanist Paulo Mattiole. It is he who is considered the founder of culture on the European continent.

However, already in Naples in 1690, a recipe using the fruit of the tomato plant was published.

It took 100 long years for people to trust the vegetable and taste its fruits. However, history suggests that everything happened much faster, and only written evidence lagged slightly behind the realities of the time.

In Denmark in 1774, the book “A Complete Guide to Gardening” contains a description of tomatoes as a botanical crop. However, when describing the fruits, it is indicated that they have an extremely detrimental effect on the body and lead those who eat them to madness.

Data from the German botanical dictionary for 1811 already indicate that the plant itself is poisonous, but sauces with a pleasant taste are made from its fruits.

The first scientific notes about the tomato plant in scientific manuscripts and publications belong to the scientist Andrei Timofeevich Bolotov. In 1784, in his writings, he described that already in central Russia, amateur farmers tried to grow tomatoes on their windowsills. At that time, tomato was an ornamental crop. However, when the plant was brought to fruiting and ripening, it produced fruit and the people began to consume the sour fruits at that time. Since Bolotov had heard a lot about the consumption of the product in Europe, he began to widely assert that although the plant itself is poisonous, its fruits are edible and worthy of cultivation.

Interest in new plants and tomatoes in particular has not subsided over the centuries. The peoples of the world appreciated it:

• taste qualities;
• possibility of processing and procurement;
• beneficial properties of fruits;
• decorative qualities of pot culture.

The modern history of tomatoes is already being written:

• breeders, creating super early, super productive and super determinate varieties and hybrids;
• farmers and large producers developing new technologies to obtain unprecedented harvests;
• culinary experts discovering new tastes and aftertastes using tomatoes and tomato products;
• plant protection specialists to avoid diseases and pest attacks on crops;
• landscape designers who decorate rose gardens, recreation areas and just the estate with tomato bushes.

The history of each tomato variety runs like a red line through the history of the person who created the variety or hybrid. Breeding stations do not get tired of working all over the country, trying to double-check varieties many times and give humanity the best breeding innovations. Some varieties come and go forever. Others remain and delight more than one generation of vegetable growers for years.

The history of tomatoes is integrally connected with crop diseases that were not observed 100 years ago. Pests and pathogens of tomatoes do not sleep. They also try to improve and reach heights in their development. Vegetable growers constantly have to monitor the crop and respond in a timely manner to changes in weather conditions in order to prevent diseases from developing.

origin of name

Delving into the details of pronunciation in other languages, the picture becomes clearer:

• tomatl - among the Indian peoples of Mexico;
• tomate - among the French, Spanish, Portuguese;
• pomo d'oro (golden apple) - among the Italians. It's more like a tomato.

Many peoples compared a tomato to an apple. The Italians “pomo d’or” with a golden apple, the Germans with a heavenly apple, the French with an apple of love. The first Latin name was mala furea - golden apple. And all because the first tomatoes were yellow in color.

Moving from country to country, the vegetable also dragged its name. This is why most of the world knows it as tomato or tomato.

When discovering America, sailors most likely became acquainted with the tomato. All Zaorsky vegetables and fruits, one way or another, gradually migrated to other continents by sea. The world was becoming knowable. Initially, the tomato was an ornamental crop, then people tried it on the tongue and used it in cooking. However, the name heard for the first time already remained the basis of botanical nomenclature.

It took decades, and sometimes centuries, to cultivate. During this time, letters were lost and others were added, accents changed, but the culture continued to spread throughout the world.

In Russia, both the names tomato and tomato have taken root. Distant, cold Russia tried in every possible way to tame the southerner. Now it’s no longer surprising to grow tomatoes in the far north and Siberia.

An interesting fact is that the tomato did not acquire any local names. In any region of the country it remains a tomato or a tomato.

Some information from botany

An annual or perennial plant has:

• tap root system. Its growth occurs quickly. The root easily reaches a depth of 1 meter. The diameter can cover up to 2.5 meters. When diving, the taproot is converted into a fibrous one;
• additional roots, in the presence of moisture, can form in any part of the green shoot;
• Tomato can reproduce by seeds, cuttings and stem shoots (stepchildren);
• the stem can reach a height of 2 meters and be erect or branched. Herbaceous and juicy;
• the leaf is odd-pinnate, dissected, and sometimes of the potato type. In a healthy plant, during the day the leaf curls slightly, and in the evening it straightens;
• inflorescences are simple, intermediate, complex and very complex. They are called a brush. Varieties with simple inflorescences are more productive;
• flowers are bisexual, self-pollinating. They have 5 fused petals and sepals, 1 pistil and 5 stamens. Yellow color of varying color intensity;
• fruits are fleshy berries. Color, shape, size depend on the variety. The skin can be smooth or ribbed. The weight of the fruit varies from 15 g to 50 (small), from 50 to 150 (medium) and then up to 1.5 kg (large). The color can range from white to deep purple;
• seed sections are multiple. Depending on the variety, the fruit may have two seed chambers or 6-8 or more. Some varieties retain tissue fluid and many seeds in interchangeable chambers. Others fill the chambers with dense pulp and the seeds have to be literally “torn out” from the pulp;
• the seeds are yellow, flattened. The number of seeds is also not the same; this is a varietal characteristic.

Tomato fruits contain from 4.5 to 8% dry matter. The higher the number, the denser the fruit. They also include:

• organic acids up to 8.5%;
• fiber up to 1.7%;
• proteins up to 1.1%;
• pectin substances up to 0.3%;
• starch up to 0.3%;
• minerals (sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, sulfur, manganese, chlorine) - up to 0.6% It should be noted that all minerals included have high bioavailability when absorbed in the human digestive system;
• carotenoids. Tomatoes contain lycophylle, neolycopene and phytoene. 100 g of product contains 1.3 mg of beta carotene, which is provitamin A. These substances affect the pigment rhodopsin, which is responsible for the renewal of epithelial cells and helps synthesize growth hormone. This is why tomato juice is so beneficial for a growing body;
• folic acid. This is the substance that promotes the synthesis of immune cells in our body;
• ascorbic acid, vitamin C. Taking part in oxidative biochemical processes, it activates the absorption of other vitamins, strengthens the cells of the immune system, promotes tissue regeneration and wound healing processes, and prevents the aging of body cells.

Tomatoes are not high in calories, but have a great taste. 100 g of product contains only 15-18 kcal. Many diets include tomato fruits and processed products.

Fiber and pectin substances improve intestinal function at any age, normalize peristalsis and prevent constipation, help normalize the microflora of the small and large intestines and the production of vitamin K.

By increasing the body's immune response and normalizing metabolic processes, tomato is useful as a preventative against atherosclerosis and high cholesterol. Containing pectin substances, tomato carefully adsorbs toxic products and heavy metals.

Interesting facts about tomatoes and tomatoes

The same tomato can differ radically depending on the variety. Some are 20-25 cm high and are grown in miniature pots on windowsills. Others occupy huge greenhouses and sometimes do not stop their growth even after reaching a height of 2 meters.

The tomato plant has a number of interesting facts:

• The yield of tomatoes is surprising. The most “modest” varieties yield up to 1 kg per square meter, and others up to 30 kg per square meter;
• The largest tomato producer is China. Every third tomato is grown there;
• The largest tomato in the world weighs 3.8 kg (Minnesota, USA). It is included in the Guinness Book of Records. The circumference of the tomato was 83.8 cm;
• to obtain one kilogram of dried vegetable you need from 10 to 14 kg of fresh tomatoes;
• 95% of the weight of a ripe fruit is water;
• The healthiest tomato product is not fresh, but one that has been heat-treated
• the substance choline, which tomato products are rich in, can regulate the level of bad cholesterol in the human body;
• wild varieties of tomatoes still grow in the historical homeland of tomatoes in South America;
• under appropriate conditions, tomato seeds do not lose their viability for 10 years;
• In Spain, La Tomatina is celebrated annually. Tourists from all over the world come to throw tomatoes at each other;
• If we consider the palm in the production of vegetables and fruits in the world, then tomatoes are in first place, bananas are in second, and apples are in third;
• Tomato processing products contain lycopene. This substance is not produced in the human body, but reduces the risk of the formation and growth of cancer cells;
• Tomato is good for human skin. The substance lycopene can protect skin cells from sunburn. It is enough to consume 40 g of tomato sauce per day to reduce the risk of sunburn by 40%.
• There are no special contraindications to consuming tomatoes, however, those who suffer from gastritis and kidney disease should be careful about excessive addiction to the product;
• The French king Louis, as legend has it, ordered that a prisoner sentenced to death in the Bastille be fed only tomatoes. Since the fruit was considered poisonous, death was inevitable. What a surprise it was when the prisoner not only did not die, but also acquired a healthy, thriving appearance. The prisoner was pardoned, and the tomato became a celebrity;
• George Washington's cook was bribed and tried to poison him with tomatoes because he considered them poisonous. After much effort, George Washington remained alive, but the cook escaped and hanged himself;
• the famous herbalist and director of the botanical garden in London, John Gerard, knowing that Italians eat tomatoes for a long time, insisted on their toxicity. As a result, the consumption of tomatoes in England was pushed back by almost 100 years. This is what authoritative opinion means.

Tomato on the merits of the culture The tomato belongs to the nightshade family. Green shoots contain glycoalkaloids. Not all gardeners can work with crops painlessly. For some, it causes serious allergic reactions, itching, irritation and fever. To avoid problems, you should use protective equipment when working with green parts.

Conclusion

Tomato is one of the most common vegetables in the world. Of course, such popularity is quite easy to justify: there is practically no area where it is not used.

You can start simply with the fact that tomatoes are widely used as food, and in the cuisine of many different peoples of the world. Secondly, the beneficial properties of tomatoes are legendary. They are equally successfully used for the prevention of diseases and for treatment as a folk remedy. It is interesting that today there are varieties of tomatoes that are specially grown not for their direct purpose - for consumption - but as a decoration for the garden or windowsill. As a rule, decorative varieties are responsible for this.

Thus, tomatoes absolutely deservedly occupy one of the first places among all crops grown by humans. This is also evidenced by the fact that today more than 10,000 varieties of this fruit have been bred.