Description of tomato Countryman
Variety of Siberian breeders. Determinate low-growing tomato. Forms a bush 70 cm high. Compact, does not require gartering or pinching. The leaves are palmate, regular in shape, green in color. 4 kg of tomatoes are harvested from one bush. Early, fruits ripen in 90-95 days from emergence. The flowers are pink and small.
Description of fruits
The description of tomatoes of the Zemlyak variety speaks of the oblong shape of the fruit, weighing 80-100 g, red in color. They form clusters formed from 15 tomatoes. Their abundance on the bush allows you to get a yield of up to 4 kg per plant.
The pulp of the Zemlyak tomato is tender and dense, there are practically no voids in it. The rich aroma of tomatoes and sweet taste make the variety a popular vegetable in cooking. It is convenient to preserve small fruits in glass jars.
Important! The Zemlyak tomato variety is not a hybrid, so gardeners can provide themselves with their own seeds.
By reading reviews of vegetable growers who plant the Countryman tomato on their plot, you can get some idea about it. The photo provides more visual information.
Advantages and disadvantages
Pros:
- early maturation;
- uniform yield over the years;
- good taste of fruits;
- retains a beautiful appearance when whole-fruit canning;
- tolerates temperature changes well;
- does not require pinching;
Minuses:
- demanding on soil fertility;
- During drought, plants must be watered, otherwise the yield will decrease.
The disadvantages of the variety are noticeable only in areas with poor soil where there is no watering. In other cases they do not appear at all.
Characteristics of the variety
The main characteristics of tomatoes of the Zemlyak variety are standard. These include the following data:
- productivity;
- fruiting dates;
- application area;
- advantages and disadvantages;
- disease resistance.
Productivity and fruiting
Productivity – 4 kg per bush. Ripens in July and bears fruit within 2 months. To obtain a high yield, ripened fruits are harvested in a timely manner, the plant is regularly fed and watered.
Countryman tomatoes grow well and bear fruit in open ground. According to reviews of some gardeners, they grow the Zemlyak tomato variety in Siberia, in a greenhouse. This allows you to get a harvest even under unfavorable weather conditions.
Area of application of fruits
Use fresh, for salads or side dishes. Small tomatoes that ripen at the same time are convenient to can. They are placed in small jars. Traditionally, tomatoes are used to prepare tomato juice, paste or various sauces.
Resistance to diseases and pests
This tomato variety is resistant to late blight and mosaic. When grown in open ground, it is not afraid of spider mites and caterpillars. In the dry climate of the greenhouse, tomatoes are sprayed against spider mites with Fitoverm or other biological fungicides.
In the photo of the Zemlyak tomato, the oblong shape of the fruit, indicated in the description of the variety, is clearly visible.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
Advantages of tomatoes of the Zemlyak variety:
- Early and sustainable harvest.
- Plant resistance to late blight and mosaic.
- Harmonious ripening of fruits and their identical sizes.
- High seed germination.
- Undemanding to growing conditions.
- Cold resistance.
- Safety during storage and transportation.
- The compact bush does not require large areas for cultivation.
- Possibility of industrial cultivation of tomato.
Judging by the reviews, Zemlyak tomatoes have minor disadvantages: they require prepared fertile soil and sufficient and timely watering.
Area of application of fruits
The main purpose of the harvested crop is pickling of whole fruits
.
It should be noted that tomatoes do not burst or crack during heat treatment, retain their beautiful appearance, and the taste remains pleasant.
You can also use these fruits fresh, add them to vegetable salads and prepare various snacks.
Growing rules
Tomatoes require certain care so that the harvest is high, the bushes do not get sick and are not damaged by insects. To do this, choose the right time for planting seeds for seedlings and transplant them into open ground or a greenhouse at the right time. They use the necessary fertilizers for fertilizing, watering and protection from pests.
Planting seedlings
It should be taken into account that this is an early ripening variety and choose the right time for sowing seeds. Countryman is sown for seedlings at the end of March and at the age of 60 days they are transplanted to a permanent place in open ground or a greenhouse.
For seedlings, use low boxes, preferably made of plastic. They are disinfected and filled with soil. Use a mixture consisting of equal parts of turf soil, peat and sand. Fertilize with a solution of the following composition:
- 30 g superphosphate;
- 25 g potassium sulfate;
- 10 g urea;
- 10 liters of water.
Advice! To disinfect seedling soil for tomatoes, use a pink solution of potassium permanganate. The best effect will be given by the biological preparation “Fitosporin”.
Tomato seeds have good germination; they are sown dry in moist soil. The soil is compacted, the seeds are laid out according to a 1x1 cm pattern, a 2 cm layer of dry soil is poured and lightly compacted. The container is placed in a transparent plastic bag or under glass.
Sprouts appear within a week. Expose the plantings to the light, gradually open the film, accustoming the seedlings to fresh air. Next, tomatoes need warmth, nutrition and watering. Water carefully, do not over-moisten the soil. Use a syringe or pipette for watering or pour water into a tray so as not to get on the plants themselves.
When 2-3 true leaves appear, the seedlings are picked into separate containers. To do this, use peat pots, plastic bags and glasses. Recently, a method of picking into pieces of plastic film has appeared.
Transfer
Before transplanting into the ground, tomatoes are not watered for several days. If they grew in a warm room, the seedlings are hardened off before planting. Tomatoes are planted in the greenhouse in early May. If you place it on open ridges, you should wait until the threat of night frosts is eliminated. In any case, at the first stage of growth in the garden bed, the plant is protected from bright sun and cold using lutrasil or film.
Low-growing tomato variety Zemlyak is planted at a distance of 35 cm in a row. 70 cm are left between the rows. Planting holes are prepared according to the size of the roots of the seedlings, along with the soil stored on them to protect them from damage.
First, pour a spoonful of superphosphate into the hole, mix it with the soil, and gradually pour in 3 liters of water. After the water has been absorbed a little, place the seedling, sprinkle it with earth, and compact it. When the soil settles, add a little more of it and compact it again.
Plantings are mulched with earth or dry grass. Watering begins within a week. Fertilizing is applied after a new leaf appears, which means that the tomatoes have taken root. Next, they begin widespread care of the planted tomatoes.
Aftercare
From the descriptions and reviews of vegetable growers, you can learn a lot about the rules for caring for the Countryman tomato after planting in the ground. All standard principles of tomato care are suitable for this variety.
Tomatoes do not require a large amount of organic matter in the soil, and they do not need frequent watering. Water them generously once a week (10 liters of water per bush). In dry weather this is done more often; you need to pay attention to the condition of the soil, not letting it dry out.
The superphosphate added during planting is slowly absorbed and nourishes the bush for a long time. The most useful way to apply fertilizing is with liquid formulations combined with watering. The concentration of the solution is made less (1 tablespoon of complex fertilizer per 10 liters of water).
Important! Tomatoes are not overfed with nitrogen fertilizers. If there is an excess of them, tomatoes will grow shoots and leaves, and the ovaries will form poorly.
Low-growing tomatoes of the Zemlyak variety do not require garter. There is also no need to pin them down. It is useful to mulch the ground around the plant. This will help retain moisture and suppress the growth of weeds. The best material for mulching is dry grass, straw, and sawdust.
Mulching tomatoes of the Zemlyak variety, according to reviews, is a mandatory procedure. A photo will help you better imagine what it looks like.
Caring for plants in beds
Seedlings are planted in prepared soil at the beginning of summer, when it has warmed up well and the danger of return frosts has passed.
Important! The variety does not grow on soils with high acidity, so check this indicator before marking the ridges on the site.
The main points of plant care are activities that are well known to summer residents:
- Watering. Moisten tomato bushes at the root after sunset with warm water.
- According to the description of the agricultural technology of the “Countryman” tomato variety and reviews from vegetable growers, drip irrigation of the ridges is considered the best option (see photo). When industrially grown, special irrigation systems are installed, because this species is demanding in terms of moisture supply.
- Feeding. During the growing season, it is enough to feed tomatoes 2-3 times. The first time during the period of weight gain. You will need nitrogen components. Plants respond well to organic matter - infusion of chicken manure or mullein, as well as mineral complexes. The second time when flowers and first ovaries appear. At this time, tomatoes are fed with potassium and phosphorus fertilizers. Nutrient formulations are applied in liquid form after watering or rain. Foliar fertilizing is applied by spraying the composition on the leaf.
- Weeding and loosening. Removing weeds helps protect tomatoes from many pests and diseases, as well as retain moisture and nutrients in the soil.
Pest and disease control
The tomato variety Zemlyak is quite immune to various diseases and pests of nightshade crops. However, sometimes conditions arise where this is difficult to avoid.
Diseases
- Late blight. Dark spots appear on leaves, shoots and the tomatoes themselves. Gradually the entire plant dies. Ways to fight. The appearance of fungus is promoted by a lack of copper in the soil. This can be eliminated by adding copper sulfate or 3% Bordeaux mixture. Spray the soil and the entire bush. The following drugs are used: “HOM”, “Oxychom”, “Polychom”.
- White and gray rot. Rotten spots appear on the tomato stalk. Further, they cover the entire fruit. Ways to fight. Ventilate greenhouses and regulate the level of humidity in it. The biological preparation “Fitosporin” is used. Before fruiting begins, they are treated with fungicides: Azocene, Topsin, Horus.
Pests of culture
- Whitefly. White butterfly, very small. Destroys flowers, ovaries and leaves. Methods of disposal. Treat with fungicides “Top-Star” and “Confidor” before fruiting begins. Then use the biological agent “Fitoverm”.
Reviews
Marina, 47 years old
City: Yakutsk
Growing place: greenhouse
I took the seeds in 2012, they stayed with me for several years, but did not lose their properties at all. I checked them for germination. Of the 50 pieces, 47 sprouted. I planted them in the greenhouse at the end of May, the first fruits were collected at the end of June. They didn’t pinch the bushes at all.
Anatoly, 30 years old
City: St. Petersburg
Growing place: greenhouse
I took the seeds. The variety is unpretentious, low-growing. I didn’t delete the stepsons. I was surprised by his productivity. The fruits weighed almost 100 grams. But they didn't suit my taste. I had to put everything in jars. That's when they went their separate ways.
Irina, 45 years old
City: Kemerovo
Growing place: open ground
I am new to growing tomatoes, so I read all the manufacturer’s recommendations and reviews from other gardeners. And I didn’t regret choosing the Countryman tomato at all. I planted the bushes in high beds and covered them with lutrasil for the first time. The tomatoes ripened gradually. I harvested the last fruits in September.
Nadezhda, 35 years old
City: Slutsk
Growing place: open ground
An ordinary tomato variety, but very productive. I didn’t tie up the bushes or take stepson. There were no problems with care at all. Pests didn't spoil it either.
Care instructions
This variety of tomatoes is characterized by ease of care and compliance with agrotechnical measures. Maintenance includes standard measures: regular watering, loosening the soil, removing weeds, and applying fertilizer mixtures.
Fertilizers and watering
The Siberian variety Zemlyak prefers high-quality watering. Irrigation is carried out at the root several times a week with warm, settled water (in dry periods the frequency of watering is increased). Throughout the season, the tomato bush is fertilized up to three times. For this purpose, mineral fertilizers are used, which are pre-dissolved in water. Organic matter, yeast, ash, ammonia, hydrogen peroxide and iodine are used as fertilizers. During the growing season, tomatoes are fed three times with nitrogen compounds. Once the flowers appear, the plant will need potassium and phosphorus.
See also: Subtleties of cultivation, characteristics and description of tomato variety Fig Red
Stepping and bush formation
Considering that the variety produces a low-growing bush, it does not require staking. Stepsonning is also not necessary. It will be useful to mulch the soil around the plant - this helps to retain moisture in the ground and stop the growth of weeds. Straw, sawdust or dry grass are used as mulch.
Loosening the soil and weeding
Proper care includes periodic loosening of the soil, weeding and hilling of tomato bushes. From time to time it is necessary to eliminate weeds that clog the beds and also deprive the plant of nutrients. Weeding is carried out at least once every two weeks. As a rule, this activity is combined with loosening the soil, which facilitates oxygen access to the root system of plants.
