Tomato Giant: reviews, photos, yield
When choosing a tomato variety for further planting, every vegetable grower knows in advance what characteristics the new tomato should have. The requirements for the variety by summer residents are usually the following: high yield, disease resistance, size, shape and color of fruits, taste and a number of others.
Fans of large-fruited tomato varieties should pay attention to the Giant tomato
, whose name already shows that the size of its ripe fruits is gigantic. Other characteristics of the variety, yield, main advantages and nuances of cultivation and care will be discussed in this article.
Advantages and disadvantages
Pros:
- large-fruited and fleshy fruits;
- high yield - up to 6 kg per plant;
- good keeping quality and gradual ripening - the gardener is not faced with the rush of processing a huge number of tomatoes ripened in one day;
- resistance to major nightshade diseases.
Minuses:
- demanding of warmth and light;
- the ovaries drop due to poor watering, the fruits become smaller;
- high trellises, careful pinching and shaping are needed.
History of the variety
There is little data on the development of the Giant Raspberry variety, although this tomato has been known to vegetable growers for a couple of decades. But much more is known about another variety of the variety - the Giant pink tomato. But their quality characteristics are still different.
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• The large-fruited variety HEAVYLIFE of Siberia
The Giant crimson variety was bred by breeders from the NK LTD Research and Production Company, located in Moscow. This tomato was included in the State Register of Russia in 2000 and zoned for cultivation in most regions of the country. This tomato can be planted in garden beds and in protected ground. But the annotation for the variety indicates that it is preferable to grow the Giant raspberry tomato in the south of Russia.
Tomato Giant photo
Diseases and pests
The most likely disease of this variety is tomato blossom end rot. They fight against it by reducing the nitrogen content in the soil while adding calcium.
Also effective measures would be to increase soil moisture and spray the affected plants with a solution of calcium nitrate. The second most common disease is brown spot. To prevent and treat it, it is necessary to reduce watering and adjust the temperature, regularly ventilating the greenhouse.
The most common pests in garden beds are melon aphids and thrips; the drug “Zubr” is successfully used against them. Mole crickets and slugs can also cause great damage to these bushes.
They are combated by loosening the soil, and also using dry mustard or hot ground pepper diluted in water, a 10-liter spoon, and watering the soil around.
“Giant Raspberry” is a wonderful productive variety with large, tasty tomatoes, but there are certain difficulties in care, they are quite surmountable; here it is enough to follow simple rules of care. Good luck to you and a bountiful harvest in your garden beds.
Tomato "Giant" characteristics and description of the variety
The Giant Raspberry tomato is a mid-season variety - about 3.5 months pass from the moment the sprouts appear until the first ripe fruits are harvested. This vegetable crop is classified as a determinant type; the bushes are standard with a limited growth point. Usually, an inflorescence with ovaries is formed at the top of the shoots of tomatoes of this type, as a result of which the stem does not grow further in height.
The height of the shoots of the Giant variety depends on the climatic conditions in the region and the care of the plant.
Therefore, the size of the stems can vary from 1 to 1.8 m, but the average height of the plant is 1.3-1.5 m. The stems are medium-leaved, the foliage is medium-sized, typically tomato, dark emerald in color.
Important!
Giant tomato bushes are tall, with a well-developed root system and large fruits. Therefore, they require more space in the garden bed than other tomatoes with smaller parameters, and this must be taken into account when planting Giant seedlings in beds or in a greenhouse.
The greenhouse or greenhouse where this variety will grow must be high enough, otherwise the plants will not develop normally.
Ripe fruits are large, with a dense skin that is not prone to cracking, the pulp is fleshy, tasty, with 5-6 seed chambers.
The color of the skin of ripe fruits is crimson or pink. The weight of the first ripening fruits is high - about 0.5 kg; the fruits located on the tops are much smaller, their maximum weight can be up to 400 g.
Photos of tomatoes of the Giant variety
The shape of ripe products is round, the number of seeds in the seed chambers is small. The dry matter content in fruits is no more than 5%. The aroma of tomatoes is pleasant, typically tomato.
Thanks to the fairly dense skin, the collected fruits can be stored for a long time without losing their taste and presentation. You can store ripe tomatoes in a cellar, barn, closet, and even in rooms. The harvested crop can be transported over long distances without losing its excellent marketability and taste.
Original HIT!
• tomato SPARKS Flame
Although breeders declare the Giant tomato as a salad variety, it can also be used for preservation - making juice, ketchup, paste, garlorizer.
Due to the large size of the fruits, it will not be possible to pickle them entirely. Tomatoes of the Gigantic variety are characterized by fairly high resistance to most diseases that affect other varieties of tomatoes.
Tomato "Giant raspberry" variety yield
Since this vegetable plant is classified as a large-fruited variety, its yield of the Giant tomato is high - from one square you can get 10-11 kg of crop if you follow the basic rules of agricultural technology. When growing these tomatoes, special emphasis should be placed on fertilizing, otherwise the fruits may be much smaller in size than indicated in the annotation.
Video about the varieties of the largest tomatoes
Method of use
There are several options for consuming the fruits of the Giant raspberry tomato:
- fresh as the main ingredient in salads;
- for canning - you can use late harvest;
- for preparing tomato juice;
- as an ingredient in sauces and ketchup.
Eating tomatoes of this variety in any form will bring great pleasure, because the tomatoes are soft, juicy, and tasty. Growing such fruits does not require much effort, and the result pleases with its gigantic size, high yield and quality, receiving only positive feedback from gardeners.
Tomato Giant: planting, growing and care
In most Russian regions, the Giant tomato is grown in seedlings, and it is necessary to sow the seeds at home 2.5-3 months before transplanting the grown seedlings to a permanent place. Typically, the procedure for planting seed material is carried out in the second ten days of March.
Seedlings should be picked when at least 2 true leaves appear on them. Adult seedlings are planted in a permanent sunny place, into which organic matter and complex mineral fertilizers have been added in advance.
In the process of further caring for the Giant tomato, you should regularly water the plants, preventing the soil from drying out. Tomato fertilizers are applied a couple of weeks after transplanting seedlings, during budding, after flowering and during fruit ripening, alternating organic matter and mineral fertilizers.
The bushes need to be formed into 2-3 stems to increase the yield of the variety, and the shoots should also be tied to supports.
The norm for planting bushes of this tomato is no more than 3 plants per square; if the Giant tomato is formed into one stem, then 4 bushes can be planted per 1 m2.
Tomato Giant photo
How to grow seedlings
If you follow simple rules of planting and timely care, then a bountiful harvest on your table is guaranteed. The giant crimson is not very demanding to care for.
Seed preparation
Before planting seeds for seedlings, you need to prepare them. To do this, first soak them in a dark pink solution of potassium permanganate, but no longer than 40 minutes. Then the seeds should be placed in clean water and the liquid should be changed every three hours. The seeds should spend a day in such water. You can use a growth stimulator.
Then the seeds need to be dried on a paper napkin. Fill the container for seedlings with nutritious soil and moisten it generously, place the dried seeds at a distance of 2-2.5 cm and sprinkle with soil to a height of one and a half centimeters. The container for seedlings must be covered with film until germination, but ventilated twice a day to prevent mold.
You need to start sowing seeds for seedlings 65-70 days before planting in the ground (late March - early April). Most often they form a bush with two stems. After the first two leaves grow, it is necessary to pick the sprouts.
We grow seedlings
After the seeds have sprouted, the main thing is to water the soil on time; this can be done with a spoon between the sprouts or from a syringe, drop by drop. You need to place the container closer to the light; it is best to use special phytolamps for this so that the plant does not stretch in length, but grows strong.
If you plan to grow tomato bushes in open ground, then the seedlings need to be hardened off: taken outside in cloudy weather, gradually increasing the time spent in the fresh air. Then begin to expose it to the sun, also for a short time at first, so that the plant does not get sunburn.
Sowing of seedlings is carried out no earlier than 60-70 days before planting, otherwise the seedlings will stretch and weaken. Sowing and growing seedlings occurs according to general principles, with seedlings being picked at the 2-3 leaf stage. It is necessary to plant on the ridges in mid-May if the tomatoes will be grown in a greenhouse. For open ground in central Russia, the best time for planting is early June.
In order for the tomatoes to grow gigantic, gardeners who grew these varieties recommend preparing the plot in advance. When digging in autumn, you need to add well-rotted manure or compost at the rate of 1 bucket per 1 m², chalk or dolomite flour (1 kg/m²) should be added to the soil. To provide tomatoes with phosphorus and potassium, add mineral mixtures with these elements.
If the site has not been prepared, to obtain large fruits the bushes will have to be fed during the growing season throughout the season. Gigantic tomatoes are sensitive to lack of nutrition and the gardener will not get the full return from his work if the plants do not have enough minerals.
Feeding is carried out as follows:
- One week after transplanting, nitrogen fertilizers or rotted organic matter are applied to the garden bed under the bushes (0.5 liters of solution for each).
- When the first flower cluster appears, phosphorus-potassium mixtures of 1 liter per plant are used.
- After 2 weeks, fertilizing with potassium and phosphorus is repeated.
To prevent bushes from growing green mass and accumulating nitrates in fruits, nitrogen mixtures and organic matter are not used during fruiting.
Advantages and disadvantages of Giant tomatoes
Experts include the main advantages of the Giant tomato:
- good yield;
- excellent presentation and taste of the fruit;
- the ability of the harvested crop to be stored for a long time even at home, while the fruits do not rot;
- resistance to most diseases;
- The harvested crop can be transported to any distance without the fruits cracking or spoiling.
However, some disadvantages of this vegetable plant should be noted:
- growing bushes grow well and bear fruit in sunny areas where it is warm enough and the plants are protected from gusts of cold wind;
- watering must be regular, otherwise the plant will slow down and the fruits will ripen more slowly;
- tall shoots with large fruits require mandatory tying and installation of supports under the stems.
Peculiarities
The most striking feature of tomatoes of this variety is their outstanding taste characteristics. The fruits of the Giant are juicy, sweet, with a characteristic tomato taste. The pulp is very sugary and dense.
Storing this variety is not difficult. A garage, closet, or room are perfect for this purpose. Transportation over long distances is possible: the giant will not crack, will retain its presentation and excellent taste. Thanks to these parameters, it becomes possible to grow this tomato in large quantities.
In terms of use, tomatoes are universal. Due to their excellent taste, they can be planted for salads and fresh use. As part of winter salads and preparations, Ispolin will delight you with its juicy pulp and excellent tomato taste.
If this tomato becomes the basis for sauces, tomato paste or ketchup, then the product is guaranteed a beautiful and bright color, something in common with raspberries, and a pronounced taste. If the season ends and the size of the fruit decreases, you can focus on canning: the small late fruits of the Giant will become an excellent canned dish.
Tomato Giant: reviews from those who planted
Below are some of the reviews from summer residents about the Giant tomato:
Maria, 41 years old:
I have been growing this variety in my greenhouse for several years. My family members especially liked the wonderful taste of ripe fruits - sweet-sour, delicate. And to prepare a salad for my family of 4 people, one ripe tomato is enough.
Katerina, 52 years old:
The “Giant Raspberry” tomato responds well to timely watering and fertilizing, as a result the yield only increases. And if you fail to water on time, then the lack of moisture immediately affects the timing of fruit ripening and their taste.
Photos of the tomato variety “Giant Raspberry” and reviews
Nina, 39 years old:
A neighbor in her dacha shared this tomato seedling with me last season. And although I had to tinker a little with the bushes during the period of shoot growth and fruit ripening - I tied the stems to pegs, put supports under the shoots with ripening fruits, applied fertilizing several times during the season, but I got a good harvest of tasty large tomatoes.
Olga, 30 years old:
I would like to note the high responsiveness of plants of this variety to watering and fertilizing - the formation of ovaries sharply increases and their taste improves.
The large-fruited, high-yielding tomato Giant is certainly one of the best mid-early varieties of this vegetable crop.
And if vegetable growers have not yet grown it in their beds, then it’s time to start growing this variety in open ground or in greenhouses. And the result will definitely please summer residents.
Characteristics
If you grow the Raspberry Giant tomato in open ground, then only the southern regions are suitable for this, since the plant is heat-loving and demanding of light. The Astrakhan region, Belgorod, Voronezh, North Caucasus and Krasnodar region are most suitable. In central and more northern regions, this hybrid must be grown in greenhouse shelters.
This type of tomato is famous for the versatility of using its fruits . They are excellent when consumed fresh and are suitable for making juices and pastes. Tomatoes from the first harvest are not suitable for canning, as they are too large for this; it is better to wait for the second or third harvest. They will be smaller in size and then it will be possible to preserve them. Juices and pastes from such tomatoes will be very tasty and have high nutritional value.
This type of tomato is valued, among other things, for its high yield. With careful care, you can get up to 10 kg from each bush . Recommended planting density is 2-3 bushes per square meter. m, and it comes out to about 30 kg. This is a very good indicator of productivity.
