Is it worth planting Long Keeper tomatoes, the pros and cons of the variety

Long Keeper is not a new variety, as it was bred by breeders half a century ago. But these tomatoes could not gain widespread popularity among gardeners due to their rather late ripening period. But this variety is completely undeservedly forgotten, since it has good yield. And also the long-term preservation of the collected fruits, which is what its name “Long Keeper” actually says. You can learn more about its main characteristics below. Reviews, photos and descriptions of the Long Keeper tomato variety will help you understand all the nuances associated with growing.

Characteristics and description of the tomato variety Long Keeper

Long Keeper is a long-storable variety, late-ripening (with a ripening period of 128-135 days). Tomato Long Keeper (pictured), based on feedback from farmers, is characterized by high yields.

Tomato bushes are medium-sized, in greenhouse conditions they grow up to 150 cm in height. Growth stops after about 8-10 fruit clusters are formed on the main stem. The formation of the first brush occurs above the 7th leaf, the rest in each subsequent second or third axil. The leaves of Long Keeper tomatoes are directed upwards. They are medium in size, green in color, with an original metallic (silver) tint. Flowering of Long Keeper tomatoes begins quite late.

Description of Long Keeper tomatoes shown in the photo:

• round, slightly flattened shape;
• the color of unripe tomatoes is light milky, ripe tomatoes are orange-pink, raspberry;
• the skin is smooth;
• the pulp is dense, without voids;
• the taste of the fruit is sweet;
• average weight 120-250 g (some specimens - 320-360 g).

Comment! The uniqueness of the Long Keeper hybrid lies in the fact that the fruits almost never ripen directly on the bush. This rule applies to both open ground plants and greenhouse crops. Tomatoes are removed from the bushes in the phase of partial ripeness, then placed in a special container for ripening, which lasts approximately 1 month.

Bushes

The bushes grow in a greenhouse no higher than 1.5 meters. According to the type of growth, Long Keeper is a determinate plant, the growth of which stops after the formation of 8-10 clusters on the central stem. The first brush is formed above the 7th leaf, all others in every 3rd leaf axil. The bushes are covered with medium-sized leaves with a specific color; they are green, but have a metallic tint.

See also

Characteristics and description of the tomato variety Icicle PinkRead

Pros and cons of the Long Keeper tomato variety

Advantages of the Long Keeper hybrid:

• excellent shape and high density of tomatoes;
• long-term preservation of fruits both in terms of taste and marketability (in room conditions until January, in the cellar - until March);
• excellent transportability over long distances;
• resistance to most pests and diseases, in particular to fusarium, brown leaf spot, tobacco mosaic virus;
• consistently high yields, regardless of weather conditions;
• versatility of use.

Disadvantages of the variety:

• late ripening, as a result of which the fruits do not have time to ripen;
• When ripening on the bush, tomatoes that have reached technical ripeness often fall off;
• the taste of the fruit is a little fresh;
• Over time, the skin and seeds become coarser;
• tomatoes need constant pinching and tying up.

Harvesting

According to the description, late tomatoes do not always have time to ripen before the onset of frost. The fruits can be collected at the stage of incomplete ripeness and then ripened at home.

Typically, Long Keeper tomatoes are picked while still in the milky ripeness phase (they gradually turn pink during storage).

If the fruits of this variety have already ripened on the bush, you should not delay the harvest, otherwise the tomatoes may fall off. The fruits are stored in a cool but dry place, separate from other tomatoes. The keeping quality of this variety is beyond praise (up to 3 months or longer).

Growing

Gardeners grow Long Keeper tomatoes mainly in seedlings. Important agrotechnical measures are:

• watering;
• feeding;
• loosening;
• mulching;
• formation;
• garter;
• stepsoning.

Growing seedlings

It is recommended to sow seeds to obtain seedlings in the first or second decade of March. Recommended soil mixture composition:

• garden soil - 2 parts;
• sand – 1 part;
• humus - 2 parts.

Seeds should be pre-disinfected in a manganese solution. Then it is recommended to soak them in growth stimulants or in a solution of sodium humate.

The distance between seeds should be on average 3 mm. The crops are sprinkled with a layer of peat on top. The optimal temperature for seed germination is at least 25 °C. It is recommended to reduce the temperature immediately after emergence, maintaining it at 20-22 ° C during the day and several degrees lower at night.

Comment! Seedlings are picked when several true leaves appear. For this purpose, planting pots of at least 10 cm in diameter are used.

Landing rules

The seedlings are transplanted into the greenhouse when they reach the age of 1.5-2 months. Seedlings are planted in garden beds when the threat of night frosts has finally passed, when the soil has warmed to 14-15 °C. The approximate date for planting seedlings is the end of May.

Advice! A week before the planned planting, it is recommended to feed the seedlings with potassium-phosphorus fertilizers. To stimulate survival, the roots of seedlings can be soaked in a rooting solution before planting.

You can get high yields by correctly placing plants in the beds. The maximum permissible number of seedlings per 1 m2 is no more than 8 plants.

Recommended planting pattern:

• the gap between bushes is at least 40 cm;
• row spacing of at least 50 cm;
• planting depth – 12-15 cm.

Watering and fertilizing

Important measures for caring for Long Keeper tomatoes are watering and fertilizing. Tomato bushes are fed 2-3 times during the growing season, including fruit formation. For this purpose, complex mineral fertilizers or organic matter (mullein, chicken droppings) are used.

Long Keeper tomatoes should be watered regularly, every 2-3 days. Drip irrigation is considered the most preferable.

Watering rules:

1. The water should be warm and settled.
2. Watering should be done in the morning or after sunset.
3. It is necessary to prevent water from getting directly onto the foliage.

Pinching and tying

Long Keeper tomato bushes definitely require tying to trellises. Tie the plants to support pegs 2 weeks after planting. It is also necessary to regularly remove stepchildren. The procedure should be carried out at the earliest possible stages.

Formation

To obtain maximum yield, Long Keeper bushes should be shaped. In case of thick planting (placement of 4 seedlings per 1 m2), the formation is carried out in 2 stems, in case of dense planting (6 bushes per 1 m2) in 1 stem.

Protection from diseases and pests

Tomato Long Keeper is immune to the following viral diseases:

• cladosporiosis;
• fusarium;
• tobacco mosaic.

Violation of the ventilation regime can lead to late blight. Treatment can be carried out with the help of special chemicals or using folk remedies.

Attention! To prevent fruits from being affected by fungal diseases, their contact with the ground should be avoided.

Diseases and pests

"Long Keeper" is highly resistant to diseases:

• Tobacco mosaic;
• Fusarium;
• Cladosporiosis.

If the beds are poorly ventilated and crop rotation is disrupted, the plants suffer from late blight. Effective folk remedies against this disease are treating the affected bushes with an infusion of garlic, a decoction of onion peels and dusting with ash. As a last resort, resort to the help of insecticides “Barrier” or “Barrier”.

Of the pests that cause the greatest damage to plantings:

• Thrips. Several sticky traps placed in the greenhouse will help get rid of insects;
• Aphid. Affected plants are sprayed with a soap solution;
• Spider mite. The most effective anti-tick medications are Fitoverm and Karbifos.

Tomato Cherry red

photo author Elvira Bazaeva

Early ripening, indeterminate, tall cherry tomato variety for greenhouses and open ground. The period from germination to the beginning of ripening is 95-100 days.

The bush is semi-spreading, slightly leafy, up to 1.8 meters high. Requires tying to the support and pinning. The best results were obtained when forming a plant with 2 or 3 stems.

The leaf of this tomato is of the ordinary type, small, dark green. The inflorescence is intermediate. The first inflorescence is planted above the 8-9th leaf, the subsequent ones - every 3 leaves. The fruits are collected in clusters of 20-30 pieces.

Fruit characteristics

The fruits are round, small, red in color at maturity, weighing 15-20 grams, excellent, sweet taste. These tomatoes have a universal purpose - they are good both fresh and canned.

Red cherry tomato yield: up to 2.5 kg per plant (subject to agricultural practices).

The variety is susceptible to TMV and fusarium, highly susceptible to cladosporiosis.

Advantages of tomato: early ripening, high taste, suitability for canning with brushes.

The Red Cherry tomato variety is included in the State Register of the Russian Federation for cultivation in open ground and film greenhouses.

Currently, you can find seeds of this variety on sale from manufacturers such as Gavrish and Udachnye Seeds.

This is a natural variety of tomato. Therefore, we recommend taking seeds from a ripe fruit and growing them again next season!

Sowing the seeds of this variety of tomatoes for seedlings is carried out 60-65 days before the intended planting in the ground. Dive - at the stage of two true leaves. When transplanting seedlings to a permanent place, 1 sq. m it is recommended to place up to 4 plants.

Further care for tomatoes consists of timely watering (we recommend installing drip irrigation), weed removal, fertilizing with complex mineral fertilizers, pinching and preventive measures to protect the crop from diseases and pests.

Tomatoes Red Cherry on video

If you grew Red Cherry tomatoes, please write whether you liked them or not. What was the yield and taste of the fruits like under your climatic conditions? Will you grow them again? How do you assess the resistance of this variety to diseases and pests? If possible, attach a photo of the entire bush or individual fruits you grew to your comment. Thank you!

Your reviews of the Red Cherry tomato and additions to the description will help many gardeners evaluate this variety more objectively and decide whether it is worth planting or not.

• Ekaterina planted for the first time in 2022. The summer was bad, cold and rainy. They bore fruit until the last day. I chose bushes in October. There were a lot of fruits, a lot of clusters. They are overgrown with stepchildren instantly, I’m tired of fighting. We got sick with late blight quite early. I removed the leaves, sprayed them, they continued to grow and bear fruit. There was cracking of the fruit, the taste was average. Apparently there wasn't enough sun and warmth. I'm not planting this year
• Julia In 2022, she planted this variety in a greenhouse for the first time. By the end of summer, I didn’t know what to do with such an abundance of small cherries: I prepared them and ate so much that they ate until the snow. They bore fruit until the cold weather. They taste sweet, the child simply did not leave the bush. I will definitely plant it again, I was very impressed.
• Maria Excellent tomatoes. I grew tomatoes for the first time in my life, I planted them haphazardly (I didn’t have enough time), I didn’t bother with shaping (I don’t know how). There were sooooo many tomatoes, I pulled out the bushes at the end of September with fruits and a lot of ovaries. Very sweet, smooth, beautiful fruits. I recommend. I regret that I didn’t collect seeds - since I didn’t find them on sale this year (((
• Summer in the Village I really liked the Red Cherry! It is unpretentious and will produce a harvest using any agricultural technology. I put the stepson into one trunk only until mid-summer... and then I let it take its course)) and did not regret it... there were probably 3 trunks - all the brushes were tied! I did not notice any manifestations of late blight on the foliage. A must for planting next season! The taste of ripe fruits is very interesting.
• Leah Grown it last 2015 in a greenhouse. 2 bushes in open ground. The tomatoes are wonderful. Beautiful. Sweet. They are good both pickled (especially as a decoration for dishes) and fresh. This year I sowed it again for seedlings.

TomatLand8 071 views

Obtaining hybrid seedlings

After disinfection with hydrogen peroxide, seeds can be sown in homemade soil consisting of 2 parts of garden soil, the same amount of humus and 1 part of sand.

General characteristics of the hybrid tomato Chukhloma and agricultural cultivation techniques

Read

Sowing is carried out in the first half of March. The seeds are placed in boxes to a depth of 1-2 cm. Manure is first added to the soil. Watering is carried out using a watering can.

Seedlings are germinated in a room where the temperature is maintained at +24… +25 °C.

When the young seedlings are 40-50 days old, they are transplanted to permanent beds. Before sowing, it is recommended to loosen the soil well and add mineral nitrogen fertilizers and organic matter to it. The beds are disinfected with a weak solution of manganese. Holes are made in the ground 8-10 cm deep. Young bushes are planted in them. Planting format 0.5 X 0.5 m or 0.3 X 0.5 m.

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages of the variety:

• Resistance to tomato diseases.
• Excellent safety during transportation.
• Stable harvest under different weather conditions.
• Excellent presentation during long-term storage.

Read about tomato varieties that have both high yields and resistance to most diseases in this material.

Its disadvantages:

• Does not ripen on the bush due to the late ripening of the variety.
• Average taste of the fruit.
• Requires a greenhouse for cultivation.
• The need for tying and constant pinching.

You can compare the yield of this variety with others in the table below:

We bring to your attention several more useful and informative articles about growing tomatoes. Read all about indeterminate and determinate varieties, as well as tomatoes that are resistant to the most common nightshade diseases.

Subtleties of care

7-10 days after transplantation, the seedlings are tied to a support. The bushes are formed into 1 stem, the lower leaves are gradually removed. Water every 10 days strictly at the root (as they grow, use 2 to 5 liters of warm water). Fertilizing is done once every 2-3 weeks, alternating organic fertilizers with mineral ones.

For the first time, tomatoes are fertilized with ammonium nitrate or other nitrogen fertilizers. Next, use complex mineral fertilizers containing nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, as well as herbal infusions, solutions of mullein (in a ratio of 1:10) or bird droppings (in a ratio of 1:20).

Tatyana Orlova (Vasilidchenko) (candidate of agricultural sciences):

The third feeding during the period of fruit formation and growth is carried out with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers.

After watering, the soil in the garden bed is loosened or mulched, and weeded as necessary. To prevent late blight, the greenhouse is often ventilated, and the plants are sprayed with Bordeaux mixture.

Tatyana Orlova (Vasilidchenko) (candidate of agricultural sciences):

Other copper-containing preparations can be used to prevent and combat fungal diseases: copper oxychloride, copper sulfate, Abiga-Pik.

Planting and care

Sowing of seeds is carried out approximately two months before transferring the seedlings to a permanent place. The soil mixture is bought in a store or prepared from the following components:

• garden soil;
• coarse sand;
• humus.

Important! Before sowing, self-prepared soil and seeds must be disinfected with a solution of potassium permanganate. Seeds should be planted and buried 1-1.5 cm

Water carefully using a spoon or spray bottle. Sprout in a warm room at a temperature of at least +25, then you can reduce it to +20-22. Seeds should be planted and buried 1-1.5 cm

Water carefully using a spoon or spray bottle. Sprout in a warm room at a temperature of at least +25, then can be reduced to +20-22

Seeds should be planted and buried 1-1.5 cm

Water carefully using a spoon or spray bottle. Sprout in a warm room at a temperature of at least +25, then can be reduced to +20-22

After 2-3 leaves appear, the bushes dive. They are planted in a permanent place according to a 50 by 40 cm pattern. It is allowed to thicken the plantings to 6-8 plants per 1 square meter. m., but 4 is the optimal number.

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Description

Tomato Long Keeper is a late-ripening, low-growing, productive variety intended for long-term storage. Ripening period – 130 days. The leaves of the plant are medium in size. The first inflorescence is laid above the seventh leaf, and the next ones - after 1-2.

Properties of fruits

The fruits of the Long Keeper tomato have a flat-round shape. They are smooth, medium in size, weighing about 150 grams. The color of the fruits when unripe is white, and when ripe they become pink-pearl. Fruit ripening occurs a month after picking.

According to reviews, the Long Keeper tomato is used for pickling, canning, and fresh consumption in winter.

Growing

According to the description, Long Keeper tomatoes are grown in seedlings. Sowing of seeds is carried out 60–70 days before the expected date of planting the seedlings in a permanent place.

Before starting sowing, the seeds are prepared. To do this, they are soaked for fifteen minutes in a dark pink solution of potassium permanganate. All floating material is removed, and what remains at the bottom is washed with water. The seeds are dried.

Then the soil is prepared for sowing. You can make it yourself or purchase a ready-made substrate for tomatoes.

The planting container is filled with soil. Then make grooves about 1.5 cm deep. Seeds are placed on the bottom, maintaining a distance of 2 cm.

To get a Long Keeper tomato like in the photo, you should follow the planting pattern. To do this, it is recommended to plant no more than eight bushes per square meter.

Advantages of the variety

Tomato has a number of advantages, including:

• stable yield;
• excellent shelf life of fruits - tomatoes are stored for up to eighty days at room conditions, and in the cellar until spring;
• When harvesting for fresh consumption, it is recommended to remove semi-ripe fruits.

The bushes are highly resistant to various diseases, including: tobacco mosaic, cladosporiosis, fusarium.

The Long Keeper tomato variety is included in the State Register and is recommended for growing in open ground, under temporary shelters and in unheated greenhouses.

Transplanting

The place for planting tomatoes is prepared in the fall. It should be well lit and protected from drafts. The predecessors of tomatoes can be legumes, onions, green crops, cabbage, and cucumbers.

In the spring, the selected area is cleared of weeds, the soil is dug up, and fertilizer is applied at the rate of 5 kg of compost per square meter. Be sure to add three tablespoons of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers.

If the seedlings are overgrown, it is recommended to remove the two lower leaves; the plants are planted at an angle, positioned so that there is about 20 cm of the stem above the ground.

Care

You can see what the culture looks like in the photo. Reviews of the Long Keeper tomato say that the plant does not require special care. This variety is cared for in the same way as other tomatoes.

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Agricultural technology involves periodic loosening of the soil. Two weeks after planting the seedlings, the bushes should be hilled up so that a more powerful root system grows.

At first, the plants are watered rarely, but abundantly, spending 3–5 liters of water per bush. During the formation of the ovary, watering is increased. To do this, use only warm, settled water. During ripening, watering is reduced.

Tomatoes are a determinate species, about 120 cm high. They need garter, support, and pinching. They are led in 1-2 stems.

Top dressing

The first time fertilizer is applied ten days after planting the seedlings. If fertilizers were placed in the planting hole, then the first fertilizing is carried out later, after about three to four weeks.

Nettle tincture gives good results. To prepare it, take nettles, but without roots, and place the plants in a container with water. After a week, the concentrate is ready for use.

To prepare the working solution, take a liter of concentrate and dilute it in a bucket of water. The resulting mixture is watered at the roots of the tomatoes. In this case, the consumption should be one and a half liters of the composition per ten bushes.

You can use nitrogenous fertilizers by diluting them according to the instructions.

The next two feedings are carried out during the period of plant flowering and fruit growth. To do this, use the same fertilizers as the first time.

Top dressing

The first time fertilizer is applied ten days after planting the seedlings. If fertilizers were placed in the planting hole, then the first fertilizing is carried out later, after about three to four weeks.

Nettle tincture gives good results. To prepare it, take nettles, but without roots, and place the plants in a container with water. After a week, the concentrate is ready for use. To prepare the working solution, take a liter of concentrate and dilute it in a bucket of water. The resulting mixture is watered at the roots of the tomatoes. In this case, the consumption should be one and a half liters of the composition per ten bushes. You can use nitrogenous fertilizers by diluting them according to the instructions.

The next two feedings are carried out during the period of plant flowering and fruit growth. To do this, use the same fertilizers as the first time.

Foliar feeding is useful. To stimulate the ovaries during the flowering period, tomatoes are treated with special preparations or the bushes are shaken. This procedure is carried out in the morning.