Unusual-looking and amazingly tasty tomato “Honey Drop”

Description of the variety

A drop of honey will not only give you delicious tomatoes, but will also decorate any area. The vine-shaped bushes are decorated with small oval yellow-orange tomatoes.

The variety is resistant to pests, tolerates weather changes well, and is not afraid of high humidity. In addition, Honey Drop has an excellent taste and moderate juiciness.

Distinctive features

The fruits ripen in approximately 110 days.
It is best to grow tomatoes in a greenhouse. Characterized as mid-season. The bushes are indeterminate and are not limited in growth. The height of the plant reaches 2 m. The leaves are large, dark green. Tomatoes ripen in bunches, 10-15 pieces each. Due to their high growth, the bushes need support and garter.

Characteristics of tomatoes, yield

The tomatoes are small, the average weight of one is about 15 g. Some specimens reach 30-35 g. Outwardly, due to their oval shape, tomatoes resemble small pears and look impressive whole on the holiday table.

The internal chambers are small and there are few seeds. The taste is pleasant, soft, with a honey accent. Sometimes the Honey Drop is called the “amber drop”.

Important ! If all agrotechnical standards are observed, one tomato bush produces about 2 kg of vegetables.

Productivity

Multi-colored types of tomatoes differ in their qualities from ordinary red tomatoes. Yellow fruits have more pulp and are sweet in taste. The amber coloring of Honey Drop tomatoes is associated with the presence of provitamin A in the fruit. Lycopene is useful in preventing the development of malignant tumors. The action of the myocin enzyme in yellow tomatoes is aimed at strengthening the walls of blood vessels and activating the action of antioxidants in the human body.

Since honey-colored fruits contain B vitamins, after consuming them a person becomes calm, his sleep is normalized, and digestion processes are restored. Yellow tomatoes have a positive effect on the condition of the hair, skin, and nail plate. Eating tomatoes of this variety will have an effective effect on visual acuity.

Honey Drop tomatoes will delight you with small fruits, weighing from ten to twenty grams. In shape they resemble a miniature pear of rich yellow color. The tomato droplets taste pleasant and sweet. The fruits contain little water and more pulp. You can quickly get enough of them; it’s not for nothing that Honey Drop tomatoes are recommended for dietary nutrition.

The Honey Drop variety produces many excellent small fruits that are bright yellow in color and resemble honey or amber drops or small pears.

Small-fruited variety “honey drop”

The taste of tomatoes is sweet with characteristic notes of honey. Small chambers with seeds are formed in the juicy pulp.

The fruits are eaten fresh, vitamin-rich salads, side dishes, soups and juices are prepared from them. Yellow tomatoes look great when canned, dried, or pickled. For special gourmets, there are recipes for “honey drop” tomato jam.

Tomatoes of this variety can remain fresh and marketable for several months. The fruits can ripen outside the bush. This is convenient when finishing the harvest in the fall.

Thanks to their amazing sugary taste, the fruits are a big hit among children. Miniature honey drops can decorate the most exquisite holiday table, sometimes they are even served as dessert. However, the “Honey Drop” variety is capable of solving other culinary problems:

• Whole-fruit canning (canning is very convenient due to the small size of the fruits);
• Preparation of heat-treated dishes (soups, borscht, side dishes);
• Processing into juice, tomato paste, lecho;
• Barrel salting.

“Honey Drop” pleases the gardener with fresh fruits until the first days of October. 2-3 kg of selected, proportionate fruits are harvested from one plant.

The variety is intended for cultivation in all regions of the Russian Federation.

In the south, where summers are quite long and warm, seedlings can be planted in open ground. In other areas, "Honey Drop" is grown under shelters.

The honey drop begins to ripen 100 days after planting. This variety of tomatoes is used for pickling (but not pickling), preparing salads, drying, and eating when ripe. Honey drop is an ideal tomato for allergy sufferers (they often have undesirable reactions to red fruits) and people with high acidity of gastric juice.

The yield of the variety is high, like the Carpal tomatoes, and the taste is good if the growing conditions are met. One bush produces an average of up to 2 kg of fruit. To increase productivity, fertilize and water the plants in a timely manner. You can pick tomatoes before they are fully ripe.

Tomato variety “Honey Drop” ripens 100 days after planting

From 1 bush you get about 2 kg of fruit.

How to grow seedlings

To get a good harvest, you need to carefully consider the choice of seed and soil preparation.

Seed preparation

Before you go to the store to buy seeds, carefully study the information from the manufacturers. It wouldn’t hurt to ask your gardener friends which suppliers they prefer . Seeds must be disinfected before planting. Solutions of “Bud”, “Zircon” or any other growth stimulant will come to the rescue. You can also use proven folk remedies, for example, aloe juice.

Next, the material must be germinated. To do this you will need a cotton pad and a small plate. Unfold the disk and place the seeds on it. Cover the top with damp gauze and place it on a plate. Make sure that the seeds do not dry out. Experienced gardeners also advise adding aloe juice to the water.

Container and soil

It’s easy to prepare the soil yourself. To do this you will need garden soil, humus, peat and ash. When the mixture is ready, it should be disinfected. A solution of potassium permanganate is suitable for this.

If you buy ready-made soil, you should also make some efforts to enrich the soil with useful elements. The fact is that the main substance in purchased land is peat. It does not allow water to pass through well and is highly acidic, so such soil is sometimes not suitable for growing seedlings. To eliminate the problem, it is recommended to add dolomite flour or chalk to the soil. This will reduce the acidity level and make the soil more suitable for growing seedlings.

Important ! Any container is suitable for sowing seeds. For example, wooden boxes, flower pots, buckets. The main thing before planting is to wash the container well and dry it.

Sowing

When the container, soil and seeds are ready, start sowing. Make holes at a distance of 3 cm from each other, place seeds in them and sprinkle soil on top. Water the seedlings generously with warm water, place in a warm, bright place and cover with thin glass or film. This will create a favorable microclimate for germination.

Growing and care

First of all, pay attention to the air temperature.
The optimal temperature is about 23 degrees. As soon as the first shoots appear, place the container in a cooler place. Gradually open the film slightly. It is recommended to remove it completely after 2 weeks from the moment of planting.

Pay special attention to watering. For the most correct watering, it is recommended to use a pipette or syringe. Make sure that the water gets to the base of the sprout and not to the leaves. Under no circumstances should you water the seedlings with cold tap water. Otherwise, the bushes will become infected with root rot.

Remember that Honeydrop loves a lot of light. If there is a lack of sun, it is recommended to create additional lighting for the bushes using phytolamps.

After 10-15 days from the moment of planting, the first feeding should be organized. An excellent option for this is potassium superphosphate or ammonium nitrate. Apply the last fertilizing 10 days before planting the seedlings in the ground.

Tomato care Honey drop

Activities for caring for tomatoes in the ground are generally similar to caring for seedlings.

Watering

Watering should be done at least once a week, but not more often than the top layer of soil dries out. Since the skin is very thin, water should not fall on the fruits or leaves, but should be directed to the base of the stem.

Feeding

The plant requires feeding 3 times in one season - when transplanting into the ground, so that the plant quickly takes root in a new place, in the middle and at the end of flowering. Nitrogenous fertilizers and mixtures of potassium and phosphorus are used for feeding.

The stepsons of the “Honey Drop” grow very intensively, as a result of which they need to be removed. This procedure is carried out as the stepsons grow by cutting them at the base. The bush is formed into one stem, and all excess shoots are removed.

How to grow tomatoes

After 50-60 days, move the seedlings to open ground. Let's take a closer look at how to properly grow Honey Drop tomatoes.

Landing

Prepare the soil in the fall. Good predecessors for tomatoes are beds of cabbage, cucumbers, and potatoes. Remove debris, plant debris, weeds and dig up the soil. Also, do not forget to disinfect the area. An excellent remedy for this is the above-mentioned potassium permanganate.

Plant seedlings in early July. Place the plant in rows, leaving a distance of about 40 cm between the bushes. After planting, water the beds generously with warm water.

Care

It is best to water the Honey Drop in the afternoon. Make sure that water does not get on the leaves and stem, otherwise there is a high probability of developing diseases. Water at room temperature is suitable for irrigation. Throughout the entire period, the bushes need to be fertilized with organic and mineral fertilizers. Pay special attention to nitrogen-containing substances . However, be careful: an excess of nitrogen will also lead to the appearance of certain types of diseases.

During the maintenance process, periodically loosen the soil. This saturates it with oxygen and gives the plant additional strength. Also, the Honey Drop needs support, otherwise the brushes will not withstand the weight of the tomatoes and will break. Sometimes bushes form additional shoots that need to be removed. Do this carefully so as not to damage the stem.

Features of cultivation and possible difficulties

The honey drop must be tied up regardless of the growing environment.
Also, the bush definitely needs shaping. Most often, a tomato is formed into 2 stems. In addition, despite the plant’s good resistance to diseases, preventive measures must be taken. For example, treat the soil with ammonium nitrate or spray the bushes with whey.

Do not forget about removing weeds, as foreign plants will take away some of the necessary nutrients from the vegetable. Remove excess grass every 5-7 days. Weeds grow especially quickly after heavy rains.

Diseases and pests

Due to high humidity, tomatoes suffer from late blight or powdery mildew. Late blight appears as brown spots, and powdery mildew appears as a white coating.

Both special medications (Ridomil Gold, Acrobat MC, Profit Gold, Metalaxil) and folk recipes, for example, a solution based on tobacco leaves, help to get rid of them.

Common pests include mole crickets, wireworms, whiteflies and spider mites. The principle of action of all insects is similar.

Some eat the root system, others destroy leaves and stems.

Because of this, the metabolism of tomatoes is disrupted and the bushes die.

The drugs “Aktara”, “Medvetox”, “Provotox”, etc. are effective in pest control.

Growing tomatoes

Unlike hybrid varieties, this variety requires a more careful approach to breeding.

The whole process begins with the selection of suitable seeds and their pre-treatment. Then follow the stages of growing seedlings, picking and replanting, planting the tomato in open ground and then caring for it.

Each step has certain features and difficulties. Only by adhering to all the rules will you be able to grow a healthy plant, which in the future will delight you with a rich harvest.

Problems with the selection of seed material

Currently, the tomato is not registered with the Federal State Budgetary Institution “State Varietation Commission”. This leads to the appearance on the market of low-quality and counterfeit seed material.

Thus, in agricultural stores you can find seeds produced by the Gavrish company, which are marked with the F1 sign. This indicates their hybrid origin, which is fundamentally different from the stated basic characteristics.

To be guaranteed to get this particular variety, you need to buy planting material only in trusted stores and pay attention to the description.

The best option is to use your own seeds from a previous harvest.

Preliminary seed preparation

You need to start preparing seeds for seedlings in early March.

To do this, choose a dark but warm place, wrap the seeds in a cloth treated with a 1% solution of potassium permanganate, and leave them for 20 minutes.

Then they are transferred to another piece of cloth moistened with warm boiled water. They remain in this form for another couple of days. When they swell, you can start planting them.

At this stage, it is important to prevent rotting or mold from forming on the seed material.

A unique feature of Honey Drop is an increase in the percentage of germination in the 3rd year of storage. Such seeds show up to 95% germination. However, storing them for more than 7 years is not recommended.

The germination of seeds is affected by their storage mode. If seeds are stored in humid conditions with constant temperature changes, germination is quickly lost.

Growing seedlings

The Honey Drop variety is very dependent on a high-quality substrate.

The best option would be to use a soil mixture that includes country soil, sand, peat, ash and purchased soil for indoor plants.

It is better to use ready-made soil for tomatoes, which already contains all the necessary components and minerals for seedling growth.

All elements are mixed in approximately equal proportions and poured into selected containers. For additional disinfection, everything is watered with a hot solution of potassium permanganate.

The variety needs high-quality soil

Containers can be selected in accordance with the needs and desires of the gardener. However, they must have outlets for excess moisture and be at least 10 cm in height.

Seeds are sown every 2 cm, to a depth of 1 - 1.5 cm. Violation of this rule may affect the speed and success of germination. After planting, the soil is slightly moistened with warm water.

After sowing, the containers are covered with an opaque film and placed in a dark and warm place. The room temperature should not be lower than 23 – 25 °C.

After the first leaves appear, the film is removed and the containers are transferred to a bright space.

Picking and transplanting

After the seedlings have two true leaves, the seedlings are picked and transplanted into larger containers.

When picking, the largest and healthiest sprouts are selected, and 1/3 of the central root is carefully plucked off. This is done to stimulate the growth of the lateral roots of the seedlings and to strengthen its stem after transplantation.

The plant treated in this way is placed in a substrate and well moistened.

At this stage, you need to select containers based on 0.25 liters of soil per plant. After a couple of days, the seedlings are fertilized with an ash solution. Mix in proportion: 1 tbsp. l. ash per 1 liter of water.

After transplantation, containers with seedlings are kept in diffused light for several days, and then after rooting they are placed in a well-lit window. Before transplanting to a permanent location, the seedlings are hardened off by taking them outside during daylight hours, if the air temperature allows. It should not fall below 18 °C. Strong winds should also be avoided.

Tomato seedlings are considered to be of high quality if they have 5-6 leaves at the time of planting, a strong stem 20-25 cm high and a well-developed fibrous root system.

Transplantation into open ground

The time for planting seedlings in open ground depends on the region and weather conditions. This usually happens at the end of May. The main rule is that the ground temperature should not be lower than 13°C, and the air temperature during the day should not be lower than 16-18°C.

The soil is first dug up, leveled, and cleared of weeds and parasites. Plants are planted at a distance of 45–50 cm from each other. Then water generously with warm water.

If a tomato grows in a greenhouse, then it must be periodically saturated with fresh air and the humidity level carefully controlled.

The crop is planted in the ground according to the 40x70 pattern.

Aftercare

An important stage in the subsequent care of the crop is the formation of the bush and its garter.

Tomato is grown in 1 - 2 stems. The remaining stepsons are periodically removed. Do the same with leaves. These procedures should be carried out systematically once every 1.5-2 weeks.

Due to the high growth of the bush, the optimal method of gartering would be an individual vertical trellis.

Tomato care also includes:

• watering as needed with warm water;
• weeding and loosening the soil;
• fertilizing with nitrogen or organic fertilizers;
• spraying against diseases and pests.

The nuances of growing in open ground and in a greenhouse

Before planting tomatoes in open ground, loosen the beds with a rake. It is recommended to grow the variety outdoors only in the south of the country. The first fertilizing in open ground is carried out 3 weeks after planting.

Use “Nitrophoska” or potassium chloride. Often the composition of fertilizers depends on weather conditions. For example, in cloudy weather, increased doses of potassium sulfate are used, and on sunny days, preference should be given to urea.

If the Honey Drop is planted in a greenhouse, then do not forget to regularly ventilate the structure. Closed doors increase the likelihood of mold and infection. The best way to ventilate is through small windows in the greenhouse.

Diseases and pests

The productivity of tomatoes depends on the plant's resistance to disease. More often, nightshade crops get sick in closed ground, becoming infected from other plants. Although the Honey Drop or Plum Drop variety is not afraid of fungal infections, it may develop pathological conditions such as:

• late blight;
• streak;
• mosaic of leaves;
• top rot.

Late blight affects during wet summers at the end of the growing season. First, brown spots appear on the leaves, then on the fruits. Affected fruits cannot be stored, as they quickly rot. To treat and prevent late blight, bushes are sprayed with a one percent solution of Bordeaux mixture twice or three times during the summer.

The initial signs of streaking are the appearance of red-brown stripes on tomato stems. When the disease develops, it is impossible to grow tasty fruits. Tomatoes can become infected from seeds and during planting. Therefore, seeds must be disinfected before planting. And when removing excess shoots, diseased bushes are treated last.

Due to insufficient watering on hot days, grayish-brown spots of a dry and hard consistency appear on the tops of the fruits. To prevent rot from appearing on healthy fruits, diseased fruits are removed and destroyed.

Pests rarely attack tomato beds.

“Honey Drop” is highly resistant to diseases:

• Blackleg;
• Gray rot;
• Late blight.

To prevent other diseases, he recommends following the following rules:

• Renew the top layer of soil in the greenhouse annually;
• Avoid dense plantings, as well as joint plantings in a greenhouse with other nightshade plants;
• Periodically treat the plantings with antifungal agents (for example, Fitosporin).

Honey Drop tomatoes are highly resistant to the main nightshade diseases - gray rot, blackleg, and late blight. But proximity to other tomato varieties can be detrimental to them and result in infection of the bushes - this especially often happens in greenhouses and/or in close plantings.

The soil must be disinfected with potassium permanganate

Before planting seedlings, be sure to treat the soil for preventive purposes, mulch them with straw or peat, and spray with non-toxic preparations against fungi and viruses. Do not flood the plantings and promptly adjust the air humidity in the greenhouse - the higher it is, the greater the chance that the plants will begin to get sick.

Harvesting and application

The harvest begins already at the stage of milk maturity. The fruits can ripen at room temperature. It is better to store them in a cool, dark place.

The variety is widely used. Because of its bright sweetish taste, many people like to eat the vegetable fresh. In addition, Honey Drop is perfect for whole pickling and canning. Yellow tomatoes look appetizing in winter preparations.

Tomatoes are often stuffed with cheese or vegetables, and all sorts of snack options are made. Also used for making sandwiches, salads, and side dishes.

The taste of Honey Drop complements meat and poultry well.

Tomatoes are also used in folk medicine. For example, many people know a recipe with tomato and garlic, which helps cope with colds and boost immunity during the cold season.

Tomato-based tincture serves as a powerful natural antioxidant.

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

The positive characteristics of the variety include:

• unique sweetish taste;
• presentable appearance;
• the ability to use tomatoes fresh and in cooking;
• a large amount of vitamins in the vegetable;
• the ability to grow both in open ground and in a greenhouse;
• good shelf life;
• strong immunity to diseases and pests.

Disadvantages of the variety:

• due to their high growth, the bushes need staking;
• removal of stepchildren is mandatory;
• increased need of the variety for mineral and organic fertilizers.

Farmer reviews

Honey drop is loved by both beginning gardeners and experienced farmers. However, sometimes there is a negative opinion about the variety.

Maria, Volgograd: “A colleague from work recommended me a drop of honey. Problems began at the seedling stage. The seeds did not germinate well. When the time came to plant them in the garden, half of the seedlings died altogether. I think it's a bad manufacturer. I planted the remaining seeds and harvested them. The tomatoes turned out to be very small. Tastes ordinary."

Galina, Samara region: “Droplet is my favorite tomato. No matter how many varieties I’ve tried, I can’t find anything better than Honey Drop. I love the sweet taste and beautiful appearance of these tomatoes. The yield is high, so it’s possible to eat fresh vegetables and prepare dishes for the winter.”

Maxim, Republic of Bashkortostan: “I planted Honey Drop for the first time. I was pleased with the harvest. The tomatoes set quickly, there were almost no shoots. Watered as usual and removed weeds. I will plant more vegetables.”

Reviews about the variety from those who planted

Reviews from gardeners about the Honey Drop tomato variety are extremely positive.

Elena, Kurchatov

Inna, Moscow

Lydia, Velikiye Luki

Zoya, Sumy

Nadezhda, Izhevsk

Alexandra, Vitebsk

Svetlana, St. Petersburg

Larisa, Smolensk

Consumers praise the variety for its excellent taste and high yield. The plants are not whimsical and rarely get sick. However, due attention must be paid to removing stepchildren, otherwise a large amount of non-marketable small items will grow.