In 2004, Siberian breeders developed the Siberian Troika tomato variety. It quickly fell in love with gardeners and became widespread throughout the country. The main advantages of the new variety are unpretentiousness, high yield and amazing taste of the fruit. In addition to the listed qualities, “Siberian” tomatoes also have a number of other advantages that every gardener should know about. For those who are not yet familiar with the culture, in this article we will try to give the most detailed description of the “Siberian Troika” variety, photos and reviews about it.
Productivity
The Siberian Troika tomato enters the fruiting phase in the middle period - 110...120 days after the sprouts appear. During the season, the bush develops 10...12 fruit clusters, the first one appears after the 9th leaf. Each fruit inflorescence consists of 5...10 flowers.
The yield of the variety (according to the State Register) is 5 kg/bush. The total yield will be 15...20 kg/m2. For a short standard variety with relatively small fruits, this figure is considered high. However, seed producers and gardeners themselves claim that the given figure is underestimated, and up to 25 kg of tomatoes can be harvested from one Siberian Troika bush.
Description
The plant is determinate, a powerful bush, standard type, 50 - 60 cm high. In a greenhouse, of course, the growth will be higher. The height of a tomato is self-limited by the formation of a flower inflorescence. The stem is thick and stable. The root system is quite well developed. The foliage is good. The leaves are dark green and medium in size. Yellow flowers form a simple type inflorescence. The first fruit cluster of the variety is laid above the 9th leaf, and then after 1, sometimes 2 leaves. One stem forms up to 5 - 6 clusters, each of which consists of 5 - 10 ovaries. Pedicel with articulation.
The fruits of the Siberian Troika are not one-dimensional, elongated; tomatoes of various shapes can sometimes ripen on one bush - pepper-shaped, cylindrical, with a slight bend, with a spout at the top. On the very first cluster, the tomatoes are larger, up to 15 cm long, weighing almost 300 grams, maximum weight up to 350 grams. Basically, according to information from Internet sources, the weight is about 200 - 250 grams. According to the State Register, the weight is in the range of 80 - 100 grams. The skin is dense, but not thick, smooth, slightly shiny. At the stage of consumer ripeness, the color is deep red. The pulp is moderately juicy and dense, there are 3 - 4 seed chambers, the taste is excellent, sweet. The taste is rated as excellent.
Many people confuse the described variety with a variety called Troika. These are different types, differing in the shape of the tomatoes - the latter has round and aligned ones.
Pros and cons of the Siberian Troika tomato
The Siberian Troika tomato has a number of advantages, thanks to which it has gained wide popularity.
Among the advantages are:
- excellent taste;
- high yield, stable even in low light;
- resistance to temperature changes;
- resistance to heat;
- disease resistance;
- high commercial qualities;
- versatility of fruit use.
Neither seed producers nor gardeners can identify any significant disadvantages in this variety. Of these disadvantages, we can only highlight the need to tie up the bushes during fruiting.
Advantages and disadvantages, features and differences from other varieties
There is no single distinctive feature of the Siberian Troika variety from others: so many varieties and hybrids of tomatoes have been created at present. But the whole set of properties distinguishes the variety favorably from similar ones: while being unpretentious to growing conditions, the variety produces high yields of attractive bright red tomatoes, not of the smallest size, with excellent taste, suitable for both direct consumption and all types of processing.
The main advantages of the variety are:
- high, for a determinate tomato, yield;
- excellent taste of fruits both fresh and canned;
- good transportability of the crop and ability for long-term storage;
- compactness of the bush and ease of care;
- high disease resistance;
- increased resistance to sudden temperature changes, cold and heat.
No serious deficiencies have been identified in the variety, but its low resistance to non-infectious blossom end rot is noted, therefore, when preparing the beds, increased doses of lime should be added to them, and in case of illness, calcium nitrate should be ready to contain the disease.
Features of cultivation
In order for the Siberian Troika bushes to show increased productivity, it is necessary to provide them with high-quality care and know a few agrotechnical tricks.
Sowing of seedlings is carried out in the early stages - in late February-early March. You should not be afraid of seedlings stretching due to lack of sunlight; the Siberian Troika practically does not stretch and tolerates low light quite easily. When sowing at a later date, the bushes simply will not have time to set a large number of tassels.
Planting is carried out mainly in open ground, then the seedlings are provided with temporary shelter for the adaptation period. Planting in a greenhouse is also possible - the tomato tolerates heat well (it does not drop flowers and sets fruit normally in extreme conditions). The planting pattern is standard - 50x40 cm. If desired, you can place 2 seedlings in 1 hole.
Care is the most standard. The Siberian troika is so unpretentious that it only needs watering, loosening, weeding and fertilizing. The first three activities can be carried out somewhat less frequently if you mulch the soil in the garden bed.
The formation of bushes is carried out only in their lower part: you need to remove all the shoots located below the first flower brush. The crown that the bush will develop in the upper part does not need to be formed. Despite the fact that the bush has a powerful trunk, you will have to tie up the fruit-bearing branches. Since a lot of tomatoes are set, the branches may break off or sink to the ground, which will lead to their rot.
To increase the yield of the Siberian Troika, you can resort to one simple method - without waiting for the fruits to fully ripen, collect them at the stage of blanzhe ripeness (when they have not yet acquired the varietal color, but have already lightened). Thanks to this, the fruits that set later grow larger in size. The collected tomatoes are ripened in boxes without changing their varietal characteristics.
Tomato Siberian Troika. Picking and review of seedlings - video
Diseases and pests
Many diseases can be prevented by observing proper crop rotation. You cannot plant tomatoes in beds that in the previous year were occupied by other representatives of the nightshade family: potatoes, peppers, eggplants.
Caring for tomatoes will not cause you any difficulties
Regular care of tomatoes (weeding, loosening the soil) will help avoid many diseases and pest damage. It is not necessary to use insecticides when the crop is damaged by aphids or mites, especially during the period of fruit ripening. You can use homemade preparations:
- soap solution (100 grams of laundry soap per 1 liter of warm water);
- ammonia solution (50 ml per bucket of water);
- infusion of onion peels (half a bucket of onion peels is poured with 10 liters of hot water and allowed to brew for a day, filtered before use).
It is advisable to treat plants in the evening, in calm weather, after watering. If necessary, the procedure is repeated after a week.
To prevent certain diseases and damage to bushes by pests, you can use sifted ash. After heavy rains, in cool weather, the leaves are “powdered” with it. In this case, the ash acts as a mineral fertilizer, since it contains potassium, calcium, magnesium and sodium.
Reviews from gardeners who planted
The Siberian Troika variety has been on sale for a relatively long time, so many gardeners have already managed to test it on their plots. Below are several reviews from gardeners growing Siberian Troika.
Tatiyanka 1:
“A variety with a twist. The taste of tomatoes depends on the weather - in warm summers the fruits are very sweet, in rainy seasons they ripen completely tasteless and watery. Moreover, not only I noticed this, but also all my friends. Regarding the taste, I can add that this tomato is truly one of the sweetest, if the weather is favorable.”
Tikhomirova V.:
“There is no greenhouse on the site, so we always select varieties only for open ground. The Siberian Troika is perfect for this. You don’t have to wait long for the first fruits; we remove more than 5 kg from the bush per season. This amount is enough for pickling and salads.”
Rada:
“I grew the Siberian Troika both in a greenhouse and in open ground. In open ground, the tomato performed slightly better. The seedlings do not stretch, the seedlings grow strong. Delicious, sweet, I will definitely plant more. It seems to me that the Siberian Troika is similar to the Parsley Gardener variety, only the fruits are larger.”
Ilja:
“I grew the Siberian troika in a greenhouse. The yield is average, the fruits are tasty, sweet, fleshy and juicy.”
Meows:
“Grown in 2016 in a greenhouse. The yield was average, the fruits were partially affected by blossom end rot. The variety was one of the last to become infected with brown spot, at the end of August. I don’t plan to repeat it, I want to plant more productive tomatoes. There are no complaints about the taste - the tomatoes are sweet and tasty. The bushes have grown 80 cm, powerful, compared to the rest - just monsters.”
Ira_nad:
“The variety is mega-yielding, the fruits are all even, and, despite their small size, they are very fleshy and sweet. Siberian troika is excellent for canning - the fruits can be neatly and evenly placed in a jar. I’ll definitely repeat it next season, this variety has a lot of advantages.”
ZlataPolinskaya:
“Whenever I go to a store to buy seeds, I first of all ask about the Siberian Troika - this variety is always the first to be sorted out. The fruits hang on the bushes in large clusters, each weighing up to 250 g. The tomatoes are sweet and sour, small-chambered, fleshy. They look beautiful when cut into rings - they don’t fall apart. In general, they last a long time in the refrigerator. The variety is primarily liked for its pronounced tomato taste.“
Sedovlaska:
“I love this pickled variety – the tomatoes are very tasty.”
Landing
Plants need fertilizers
Seeds for seedlings for greenhouses are sown in early or mid-March. Young plants can be transplanted to a permanent place two months after sowing.
For transplanting into open ground, the procedure is carried out in May, focusing on weather conditions in the region.
Sowing
Before sowing, seeds are disinfected by soaking for 20 minutes in a manganese solution. If necessary, they can be treated with a growth stimulator.
The first layer of soil is poured into the container and the planting material is laid out (at intervals of 1.5-2 cm) and moistened with warm water from a spray bottle. Cover the top with a second layer of soil (0.5-1 cm) and cover tightly with film.
Seedling
For the seeds to hatch, a temperature of 24-25°C is needed.
The first shoots appear 4-6 days after sowing. From this moment, the film is removed, the sprouts are watered, and the temperature is reduced to 16°C for several days.
Having noticed 2-3 true leaves, you can start picking the seedlings. The plants are transplanted into separate pots, having previously fertilized the soil with a mineral complex.
Special ready-made soil for seedlings usually contains all the necessary nutrients for the initial growth of seedlings. Such soil does not need to be supplemented with fertilizers. In this case, the first application of fertilizers to pickled seedlings is carried out only 10-15 days after rooting.
Transfer
Before planting tomatoes in a greenhouse or open ground, a hardening procedure is carried out. 10 days before transplantation, the pots are taken outside (on the first day - for half an hour, then - for an hour and gradually increase the time to a whole daylight hours).
The seedlings are planted in fertilized and loosened soil at a distance of 40 cm from each other. 50 cm are spaced between the rows. After this, water with warm, settled water strictly at the root.
Care
Proper care will provide you with a rich harvest
Siberian Troika tomatoes do not need special formation - as the bushes grow, they themselves form 3-4 stems.
- It is necessary to remove the stepsons that grow from the root.
- Although the variety is determinate, it is better to tie it up, since the stems can droop from the weight of the fruit.
- Mandatory measures include watering with warm water (once a week), loosening, weeding, and ventilating the greenhouse.
- To retain moisture in the soil and make maintenance easier, the beds can be mulched with straw or peat.
Feeding
It is better to feed tomatoes immediately during watering, alternating or combining mineral fertilizers with organic matter.
On average, fertilize once every two weeks. After a long cloudy period, plants need additional potassium and nitrogen, and with high humidity, calcium and magnesium.
If a purple tint appears on the leaves, they need phosphorus, and if they curl, they lack potassium.
If the bush grows poorly (thin stems and pale leaves), it is useful to do foliar feeding using urea.
A good fertilizer for tomatoes in the early stages of growth are fast-acting organic fertilizers - infusions of mullein or bird droppings. But feeding with these fertilizers is stopped when the tomatoes enter the flowering and ovary formation phase.
Prevention and control of diseases
According to the characteristics, the Siberian Troika tomato has high disease resistance, but the crop still needs prevention.
To avoid late blight, you must adhere to the rules of crop rotation - do not plant tomatoes after nightshades and in dangerous proximity to potatoes. In addition, plantings should not be overly thickened in pursuit of high yields.
When transplanting, the bushes are treated with Bordeaux mixture (repeat after two weeks). If signs of brown spot appear, spray with copper oxychloride, water with potassium permanganate or ash solution.
Calcium nitrate is used against blossom end rot (once a week for a month).
To prevent gray rot, it is recommended to ventilate the greenhouse more often, and at its first manifestations, cut off diseased areas and treat the cuts with manganese.
