Tomato Riddle: reviews, photos, yield, characteristics and description of the variety

Today we will introduce you to an amazing variety of tomatoes with an equally attractive name - Riddle. This variety can be grown by both an experienced gardener and a novice summer resident. In addition, these tomatoes produce an excellent harvest, and very early. And the fruits are always incredibly tasty and healthy. In order for you to have a varied harvest, you should plant different varieties of vegetable crops, and the Riddle tomato is ideal for this.

The Riddle tomato variety has quite unusual fruits, but the harvest is harvested very early. In the article we will tell you about the characteristics of the variety, growing rules, give recommendations on watering and feeding rules. And you will already decide whether to plant such tomatoes in your dacha or not. Well, let's reveal the secrets of this Riddle.

Brief information about the variety

Fruits : bright red tomatoes, round in shape, weight 80-100 g.
Bush : compact, determinate, 50-65 cm high.
Productivity : 1.5-3 kg per bush.
Resistance : high resistance to late blight and other fungal diseases.
Distribution : grown in all regions of Russia: in the southern regions - in open ground, in temperate regions and in Siberia, planting in open ground and in a greenhouse is allowed.
Application : tomatoes are suitable for salads and whole-fruit canning.
Planting : use the seedling method, sowing 50-60 days before planting. Planting in a permanent place in May according to the 40x70 cm pattern.
Soil : the variety is not picky about soil composition.
Care : moderate watering when the soil dries out, fertilizing 1-2 times per season, almost no need for pinching.
Ripening period : ultra-early variety, the first tomatoes ripen in the second half of June, bear fruit until the end of August.

Description of the variety

The shape of the fruit is semicircular or flat-round, developed in width. When cut, tomatoes have many chambers. The fruits are usually two-colored. There are tomatoes that are half red, half yellow, or there are yellow stripes on a red tomato, or vice versa. A detailed description of the variety is indicated on the seed packaging. When cut, they are also two-colored, similar to fruit. The bushes are tall, from 1.5 to 2 meters in length. It is usually necessary to form a bush with 2 stems. It is considered a mid-early variety with unlimited growth.

Plant bushes require regular and abundant watering, as well as mineral fertilizers. It is advisable to treat in advance with various means to prevent diseases. Since the variety is most often grown in greenhouses, it does not need to be treated for parasites.

Yellow-red tomatoes look unusual, so they are suitable as a snack. They are usually used fresh, because due to the fragile skin of tomatoes, they are inconvenient to preserve.

general characteristics

Tomatoes The mystery of the determinant type. The bush is short (50-65 cm high), compact, highly branched, the stems are strong and powerful. There are very few stepchildren.

The variety combines many positive qualities: it is unpretentious in care, ripens early, practically does not require pinching, easily tolerates shading, and is resistant to diseases.

Description of fruits

The fruits grow and ripen in clusters of 5-7 pieces. The first brush is formed already above the 5-6th leaf.

The tomatoes are bright red, round, smooth, with slight ribbing near the stalk.

The weight of one fruit is 80-90 g (in the greenhouse, gardeners grew fruits weighing more than 100 g). The pulp is dense, juicy, and has a pleasant taste. Its fairly thick skin makes it resistant to cracking.

The variety can be called not just early, but ultra-early - ripe tomatoes will delight gardeners already in June, 80-85 days after germination.

What harvests to expect?

The yield of the variety is average. One bush produces 1.5-3 kg of fruit; from 1 square meter of planting you can get about 22 kg.

Experienced gardeners recommend picking fruits unripe to stimulate the growth and ripening of new ones. With this approach, the yield will be maximum.

How to use the fruit

Ripe Riddle tomatoes are very good in fresh salads. You can add them to various dishes (stew, vegetable soup).

Small, dense tomatoes look great when pickled, do not crack, and are conveniently placed in jars. Suitable for making homemade sauces and snacks.

Due to their thick skin, tomatoes tolerate transportation and long-term storage well.

Place them tail-side down in mesh boxes, put them in a cool place - and enjoy the juicy fruits for a couple of months after harvest.

Is the variety resistant to diseases?

The variety is resistant to various diseases

One of the advantages of Riddle is its resistance to typical tomato diseases (for example, late blight). The reason lies in the early stages of ripening.

Gardeners manage to harvest before the August morning fogs, when the likelihood of late blight and other infections increases.

To prevent common diseases, it is enough to spray the plants in the beds with a solution of Bordeaux mixture 1-2 times per season.

Proven folk remedies (soap solution, decoction or infusion of celandine, onion peel) are also suitable for processing.

In what regions can it be grown?

It develops well both in open ground and in protected areas (greenhouses, hotbeds). Suitable for any region.

In the south of Russia, the variety bears fruit well without additional shelter. If you plant seedlings in a permanent place in early May, you can expect ripe tomatoes by June.

It is allowed to grow without seedlings, when the seeds are sown directly into the ground (sowing is carried out in the first days of May).

In regions with a temperate climate (Central Russia, the Volga region, the Urals), seedlings are planted in open ground at the end of May or beginning of June, when night frosts stop.

Tomatoes can be planted in a greenhouse or greenhouse earlier - in early May.

In regions of risky farming (for example, in Siberia), where there are recurrent frosts even in June, cultivation in a greenhouse is recommended.

A good option is to plant seedlings in open ground in the first days of summer and install a temporary film cover. When the threat of frost has passed, the film is removed.

The most productive tomatoes for open ground

Crimson giant. Sings in the average time range up to 90 days. The fruit weighs more than 500 g! From one bush - 6 kg of harvest. The sweetish-sour taste and friability of the pulp are suitable for salads. Garters must be used.
Alsou. Also gigantic fruits, 400-600 g each, ripen quickly. Used in sauces and salads. One bush produces 7 kg of harvest.
Bull's heart. Favorite and famous variety for taste and yield. There are red, yellow, black and pink colors. Ripens in 130 days, has fruits of 400-500 g. A bush 2 meters high produces 9 kg of vegetables.
Demidov. Mid-season, bred to be especially resistant to spring frosts, ripens in 110 days. Raspberry-pink sugary fruits, 80-120 g each. 6 kg are collected from the bush and do not require special care. We love it very much among summer residents. Used in salads and sauces
My family. Fruit with a melon flavor. Tomato weight is up to 600 g. Can be consumed in any form except canned.
Parsley gardener. The name comes from the pink-yellow color and oblong shape of the fruit. Grown for northern regions. Bushes of medium height, yield up to 6 kg per bush.9
De Barao Pink. It tolerates temperature fluctuations well, juicy and tasty fruit weighing up to 70 g.
Mystery. A hybrid that ripens early in open ground. Harvest in 80-90 days. Low bushes up to 45 cm tall, fruit weight 160 grams. Deep red color of tomato.
Anastasia. Highly productive variety, the ovaries are located through 2 leaves. The fruit is juicy, weighing up to 200 g, slightly tapering towards the spout. From one bush you can harvest up to 12 kg of vegetables.
Roma. It does not ripen quickly, but the yield is excellent. Up to 20 tomatoes ripen on one bunch, each weighing up to 100 g and shaped like cream. This variety has a dense peel and small size, suitable for canning and pickling.
Rio de Grande. The cream shape and weight of 120 g looks good on brushes of 15-20 pieces. The bushes are not tall, up to 50-60 cm. Sweet and aromatic tomatoes are also used for pickles.
Wonder of the world. A unique creation of selection. The fruits resemble lemons that hang on a branched vine. The brush contains up to 45 tomatoes, each weighing from 50 to 110 grams. The height of the vines is up to 1 meter. Used for pickles.
Tarasenko-2. Bright orange dense fruits, 70 g each. One bunch contains up to 35 tomatoes. It is classified as a commercial variety because it can be easily transported over long distances and can be stored for a very long time.
De Barao Yellow. Another representative of the famous variety. The oval-shaped fruits are bright orange, weigh 60 grams, have a thick peel, and are easily stored and transported. The growing season is 110-120 days.
Amur standard. The fruits of this hybrid ripen by the 90th day. Very resistant to drought, disease, frost. It ripens many fruits at the same time, each weighing 50-60 g. It is used for preservation and simple consumption.
Present. Grown in the southern and middle federal districts. Slightly flattened, bright red tomatoes. Requires intensive watering.
Search. Medium dense fruits ripen in large quantities and have a delicious aroma. A popular variety for canning among gardeners. Very resistant to fungi and undemanding in development.
Wild Rose. An unpretentious variety, it ripens early, the flesh tastes sweet and aromatic. Fruit 80 g, round in shape.
Gina. Red-orange large tomatoes grow in any region and are resistant to all weather and pathogenic factors.
Pudovik. Large fruits producing 5 kg of yield per bush. Ripens in 115 days.
Diabolic. The bush is taller than a meter, bred for the middle zone, and tolerates frost well. Its qualities are noted to be superior to Dutch types of tomatoes. Used in any form in cooking.
Marmande. Ripens early, a lot, very unpretentious. Very popular among gardeners.

The most productive varieties of tomatoes require careful attention to the site as a whole: loosen the soil, collect ripe fruits in a timely manner, treat the bushes from pests, and do not forget to feed them. Then a magnificent harvest will provide tomatoes with divine taste and beneficial properties throughout the winter.

Advantages and disadvantages

Based on the description, we can highlight the following advantages of the variety:

easy to maintain - even a beginner can handle it;
very early and friendly ripening of tomatoes;
attractive appearance and pleasant taste of the fruit;
almost complete absence of stepchildren;
the bush easily tolerates slight shading;
good keeping quality and transportability;
resistance to diseases.

According to gardeners, the tomato has performed well and has no significant drawbacks.

Most of those who planted this variety on their plot were satisfied with the harvest and recommend it to others.

How to collect seeds

Leave the first tomato that turns red to seed and let the fruit grow until it is fully ripe. Then pick it, squeeze the seeds into a glass containing 1/3 water, leave for 2 - 3 days, then the seeds will sink to the bottom. Drain the water, rinse the seeds and dry.

Growing seedlings

Usually they start with preparing the soil. The ideal option for tomatoes is a ready-made soil mixture; it will provide the seedlings with good nutrition.

Gardeners who prepare soil for sowing on their own recommend the following composition: garden soil, humus, sand and peat in equal proportions.

To protect against diseases, the homemade soil mixture is first watered with a slightly pink solution of potassium permanganate.

The seeds are taken even and whole. You can buy them at a garden store, or better yet, collect your own from the first ripe tomato.

The seeds are pre-etched with a bright pink solution of potassium permanganate (1 g per 100 ml of water) for 40 minutes, washed with clean water, then germinated on a saucer with a damp cloth.

You can sow from early March to April, approximately 50 days before planting in the ground.

Planting depth is no more than 2 cm. It is not recommended to place the seeds too close to each other so as not to thicken the crops, because young plants are easily damaged during transplantation.

The plant needs to be tied to a support

Before germination, the boxes are covered with film and kept at a temperature of 23-25˚C. After germination, the seedlings are transferred to a bright place. Water as needed.

At the stage of two pairs of true leaves, seedlings dive into pots. The first days after picking, diffused light is recommended, then again you can put it on a sunny windowsill.

The duration of daylight for tomato seedlings should be at least 12 hours. Even on a south window, there is bright sun and good lighting for no more than 3-4 hours. Therefore, if there is insufficient light, so that the seedlings do not stretch, they should be moved to other well-lit windows (eastern, western) or illuminated with a fluorescent lamp.

A week before the intended planting in the ground, fertilize with complex mineral fertilizer, and also harden it by taking it out into the open air.

Planting and care

Before growing a Riddle tomato, the soil must be fertilized in advance. In the fall, manure is applied to the garden bed, and in the spring, mineral fertilizers are applied: superphosphate, saltpeter and sodium sulfate. They are mixed in equal proportions.

Tomato seeds are sown for seedlings at the end of March.

You can prepare the seeds yourself - for this you choose the largest and most fleshy fruit.

Self-collected seed must be treated with a solution of potassium permanganate, and then briefly soaked in a solution of a growth stimulator. The soil should be light, but nutritious and well fertilized. It is prepared from the following components:

garden soil;
river sand;
peat;
a little superphosphate;
some wood ash.

The prepared mixture is also poured with a solution of potassium permanganate or calcined in an oven. If the seeds and soil were purchased at the store, these procedures are not required.

The grains are buried 1 cm, making the distance between the grooves 2-3 cm. Sprinkle with earth, carefully spray with a spray bottle or water with a spoon. The boxes are covered with film or glass and placed in a warm place until germination - +23-25 degrees. When the sprouts appear, the covering is removed, the boxes are placed on a lighted windowsill and the temperature is reduced to +18 for a week. If daylight hours are short, you need to illuminate the seedlings with a lamp.

When 2 true leaves appear, the seedlings dive.

Bushes can be planted in open ground when the risk of frost has passed. The nights must already be warm, otherwise plant growth will slow down. The soil should warm up to +16 degrees. Two weeks before planting, the bushes need to be hardened off by taking them out into the air during the day.

The seedlings are buried to the bottom leaf - this will ensure the development of a strong root system.

Water with warm water, preferably in the evenings. The soil is regularly loosened, mulched with hay or straw to prevent drying out, weeds are pulled out and bushes are treated against pests.

Feed the plants 3-5 times per season. The first time - one and a half to two weeks after planting in the ground. For 10 liters of water use 10-20 g of ammonium nitrate. When the tomatoes bloom, add manure with azofoska (20 g of the drug per 10 liters of manure), after which they are watered with mullein solution at intervals of 2 weeks. You can also use inorganic fertilizers - ammonium nitrate (15 g per 10 l of water) and potassium sulfate (25 g per 10 l).

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Transplantation to a permanent place

50-60 days after emergence, the seedlings are ready for planting in the ground. The procedure is carried out in the evening or on a cloudy day, this promotes better survival of tomatoes.

Plantings are placed according to a 40x70 cm pattern so that the plants have enough light and air.

Tomatoes of the Riddle variety tolerate shading well, but grow and bear fruit better in a sunny place.

Planted in holes prepared in advance, deepened to the level of cotyledon leaves, the soil around the roots is slightly compacted. Then the bush is watered abundantly and tied to a support.

How to water a tomato Riddle

Water pink tomatoes of the Riddle variety at the root. If moisture gets on the leaves and stems, the water can ruin the plants. Droplets of moisture create a lens effect, burning the delicate tomato stems.

It is best to water Riddle tomatoes late in the evening, since the soil will be well saturated with moisture overnight, and the water will not evaporate. Do not get carried away with watering until the ovary forms. After all, plants can intensively grow green mass, but they will not bear fruit. But do not allow the soil to dry out.

It is best to use a drip irrigation system. To do this, you should lay pipes along the tomato beds and make holes where the plants are planted. This way the moisture will get directly under the root, but the leaves and stems will not be wet.

When tomatoes of the Riddle variety begin to set, it is recommended to water the tomatoes approximately once every 5 days. If you want moisture to be absorbed better, be sure to loosen the soil before watering. You can mulch the soil. To do this, gardeners place straw, sawdust and dry grass near the plants.

Take into account the specific climatic conditions of the region in order to adjust the watering regime for tomatoes of the Zagadka variety.

Care in the ground

The good thing about this variety is that it does not require special care.

Watering is carried out in the evening, at the root of the plant, without affecting the leaves. Tomatoes do not like waterlogging; it is enough to monitor the condition of the soil and prevent it from drying out and cracking. During fruiting, water once a week.
There is no need to form a bush. Very few stepsons are formed; they need to be cut off.
It is better to tie the plants to a support so that the fruit clusters have additional support.
The variety does not require fertilizing; 1-2 times per season is enough. You can limit yourself to adding humus and complex fertilizers to the hole before planting tomatoes in the ground.
The soil is regularly loosened and mulched, and weeds are removed.

Typical mistakes when growing

Some gardeners, hoping for strong stems, do not tie them to a support. In this case, the branches, under the weight of the fruits, fall too low to the ground and the tomatoes may rot (for example, if the summer is wet).

You should not wait until the harvest on the bush is fully ripened. It is better to pick the fruits unripe to stimulate the growth of the rest.

Avoid overcrowding to get a larger harvest.

In the southern regions, gardeners are not recommended to pluck the shoots from the bushes, since fruits also form on them. Over the summer you can harvest a truly rich harvest of tomatoes.

Harvesting and application

Growing the Riddle tomato in the fields, farmers harvest the crop in three stages.

The first harvest takes place when 20% of the fruits acquire a brown color. Workers collect all the brown fruits. Then, during transportation, the tomato quickly ripens and arrives at the place of sale already red.
The second harvest is carried out when 50% of the fruits reach brown ripeness.
At the third harvest, the entire crop is harvested.

Vegetable growers in their garden plots can harvest tomatoes that are already fully ripe.

Small, uniform, red fruits are successfully used for:

whole fruit canning;
pickles;
pickling;
pickling;
cooking tomatoes in their own juice.

If the harvest is large, then the “Riddle” can be used to make tomato juice, sauce, ketchup or lecho. Those who love barrel products can safely grow these tomatoes. According to reviews, “Riddle” is the best variety for cultivation for storage in barrels.

Disease and pest control

The variety is practically not affected by fungal infections typical of tomatoes (late blight, fusarium, gray rot).

The main reason for resistance is early fruit ripening. The bush manages to produce its harvest before the period when the risk of disease increases (usually mid-to-late August).

The likelihood of the appearance of fungal diseases of tomato exists throughout the entire growing period. Diseases such as brown spot, macrosporiosis, and black bacterial spot can appear at the beginning of the growing season before flowering and fruiting.

To prevent common diseases, the beds are treated 1-2 times per season with one of the following preparations:

biological products (Fitosporin, Baikal-EM, Gamair, etc.);
chemicals (Bordeaux mixture, copper sulfate);
folk remedies (infusion of garlic, celandine, onion peels, salt or soapy water, wood ash).

The first treatment is carried out after planting the seedlings in a permanent place. If the summer is rainy, it is recommended to repeat after 3-4 weeks.

Gardeners have noticed that tomatoes hardly attract insects and do not require the use of protective methods.

Tomato Mystery of nature

Another tomato with a similar name, “The Mystery of Nature,” was bred by scientists in Novosibirsk. Since 2008, the variety has been in the State Register and is recommended for cultivation in various territories due to its plasticity.

In Siberia it is grown in greenhouses, and in the southern regions - in the open air. Indeterminate bushes are very tall, more than 1.5 meters, and are quite susceptible to common diseases, so they need competent and careful care. The fruits, which give the name to the whole variety, are of an unusual fancy color, yellow and pink. They are large, weighing 300-350 grams, with a delicate taste.

Ripening occurs on days 108-110, which is quite early for large-fruited tomatoes. Productivity is high, fruiting is extended. This is a variety for sophisticated gardeners and those who are ready to work hard on their plot to obtain selected salad vegetables.

– We advise you to read about the favorite of gardeners – the Altai masterpiece tomato, which has a delicious taste.