Tomato Chio-chio-san F1 – description of the popular variety, characteristics and reviews

History of hybrid breeding

Tomato seeds Chio-chio-san from the company Gavrish
This tomato hybrid was created by breeders from a famous agricultural company at the end of the last century. When creating it, experts tried to develop a variety with a good yield, unpretentiousness to grow, and its fruits to be universal in use.

The tomato went through variety testing and in 1999 was included in the Russian State Register of Agricultural Achievements. The hybrid Cio-Cio-San is recommended for cultivation in most Russian regions, and it is also successfully grown by vegetable growers from Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova.

It is recommended to cultivate this tomato in greenhouse conditions or in film greenhouses, where its yield is practically independent of the weather conditions of the growing region. But in the southern regions of Russia, this hybrid can also be successfully grown in garden beds.

Advantages and disadvantages, differences from other varieties

The advantages of the Cio-Cio-san hybrid follow from its description. The main ones can be reduced to literally a few, but striking phrases:

• high yield combined with friendly harvest ripening;
• great taste;
• versatility of use;
• good shelf life and transportability;
• high immunity to diseases.

Relative disadvantages include the fact that you have to constantly monitor the bushes. It cannot be said that the hybrid requires special care: no, it is quite unpretentious, but without the formation of a bush, the yield will be noticeably reduced, without a garter it will lie on the ground, and fruits that are not collected in time may crack on the branches.

The features of the hybrid that distinguish it from many others are that the number of small, tasty fruits simultaneously ripening on the bushes is truly large. At the same time, their quantity allows you to both eat plenty of fresh tomatoes and prepare them for the winter. Of course, we can say that there are many similar varieties, and this will be true. After all, breeders have developed hundreds of varieties and hybrids, and many of them differ little from each other.

So, the fruits of the famous De Barao pink tomato are somewhat similar to Cio-Cio-san, but they ripen later and are slightly larger. The Pink Flamingo is beautiful, but its fruits are twice as large. There are many varieties of pink salad tomatoes (Pink Honey, Pink Giant, etc.), but you can’t put them in a jar... Each variety has its own purpose and its admirers.

Pink Flamingo also grows in clusters, but it is a larger-fruited tomato.

Description of tomato

This hybrid belongs to the indeterminate type, so the growth of its shoots is not limited in growth. And if you do not pinch the upper part of the shoot, the height of the stem can be 2.5 m or more. However, vegetable growers usually pinch shoots at a height of about 2 m.

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Tomato Chio-chio-san F1

In this case, it is necessary to tie up the shoots, otherwise they will simply break under the weight of a large number of ripening tomatoes. It is also recommended to form bushes of this tomato into 2-3 stems, no more. This tomato hybrid is considered mid-ripening in terms of ripening time - about 120 days pass from the moment of germination of the seed material to the harvesting of the first ripe fruits.

The shoots are quite strong and erect, with medium foliage. The foliage is medium in size, narrow, with sparse jagged edges, slightly wrinkled, with sharp tips, dark emerald color.

The flowers are small in size, collected in racemes. Moreover, in each of these inflorescences up to 45-50 ovaries can be formed. Therefore, in addition to tying the shoots, supports should also be placed under the clusters with ripening fruits.

Tomato Chio-chio-san orange

The first raceme is formed under the 10th permanent leaflet, and all subsequent ones - through 3 leaf blades.

Ripe tomatoes are regular egg-shaped, with glossy, smooth skin, and small in size. The weight of the fruit is no more than 40 g. The skin is compacted, of medium thickness, not prone to cracking, its color is pink. The pulp has a delicate, sweetish taste; each fruit has no more than 3 seed chambers with a small number of seeds.

The taste of ripe fruits is sweet with a slight sourness; therefore, experts classify this tomato as a dessert variety. But the aroma of ripe fruits is weak, typically tomato-like.

The harvested crop can be transported to any distance - and the fruits do not lose either their taste or presentation. And harvested tomatoes can be stored for several weeks in appropriate conditions. Therefore, the Chio-Chio-san tomato is also grown on their plots by those farmers who sell the harvested products.

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Nuances for open ground and greenhouse conditions

In a greenhouse, a tomato grows taller than in open ground, so the top of the greenhouse bushes is pinched. It is important to carry out this procedure before fruiting begins, so that nutrients are spent on formed ovaries, and not on the growth of unnecessary inflorescences.

Before planting tomatoes, the soil in the greenhouse is treated with copper sulfate , after being spilled with a hot solution of manganese. In this way, it is disinfected from fungal spores. In the spring, the top layer of soil is replaced with a new one, since the old layer is depleted after last year's plantings. If it is not possible to replace the soil, then it is carefully fertilized with a full range of minerals.

The peculiarity of greenhouse plants is that they produce a larger harvest than outdoor bushes. But in this case, the taste of the fruit suffers. Timely pinching prevents the formation of unnecessary fruitful branches.

Main characteristics

This tomato variety tolerates periods of drought well, as well as elevated air temperatures, and can be grown in light partial shade. However, at low temperatures, bushes of this growth may retard their growth, and the fruits will not develop.

Ripe tomatoes should be picked immediately, otherwise the fruits may crack if they are overripe.

Productivity

This tomato, despite the small size of the fruit, is characterized by high yield - up to 8 kg of ripe produce can be harvested from each square of area. However, many vegetable growers, with proper agricultural technology, get up to 6 kg from each plant.

Tomato harvest Chio-chio-san

Also, the Cio-Cio-San tomato bushes are distinguished by their uniform yield of ripe fruits, most of which ripen almost simultaneously.

Application area of ​​tomatoes

The collected fruits are used for fresh eating and decoration of dishes. But the fruits of this hybrid are also good for preservation - they do not burst or crack during heat treatment, so they look great in pickled glass jars. And the taste of the tomatoes does not deteriorate.

The juice made from the collected fruits will also be tasty, but you won’t get too much of it. Therefore, to prepare ketchup, lecho or tomato pastes, it is better to use fruits of other varieties.

Reviews

Anna, 45 years old, Kemerovo: I grow different varieties of tomatoes in my garden plot in a greenhouse. I sell the surplus produce, which is why I liked the Cio-Cio-San tomato so much. Its bushes produce a huge number of small, tasty, pink-colored tomatoes. The tomato does not require special care, almost does not get sick, and the fruits tolerate travel well and can be stored for up to 2 weeks.

Nadya, 44 years old, Moscow region: I’ve been planting the Cio-Cio-San tomato for several years now. I can say that to obtain high yields, this tomato needs to be planted in greenhouses, but in garden beds the bushes of this tomato do not grow large, and fewer ovaries are formed in the clusters than in greenhouse conditions. Those housewives who close a large number of pickled tomatoes for the winter definitely need to plant this tomato on their plot. But in salads, the collected tomatoes are a little tough.

Igor, 55 years old, Voronezh region: I really like the Cio-Cio-San tomato - it is unpretentious, does not require special care, and practically does not get sick. But I noticed that bushes of this variety do not like excessive soil moisture - their fruits immediately begin to burst. Therefore, you should follow the irrigation regime and be sure to put supports under the brushes, otherwise they will break.

The Cio-Cio-San tomato is one of the best small-fruited varieties. It is resistant to diseases, can easily withstand changes in weather conditions, including heat, and is distinguished by its high yield, beautiful shape and pleasant taste of fruits, for which they are valued not only by adults, but also by children.

Diseases and pests

This hybrid is characterized by increased resistance to most diseases characteristic of other varieties and hybrids of tomatoes.

Among the pests, bushes of this variety can be attacked by spider mites, whiteflies or nematodes. They should be combated with the help of special insecticidal preparations.

To combat pests, you can use traditional methods: spray tomato tops with infusions and decoctions based on garlic, onion peels, ash or tobacco dust.

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Opinions of summer residents regarding the “Udachny” tomato

Reviews regarding the variety provide the inexperienced gardener with a lot of useful information. Based on which, he decides whether to plant tomatoes or not.

• Angelina. I grew a few bushes to try. Tomatoes have proven themselves to be excellent. Next year he plans to increase the number of bushes. I especially liked the canned fruits.
• Andrey Vasilievich. Recommends it to all summer residents I know. I like the taste of tomatoes. Considers them a variety for the lazy. They require virtually no maintenance.

Every gardener has his own favorite tomatoes. Those who planted the “Udachny” tomato variety are most often satisfied with everything. And this variety is firmly among the first rows of selected species for planting.

Main advantages

The main positive qualities of this variety include:

• good yield of the variety;
• resistance to periods of drought and heat;
• the hybrid can be grown in partial shade;
• high resistance to most diseases;
• versatility of the harvested crop;
• pleasant taste and good appearance of the collected fruits;
• friendly return of the harvest;
• The collected fruits tolerate transportation well over different distances and have good shelf life.

Bush care

Further care activities include:

• Watering. Water tomato bushes only at the root, generously. Watering is carried out in the morning to prevent increased air humidity at night. For irrigation, take warm, settled water;
• Loosening. It is a mandatory procedure that improves soil aeration and allows moisture to reach the root system. Loosen after each watering to prevent the formation of a crust on the soil surface;
• Bush formation. Form a plant into one or two stems. However, experienced vegetable growers advise forming into two stems;
• Stepsonning. Stepsons are pruned once a week, removing all lateral shoots;
• Feeding. Throughout the season, 3-4 feedings are carried out, alternating organic and complex mineral fertilizers;
• Tying;

Since the plant is tall, it needs to be tied up. Otherwise, the stem may break off under the weight of its own fruits.

• Mulching. Mulched soil allows for a long period of moisture retention and also protects the plantings from weeds;
• Ventilation. When grown in greenhouse conditions, the room is ventilated every day. This will prevent the occurrence of fungal diseases.

Planting and care

This tomato hybrid is usually grown by seedlings. At the same time, there are no special nuances when growing it. Seed material must be purchased annually from specialized stores. There is no need to carry out any additional processing for seeds before planting - everything has already been done by specialists from the seed company.

The time for planting seeds for seedlings is the second ten days of March, if the seedlings are planned to be grown in central Russia. If seedlings are planned to be grown in greenhouses in the north of the country, then the time for planting seed material for seedlings will shift by a couple of weeks.

Growing seedlings of this variety is standard - regular watering, picking at the stage of a pair of true leaves, applying nitrogen fertilizers twice during the period of growing seedlings.

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In greenhouse conditions, it is important to prepare the beds in the fall - replace the top layer of soil with fresh one. If this is not possible, then the soil is spilled with copper sulfate for disinfection, then humus is added (up to 10 kg per square area), as well as mineral fertilizers to increase its fertility.

Humus or compost is also added to garden beds in the fall for digging, and in the spring 35 g of superphosphate and potassium salt are added to the planting holes.

Seedlings are planted in beds according to the following scheme: the distance between the bushes in a row is 0.45-0.6 m, and the width between the rows is 0.7-0.8 m. If there is extra space in the garden or greenhouse, then it is better to plant on each square of area no more than 2 tomato bushes Cio-Cio-San.

When planting seedlings, it is advisable to install trellises for further tying up tomato bushes or drive in tall, strong stakes. After planting, the plants need to be watered well, the root zone should be mulched, and then the plantings should not be touched for 1.5 weeks.

How to grow seedlings

At the end of winter - beginning of spring, vegetable growers begin to plant seed material of various vegetable crops, including tomatoes, for seedlings. And the Cio-Cio-San variety is no exception.

Seedlings of this tomato are planted in a permanent place at the age of 55-60 days. Based on the time of planting tomato bushes in a permanent place in a particular region, the time of sowing the seeds is calculated. Typically, the timing of this procedure is calculated from the last ten days of February to the last ten days of March.

Seed preparation

Before sowing, seed material should be checked for germination (calibration). To do this, place it in salted water and watch which seeds sink to the bottom of the container. They will be 100% germinating. The rest of the seed should be thrown away.

Then the seeds are washed and soaked for 30 minutes in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. This is necessary in order to disinfect them. After this, the seed material is washed in running water and soaked in a growth accelerator solution.

The seeds that have passed all these procedures are ready for sowing.

Container and soil

All containers that will be used for growing Cio-Cio-San tomato seedlings are subject to mandatory disinfection. And if you can simply wash newly purchased containers with soapy water, then those that have already been in use should be washed with a pink solution of potassium permanganate (if they are plastic). Wooden containers need to be soaked in this solution for half an hour.

All containers for growing seedlings must have drainage holes in the bottom - through them, excess water after watering will drain into the pan.

It is better to purchase soil for planting tomato seedlings in a specialized store - there the vegetable grower will be sold a special nutrient substrate for growing vegetable seedlings, to which all the necessary nutrients for the growth of such plants have been added.

If summer residents decide to prepare such a soil mixture on their own, then they must mix turf soil, high-moor peat and humus or compost in equal parts. To make such a substrate loose, add river sand (500 g for every 10 kg of mixture) or the same amount of rotted sawdust.

The substrate prepared in this way may contain pest larvae or pathogenic microorganisms that got there in the fall. Therefore, the soil must be disinfected before placing it in containers. To do this, you can calcine it in the oven, steam it in a water bath, or pour it with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.

And only after this, the nutrient substrate prepared at home will be ready for use.

Sowing

Since the seeds of this variety grow very quickly, it is better to immediately plant them in separate containers. The soil is pre-moistened, then the seeds are buried 1.5-2.0 cm and covered with film so that they germinate faster.

Important! Dry seed material usually germinates within a week, and germinated seed material within 3-4 days.

Containers with seeds should be kept in a room with a temperature of about +25ᵒC. After seedlings appear in the containers, the film must be removed and the plants moved to a lighted place.

Seedling care

In the future, the seedlings need to be regularly watered with warm water, strictly at the root. In this case, you need to ensure that moisture does not get on the green parts of the seedlings. Watering is carried out as the top layer of soil dries.

When the plants have several permanent leaves, they should be transplanted into larger pots. You can use peat cups, with which the adult seedlings will then be planted in a permanent place.

10-12 days after picking, the seedlings are fed with any fertilizer that contains nitrogen.

Repeated treatment with such fertilizer is carried out a couple of weeks after the first.

10-12 days before transplanting seedlings into beds or into a greenhouse, they are hardened off. To do this, the plants are taken outside for a short time - for an hour and a half. Gradually, the time outside is increased.

Transplantation to a permanent place

The soil in the beds or in the greenhouse must first be prepared. To do this, you need to remove all remnants of vegetation, add organic matter and dig up the soil using the bayonet of a shovel.

Transplantation of seedlings into garden beds is carried out when the temperature of the soil and environment rises to +14+16ᵒС. This tomato is planted in rows, with planting holes dug at a distance of 0.4-0.5 m from each other. The row spacing should be up to 0.6 m.

A handful of wood ash and 25 g of superphosphate are placed at the bottom of the holes, covered with a layer of earth on top and the seedling is installed along with a lump of earth or a peat pot. Then the hole is filled with soil, compacted and watered.

The top of the beds is covered with a layer of mulch. This could be straw or peat.

Care after landing

In the future, caring for these tomato bushes is standard: you need to carry out regular watering, weed and loosen the root zone of the plants, apply fertilizer several times a season, form the bushes, and also tie up the shoots as they grow. As the fruits in the clusters ripen, it is necessary to place supports under them.

The tops of the bushes should be pinched when they reach the top of the greenhouse. As the bushes ripen, it is necessary to tear off the foliage of the tomatoes, starting with the lower leaves. And by the time the fruits begin to ripen, there is practically no foliage left on the bushes.

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How to grow tomatoes

After two months, the seedlings are ready for planting in the ground . Transplantation is carried out when the threat of spring frosts has passed.

Landing

Planting pattern : 45 cm – distance between seedlings, 70 cm – row spacing. For 1 sq. m place no more than four plants.

The beds are chosen in a sunny place, protected from drafts . When planted in a checkerboard pattern, the seedlings do not shade each other and each bush receives a sufficient amount of sunlight.

Holes 20 cm deep are prepared in advance ; a little sawdust or ash is placed on their bottom and filled with water. After transplantation, water again with warm, settled water and leave for adaptation for 8-10 days.

Tomato care

Regular watering is established as the top layer of soil dries out , but not more than twice a week. Water with settled water strictly at the root, without getting on the leaves. The optimal time for watering is morning or evening hours, when the sun is not heating at full strength.

After watering, the soil must be loosened and weeds removed. Loosening ensures soil breathability and eliminates ground-borne pests.

To retain moisture in the beds for longer, they are mulched with straw . Peat can also be used as mulch, which additionally enriches the root system with useful substances.

Fertilizing is applied once every two weeks . Fertilize with a full complex of minerals alternately with organic matter. During flowering, they are fertilized mainly with phosphorus substances, and during fruiting, potassium preparations are added to speed up the filling of vegetables.

Seedling care

Caring for seedlings consists of the following procedures:

• regular watering of the substrate;
• daily ventilation;
• fertilization;
• picking;
• hardening (for planting in an open garden bed).

Watering is done with a spray bottle. You can only use warm, settled, rain or filtered water. Watering is carried out after 7-10 days. After the first shoots appear - approximately 3-4 days after sowing - the shelter should be removed.

When 1-2 true leaves are formed, the sprouts need to be planted in different peat pots or tablets with a nutrient substrate fertilized with Signor Tomato (3 tbsp per 5 liters of soil) or a complete mineral supplement (1 tbsp. per 5 liters of soil).

As before, they are regularly moistened and sprayed. The recommended air temperature during the day is not lower than 18 °C, at night - not lower than 12 °C.

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During the development of sprouts, 2 weeks after picking, they can be fertilized with mineral additives - Kemira Plus, Agricola or other complex fertilizers intended for seedlings.

If you plan to cultivate in open beds, then 7–10 days before the planned date of transplanting into the soil, it is recommended to begin hardening off the seedlings - on warm days, take the pots out into the fresh air, starting from 5 minutes a day. The duration of the hardening procedure will need to be increased daily.

A few days before it is planned to move the sprouts into the ground, stop watering them.

Instructions for growing tomato seedlings "Chio San"

Tomato seeds are noticeably smaller, but this does not affect their yield in any way. To get the harvest on time, seedlings are sown in early March. The shift is pre-prepared:

· reject empty and deformed ones;

· soak in a solution of growth stimulator and potassium permanganate;

· carry out hardening.

Planting material is planted in loose soil to a depth of 2 cm. After which the containers are covered with film and kept warm. Shoots appear on the 5th day. Gradually remove the cover and give the seedlings time to adapt.

Water the seedlings carefully so that the soil has time to dry out between waterings. Too wet soil leads to the appearance of “black leg”, which is not easy to get rid of.

The seedlings die in a short time.

The hybrid variety requires picking. It is carried out at the stage of two true leaves. The seedlings are carefully transplanted into separate 500 ml containers so that the root system develops well. The soil is used loose, as for sowing seeds.

The seedlings are transferred to open ground in mid-May, when warm weather sets in and night frosts have passed. The plants are first hardened off, taken outside, and the residence time is gradually increased.

Harvest and storage

To get a good harvest, it is important to treat the plants with care and care for them correctly and in a timely manner. A characteristic feature of the variety is that if you do not remove the tomato from the bush in time, it will simply burst

Thus, it is better to pick the unripe fruit and ripen it in a dry and bright place. Further use of tomatoes depends on personal preference.

The small size of tomatoes allows them to be compactly placed in a jar when canned. This type of processing does not spoil the appearance of the fruit at all; they look as if they had just been picked from the garden.

Most gardeners who planted this variety in their beds could no longer refuse it. This is especially true for those who grow tomatoes for sale.

Pulp density and attractive appearance are the main criteria that buyers pay attention to.

Watering, fertilizing

It is recommended to water tomatoes of the hybrid variety Cio-Cio-San no more than 2 times a week. The water should be settled, and the most appropriate time for watering is early morning or evening (after 18:00). If water accidentally gets on the leaves, there is a chance that they will get sunburned.

In order for the bushes to grow and bear fruit well, it should be provided with calcium, magnesium, nitrogen and other nutrients. Due to a lack of nitrogen, for example, foliage becomes pale and small, and premature flowering begins. A lack of potassium causes dark spots to appear on the fruits when ripe, and the leaves become covered with a hint of rust.

To avoid these and other problems, tomatoes must be fed with the fertilizers listed in the table below:

When feeding a tomato with herbal infusion, you need to be careful, since its high concentration can cause a chemical burn not only to the leaves, but also to the root system. And this, in turn, will end in the loss of the entire harvest.