Tomato Nastenka - description of a good variety of Siberian selection

Productivity

The Nastenka variety enters the fruiting phase early - the first tomatoes can be harvested within 85...105 days after emergence. The first fruit cluster is formed after the 10th leaf; over the entire season the bush will develop 12 such clusters.

There are many flowers on one plant, so to increase the yield, fruits that are not yet fully ripe are removed from it (at the stage of blanzhe ripeness, when the tomatoes have not yet turned crimson, but have already turned white). Nastenka gives away the harvest quite unanimously.

In 1 m2 of planting you can harvest up to 12 kg of sweet tomatoes. Basically, such a high yield is observed when Nastenka is grown in greenhouse conditions. In open ground this figure drops to 4...8 kg/m2. Thus, when planting Nastenka in open beds, gardeners collect 1...2 kg of tomatoes per bush.

Diseases and pests

This type of tomato is resistant to most types of diseases and pests, but is still susceptible to some of them.

The main problems are caused by pests - spider mites and whitefly aphids. To combat mites, a soap solution is most often used, cleaning the affected areas of the plant with it until the pest is completely destroyed.

Confidor is used against whiteflies, making a solution in the proportion of 1 milliliter per 10 liters of water. The plant can also be attacked by slugs, it is easy to fight against them, just sprinkle the soil around the bushes with ash and ground hot pepper, after which the slugs will go away.

Of the diseases, tomato is most often susceptible to fruit cracking. If this problem occurs to you, then you should adjust the watering regime and temperature and the cracking will decrease.

Pros and cons of the Nastenka tomato

The Nastenka variety is liked by many gardeners. First of all, for combining early ripening with the sweetness of the fruit. Not all early varieties can boast of having a decent level of sugars in the fruits - most of them generally have an unexpressed or sour taste, which cannot be said about the Nastenka fruits.

In addition, we can highlight a number of other advantages of this variety:

• high commercial quality of fruits;
• versatility of use;
• disease resistance;
• resistance to prolonged cold snaps and temperature changes;
• stable average yield in open ground;
• high yield in the greenhouse;
• compact structure of the bushes, allowing you to save space on the site.

Among the disadvantages of the Nastenka tomato variety, we can only note that it is somewhat demanding in care. For high yields, bushes need to be provided with timely watering and fertilizing.

General characteristics of the variety

Considering the Nastenka tomato, the characteristics of the variety according to the state register are as follows:

• determinate, standard plant;
• in terms of ripening - mid-season;
• fruit shape - heart-shaped, slightly ribbed;
• fruit color - pink;
• average value 120-125 g.

After reading the description of the Nastenka tomato variety, gardeners can understand that a standard large-fruited variety cannot be very productive. A small, neat bush is not able to carry a huge number of large, weighty tomatoes. However, this variety will take you away with its unforgettable taste.

The variety was submitted for registration in the register of selection achievements in 2007. Applicant and originator LLC Agro Altai Territory. Barnaul. “Nastenka” successfully passed the tests and in 2008 the variety was added to the register. Patent number 5214. The authorship of the variety belongs to M. A. Kotelnikova, S. N. Kondakov. The variety is recommended for cultivation in all regions of the Russian Federation.

Appearance of bushes

At first glance at the description, the gardener sees a beautiful picture of a miniature tree with heart-shaped, pink tomatoes. Unfortunately, this is not entirely true. The reality is that a tomato is not a tree. Its thin shoots cannot hold large fruits on their own. The vegetable grower should certainly help. As a result, during the ripening period, a bush appears in front of it, supported by sticks, supports and everything that comes to hand. Next comes the fixing material - ropes, twines and anything else that comes to hand. As a result, the bush does not look presentable.

Note! Form a tomato into a trunk. To do this, the lower stepsons are removed as early as possible.

The shoot grows stronger, thickens and it seems that it will withstand any load. The height of the plant does not exceed 80 cm. However, the bush begins to bloom and set fruit. Tomatoes enlarge and need to be tied up regularly.

A distinctive feature of the variety is its small leaf. If the bottom is exposed, and the fruits are already ripening, then the leaves are almost invisible. In addition, during the ripening period, it is recommended to remove all leaves below those clusters that have already yielded the harvest.

Fruit characteristics

Nastenka tomatoes have:

• heart-shaped. Some tomatoes exhibit slightly perceptible ribbing;
• The color of a fully ripened fruit is pink;
• size - up to 200 g;
• the taste is rated “excellent”;
• the skin is dense, but not tough;
• number of nests - more than 6;
• density - average.

Looking at the Nastenka tomatoes, the description of the variety, and the photo, it becomes clear that such a fruit will fit perfectly through the neck of a canning jar. Indeed, it is intended for fresh consumption and whole fruit canning.

The thick skin retains the pulp well even after heat treatment. It does not burst or crack. When biting into the pickled fruit there is no feeling of wateriness. The pulp is dense, rich, tasty.

When thinking about the recipe for a tomato marinade, try preparing it with different amounts of sugar and compare the result.

The ripe fruit, thanks to its thick skin, can be aged for a long time. To ripen quickly, place it in a warm place, covered with a towel. To lengthen the ripening period, the temperature is maintained at 12-14 ᵒC.

Ripening time

The variety is mid-season. From the moment of full germination to the moment of consumption of a salad tomato, it can take from 115 to 120 days. For earlier fruiting, if there is a greenhouse, the seeds can be sown at the end of February. If there is no possibility of closed ground, then sowing is carried out in mid-March.

To speed up germination, the seeds are heated. Dry seeds take much longer to germinate.

Productivity

Nastenka tomatoes do not show very high yields. They are assigned the figure of 2 kg per square meter of garden area. However, reviews show that the yield of Nastenka tomato can be significantly increased.

Yield is affected by:

• cultivation region, the southern parts of the country do not complain about the harvest;
• soil fertility. The “fatter” the land, the higher the yield;
• location of the vegetable garden. A place protected from winds and warmed up is more suitable for tomatoes;
• frequency of irrigation;
• level of root and foliar feeding.

The variety is very responsive to watering and fertilizing. The regularity of their implementation increases the yield by 3-4 times.

Features of cultivation

The Nastenka variety is grown in seedlings using standard technology. By the time of transplantation to a permanent location, the seedlings should be about 60 days old.

Standard tomatoes allow you to save space on the site: the root system of the plants is small, their growth is low, so the feeding area is minimal. 4 plants can be placed per 1 m2.

In this case, you can use various planting patterns, for example, two-line or checkerboard.

• In the first case, it is recommended to maintain a distance of 30...35 cm between seedlings in a row with row spacing of 50...60 cm.
• In the second case, seedlings are planted keeping a distance of 50 cm between them.

The bushes practically do not need shaping. Stepchildren are promptly removed under the first flower brush. There is no need to form the top part. A garter to a support may only be necessary if there is heavy fruiting - in this case, the bushes may collapse under the weight of the fruit.

Tomato Nastenka formation with moderate pinching - video

To increase the number of fruits, it is necessary to water the Nastenka bushes in a timely manner. They especially need high-quality watering during fruiting. Dry conditions have a negative impact on crop yields. Of course, waterlogging of the soil due to excessive watering is also unacceptable.

During fruiting, tomatoes are watered once every 3…4 days, depending on weather conditions. To prevent moisture from quickly evaporating from the soil surface, it is recommended to mulch the beds after planting.

So, throughout the entire season, Nastenka needs complex feeding, the composition of which depends on the phase of development. So, for example, the first fertilizing after planting seedlings in a permanent place is carried out within 10...14 days, and it should include nitrogen. It is this element that will accelerate the growth of green mass.

Then fertilizing can be repeated after 10...14 days.

• In the budding phase, the amount of nitrogen in the fertilizer should decrease, and phosphorus and potassium will occupy the predominant part.
• We must not forget about adding boron during the flowering of bushes - this microelement is very important.
• During fruiting, fertilizing containing a large amount of potassium is also necessary - it is this element that is responsible for the filling of fruits and their taste characteristics.

In addition to watering and fertilizing, it is necessary to loosen the soil, weeding and hilling, which helps prevent exposure of the root system after watering.

Planting, cultivation and care

If we consider agricultural technology, it is quite traditional and simple, but fertilizing is required to increase yield. To do this, you can use a wide range of fertilizers:

• ash;
• iodine;
• organics;
• boric acid;
• ammonia alcohol;
• hydrogen peroxide;
• yeast.

Planting seedlings

The Nastenka variety can be grown in any way, but it is recommended even in the South to first grow seedlings. The following rules apply:

• The timing of planting seeds for seedlings is late February - early March. The seeds need to be prepared (germinated). Preparation consists of several stages: testing for germination, disinfection, heating and hardening. Read more about how to germinate tomato seeds here.
• The container is shallow.
• Soil – purchased, processed. If your own soil is used, then there is a need to disinfect it with a manganese solution or roasting.
• Before planting the seeds, the soil must be moistened and compacted.
• Seed planting depth is maximum 1 cm.
• Next, the containers are covered with polyethylene or glass, which will maintain the necessary humidity. The temperature inside should be 23-25 ​​degrees.
• When the first shoots appear, the film must be removed. The temperature should now not exceed 16 degrees. So the sprouts should stand for 7 days, after which the temperature increases to a maximum of +22 degrees.
• Water the soil with slightly warm water.
• Planting of seedlings is carried out after the formation of 1 or 2 leaves. Separate pots or glasses are used for this. Their volume should be 8x8 cm.
• Seedlings are provided with sufficient lighting.

In order for the lateral rhizomes to grow, you need to pinch one root when transplanting into separate containers.

Planting in a greenhouse

After about 2 months, the seedlings are transplanted into a greenhouse (in the southern regions you can directly into open ground). Seedlings must have at least 6 leaves and at least 1 cluster of flowers.

In greenhouse conditions, plants are poorly ventilated, so seedlings are planted at a distance of 45 cm from each other. A minimum of 60 cm should remain between rows.

Transplantation into open ground

Bushes are transferred to the garden only under favorable weather conditions, when there is no frost. Depending on the region, this could be April or even June.

You must adhere to the following landing rules:

• Before taking the seedlings outside, it is necessary to periodically open the greenhouse to further adapt the plants to outdoor conditions. Initially, the temperature drops for a couple of hours, then the time gradually increases.
• The street soil is prepared in the fall. To do this, the top layer is removed, after which the compost is dug and laid. It is advisable that beans, beets or cabbage have previously grown there. The availability of sunlight is taken into account (Nastenka loves warmth and a lot of light).
• Planting pattern - 40x50 cm.
• The depth of the hole is 20 cm.
• After transplantation, watering is carried out immediately.
• In the first 7-10 days, it is recommended to cover the seedlings with film at night.

Watering activities

Watering Nastenka should be moderate. If there is not enough humidity, the inflorescences begin to fall off and the leaves begin to curl. If there is too much moisture, the roots rot and the risk of plant disease increases.

Watering rules:

• The water should not be cold. It is advisable to keep it in containers.
• Watering should be done carefully so that water does not get on the leaves and roots.
• The procedure is carried out in the evening or early morning.
• Until large numbers of inflorescences appear, the water consumption per bush should be 2 liters. The number of waterings per week is 2 times.
• When the inflorescences are fully formed, the amount of water increases (5 liters per bush).
• When green fruits appear, 3 liters of water is enough, but watering is carried out after 4 days.
• During fruiting and redness, moisture is applied once a week.
• After each procedure, it is necessary to hill up the trunks and loosen the soil.

Fertilizing plants

The first feeding begins with the seedlings, and the next one is done a week after transplanting to the garden. Feeding recommendations:

• Initially, a phosphorus solution is introduced. It’s easy to prepare: for 10 liters of water you need 30 grams of superphosphate. Filling is carried out to the very root. This is necessary for the strength of the bushes.
• After a decade, potassium is added to improve the taste of the fruit. Potassium sulfate is diluted in water in the same way as superphosphate. Fertilizer is applied along with watering the tomatoes.
• When flowering, the leaf part is sprayed with a solution of boric acid. To do this, you need to take 5 grams of the substance per 5 liters of liquid.
• If you want to use ash instead of minerals, then prepare it in the following way: place it in the ground under bushes or prepare an infusion (5 liters of water are needed for 3 kg of wood ash). In the second case, leave the mixture for 24 hours to infuse, then add another 5 liters of water and water the bushes.

Diseases and pests

Nastenka is quite resistant to diseases, but is afraid of the following pests:

• Spider mite. To prevent insects from attacking, you need to spray the bushes with a soap solution.
• Whitefly aphid. The drug Confidor is used against it.
• Slugs. To get rid of them, just sprinkle the ash with ground red pepper.

A common problem for Nastenka is cracking tomatoes. To avoid this, you must adhere to the correct soil moisture regime.

Reviews from gardeners who planted

The Nastenka tomato appeared on store shelves quite a long time ago, so many Russian gardeners managed to test it on their plots. On the forums you can find comments and reviews from gardeners about Nastenka tomatoes, reflecting the results of growing this variety in different parts of the country.

Tomato: “The Nastenka variety is one of my pink favorites. Fruitful, tasty and sweet.”

anasst2010:

“2013 was an extremely bad year for all vegetables – it rained constantly. The tomatoes ripened poorly, the bushes were sick, but this variety performed best of all. The bushes were simply strewn with tomatoes. And besides that, they’re also delicious.”

Leno4ek:

“Nastenka turned out to be not early at all. The taste wasn’t particularly impressive either, but tomatoes are great for drying because of their dense walls.”

tutsa:

“When planted in a greenhouse, Nastenka produced large fruits weighing 200...300 g. Used for salads and tomato juice. The fruits have a dense consistency, do not crack, and are stored for a long time. The bushes have grown to a height of 90 cm.”

Miroslava:

“I wasn’t very impressed with the variety. The seedlings were planted in open ground, the yield, in my opinion, is quite low. Although I liked the tomatoes. I'll try to repeat it next season, but in the greenhouse. Maybe more tomatoes will form there.”

Maria P.:

“Nastenka has become one of the most favorite greenhouse varieties: the bushes are small, easy to care for and harvest. I am satisfied with the yield; basically, we eat everything and distribute it to relatives. I collect seeds from fruits myself, so I don’t spend money on buying them.”

Mikhail Alexandrovich:

“I love testing different varieties on the site. I planted 3 Nastenka bushes in open ground and in a polycarbonate greenhouse. The yield was much higher in the greenhouse, although all the bushes were looked after equally well.”

Harvest and storage

The fruits can be collected at the stage of full or milky ripeness. It depends on weather conditions and the need for transportation. It tastes better when the fruits ripen on the branches, but sometimes low temperatures at night do not allow this to happen. The risk of tomatoes spoiling and rotting is too high. Greenish tomatoes are used to make delicious preparations for the winter or put in a warm place for ripening. Ripe fruits should be eaten or processed within 3-4 days.

During long-term storage, you need to carefully inspect them and select only the driest ones. There should be no damage or other defects on them. It is best not to pick off the stalk, which protects it from damage. This will extend the shelf life several times. The storage container must be dry. Its bottom is covered with paper, and then each layer of tomatoes is laid as well. The room where the box will be placed must be warm (not lower than 23 ° C) and dry.

The early hybrid of tomatoes “Nastenka” can be grown in many regions of our country. The variety is suitable for open ground and greenhouses. According to reviews, photographs and descriptions from gardeners, these tomatoes are easy to care for and produce good yields both in Siberia and the southern regions. If grown correctly, you can enjoy delicious fresh tomatoes all fall.