A variety with unpretentious care - tomato Chocolate F1: description of tomatoes and tips for growing

An interesting tomato for the whole family Chocolate F1. Fabulously beautiful fruits with a black tint have an exquisite taste with a slight aftertaste of chocolate. They have excellent nutritional value and do not cause allergies. Used to create culinary masterpieces and dietary dishes.

Description and characteristics of the variety

Tomato Chocolate F1 is a tall indeterminate plant. The bushes grow strong and powerful. Among the characteristics:

• trunk height 2 m;
• branched stems;
• moderate foliage;
• 9-11 tomatoes ripen on the bunches at the same time;
• 8-9 clusters are left on the bushes.

The ripening period begins 112-116 days after germination. The hybrid is mid-season.

What are the characteristic signs of tomatoes:

• average weight is only 30-40 g;
• oval shape, like cream;
• multi-colored color - brown-red base with a green stripe applied;
• the pulp is oily, tender;
• seed chambers 2-3;
• few seeds.

A special pleasure is the interesting taste, the combination of chocolate sweetness with tomato sourness.

Diseases and pests

In general, “Chocolate” is resistant to disease. In order to minimize the risk of disease, it is necessary to disinfect the seeds and steam the planting soil before planting. If late blight is detected, it is better to treat it at the very beginning of the disease. Barrier and Barrier liquids are suitable. They will be more effective if diluted in water at 30°C. Cladosporiosis is well treated in the initial stage with fungicidal drugs. Other fungal diseases characteristic of tomatoes are also treated.

Viral diseases, if they affect a single bush, do not make sense to treat. It is better to immediately remove and destroy the affected bush before the entire plantation becomes infected.

Tasty and versatile to use, “Chocolate” tomatoes are very good in salads combined with green lettuce leaves and cucumbers. Small fruits are perfect for whole-fruit canning.

Features of cultivation and storage

Seedlings are ready for transplanting at the age of 50 days. 3 bushes are planted on the site. Maintain a distance of 40-50 cm.

Growing for joy is possible subject to the following conditions:

• Leading in 2 escapes.
• Stepping 1 time every 10-14 days.
• Moderate watering at the root, the norm for 1 bush is 6-9 liters, taking into account the humidity of the bed.

Fertilizers are applied in a balanced manner, no more than 2-3 times a month. Organic solutions in the form of manure and mullein are used. Complex compositions “Agricola” and “Agrofit” give a good effect.

Advantages of the variety

Such tomatoes have a number of advantages:

1. Large-fruited vegetables.
2. Extremely high yield.
3. Good resistance to pests and diseases.
4. Excellent taste characteristics.
5. Original and beautiful appearance.
6. Huge benefits for human health.
7. Easy to care for.

It is important to know. Under favorable conditions, up to 15 kg of ripe and tasty vegetables are harvested from one bush per season.

There are practically no disadvantages in this variety. Well, if you really want to find fault, then the only disadvantages that can be noted are the short shelf life of the vegetable; it does not have a very long shelf life.

This variety of tomato produces inflorescences of an intermediate type. The first such inflorescences are observed after the 8th leaf, the subsequent ones literally every two or three leaves. The inflorescences are formed into simple clusters, on which up to 5 fruits are tied and ripen.

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Description of the Palmyra tomato variety, its characteristics and yieldRead

The fruits are tomatoes of a regular round shape, slightly flattened. The weight of vegetables varies from 200 to 400 grams. The vegetables are quite fleshy and sweet, the content of seeds and dry matter inside the tomatoes is average. Each fruit contains at least 4 seed sacs.

These tomatoes are intended for fresh, raw consumption, as well as for preparing various dishes, juices, sauces, and ketchups. The manufacturer indicates the possibility of canning them, but some housewives note that such fruits are susceptible to cracking and when preserved do not look very good and lose their elasticity and shape.

Also, those who planted this variety note that the fruits, which are picked a little earlier than full ripening, during the ripening process on the balcony, retain the thickness of the peel and do not crack. And those vegetables that are picked from the bush when they are already fully ripe are much softer and more susceptible to cracking.

Varietal characteristics

Striped chocolate is characterized by tall, powerful bushes of limited growth type. Plant development stops after the formation of 6-8 clusters. The leaf blades are wide, “potato-type”, rich green in color. The inflorescences are simple and begin to appear after the 8th leaf. Each inflorescence bears about 5 fruits.

Characteristics and description of the fruits of the variety

Reviews about the variety from those who planted

The exotic and original hybrid has firmly taken its position in personal plots. Gardeners liked the unpretentious sweet chocolate-colored tomatoes.

The tomato hybrid “Chocolate” can be considered one of the favorites of vegetable growers. If you follow all the recommendations of agricultural technology, you can get a harvest of tasty and sweet tomatoes. The extraordinary beauty and original coloring of tomatoes will decorate any greenhouse and garden plot. In addition to all other advantages, eating the fruits of the Chocolate hybrid will bring undeniable benefits to the human body.

The following are reviews from gardeners who grew Chocolate tomatoes on their plots and wrote their opinions about them.

Planting seedlings in the ground

Plants can be planted in the ground as early as May. For 1 sq. m. it is advisable to place no more than 4 plants.

To get a good harvest, seedlings must be properly cared for. Care measures are as follows:

Watering. Plants need to be watered regularly

It is important to monitor soil moisture. Stepsonning. The procedure must be carried out until the shoots reach a length of 5 cm. If pinching is carried out later, crop yields will be reduced several times

New leaves must be removed along with the shoots. Feeding. As fertilizers, you should choose manure, chicken droppings, and wood ash.

If pinching is carried out later, crop yields will be reduced several times. New leaves must be removed along with the shoots. Feeding. As fertilizers, you should choose manure, chicken droppings, and wood ash.

Note! If the foliage of tomatoes becomes dry, you need to apply nitrogen-containing fertilizers.

Alexey, 52 years old:

“The Cuban pepper tomato is a favorite among other varieties. I have been growing it for several years now, and the result always meets my expectations. The fruits are dark burgundy in color and pepper-shaped. Tomatoes have impeccable taste. They are sweet, soft, juicy. The maximum result can be obtained by growing the variety in a greenhouse. In this case, the fruits weigh more than 300 grams.”

Lyudmila, 64 years old:

“I’ve been growing the Cuban pepper variety for 5 years in a row, and I’m always happy with the result. We enjoy eating the fruits fresh, and also make winter preparations and preserves. I will continue to grow this variety.”

Mikhail, 31 years old:

“When I saw unusual seeds in the store, I immediately noticed them. Imagine my surprise when it was time to harvest. The tomatoes are large, juicy, very tasty"

The tomatoes are large, juicy and very tasty.”

The Cuban pepper variety is a godsend for summer residents. With minimal care, you can get an excellent harvest and enjoy fresh vegetables for a long time.

Planting and care

Almost everywhere, Chocolate tomato is grown through seedlings; seeds for this purpose are sown at the usual time - in March. They try to plant seedlings at the age of 10–12 days in separate cups, rather than growing them in a common large box. However, we are not talking about a large box, if only because only a few tomatoes of this variety are usually planted: there should not be a lot of exotics.

It is better to immediately plant Chocolate tomato seedlings in separate cups

By the time the seedlings are planted in the garden, they have 6–7 true leaves, and often the first inflorescence. A week before planting, they begin to harden it.

Chocolate tomato bushes are quite large, so no more than three of them are placed per square meter. Immediately upon planting, stakes are driven in, since the stems will need to be tied up very soon. They care for plants in the traditional way: watering and fertilizing should be moderate, and they try to keep the soil in a loose, weed-free state.

The creator of the variety recommends growing the bush in one shoot, carefully removing all the stepsons. Not all brushes are left in place: in this case, you need to focus on the characteristics of the region. If new flowers appear in August, they must be picked off: the fruits from them will no longer ripen, and the plant will waste its energy. About a month before the onset of cold weather, pinch off the top of the plant.

The formation of a tomato bush of the Chocolate variety is carried out according to the usual schemes for indeterminates.

There is usually no need to fight diseases: folk remedies are sufficient for prevention in most regions. However, in particularly problematic northern regions, it is necessary to spray the bushes 1–2 times against possible late blight. It is not very easy to correctly determine the time of harvest: tomatoes that are not ripe on the bush cannot be put into a salad, and when ripened they lose much of their taste. To determine the right day, you need to have some experience in gardening.

Sowing the seeds of this variety of tomatoes for seedlings is carried out 60-65 days before planting in the ground. Seedlings dive at the stage of two true leaves. When planting seedlings in a permanent place per 1 sq. per meter of plot, up to 3 plants are placed, when formed into 1 stem - up to 4.

Further care for tomatoes comes down to timely watering, removing weeds, fertilizing with complex mineral fertilizer and carrying out prevention against diseases and pests of this crop.

You can see other interesting varieties and hybrids of tomatoes with photos, descriptions and reviews in our Tomato Catalog. Enjoy watching.

If you grew Chocolate tomatoes, please write whether you liked them or not. What was the yield and taste of the fruits like under your climatic conditions? How do you rate the disease resistance of this variety? Briefly describe the advantages and disadvantages of this tomato in your opinion. If possible, attach to the comment a photo of the entire bush as a whole or individual fruits that you grew. Thank you!

Your reviews of the Chocolate tomato and additions to the description will help many gardeners evaluate this variety more objectively and decide whether it is worth planting or not.

This is a natural variety of tomato. Therefore, we recommend taking seeds from a ripe fruit and growing them again next season!

Seeds can be planted starting in February and throughout March.

It is better to treat the self-prepared soil mixture with potassium permanganate or pour boiling water on it. This way you can reliably protect future seedlings from infection by pathogens.

5 Secrets to Perfect Seedlings

• Use of settled water for irrigation.
• Feeding with complex formulations.
• Lighting with phytolamps.
• Planting in fertile substrate.
• Picking in a 0.3 liter container at the 3-leaf stage.

To feed seedlings, use “Kemira”, “Rastvorin”, “Krepysh”.

Mid-season / Tall

User rating: 5/5

Late ripening / Tall

User rating: 4/5

Late ripening / Tall

Specifics of growing tomato

To grow fruiting tomato bushes of the Striped Chocolate variety, they begin with preparing and sowing seeds and caring for seedlings. After transplanting the strengthened seedlings to a permanent place, a standard set of agrotechnical works is performed.

Planting and caring for seedlings

Sowing dates are determined by calculation. Seeds are planted in the soil no earlier than 55 days before planting in open ground:

• in the south of Russia - at the end of February–beginning of March;
• in the Central region - from mid to late March;
• in Siberia and the Urals - April 1–15.

The dates are shifted back two weeks if it is planned to transplant Striped Chocolate tomato seedlings into a greenhouse.

The seed in a canvas bag is dipped for 30 minutes in a 5% soda or weak manganese solution for half an hour. After disinfection, the seeds are kept in a growth stimulant for 2 hours - Kornevin, Zircon, aloe juice.

To speed up germination, Striped Chocolate tomato seeds are soaked until they swell. Place wet gauze at one end on a saucer, distribute the seeds evenly on top, and cover with a free corner of the cloth. Leave in a warm place for 12 hours.

Next, drainage holes are made in the container or plastic cups, and a layer of expanded clay is placed on the bottom. The next step is to fill the container with a soil mixture of equal parts of peat, river sand, and turf soil. Add 2 parts of humus and ash at the rate of 1 tbsp. l. per 1 kg of substrate. You can use pre-soaked peat tablets.

Sowing begins by moistening the soil, creating furrows 1 cm deep. When planting tomato seeds, maintain a distance of 1-2 cm between them, and 3-4 cm between rows. Sprinkle soil on top. Until the Striped Chocolate tomatoes sprout, maintain the air temperature at 23-25°C.

If crops are covered with film or glass, daily ventilation is necessary to prevent condensation from accumulating and mold to grow. The shelter is removed on the 5-8th day after seed germination, the temperature is reduced to 14-18°C.

For a full growing season, tomato seedlings need 12 hours of daylight. If conditions are not appropriate, use lamps for additional lighting. Moisten the soil as it dries. Picking is carried out at the stage of appearance of 2-3 true leaves.

Expert opinion

Stanislav Pavlovich

Gardener with 17 years of experience and our expert

Ask a Question

Important! Seedlings grow weak and stretch upward when there is a lack of light, waterlogging, or high temperatures. The intensity of watering is increased a few days before transplanting tomatoes.

To avoid bending of the stems, every other day the container with the plants is turned with the opposite side towards the sun.

The intensity of watering is increased several days before transplanting tomatoes. To avoid bending of the stems, turn the container with the plants with the opposite side towards the sun every other day.

Transfer

Striped chocolate tomatoes are planted in the garden when the soil warms up to 16°C and the threat of frost has passed. In order for the seedlings to take root faster, the plants are hardened off a week before the event, taking the container out to the balcony or street every day.

Tomatoes prefer sunny areas with slightly acidic, loose soil, permeable to oxygen and moisture. Tomatoes react poorly to direct sunlight and drafts.

Seedlings are planted in open ground, maintaining a distance between holes of 0.5 m, a row spacing of 0.7 m. In a greenhouse, more free space is left between plants in the row - 0.6 m. The depth of the planting hole depends on the development of the root system.

At the end of the event, Striped Chocolate tomatoes are watered and mulched with hay, peat or sawdust. Mulch reduces the intensity of watering, the amount of weeding, and prevents attacks by pests overwintering in the ground.

During the first few days, for better rooting of seedlings in open ground, it is recommended to stretch a film secured to iron arches over the plantings. Another option is to cover the plants with agrofibre at night.

Application of fruits

The tomato hybrid “Chocolate” has a universal purpose. The fruits are not only consumed fresh, but also used to prepare vegetable salads and various dishes. Tomatoes are used to produce juices, ketchups, and sauces. Also, due to their small size, the fruits are used for whole-fruit canning.

6-7 clusters appear on 1 stem per season. The shape of the branch is simple, unbranched; each branch produces up to 10-11 fruits of equal size, but small ones. The weight of 1 tomato ranges from 30-40 g. The shape is plum-shaped, elongated.

The skin of the Chocolate tomato is dense and quite thick. The fruits do not crack when ripe, even during heavy rains. They are also resistant to heat treatment during canning in their entirety.

The color of tomatoes at technical ripeness is green, uneven, with a combination of light and dark areas. As it ripens, the exotic color of the tomato—bicolor—becomes clearly visible. When fully ripe, tomatoes turn red-brown, with blurry green stripes and spots.

The flesh is a rich red color, without a light core in the center. The seed chambers (2-3 pieces) are large, filled with small seeds. The walls of the chambers are thick, up to 0.5-0.7 cm. The pulp has a dense structure, juicy, soft. The dry matter content in Chocolate tomatoes is quite high, which gives them a rich aroma and taste. The sugar content of the fruit reaches 6-7%, and the housewife who planted this variety will appreciate the sweet taste of Chocolate tomatoes.

Tomatoes don't last very long when ripe; they have to be quickly processed or eaten. But when picked at blange ripeness, they ripen well and gradually without loss of taste.

The purpose of Chocolate tomatoes is universal. Exotics look beautiful when sliced ​​and give the salad an unusual look. They decorate snacks and sandwiches, and the red pulp is good for preparing hot dishes. Excess fruit is easy to process:

• striped tomatoes look impressive in assorted vegetables;
• You can make delicious juice from them and process them into puree for ketchup or lecho;
• dense, sweet and small tomatoes are suitable for drying;
• Tomatoes are frozen cut or whole: adding such vegetables to dishes in winter makes them similar to summer options.

In addition, the red pulp of Chocolate tomatoes will successfully complement other preparations. In vegetable caviar, borscht dressing, etc., the pleasant aroma and rich shade of the ingredient will be very appropriate.

• Ripe tomatoes have a beautiful dark red color, almost brown. The surface of the fruit resembles the color of chocolate.
• Inside the fruit, the flesh is red, the color of the walls and chambers for seeds alternates: chocolate and light green.
• The average weight of one fruit is about 200 g, some specimens reach a weight of 400 g.
• Tomatoes are spherical in shape, and the upper and lower parts are slightly flattened.
• The excellent taste of the vegetable, to which no one will remain indifferent.
• The fruit is endowed with 4 seed chambers, but there are more.
• Tomatoes of this variety cannot be stored for a long time. After harvesting the fruits, they must be processed immediately.

• Tomatoes withstand transportation well.

Tomatoes of this variety are most often used for preparing salads, sandwiches and main courses. Juicy and sweet fruits are very suitable for making delicious juices and pastes. Also, tomatoes are prepared for the winter in the form of canned food.

Watch the video! TomatoChocolate