5 legendary tomatoes - from Soviet times to the present day

The large-fruited Soviet tomato has been known to summer residents for decades. However, past popularity does not help the vegetable retain a large number of admirers. The only agro company deals with the seeds, and competition increases due to the constant selection of new hybrids. But do not underestimate the variety created during the distant USSR, because the positive qualities of the tomato are still relevant today.

Description and characteristics of the variety

Soviet was selected for cultivation in the cool climate of Siberia. The bush is semi-determinant, as it stops growth on its own. But the height of the plant is 1.2-1.7 m, which is closer to the medium-sized type. Both in open and closed ground, you will definitely have to tie the tomatoes to supports or control the height manually. Shoots are prone to abundant formation of stepsons, which leads to thickening of the foliage.

The Soviet tomato variety is mid-season, the full growing season lasts 118-120 days after sowing the seeds.

Tomato is characterized by fruiting extended over time. Due to this property, the species is more often used for preparing salads and snacks than for preservation.

The fruits ripen from June to August. During the season, up to 3 kg of crop is harvested from each plant.

When ripe, tomatoes have pink skin and pulp and gain weight from 300 g to 500 g each.

The characteristics and description of the variety classify the fruits of the Soviet tomato as beef-type. Such vegetables are distinguished by their large size, fleshy, dense pulp and a small amount of free liquid in narrow seed chambers. The flat-round shape of the tomatoes with moderate ribbing is clearly visible in the photo.

A characteristic dark spot with a dense structure is formed in the area of ​​the stalk. The taste is determined by the content of 3.5% sugars, and the presence of vitamin C is responsible for the presence of sourness.

Old popular Russian varieties of tomatoes

In the post-war years, Russian breeders were faced with the task of developing crop varieties that were capable of producing good yields with resistance to various diseases, because
it was necessary to “feed” the people. The following varieties differ in these characteristics. Early ripening varieties:

1. Peremoga 165 – early ripening, variety 1951, grows well in open ground, is unpretentious and resistant to temperature changes, very good yield, bears fruit well in the shady part of the plot, short (40-50 cm), has resistance to fungal diseases, transportable . Fruits weighing up to 140 g, juicy, sweet, flat-round in shape, with slightly pronounced ribs and strong, smooth skin.
2. White filling 241 - obtained in 1966 by Kazakh breeders, loved not only in Russia but also in other countries, early ripening, determinate with a good root system and high yield, unpretentious and able to tolerate cool summers and dry weather. Round, slightly flattened fruits up to 8 cm in size with a thin peel and weighing from 100 g, excellent taste, well transportable, with excellent properties for canning.
3. The novelty of Transnistria is a variety with mid-early ripening, cultivated since 1967 in regions with a warm climate, feels good in open ground, in colder zones it is grown in greenhouses. The bush is low-growing and high-yielding, on which cylindrical smooth tomatoes grow, weighing 36-56 g, have a good taste, and are suitable for pickling with whole berries.
4. Moskvich has been in the State Register since 1976, obtained by crossing the Nevsky and Smena varieties at the Institute of General Genetics named after. N.I. Vavilov, adapted for cultivation throughout almost the entire territory of Russia, even in the extreme conditions of the northern region. The variety ripens early and produces a good harvest of tasty fruits that ripen on the vine on the 90th day in the garden in warm summer. The bushes are strong, standard, low-growing (no more than 40 cm), the stepsons do not need to be torn off, and when taking stepsons, the tomatoes will appear earlier. The fruits weigh 60-80 g, sometimes up to 100 g, round, bright red with a sweetish taste, excellent for storing for future use and making ketchups and pastes. The variety is well preserved, the collected brown fruits ripen well and retain their taste during transportation.
5. Ground Gribovsky 1180 - bred in 1950, tolerates low temperatures well, grows no more than 60 cm in height, ripens early, produces an early healthy harvest of small fruits weighing 60-100 g, is resistant to cold snaps, unpretentious, has a pleasant taste, but for the preparations are not entirely suitable, disease resistance is average.

Useful information! It is recommended to remove stepsons from determinate (low-growing) bushes to avoid overloading the bush with fruits.

The amount of watering is reduced as soon as the berries appear to avoid cracking. When watering, it is necessary to loosen the soil so that a crust does not form and the root system develops well.

Late ripening varieties:

1. Volgogradsky 5/95 is a standard hybrid, bred in 1953 for greenhouses with a small space, an indeterminate heat-loving variety of late ripening with red, slightly ribbed and flattened round fruits weighing 80-120 g with a typical sweet and sour tomato taste, which are stored for a long time and are well tolerated transportation, has good resistance to fungal microbes. In the middle zone it is better to grow it in a greenhouse.
2. New to Kuban - obtained by Krasnodar breeders in 1981 for open areas, not standard, medium-late, with low bushes, round medium-sized fruits with a smooth surface, has an excellent taste, has relatively good resistance to late blight and macrosporiosis. The berries are good both fresh and processed.

Purple leaves of such varieties indicate a lack of phosphorus and heat. Seedlings that have pale leaves and are very elongated should be thoroughly fed and gradually hardened off and watered a little less. A homemade remedy for growth can be prepared from a solution of baking soda or honey.

Important!

Planting and care

Soviet is a full-fledged variety, so you can not only buy seeds, but also prepare them yourself. They begin to sow tomatoes for seedlings in March in order to obtain bushes with a fully formed, viable root system by the second half of April. In comfortable conditions, plants achieve the required development in 2.5-3 months.

When planting in a permanent place, you should adhere to the checkerboard pattern. The optimal planting density is 3 plants per square meter.

The variety is equally suitable for greenhouses and open ground. In both cases, it is recommended to form tomato bushes with 1 or 2 main stems. Shoots require regular pinching, as well as garters to trellises or support.

Flowering of the Soviet tomato begins after the appearance of 9 true leaves. Future fruit clusters are formed every 3-4 shoots. To avoid weighting or small fruit on 1 plant there should not be more than 7 inflorescences, evenly spaced along the height of the bush.

For active growth and fruiting, Soviet tomatoes require constant feeding with phosphorus and potassium compounds.

The plant does not tolerate drought well; watering the bushes should be regular, but not excessive. Beds mulched with sawdust, hay or straw effectively retain moisture.

Set of tomato seeds “GREETINGS FROM THE USSR!”: the best varieties of tomatoes from the former Soviet republics

In the recent past, the largest country in the world, called the USSR, flourished! A great country, consisting of many republics without borders, where people of different nationalities lived together! A country with enormous opportunities and achievements, including in the field of vegetable breeding. Varieties bred in the USSR several decades ago are still popular not only here, but are also recognized throughout the world! The seed kit “Greetings from the USSR!” included the best varieties of tomatoes created in the former Soviet republics. These include large-fruited salad varieties, medium-fruited varieties for canning, and dessert cherry tomatoes.

In the set “GREETINGS FROM THE USSR!” included 10 VARIETIES: Sandul Moldavskie (Moldova), Yusupovskie (Uzbekistan), Heart of Mordovia (Mordovia), Blue Fruit (Estonia), Black Crimean (Crimea), Lida-Ukrainian (Ukraine), Barrel Salted (RSFSR), Mountain Red (Georgia) ), Khulauri from Adjara (Georgia), Belarusian cherries (Belarus)

The seeds are packed in small paper bags, which are placed in a zip bag with a photo of the set and its description.

The set was completed in 2016. Shelf life: 5 years.

Disease resistance

The producer of Soviet tomato seeds does not indicate immunity to crop diseases, but reviews attribute the variety to good resistance to fungal and viral infections.

When watering, it is important to avoid getting moisture on the leaves to reduce the risk of late blight. Stagnation of water at the roots of plants is also unacceptable; waterlogged stems and root systems are susceptible to fungal rot.

The use of specialized black agrofibre helps protect plants from infection and also serves as a replacement for mulching tomato beds.

To prevent diseases it is necessary:

• do not plant tomatoes in one place;
• observe crop rotation;
• spray bushes against insects;
• disinfect seed material.

Tomatoes for protected soil

When choosing productive seeds, we especially recommend paying attention to the well-proven Benito hybrid. It was bred by breeders of the Bejo Zaden company and has a medium-early ripening period.

Tomatoes are creamy, dense, tasty, weighing 50-100 grams. It is recommended to leave the fruits to ripen on the bush, then they have a richer taste. Used for all types of preservation, suitable for marinades and pickling.

From one square meter of low-growing plants, you can harvest up to 22-25 kg of tomatoes.

Grouse

Indeed, the color of the fruits of this tomato is pockmarked, with numerous yellow strokes and stripes on a red background.

The variety has a medium ripening period, is low-growing (60 cm), and is unpretentious. Usually only the lower stepsons of a bush are removed; gartering is needed during the harvest period.

The tomatoes are very sweet, weighing 250-300 grams, round in shape. Thanks to their thick skin, they are not prone to cracking.

El Dorado

This variety has bright, lemon-yellow fruits and a very good taste.

The ripening period is 110-115 days, the bushes are powerful, about 80-90 cm high. Partial pinching of a low-growing bush is recommended; installation of supports and garter is required to support branches with ripening tomatoes.

About 5 racemes appear on each plant. The fruits are large, heart-shaped, weighing 350-400 grams. Purpose: salad.

Ob domes F1

An interesting variety with fruits that resemble persimmons in appearance. The bush reaches a height of no more than 50 cm; it is better to grow such a tomato in a shelter.

Tomatoes are bright crimson in color, juicy, fleshy, weighing up to 250 grams. Most often used for fresh consumption, for salads, making juice, tomato puree, and ketchup.

The hybrid is fertile, and its resistance to temperature changes, cold, and heat is noted. It is distinguished by friendly harvest yield even in an unfavorable season.

Peach

The short, large-fruited Peach will surprise you with its original tomatoes of a beautiful cream color with slight pubescence. Weight – 90-100 grams, taste – excellent, there is a fruity note.

The bushes in the greenhouse grow up to 50-60 cm; there is no need to remove the shoots. The variety is very productive; up to 7-8 kg of tomatoes can be harvested from one square meter.

The variety is valued for its unusual fruit color, early harvest, and high commercial characteristics.

Sultan F1

Up to 14-15 kg per square meter can be harvested from the bushes of this productive hybrid. The Sultan tomato belongs to the group of mid-early tomatoes; the height of the bush reaches half a meter.

Like many greenhouse varieties of the low-growing group, it can be grown without pinching; a garter is needed for clusters with fruits. Tomatoes weigh about 150 grams, fleshy, round, with slight ribbing, good taste. The color of the fruit is bright red.

Sultan was bred in Holland; currently the seeds are produced by various Russian manufacturers.

The Velvet season

The bush grows in greenhouses up to a meter, when cultivated in open ground - no more than 60 cm.

Tomatoes ripen in 100 days, the fruits are round in shape, weighing up to 300 grams. The pulp has a very pleasant sweet taste, sugary. Tomatoes are mainly used for salads.

For lovers of orange tomatoes, we recommend this productive variety, which also stands out for its early ripening.

The first tomatoes can be picked after 90 days (technical ripeness). The fruits are dense, elongated, very juicy.

Use – salads, canning, pickling. In various preparations, the taste of the fruit is especially pronounced. Productivity – 10-15 kg per bush.

Biathlon F1

A tomato with a “sporting” name begins to produce a harvest within 90-95 days. The bush is low-growing, needs to remove stepsons, as well as a garter.

Tomatoes are dense and have a pronounced tomato taste. Fruit weight is 70-100 grams. Tomatoes are intended for processing, preservation, and fresh consumption.

Advantages and disadvantages

The Soviet tomato is characterized on the positive side by the following qualities:

• The seedlings are suitable for planting in greenhouses and open ground.
• Plants are resistant to low temperatures, as well as changes during the change of day and night.
• Thanks to the large, fleshy fruits, tomato yields remain high.
• The tomatoes are similar in size and do not crack or deform during the process of gaining mass.
• The good rich taste of the fruit is combined with a high content of nutrients.

The Sovetsky variety has no significant disadvantages, but some features can be noted:

• Tomatoes are not suitable for whole-fruit canning.
• Fruiting is spread out over time, which makes harvesting for the winter difficult.
• The bushes must be shaped, pinched, tied, and the number of fruit clusters must be normalized.

How should you care?

Tall tomato bushes of the indeterminate variety are rewarded with a generous harvest of beautiful and large tomatoes if they are formed correctly and on time. Every week you need to remove the stepsons that form from the axils of the leaves. Side shoots should not be allowed to reach 7 cm. In greenhouses in the middle zone and in the open ground of the southern regions, no more than 7 inflorescences are left. The top of the plant is cut off; there should be only a couple of leaves above the last brush.

The bush is formed until the fruits set. Preference is given to one stem, then the sun illuminates the tomatoes from all sides, and they ripen and gain sweetness.

Tomatoes are fed with mineral fertilizers that contain phosphorus and potassium. This is done once every week and a half until several inflorescences appear.

The beds are mulched with grass, hay or sawdust. Humidity is maintained at the same level. Drops of water should not fall on the leaves, otherwise the tomatoes will crack and lose their sweetness.

Sovetsky variety tomatoes are used in salads and produce delicious juice. In the greenhouse, excellent harvests ripen even in cold and damp summers.

Similar varieties

Soviet analogues include:

1. Grandmother's Secret tomatoes also have a flat-round shape, pink peel and pulp. The first fruits ripen about 1 week earlier, gaining weight up to 700 g. Unlike the Soviet bushes, they are of the indeterminate type and do not stop growing during the growing season. The variety is not resistant to crop diseases.
2. Semi-determinate tomato Rose Honey stops growth at 0.6-1.4 m, depending on the type of soil. The yield is 6 kg per plant. Heart-shaped pink fruits gain weight of 0.6-0.8 kg and begin to sing 115 days after sowing. The bushes are resistant to infections.
3. The mid-season tomato Inna is classified as indeterminate with a height of up to 2 m. The growing season takes at least 112 days. Tomatoes have a wide range in size, weighing from 260 g to 680 g. The red fruits have a flat-round shape and dense, sugary pulp.

Tomato De Barao red late

Tomatoes of this variety have a classic red color, weighing 65-90 g, and are very transportable. They ripen 120-130 days after emergence. On average, 4-5 kg ​​of quality products are removed from a bush.

The seedlings are cared for as usual. The main concern in growing this tomato will be regularly tying the stems and trusses to the trellises. To maintain plant health, preventive spraying with fungicides will be needed. Fertilizing is needed with both organic matter and mineral fertilizers with a complex of microelements.

De Barao red bushes are sensitive to the use of superphosphate, so this fertilizer should be applied to the planting holes when planting seedlings, as well as at the stage of fruit set and growth. When forming powerful plants, the stepsons should be removed once a week (1-2 stems are left for fruiting, and the fruits will set on them). It is also necessary to take into account the fact that it is better to pick the fruits slightly unripe and put them to ripening than to allow them to overripe on the bush.

The variety claims to be the “Best tomato of the AGROUSPEX trademark,” which is confirmed by positive reviews from vegetable growers.