A detailed overview of the Snowdrop tomato and the rules for growing it

The Snowdrop tomato variety can withstand low temperatures and is perfect for all those who live in cold regions of the country. In addition to this amazing quality, the crop is distinguished by its high yield, ability to resist pests and diseases, as well as a unique scope of application of the fruit.

Tomato seeds "Snowdrop"

The bush can produce a maximum of 5 kg of harvest

The fruits are fleshy, weighing up to 200 g each

Origin of the Snowdrop tomato variety

Homeland - Russia, St. Petersburg, agro. The owners of the company started their business by creating a simple laboratory, and now they have a large collection of plants obtained on their own. Today, the company not only creates its own hybrids and varieties, but also cooperates with many foreign breeding organizations.

Scientists conduct their own experiments in the North-West, so almost all varieties are adapted to the harsh cold climate.

The year of creation of the Snowdrop tomato variety was 2002. The plant was included in the state register of breeding works in the same year and designated approved for cultivation throughout Russia. In the southern regions, seeds are immediately sown in the soil, and in the northern regions, seedlings are first grown and then transplanted into greenhouses.

Features of the variety

The Snowdrop variety was bred by domestic breeders from the Siberian region back in 2000. Exactly one year after this, the tomato was included in the State Register and recommended for cultivation in the Leningrad region, in the Central and Northern regions of Russia, in Karelia and the Urals.

Attention! Despite its unpretentiousness to the climate, Snowdrop does not feel very good in the beds of the southern regions - intense heat and drought are destructive for this tomato.

The Snowdrop tomato variety was bred as an early-ripening and frost-resistant variety intended for the northernmost regions of the country. Even in the Far North, attempts to grow this tomato were crowned with success (although the tomato was planted in a heated greenhouse and artificially supplemented with additional light).

In addition to resistance to climate, Snowdrop has one more quality - unpretentiousness to the composition of the soil and the level of nutrition: even on the most depleted and meager soils, this tomato pleases with stable yields.

Character traits

The Snowdrop tomato variety impresses with its good yield, because from a square meter of plot or greenhouse you can harvest more than ten kilograms of excellent tomatoes.

The characteristics of this tomato variety are as follows:

• the crop is early ripening, the fruits ripen within 80-90 days after the appearance of the first shoots;
• the plant is considered semi-determinate, grows into semi-standard bushes;
• the height of the bush is quite large - 100-130 cm;
• the tomato needs shaping, but you won’t have to remove the Snowdrop’s stepsons (which makes the summer resident’s work much easier);
• Tomato leaves are small, light green, tomato-type;
• the stems are massive, strong, capable of supporting the heavy weight of numerous fruits;
• fruit clusters are laid over 7-8 leaves, then formed after 1-2 leaves;
• The tomato blooms very amicably, as well as sets fruit;
• It is recommended to grow a Snowdrop bush with three stems, then on each shoot three clusters will form, each of which will form five fruits;
• with proper formation of the bush, you can harvest 45 tomatoes from one plant;
• Snowdrop fruits are round in shape and medium in size;
• the average weight of a tomato is 90 grams, the maximum is 120-150 grams;
• tomatoes on the lower branches are much larger than those growing above;
• the fruit is colored evenly, in a rich red hue;
• Snowdrop's pulp is very sweet, juicy, fleshy;
• There are three chambers inside the tomato;
• the amount of dry matter is 5%, which indicates the shelf life of the tomato and its suitability for transportation;
• The Snowdrop harvest is perfect for canning, eating fresh, preparing salads, sauces and purees;
• The Snowdrop tomato has good frost resistance, so its seedlings can be planted early without fear of return frosts.

Important! The most important characteristic of the Snowdrop variety is the unpretentiousness of this tomato - it can grow practically without the participation of the gardener, while still delighting with a stable harvest.

Advantages and disadvantages

The vast majority of reviews about the Snowdrop tomato are positive. Summer residents and gardeners of the country like this tomato because of such qualities as:

• ability to tolerate low temperatures and light frosts without loss of yield;
• good drought resistance, allowing gardeners to spend less time in beds with tomatoes;
• very abundant fruiting - 45 tomatoes per bush;
• earlier fruit ripening (which is especially important for regions with short summers);
• good immunity to diseases and pests;
• the possibility of long-term storage of fruits and their transportation;
• balanced taste, tender pulp;
• highly marketable type of fruit;
• suitability of the variety for cultivation under film and under conditions of artificial supplementary lighting;
• no need for stepsoning;
• unpretentiousness not only to the climate, but also to the composition of the soil.

Despite the huge number of advantages, gardeners found a couple of disadvantages in Snowdrop. Among the disadvantages, summer residents note the need to form bushes and the increased sensitivity of tomatoes to the quantity and quality of fertilizing.

Advice! In the case of the Snowdrop variety, fertilizers should be applied very carefully: it is important not to overdo it and choose the right time for fertilizing.

Do not forget that Snowdrop is a tomato of Siberian selection. Yes, in most regions of the country it produces stable yields, but in the south it is better not to plant tomatoes, replacing them with a more heat-loving variety.

Description of the variety

A low tomato bush produces approximately 1.5 kg of yield per plant. Designed for cultivation in the northern regions of the Russian Federation.

Bushes

The bush is determinant, that is, having reached a certain point in height, it will not grow further. The maximum height of the Snowdrop tomato is 0.6 m. The plant needs pinching and tying.

Fruit

The 1st inflorescence is formed above the 8th leaf, followed by a couple of leaves. About 5 fruits are formed on each brush. In the first inflorescence they are the largest, in the rest they are slightly smaller. Average weight is about 120 g - for tomatoes this is a normal, standard size.

The fruits are rather large, slightly pressed at the poles. Unripe ones have a dark green spot next to the stalk. Ripe tomatoes are bright red in color.

Productivity

The harvest ripens on bushes, with 3 clusters on 1 stem. According to official data, from the 1st quarter. m you can collect about 6 kg of crop.

On average, 1 bush produces at least 1.5 kg of fruit.

As for the ripening time, when sown in mid-spring, flowering occurs in the last week of June. The fruits begin to form by July, and the last harvest is obtained in the second half of August.

Fruit characteristics and yield

Under good growing conditions for tomatoes of this variety, from 1 m² of plantings it is possible to collect 6-10 kg of round fruits with excellent taste (sometimes one bush produces more than 30 tomatoes with an average weight of 90 to 150 g).

The first ripe fruits appear already 80 days after germination, but it will be possible to harvest en masse only after 90 days. The color of the tomatoes is uniform, deep red. On the lower branches, the fruits are always much larger than the upper ones, but in any case, the flesh of Snowdrop tomatoes is sweet and fleshy.

When you cut the vegetable, you will see three chambers with seeds, which do not spoil the taste at all. The dry matter in the pulp is no more than 5%, due to which we can talk about the excellent keeping quality of tomatoes and the possibility of their long-term transportation. The harvested crop is excellent for both fresh consumption and for making winter preparations.

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

Summer residents claim that the Snowdrop tomato has no particular disadvantages, it has only advantages.

Advantages of the variety:

• frost resistance;
• high productivity;
• drought resistance;
• strong immunity;
• presentable appearance of the bushes;
• early ripening;
• the fruits do not crack;
• excellent taste;
• long-term storage of crops;
• possibility of transportation;
• does not need large greenhouses; it can get by with a small covering tunnel.

The main disadvantage of the variety is its high demand for fertilizers, especially during the growth period of the bush.

Features of cultivation and storage

Caring for the bush is simple. Growing these tomatoes is accessible to summer residents who have no experience in vegetable growing. A characteristic feature of the variety is resistance to low temperatures. Tomatoes, on the contrary, do not tolerate drought and heat well.

4-5 plants are planted per square meter, arranged in rows. Stepchildren must be carefully removed, otherwise, in the short northern summer, all the fruits will not have time to reach normal size. Bushes can be grown in 2-3 stems. Then each shoot will have time to form three clusters consisting of five fruits.

Application of fruits

Snowdrop tomatoes are considered a table variety, so its fruits are used fresh. You can make purees, sauces, adjika, etc. from them. The harvest turns out juicy and tasty. Try canning tomatoes as part of any assorted vegetables. Some housewives try to seal them in the form of lightly salted or sun-dried tomatoes, but the reviews about this preserved Snowdrop are not the best.

Opt for making juice, puree and assorted vegetables.

Reviews

I didn’t like Snowdrop: it’s not very early, and it doesn’t taste very good.

ir4ik

https://www.nn.ru/community/dom/dacha/?do=read&thread=2107778&topic_id=45896467

Here (Pskov region) we can do without seedlings, we’ll just have tomatoes a couple of weeks later.

vlada

https://dacha.wcb.ru/lofiversion/index.php?t54694.html

Growing tomatoes of the Snowdrop variety

Purchasing seedlings on the market from an unverified seller is not the right thing to do. No one can ever guarantee that the sprouts will take root or that the Snowdrop variety will actually grow from them. Perhaps the seller mixed up the seedlings or deliberately sold the wrong one.

Don’t risk buying seedlings – grow them yourself. Only when growing sprouts yourself will you be sure that you will get the desired fruits.

Seed preparation

In order for the seeds to germinate accurately and in the future the seedlings to take root in open soil, the grains must be carefully selected and disinfected.

How to treat seeds:

1. Of all the grains that you have, select the best. Make a solution of water (250 ml) and salt (10 g). Place all planting material in this mixture and wait 10 minutes. During this short time, low-quality grains will rise to the top, and good ones, suitable for planting, will sink down.
2. Pour out all the water and throw away the bad planting material. Rinse good seeds under running water to remove salt.
3. To increase the immunity of future sprouts, keep the seeds in a weak manganese solution for about a quarter of an hour. Some summer residents claim that potassium permanganate can be replaced with aloe juice.
4. After pickling, place them in nutrient water for 24 hours. As a useful medium, use any preparations from the store; you can also place the seeds in potato juice.
5. It is necessary to improve the germination of grains. To do this, spread a double layer of gauze on a flat dish, place the seeds on top, moisten and make sure they do not dry out. Sprout the grains for 3 days.
6. The final stage - hardening - will prepare the seed for transplanting into open soil. Remove the water from the gauze and place the grains in the refrigerator for 12 hours. Take them out and let them warm up, after a while put them back in the refrigerator. Repeat the procedure three times.

Sowing seeds: step-by-step diagram

Plant all seeds at the same time so that the grains grow and develop in the same conditions. Follow these tips:

• Wet the soil a little with water, wait a quarter of an hour and make small furrows of 10 mm in it. Between rows – 40 mm.
• Water the furrows with mullein and water and sow the grains, leaving a distance of 2 cm between them.
• Sprinkle the seed with a little soil and moisten it. Cover the containers with film and place on a warm windowsill.
• Monitor the temperature (+24...+29 degrees Celsius) and humidity (80%).
• Open the film every day for 5 minutes to ventilate the soil and evaporate excess moisture.
• If necessary, moisten the soil with a spray bottle; the seedlings will begin to hatch on the 5th day after planting.

The soil

When creating a substrate for seedlings, more sand is added to it than humus. The mixture is sifted and disinfected. It is better to steam the soil in a double boiler so that all bacteria, fungal spores, etc. are killed. It is better to carry out this procedure a week before planting the grains, so that beneficial bacteria in the soil begin to restore their work.

The soil for seedlings should be loose, but at the same time sufficiently moisture-absorbing. To improve oxygen permeability, add a little sphagnum (moss) to the mixture.

Instead of sphagnum moss, use coconut crumbs.

Tara

Small containers in the form of a simple wooden box with holes in the bottom are suitable for growing tomatoes. The height of the box is 10 cm. Place the boxes in trays so that excess water drains into them. Fill them with a special soil mixture for tomatoes. You can use the following recipe for creating soil: humus (2 parts), peat (2 parts), sand (1 part), superphosphate (10 g per 10 kg) and wood ash (10 g per 10 kg).

Do not use plastic containers; the soil in them begins to suffocate and turn sour very quickly. Better opt for wooden boxes.

Seedling care

The most important thing is to provide the seedlings with plenty of light. If this is not possible in the house, then provide additional lighting (at least 12 hours a day). For the first 7 days, keep the seedlings in extreme humidity, open the film slightly, but do not remove it. Moisten the soil only if it is dry; in other cases, use simple sprays. Protect plants from drafts.

Once every 10 days, water the seedlings with a weak solution of guano or purchased mixtures based on vermicompost. Just reduce the dosage by half.

Picking is mandatory; it should be done on the 10th day after sowing the seeds. Place each plant in a separate small container. Transfer along with a ball of soil so that the roots are not damaged.

Carry out hardening measures 14 days after planting. On the first sunny day, take the cups out into the fresh air and keep them there for about 5 minutes, then increase the “airing” to 3 hours a day.

Rules for planting seedlings in open ground

Immediately pay attention to the composition of the soil. Snowdrop tomatoes do not tolerate clay soils with high acidity. To reduce the amount of acid, add 20 g of wood ash and half as much crushed chalk per 1 kg of soil.

If the seedlings were grown in the last week of February, then you can transplant them into open soil at the end of April. Divide the area for planting into squares of 0.4x0.4 m. Dig holes, put humus on the bottom and fill them with settled water.

Choose a cloudy day for planting. Plants planted in heat and drought take root poorly and, as a result, produce a poor harvest.

When moisture is absorbed into the holes, repeat watering again. Bury the seedlings 40 mm above the root collar, sprinkle the sprouts with soil, and compact them a little. Pour 0.5 liters of warm water under the root of the plant.

How to grow tomatoes

The seedlings are transplanted in early June, when the soil warms up to 15°C. At this point, the bushes have 7-8 true leaves and a well-formed root system.

Landing

A week before transplanting, the soil is dug up and humus or a full range of fertilizers are applied. In open ground, the beds are chosen in a sunny, unshaded place. The depth of the holes is no more than 20 cm. A little wood ash is placed at the bottom of each hole and filled with warm water.

For 1 sq. m place 3-4 plants. If planted more densely, the seedlings will interfere with each other’s ability to properly ventilate and receive sufficient light.

Further care for the Snowdrop tomato

After transplantation, young plants are sprayed with a superphosphate solution. This technique speeds up photosynthesis.

Water the tomato sparingly as the soil dries out. Excessive moisture accumulation will provoke the development of fungal diseases. It is necessary to constantly monitor the humidity level, especially when breeding in a greenhouse. It is here that humidity often exceeds the permissible norm, negatively affecting the development of plants. To reduce humidity levels, the greenhouse is regularly ventilated.

After watering, the soil is loosened and hilled up to improve the air permeability of the soil.

The first fertilizing is applied a week after transplantation. Fertilize with a full complex of minerals. Fertilize the second time during the formation of ovaries. During this period, you can feed with organic matter, for example, bird droppings in a ratio of 1:15.

At the beginning of ripening, plants are fed with phosphorus and potassium for faster fruiting. And during the fruiting period they are fed with nitrogenous substances.

Features of care and possible difficulties

The crop does not require pinching, which significantly facilitates the work of gardeners. But in order to achieve high yields, the stem will have to be formed. Form into three stems, removing all other shoots and lower leaves.

Tall growth requires a mandatory garter, otherwise the stem will not support the weight of the fruit-bearing branches. Wooden stakes or metal rods are installed next to each bush. The stem is fixed almost immediately after planting in the ground, and the branches are fixed as they grow. Loose branches will begin to creep along the ground under the weight of the fruit.

Diseases and pests

In cold climates, the spread of fungal spores is most dangerous. Although the culture has strong immunity, preventive measures should not be neglected.

Prevention includes:

• moderate watering;
• timely feeding;
• systematic loosening;
• cultivation of land with manganese;
• spraying plants with fungicides.

When plants are damaged by fungus, the preparations “Fitosporin” and “HOM” are used.

A thorough inspection of the seedlings will help you notice changes in time and take the necessary measures in a timely manner. At the initial stage of the disease, the crop is much easier to save.

Among the pests for tomatoes, aphids are dangerous. It is combated by treating the stem with a soap solution, which is prepared from 1 piece of laundry soap dissolved in a bucket of warm water.

Bush care

Adult bushes need high-quality and regular care. It consists of several parts:

• Watering. Carry out using the root method. You cannot pour on the leaves, otherwise there will be a risk of fungal diseases. Watering is carried out when the top layer of soil has dried. Transfusions should not be allowed. During heavy rainfall, cover the seedlings with film. During drought, water tomatoes every other day or every day, but in the morning. One young plant requires approximately 2 liters of water, and an adult plant – 4 liters.
• Loosening. This procedure will slow down the evaporation of water from the soil and will prevent the formation of a dry crust on the soil. Do not loosen too deeply, since the roots of the tomatoes are close to the surface.
• Weeding. Do it with loosening, because at this moment the weeds are better pulled out of the ground. It is necessary to destroy the grass, because it is considered a source of pathogenic bacteria and fungi.
• Stepsonning. It is the process of collecting the side shoots of a plant in its lower part, breaking them off manually when the shoots reach 5 cm. The event should be carried out in cloudy and cool weather so that the plant has time to heal its wounds before the heat. After planting the seedlings, carry out the first pinching after 30 days, then every 10 days.
• Garter. Farmers use two types of support: trellises and stakes. The first ones are a mesh with large cells, it is very difficult to tie them to them, but you can lean 5 bushes against the trellis at once. The stakes are driven in near each bush.
• Feeding. Tomatoes are very sensitive to the presence of nutrients in the soil, so they cannot do without applying fertilizers. The first application is carried out 14 days after the sprouts hatch (10 liters of water + 1 kg of mullein + 15 g of superphosphate). One plant uses about 0.5 liters of product. Next feeding after another 14 days (20 g superphosphate + 15 g potassium chloride + 10 l water). Subsequent fertilizers are applied every 20 days; you can use a weak solution of mullein.

Description and characteristics of the variety

The variety was bred in St. Petersburg. Originator - “Union of Seed Producers Association Biotechnika”. Snowdrop was included in the state register in 2002.

Despite the fact that the variety was bred specifically for the conditions of the north-west of Russia (Leningrad, Arkhangelsk, Murmansk regions), it feels great in any climate, even the hot south. The State Register allows the cultivation of these tomatoes in all regions. They are suitable for summer residents, villagers and small farmers.

The tomato is early ripening, excellent for open ground. Harvesting can begin 90 -100 days after germination. Plants are of a determinate type and stop growing when they reach a height of 120 cm. The main stem is strong and straight, which is why the variety can be classified as a semi-standard group. The first cluster of flowers appears above the seventh leaf, subsequent ones through one leaf.

The fruits of the Snowdrop are flat-rounded, with slightly pronounced ribs. The color is red, the weight is about 130 g. There are many chambers in the tomato - four or more. The taste is good. The purpose is universal - tomatoes are suitable for salads and pickling.

Diseases and pests

The Snowdrop tomato is resistant to many diseases and pests, but some ailments still plague it. Main diseases: late blight, blossom end rot, mosaic. To combat them, use special products such as Meteor, Thiophene Extra and Acidan.

Bacterial diseases that cannot be treated are also dangerous. The diseased plants are uprooted and burned.

The most common pests are thrips, whiteflies, wireworms, slugs and mole crickets. Methods to combat them are regular prevention and the use of drugs such as Confidor, Karate, Mospilan.

Reviews about the variety

★★★★★
Maria, 46 years old, journalist, Adler. I recently read an article that describes a seedless method of planting tomatoes.
I immediately remembered how my friend grew the Snowdrop variety by directly planting seeds in open ground. This is really interesting, I think that I should try it too, especially since our climate allows such experiments to be carried out. ★★★★★
Peter, 37 years old, taxi driver, Arkhangelsk. For many years in a row I have been growing Snowdrops in a greenhouse.
What can I say about him? A very productive variety of tomatoes, I harvest about 1.8 kg of harvest from one bush, which is a lot. The only thing is that it needs constant lighting and fertilization; without fertilizing, it begins to get sick and does not bear as much fruit as we would like. Hide

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The Snowdrop tomato is an excellent variety designed for growing in cold regions. It needs special care, but the juicy and large fruits are worth the time and effort.

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Farmer reviews

The characteristics and reviews of the tomato are the most favorable and reliable. Culture helps out residents of cold regions, delighting them with excellent ripe vegetables.

Irina, Novosibirsk: “ I first saw it in the photo and decided to plant it at home. The seedlings turned out strong and healthy. And the care required a minimal amount of time and effort. The harvest was frankly pleasing - about three kilograms from each bush! The taste of the fruit is excellent, just what I like.”

Anna, Tver: “For a long time I thought about what to plant in my garden. I don’t have much free time, so I need an easy-to-maintain crop. I heard about this variety by chance. At first I doubted it for a long time, but still sowed the seeds. And I didn’t regret it at all. There were a lot of tomatoes, the twists turned out amazing. I didn’t tie it up, I just tied it up. The seedlings were not sick with anything. In a word, I’m satisfied.”