Tasty and not at all capricious - Alsou tomato: advantages and disadvantages of the variety

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

Alsou variety tomatoes have the following advantages:

• wonderful taste;
• high yield rates;
• ability to ripen;
• it is possible to grow both in open ground and in a greenhouse;
• good commercial quality;
• withstand transportation;
• long shelf life;
• ease of care;
• good immunity to most diseases;
• perfectly tolerates dry weather and cold snaps;
• mid-early ripening makes it possible to obtain ripe fruits at the end of June;
• plants can be grown without necessarily forming a bush in an open garden bed;
• short growing season - all fruits will ripen before late blight appears;

The disadvantages of the Alsou variety include:

• very weak and thin stems that need to be tied up;
• need stepsoning;
• due to the thin skin of the fruit, careful handling during transportation is necessary;
• You cannot use tomatoes for whole-fruit canning.

Description of the tomato variety Alsou

The Alsou tomato was created in 2007 as a result of the joint work of breeders from Novosibirsk: Vladimir Nikolaevich Dederko and Tatyana Nikolaevna Postnikova. Seed dispersal is controlled by agro. The tomato was included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements in 2008.

Characteristics and description of the tomato variety “Alsu”:

1. Approved for use in all regions of the country.
2. Early ripening - from germination to ripening it takes from 105 to 110 days.
3. Quickly forms inflorescences on both the main and lateral shoots.
4. Determinate type plant with limited growth.
5. Forms a large number of stepsons in the axils of the lower leaves.
6. The stems are thin, lodging, and need staking.
7. In open ground conditions, the bush grows up to 80 cm, in a film greenhouse - up to 120 cm.
8. Tomato leaves are slightly corrugated.
9. The flowers are spike-shaped, collected in racemes. They begin to bloom 50–60 days after emergence.

The Alsou tomato variety retains the ability to set in unfavorable weather conditions. Summer residents who planted Alsou tomatoes leave positive reviews with photos of tomatoes grown on their personal plot.

Description of fruits

Large flat-round tomatoes have a pepper-shaped shape with weak ribbing.

Description of tomatoes of the Alsou variety:

1. The fruits are medium dense, juicy, bright red in color, with a dark green spot at the stalk.
2. The pulp has an intense and uniform color, which indicates high taste.
3. Multi-chambered fruits with small seeds grow up to 300–500 g. According to gardeners, “Alsu” tomatoes, with good care, can form fruits weighing more than 800 g.
4. The skin is glossy, which is why the surface of the fruit reflects the sun's rays well and is less susceptible to burns when grown in open ground.

Tomatoes collected in the milky ripeness phase are stored for 25–30 days.

You can compare the fruits of the Alsou tomato variety with other types according to the table:

Productivity

By following the correct agricultural cultivation techniques, you can get 7-9 kg of fruits per 1 sq. m. meters. Provided that 3-4 bushes are planted per square meter.

The ripening period from ovary to fully ripe tomato is 28–40 days. Tomato growth ends three months after the first shoots appear. During the first month of fruiting on the bushes, up to 80% of the entire crop ripens.

Diseases, pests and their control

The Alsou tomato is sensitive to calcium deficiency. Microelement deficiency not only slows down plant growth, but leads to damage to the bush by gray and blossom end rot. To avoid infection, it is important to properly fertilize the bushes at different periods of growth and not to over-moisten the soil when watering.

Alsou seedlings growing in greenhouses are often affected by cladosporiosis. The fungus spreads to the plant foliage, ovaries and fruits. The infection is easily identified by brown spots similar to rust. Treating the bushes with Bordeaux mixture will help cope with the disease.

Among insects, the main pests for the variety are the Colorado potato beetle, the cutworm caterpillar and nematodes that bite leaves on bushes. Tomato insecticides and thorough loosening of the soil will help protect tomatoes from parasites.

Features of cultivation and care

To obtain seedlings, seeds are sown in early March. Approximately 45-55 days before transfer to a permanent place of growth.

The best soil option for growing seedlings is a mixture of compost, rotted peat and sand. You can also purchase a ready-made mixture for seedlings. The soil should not be waterlogged or look like dirt. Irrigation water should pass through the soil very quickly and should not stagnate.

Seeds are planted to a depth of no deeper than 1 cm. To achieve high-quality and fast seedlings, it is necessary to place containers with plantings in a warm (+24 +28 degrees) and dark place.

When the seeds begin to germinate (approximately 7-10 days after planting), the containers with the plantings are moved to a bright place and the air temperature is lowered to +15 during the day and at night to +13. Thanks to this, the seedlings will not stretch, although the Alsou tomato variety is quite compact in seedlings, like other determinate varieties.

It is necessary to water the seedlings only after the top layer of soil has dried. Plants dive in the phase of formation of the second true leaf.

Transplantation into open ground

The optimal time for planting seedlings in a permanent place:

• in greenhouses - when the seedlings are 45 days old from the start of seed germination (approximately at the end of May);
• in an open garden - in early June, when there is no threat of night frosts.

Large-fruited tomatoes grow and bear fruit well if they are planted in neutral soil.

Fast and early ripening of large-fruited tomatoes requires well-fertilized soil. For every sq. meter of tomato beds contribute:

• compost (1 bucket)
• wood ash (1.5 cups)
• superphosphate (1 tablespoon).

The frequency of planting seedlings is no more than 3 plants per 1 sq. meter in a greenhouse. In open ground, it is recommended to plant no more than 4 plants per 1 square meter. meter. After planting and watering the plants, it is necessary to mulch well the tree trunk circle and the space between the bushes.

Care

• tomato bushes are tied to a support, since the stem of the plants is very weak;
• the plant is formed into 2-3 stems;
• it is necessary to carry out regular stepsoning;
• plants are fed every two weeks with mineral fertilizers;
• water the plants regularly - once a week in cloudy weather, and once every three to four days in high temperatures;
• If there is a risk of infection with fungal diseases, it is necessary to treat plants with biological products or fungicides for prevention.

Analogs

Reviews from gardeners who planted the variety

Cherry, Baranavichy

I grew the Alsou variety in 2022 in a greenhouse. The bushes grew to about 1.5 m. The plants were frail, the trunks were thin, the foliage was drooping. It led into one trunk, 3 brushes managed to be tied on the bushes. The tomatoes were not very large - about 250-400 grams. The tomatoes were juicy and tasty, but not outstanding.

Nadine, Volgograd

I grew Alsou last year for the first time in open ground. The bushes were no higher than 0.8 m. I removed all the stepsons up to the first brush, then did nothing further. There were a lot of tomatoes. The first fruits were larger, 600 grams or more, and the subsequent ones were a little smaller. The bushes were not very weak, perhaps because they were low. I really liked the taste, there is only sugary pulp inside. They ripened together, quite early. I will definitely grow it.

Meri, Western Siberia

Alsou was raised in 2022. The seedlings were weak, the stems were thin, but then they showed themselves in all their glory. Grew in the garden under temporary film cover. The height of the bushes was approximately 1 meter. The variety is productive, large-fruited and the tomatoes taste excellent. This year I planted it in a greenhouse, I’ll see how it performs there.

Taleks

The bushes that grew in my garden are not very large, weak. There were no large tomatoes, but the taste was amazing. I never thought that something like this could happen in our garden in the north of the Leningrad region. The tomatoes were sweet, as if sprinkled with sugar. But when they were already ripened at home, they didn’t really stand out in terms of taste.

Characteristics of the variety

Preparing the soil and planting site

Tomato Alsou description of the variety, photos from greenhouses and beds show as a crop that is not demanding on the composition of the soil. For good development, it is necessary to ensure friability and close to neutral acidity.

The Alsou planting site is chosen depending on the region: open and sunny - in a cool climate; with partial shading - in the hot south. In any case, you should not use beds where tomatoes, potatoes, or any nightshades grew in the previous season.

Greenhouses recommend replacing the top layer at the end of each season. This technique reduces the likelihood of pests overwintering and reduces the overall infectious load on plantings.

You can improve the nutritional value of soil for greenhouses, greenhouses or open ground by mixing well-rotted manure or compost. This procedure is carried out in the fall or at least a month before planting the seedlings. Organic fertilizers should sit, erode a little and be evenly distributed in the soil so as not to burn the delicate roots of the tomatoes.

When digging in autumn, it is useful to add dolomite flour, chalk or wood ash to the beds. Such additives neutralize the pH and provide the tomatoes with the necessary calcium. With a deficiency of this element, Alsou fruits are prone to the formation of white veins or a central core.

Preparation of planting material and propagation

In all regions, including the southern ones, the Alsou tomato is preferred to be grown through seedlings. Direct sowing in open beds does not allow the full potential of a productive variety to be used and an early harvest to occur.

Seed preparation

Alsou seeds from the originator of the variety, the agricultural company Siberian Garden, have almost 100% germination and do not require pre-sowing disinfection.

It is recommended to etch material collected independently before planting in one of the following solutions:

• potassium permanganate (deep purple solution) – 20 minutes;
• bio-fungicides: Fitosporin-M, Baktofit, Fitoverm;
• pharmaceutical iodine (1 drop per 1 liter of water) for several hours.

It is advisable to calibrate Alsou’s own planting material, which has been stored for more than 3 years, and stimulate germination. To reject low-quality seeds, they are poured into salted water, stirred and left for 15 minutes.

Viable material will end up at the bottom, and damaged and dry specimens will float to the surface. To check the germination percentage of Alsou, the seeds can be placed between layers of gauze and kept moist until they hatch. If sprouts appear in less than 40% of the material, it is not worth storing it further.

They awaken the germination of Alsou seeds by keeping them in solutions of humates, Epin, or using home methods. Soaking with aloe juice, honey, and hydrogen peroxide gives a good stimulating effect.

Growing seedlings

For regions with a cool and short summer season, it is recommended to sow Alsu seedlings by the beginning of April. For warmer areas or greenhouse cultivation, the work period is from late February to early March.

Alsou seedlings are distinguished by their thinness; compared to other tomatoes, they seem stunted. This does not prevent the bushes from developing rapidly after transplantation, but at the stage of home growing, the plants do not take up much space and do not shade each other.

Most often, Alsou tomatoes are sown in common boxes. Seedlings can be grown without picking or planted in the same container, increasing the distance. For such a case, a planting box should be selected with a height of at least 10 cm.

The substrate for Alsou tomatoes is chosen to be as light and drained as possible. It is useful to mix sawdust, sand, perlite or hydrogel with purchased soil for seedlings.

If Alsou is to be grown outdoors, it is recommended to use garden soil for seedlings. This way the seedlings adapt faster after transplantation. Such a substrate must be disinfected: by freezing, heating or spraying with fungicides.

Sowing and growing process:

1. The prepared seeds are slightly dried for ease of sowing.
2. The boxes are filled with moist soil, leaving about 2 cm to the edge.
3. Place the seeds at a distance of 3–4 cm from each other.
4. Cover the crops with 1 cm of soil mixture.
5. Spray the plantings with a spray bottle and cover with a transparent film.
6. At a temperature of +25 °C, seedlings appear quickly after 5–7 days.
7. At this moment, the shelter is removed, and the crops begin to be illuminated for up to 12 hours a day.
8. After 5 days, the seedlings can be placed in a room with an air temperature of about +18 °C.

The plants are regularly watered in the soil, provided with light, and fed once with complete mineral fertilizer for tomatoes. The solution is diluted twice as much as the indicated dosage for adult bushes.

Alsou picking is possible after unfolding the 3rd real sheet. At least 10 days must pass from the moment of transplantation to the application of fertilizing. If the tomatoes are stretched excessively, reduce the temperature by ventilating the room more often or leaving the window ajar at night. In this case, it is worth monitoring the absence of direct drafts or temporarily covering the Alsou seedlings with film.

Harvest and storage

The fruits are removed as they ripen. The dense peel and fleshiness of the variety ensures good transportability and a long shelf life. Ripening is possible, for which the tomatoes are left at room temperature. The proximity of apples, which emit ethylene, helps speed up the process.

Alsou tomatoes are easy to grow and suitable for most regions. The combination of large and tasty fruits with low maintenance requirements has ensured the variety well-deserved popularity among gardeners.