Characteristics of the Moskvich tomato variety
One of the most juicy, tasty and fruitful varieties of tomatoes is the Moskvich Tomato. This crop does not require special care, quickly adapts to changes in the weather, and is resistant to pests. These tomatoes are early ripe, the first fruits appear in June. They are not only fragrant and pleasant to the taste, but also very useful, as they contain many useful microelements.
Description of the variety
Tomato Moskvich has a compact and determinant bush, that is, the plant is undersized. The average height of the bush is about 35 cm, sometimes it can grow up to half a meter. Type - standard, with an average number of leaves. The leaves themselves of the variety are small, corrugated, dark green in color. The main stem contains about seven simple, compact and short inflorescences.
Moskvich tomatoes grow in clusters, on each of four to seven pieces. The yield of the variety can be considered very high, since 10 to 14 kg can be harvested from one square meter. tomatoes. Other advantages of this type of tomato are cold resistance, versatility of fruit use and early maturity. The fruiting period (from the day the seeds rise to the beginning of the ripening of vegetables) averages 95 days.
Fruit characteristics
Moskvich tomatoes have a number of features, due to which they are very popular among gardeners and consumers. Here are the main ones:
- tomatoes are medium in size, one tomato weighs an average of 70 grams;
- the plant's adaptability to weather changes makes it easier to care for them;
- their shape is correct, rounded, sometimes slightly flattened;
- the skin is smooth, dense, but not hard, the stalk has a slight ribbing;
- at the stage of ripening, the fruit is green with a dark spot at the base, ripe tomatoes become deep red;
- the pulp is very juicy, fleshy, but not watery, there are not very many seeds;
- tomato juice contains about six percent of dry matter and about three percent of sugars;
- to taste, the fruit is rich, sweet with a subtle note of sourness.
These tomatoes can be eaten both fresh and pickled, and even for those who suffer from allergies. Due to their small size, they are excellent for seaming. Tomatoes of this variety can be used to prepare salads, sauces, dressings, add to hot dishes, soups and borscht, they also make delicious juice. Factories in the food industry purchase these tomatoes for processing into tomato products. Reviews of Tomato Moskvich are only the best.
Cultivation of the Moskvich variety
The Moskvich tomato was bred for outdoor cultivation, but it can also be grown in greenhouses under film.
The advantage of the fruit is that it keeps well. Therefore, they can be transported over long distances. And those vegetables that were picked under-ripe can ripen normally in a home environment.
The official characterization and description states that this variety does not require pinching. This makes it much easier to care for the plant than many other vegetables. Since these tomatoes are early, it is better to grow them using seedlings. To do this, you need a special soil, mixed from turf and humus. For the best effect, peat can be added to the mixture, this will provide even greater yields.
Planting seeds
If you want to plant your own seeds, first you will need to soak them in a growth-promoting solution. The most suitable time for sowing is late March or early April. You need to plant seeds one and a half or two centimeters deep. The distance between them should be up to six centimeters. If you place the seeds next to each other, then the seedlings will touch and interfere with the growth of the neighbor.
After sowing, the pits are sprinkled with peat and watered with water. Maintain the temperature for your tomatoes between 23 and 25 ° C. It is this temperature that is needed in order for the seeds to germinate successfully.
Seedling care
After the sprouts appear, the degrees can be lowered, and the containers with seedlings can be transferred to a well-lit place. The following tips will be helpful:
- Create a long daylight for young tomatoes, water them with a moderate amount of warm, settled water.
- After the first leaves appear on the seedlings, you need to make a pick. This will help the seedlings not to stretch, and will also give the root system an opportunity to strengthen. After that, young plants should be fertilized with complex feeding.
- The seedlings that you are going to transplant to open beds must be hardened. Just take the tomato containers outside for a couple of hours every day.
Due to the fact that tomatoes of this variety are undersized, they can be planted at 6-8 pieces per m². Due to the compactness of Moskvich tomatoes, they are usually bought by those gardeners who do not have a very large area of land for planting. These tomatoes can also be grown on balconies and even on windowsills.
Picking
The picking process is very simple. You need to do it when the first two leaves appear. Stronger seedlings should be placed in separate containers, and weak plants should be removed. For replanting, it is better to use the same soil in which they grew. Be sure to water the ground before moving the seedlings so that the unformed roots are not damaged.
Take several pieces of seedlings at once along with a pile of earth. Then separate each plant and place in different cups. Paper cups are the easiest to use for this process. It is necessary to place young Moskvich tomatoes so as not to break or bend the roots. You can manually straighten each spine. After picking, the seedlings can be placed on the loggia.
Transfer to the ground
Tomatoes should be planted in open ground from late May to early June.
Why at this time: because the earth needs to warm up. It is necessary to plant the bushes at intervals of 30-40 cm, the distance between the rows should be at least 60 cm. In the first days after planting, it is recommended to cover the seedlings with a film, which should be medium in density. You can remove it when the temperature stabilizes.
Before planting tomatoes, you need to dig the ground well to a depth of 35 cm, and then fertilize the soil. You need to water the tomatoes vigorously, but not often, and only with warm water. It is advisable to water them before planting so that all the bushes begin. They do not require a garter or shaping. For better growth, it is recommended to fertilize them every two weeks with a complex feeding, which contains phosphorus and potassium.
This variety loves water, so the soil must not be allowed to dry completely. Water the tomatoes every other day. In a rainy period, you can not do this at all. The Moskvich variety can produce fruits even in poor conditions, and the yield does not decrease.The fruiting period ends at the end of August.
Plant care
As the description shows, these tomatoes are not at all whimsical to the conditions of detention, so the process of growing and caring for them is as simple as possible. Since the tomato bushes are low and the stem is strong, they can not be tied up or pinned. But there is a clever way to get early fruits. To do this, it is enough to remove the bottom 1-2 leaves to ensure that the sun's rays hit the ripening tomatoes.
You can divide all the seedlings into two groups: remove the stepchildren from one part, and leave the second untouched. Thus, you will get both an early harvest and a large amount of late fruits. Since this variety is disease resistant, you can grow tomatoes without the use of chemicals. Thanks to this, your harvest will be environmentally friendly.
Plant diseases
Another important characteristic is resistance to fungi that infect nightshade crops, they are called late blight. Very often, these mushrooms infect tomatoes in the open field.
When growing these tomatoes, you also need to pay attention to the root system to avoid root rot. To do this, it is necessary to remove weeds and loosen the soil. You can use pesticides to control insects, but be sure to read the description of the chemical before using.
Conclusion
If you still doubt whether it is worth starting to grow Moskvich tomatoes, then just read again its description and characteristics of these beautiful and mouth-watering tomatoes. Growing this variety will not pose any problems, and then you can enjoy delicious and healthy fruits.