Features of "Alsou" tomatoes: how to grow them wisely to get a rich and healthy harvest
One of the most common large-fruited tomatoes in the gardens of modern summer residents and farmers is the Alsou hybrid. Huge fleshy fruits of glossy red color attract the attention of amateurs.
Find out the features of growing tomatoes of the Alsou variety, its advantages and disadvantages, as well as methods for increasing yields.
The content of the article
Description
Tomato Alsou is a hybrid recently bred by Siberian breeders... It takes root well both in harsh and gentle climatic conditions. Refers to early ripening tomato hybrids. There are not many leaves, they are all medium-sized green. It will not be superfluous to install a fixing support, since the plant is characterized by a weak trunk.
Distinctive features
Compared to ordinary tomatoes that we are used to seeing on the shelves, Alsou tomato will look like a kind of giant.
The hybrid is considered resistant to various diseases, but requires proper care to achieve high yields.
Fruit characteristics, yield
The size of the fruits of Alsou tomato varies depending on the time of their ripening, and their appearance resembles a heart. The first tomatoes can weigh in the region of 600-1000 grams. The last ripe fruit will be smaller, but still larger than average. Alsou hybrid tomatoes are appreciated for their excellent taste.
The pulp is sugar and fleshy. From one square meter of bushes, you can collect about 7-9 kg of fruits. Since the hybrid is resistant to changes in weather conditions, this will not affect its yield. With a high level of agricultural technology, you can collect 2 times more fruits.
Photo
Below are photos of the fruits of this hybrid:
Cooking seedlings
Seed preparation
When purchasing seeds in a store, check if they require decontamination... If the seed company has not yet been verified, it is recommended to carry out the following activities:
- Select small and empty seeds. To do this, they are immersed in warm water. Floated to the surface are not suitable for landing.
- Disinfect. Immerse the seeds in a potassium permanganate solution and leave them there for 20-30 minutes.
- Some time before sowing, the seeds are soaked in warm water for 12 hours. Change the water every 4 hours.
- Hardening is recommended: keep the seeds at room temperature during the day and leave them in the refrigerator at night. It is important that the seeds are not damp before being placed in a cold environment.
Capacity and soil
You can use any container to prepare seedlings: both special pots for seedlings and cut bottles will serve as a suitable option. The main thing is that their volume is not less than 0.5 liters.
It is recommended to use disinfected light and loose soil. Tomatoes are demanding on the high calcium content in the soil, so it is advisable to periodically lime the soil. To do this, use special dressing based on calcium nitrate.
Sowing
Seeds are sown approximately 2 months before transplanting the seedlings to their permanent growing area. To obtain a decent harvest, preliminary preparation of seeds and soil is required.
For the middle lane, sowing is carried out in March. With further growth in greenhouse conditions, seeds should be sown at the beginning of the month.If the tomatoes grow outdoors - in 2-3 decades.
Seeds are planted in containers to a depth of 1.5 cm, regularly watered and fed. It is recommended to put seedlings in a well-lit, warm place.... The optimum temperature for seedlings is 20-26 degrees - while maintaining it, the first shoots will appear already on the 5th day.
In addition, it will not be superfluous to carry out a pick - transplanting a plant into a larger container before planting it in a permanent place.
Growing and care
When the first 2 true leaves appear on the seedlings, all plants must be transplanted from containers to a greenhouse or to open ground, where they will continue to grow until the end of the season.
To preserve the root system immediately after planting, young plants need to be well watered. To ensure the best possible yield, it is recommended to supplement the seedlings with LED fluorescent lamps if possible.
Seedlings require regular watering, but "flooding" the plant should be avoided... Preliminarily, special drainage holes are made in the container. Regular feeding of seedlings will not be superfluous. Eggshell and banana peel tincture is ideal for tomatoes.
How to grow
Landing
Tomatoes of the Alsou hybrid are planted according to the scheme 50x40 cm. 3-5 bushes are allowed per 1 square meter. Usually the bush is formed into 2-3 stems. Be sure to remember the rules of crop rotation.
In no case should tomatoes be grown in the soil on which they previously grew:
- zucchini;
- potatoes;
- eggplant.
The best predecessors for tomatoes are:
- cauliflower;
- dill;
- carrot;
- parsley;
- cucumbers.
It is these crops that enrich the soil with useful substances that have a beneficial effect on the yield of tomatoes in the future.
Care
Plant care includes the following activities:
- timely watering;
- garter and pinching;
- loosening the soil;
- regular feeding.
Water the plant with warm water early in the morning or evening. Lunchtime is hottest, so the water is more likely to evaporate, and when grown outdoors there is a chance that the plant could get burned.
Since the Alsou tomato has a rather weak trunk, it requires additional formation. You can't do without circumcision of your stepsons. Also, as the fruit grows, it is necessary to tie up the stem.
Loosening the soil saves from small weeds and saturates the soil with oxygen. The variety is sensitive to complex mineral dressings and fertilizers. This will have a beneficial effect on the yield and plant health.
Possible difficulties
The only difficulty that may arise during the cultivation of an Alsou tomato is the need for pinching and shaping a bush.
Since the trunk is rather weak, it is important to ensure that it does not break off under the weight of the fruit.
The best solution for this is to install a fixing support and regular pinning.
Otherwise, the care measures are not very different from the standard ones required for conventional tomato varieties.
Diseases and pests
Alternaria, late blight, verticillosis and other standard diseases are not dangerous for Alsou - the hybrid is considered resistant to major diseases. The absence of the need to fight diseases that adversely affect the harvest is a huge plus for growing tomatoes in your garden.
With regular and proper maintenance, pests can be avoided. It will not be superfluous to take preventive measures - spray the bushes with insecticidal preparations.
The nuances of cultivation in the open field and in the greenhouse
When growing an Alsou tomato in a greenhouse, it is imperative to monitor the humidity (it should not exceed 60%) and the air temperature (no more than 30 degrees). By airing the greenhouse, both of these problems can be solved at once. It is especially important to monitor the temperature during the period of fruit setting, since having exceeded the permitted rate, the pollen becomes sterile.
Flowers in the greenhouse can be helped to pollinate by shaking the flower brushes.... The height of the plant in open ground and in greenhouse conditions differs. In the first case, the Alsou tomato is only 80 cm high, while in the second it reaches 1-1.5 m.
Harvesting and application of the crop
Tomatoes ripen gradually, so they can be harvested until the end of autumn.
The size of the fruit of the hybrid makes them unsuitable for conservation - the tomatoes simply will not fit into the jar. However, due to the meatiness of the fruits, the range of their application increases - they make wonderful tomato paste and juice.
Salads using Alsou tomato are appetizing.
Advantages and disadvantages
The advantages of growing an Alsou hybrid are:
- excellent taste;
- endurance to temperature extremes;
- consistently high yield;
- fruits do not crack;
- resistant to the main diseases of tomatoes;
- marketable appearance;
- well tolerates long-term transportation.
disadvantages:
- due to the size of the fruits, they cannot be preserved;
- bush formation is required;
- weak trunk.
Farmers reviews
Despite the shortcomings, the reviews of farmers who have already grown Alsou tomato in their garden are generally positive.
Some note that the fruits can come out slightly watery if the specified agricultural requirements are not followed. This does not affect the taste of the fruit and yield, so it is difficult to call this a disadvantage.
Subject to agrotechnical rules, Alsou tomato will delight even the most picky gardeners with a harvest.
Delicious, beautiful fruits will delight you throughout the season.
Conclusion
Thus, Alsou, like any other tomato, requires regular maintenance. Timely correct watering, picking, tying, pinching and loosening the soil are the main measures that maintain the yield at the proper level.
Due to the fact that the fruits do not crack, they can be stored for a long time in a warehouse or in a refrigerator. And the taste of this hybrid awakens the appetite and is ideal for many dishes.
Watch a video review of Alsou tomato: