Why summer residents like the Ilya Muromets tomato and how to grow it on their own on their own plot

The tomato Ilya Muromets fell in love with domestic gardeners due to its beautiful yellow fruits with a rich taste and aroma. It has an increased concentration of beta-carotene. Unlike red tomatoes, yellow tomatoes do not cause allergies and contain minimal amounts of purines. They are approved for use by allergy sufferers, children and people suffering from gastrointestinal diseases.

Ilya Muromets is resistant to adverse environmental factors. It is suitable for greenhouse and outdoor cultivation and is one of the varieties that pleases with a high yield even with minimal maintenance.

General description of the variety

Ilya Muromets is a tomato variety bred by domestic breeders. It was registered and entered into the Russian state register.

Note! The seeds harvested from the harvest of Ilya Muromets are suitable for planting. There are few of them in the fruits - in order to get a sufficient amount of planting material, 4-5 of the largest tomatoes are left on the bushes until fully ripe.

Distinctive features

Ilya Muromets is a yellow-fruited tomato. It grows large tomatoes, orange on the outside and yellow on the inside. See how this variety looks in the photo.

Fruit taste is sweet with sourness, rich tomato aroma. The pulp is firm, but juicy.

A characteristic feature of the variety is a small amount of seeds. This improves the palatability of the tomatoes, but makes it difficult to harvest the planting material.

The tomato is suitable for growing in greenhouses and outdoors. The gardeners who planted it note that in the second case, the taste is richer.

Has a high immunity to viral diseases of tomatoes. Resistance to fungal infections is not so high. Tomatoes sometimes get sick with late blight.

Among the negative features of the variety is its high susceptibility to waterlogging of the soil. In such conditions, the roots begin to rot, and the bushes shed their leaves.

note! The more sunlight the tomatoes receive, the more intense the aroma and sweet taste of their fruits.

Main characteristics

It is for his characteristics that Ilya Muromets fell in love with gardeners of all countries of the former CIS. The description of the tomato suggests that with a high yield, it requires minimal maintenance:

How to grow seedlings

Seeds for seedlings are sown in March in the central and southern regions, in early April - in regions with a northern climate. The colder the weather, the later the seedlings start growing.

Medium early varieties are not grown by seed. In this case, their harvest does not have time to ripen before the first frost.

Preparation of planting material

Before sowing seeds, they are prepared.

Main stages:

1. Selection of suitable material for planting... Blackened and damaged seeds are removed. The easiest way is to soak the seeds for half an hour in 1 glass of water with 1 tsp. salt. The spoiled seeds will float to the surface - they are removed.
2. Seed dressing... The planting material is soaked in hydrogen peroxide or a light pink solution of potassium permanganate for 30 minutes. After that, they are washed with running water.
3. Stimulation of seed germination... Planting material is soaked in "Epin", "Sodium humate" or aloe juice.

Capacity and soil

If you plan to grow a large number of tomatoes, then the seeds are sown in one large container. Wooden boxes, plastic trays, packaging for desserts and semi-finished products are suitable.

After the seedlings grow up, they dive into individual containers. Peat tablets or any deep container with a volume of 300-500 ml are used.

If several tomato bushes are planted, then it is convenient to sow seeds directly into individual pots. In this case, picking is not required.

Seedling containers are sterilized. To do this, they are soaked in hydrogen peroxide, rubbed with alcohol. To disinfect peat tablets, they are soaked in boiling water.

Soil for tomatoes is prepared independently or bought in a store. A light but nutritious mixture is suitable for seedlings.

To prepare the desired composition, mix the base (garden soil, peat) and nutrient substrate (humus) in equal proportions. To the resulting mixture add 0.5 parts of baking powder (sand, coconut substrate, sawdust). A glass of ash and a tablespoon of superphosphate are added to a bucket of soil.

The soil is also disinfected. It is calcined in the oven or watered with a dark pink solution of potassium permanganate.

Sowing seeds

The prepared soil is poured into the boxes so that 3 cm remains free to the edge. The soil is poured with warm water. Planting material is laid on it in rows. A distance of 3 cm is left between the seeds on all sides.

Crops are covered with a 1-1.5 cm layer of soil. It is humidified from a spray bottle and removed to a room with a temperature of 23-26 ° C. At this stage, lighting of the seedlings is not required.

Abundant watering before germination is not necessary for the seeds; it is enough to moisten the soil from a spray bottle as it dries. The film is periodically opened for airing. If condensation appears on the coating, remove it with a napkin.

The film is removed only after seed germination. Prior to this, crops require extreme moisture.

Seeds are sown in other ways. Below is one of them:

1. Cover the bottom of a deep container with soft paper. It is moistened with a growth stimulant from a spray bottle.
2. Spread the seeds on the resulting substrate. Top them covered with several layers of wet paper.
3. The container is covered with a foil in which several holes are made. Crops are harvested in a warm place.
4. Moisten the paper as it dries with a spray bottle.

With this method of planting, the plants dive into individual containers with the ground immediately after the formation of cotyledon leaves.Otherwise, they turn yellow and die due to lack of nutrients.

Care of young plants

When the first true leaves appear, the tomatoes dive into individual pots. This is done as follows:

1. A 3 cm layer of disinfected drainage (broken ceramics, sand, fine gravel) is poured onto the bottom of the pots. The rest of the space is filled with soil. The soil is moistened.
2. The plants are carefully removed from the box with a fork and planted one at a time in pots. At the same time, they are not held by the stem, but by the leaves.
3. The root neck of the seedlings is not buried. After a dive for 2 days, it is protected from the sun's rays. The next watering is possible no earlier than a week later.

Note! The opinions of gardeners about whether it is necessary to pinch the root of seedlings when picking differ. This procedure, on the one hand, promotes the formation of a powerful root system, on the other hand, it slows down the growth of tomatoes.

Tomatoes require a lot of light during the growing process. Natural light is often insufficient in early spring. In this case, fluorescent lamps are used.

For the entire period of growing seedlings, top dressing is applied three times:

1. 2 weeks after the appearance of 2 true leaves. Chicken droppings diluted 1:10 are used.
2. 2 weeks after the first fertilization. Superphosphate or special complex fertilizers, for example "Strong".
3. The last feeding is done 5 days before picking the seedlings to a permanent place. Apply the same fertilizers as the previous time.

2 weeks before the tomatoes are planted in a permanent place, they begin to harden, taking them out into the street or onto the balcony. By this time, the temperature outside should have reached 10 ° C.

How to grow tomatoes

Tomatoes are planted in a permanent place when the soil warms up at a depth of 15 cm to 12 ° C. By this time, the seedlings should be 50-60 days old.

There are at least 4-5 true leaves on the seedlings ready for picking. The plants are strong and squat, the internodes are short, the greenery is bright. On these grounds, high-quality seedlings are chosen.

5 days before the pick, the seedlings must be watered. This will make it easier to remove from the containers.

Landing

The beds for transplanting seedlings are prepared in the fall. Cleaned from plant residues, dig up the soil. 1 kg of ash and 6 kg of humus are added to the soil per 1 sq. m. In the spring, the land is leveled with a rake and cleaned of weeds. The beds are disinfected by pouring a solution of potassium permanganate or copper sulfate.

Advice! Experienced farmers recommend putting a tablespoon of superphosphate or sifted wood ash on the bottom of the hole.

Dig holes in rows. A 50 / 60-60 / 70 cm scheme is used. The seats are staggered to save space.

Before planting, the seedlings are carefully removed from the pots along with a lump of earth and placed in the holes, forming the roots towards the center. Recesses with plants are poured with water at room temperature. When the water is absorbed, they are covered with soil.

Plant care

Tomato Ilya Muromets required tie up to wooden supports or trellises. The plant is attached to the support with synthetic thread as it grows. Heavy brushes with fruits must be tied up additionally.

It is not necessary to form such tomatoes. However, many gardeners believe that if you leave only 3-4 stems on the bush, then the fruits will be larger and the harvest is more abundant.

Yellow and withered leaves are cut off from the bush. Every week, an average of 3-4 such leaves are removed.

Water the tomato as the topsoil dries. Watering should be infrequent, but abundant. This tomato variety does not tolerate liquid stagnation.

After each watering, the soil is loosened. Weeds are removed in the process.

The beds are covered mulch... Rotted hay and straw, humus, peat are suitable.

Tomatoes are fertilized 3-4 times a season. The solution of chicken manure (1 part of droppings to 10 parts of water) is alternated with mineral complex fertilizers.

Tomatoes are sprayed with boric acid twice a season.

Features of cultivation and possible difficulties

When growing tomatoes Ilya Muromets, novice gardeners often face a number of difficulties:

1. In poor soil, few ovaries are formed. In this case, the amount of organic dressings is increased.
2. A lot of greenery forms on the plant, but fruits are not set. This happens if the plant fattens... To solve the problem, the amount of dressings is reduced.
3. The fruits grow small. The reason is the large number of ovaries. To get large berries, all the ugly and ugly ovaries are plucked.
4. The fruit is cracked and has a watery taste. This happens when removing excessive amounts of foliage. To prevent this from happening, the leaves are removed below the brushes after the fruits have reached technical maturity.

Prevention of diseases and pests

Ilya Muromets is not afraid of viral diseases. To protect the plant from fungal infections, it is recommended to spray it with a light pink solution of potassium permanganate, phytosporin or copper sulfate.

The Colorado potato beetle is considered the main pest of nightshades, but it is dangerous only for young plants. To get rid of the insect, use any insecticide, for example, "Barrier", diluted according to the instructions. Many gardeners prefer to collect beetles by hand.

reference: To prevent pests and their larvae from intruding, check young tomatoes regularly.

A solution made from a bar of soap and a bucket of water will help get rid of aphids and spider mites. They are sprayed with infected plants.

The nuances of growing in open ground and in a greenhouse

The Ilya Muromets tomato is intended for cultivation in open and protected ground. The second method is used less often.

When growing tomatoes in a greenhouse, the room is regularly ventilated to maintain optimal humidity. To help the flowers pollinate, the bushes are shaken or a fan is placed in the greenhouse.

In the open field, for the first 2 weeks after picking tomatoes, use arched portable frames on which the film is stretched. They are taken apart after the night frosts have passed.

Harvesting and application of the crop

The fruits are harvested when they acquire a rich, bright yellow color with an orange tint. They are plucked from the bush one by one. The first harvest is obtained in July.

Ilya Muromets' tomatoes are used fresh and for processing into ketchups, sauces and juices.

Housewives often canned such tomatoes in slices. Since this variety has a strong pulp, the pieces remain intact even when cooked.

Advantages and disadvantages

The advantages of the variety:

• lack of voids inside the fruit;
• a small amount of seeds;
• beautiful colors - yellow inside, orange outside;
• juicy tasty fruits;
• high portability;
• resistance to fungal and viral infections;
• cold resistance;
• the ability to use seeds from your own harvest for planting.

Disadvantages of Ilya Muromets:

• a garter is needed;
• does not tolerate waterlogging of the soil.

Farmers reviews

Reviews about the yield of tomatoes Ilya Muromets are positive. Many gardeners who have tried this variety were satisfied with the harvest and will plant it again.

Inga, Tomsk: “The Ilya Muromets variety has been growing for several seasons in a row in a greenhouse. The whole family loves delicious salad tomatoes. I use mostly fresh. Sometimes I canned with slices that keep their shape perfectly. The fruits are as beautiful as in the photo. "

Natalia, Voronezh: “I grow this variety with pleasure every year. He does not get sick and gives a good harvest. I pay special attention to feeding. I do not use nitrogen compounds. Potash and phosphate fertilizers are more suitable for this tomato. "

Lydia: “Tomatoes are sweet, with a distinct taste. Tomatoes, although salad, were used for canning in slices. Not a bad variety, unpretentious. "

Conclusion

Ilya Muromets is a tomato variety that will compete with many foreign achievements of agricultural technology. It has a high yield, cold resistance and ease of maintenance. Therefore, it is easy to grow it even in the conditions of Siberia and the Urals.

The fruits of the tomato are juicy, yellow. They contain a large amount of vitamins A and B. They are suitable for fresh consumption and processing.