How to grow a tomato "Empire"

Every gardener who grows tomatoes dreams of finding a variety with high yields, versatile in use and unpretentious in care. It seems that this simply does not happen, but the example of the tomato Empire can prove the opposite.

We offer you the most interesting and useful information about this variety, as well as a description of how to properly grow tasty and juicy tomatoes.

Productivity and characteristics of the variety

Tomato Empire F1 was bred by Russian breeders (hence the other name of the variety - Russian Empire). The color of the fruit is the usual red. Tomatoes are elongated and look like a plum. The density of the fruit and the strength of their peel are distinguished separately. The weight of Imperia tomatoes is average - no more than 150 g. But the yield is high: from 1 sq. M. m you can collect 9 kg of tomatoes.

A distinctive feature of the plant is its large growth: the bushes of the Empire reach 2 m in height. Individual specimens can grow up to 2.5 m. Plants have large dark green leaves and simple inflorescences.

Gardeners distinguish the excellent taste of Imperia tomatoes. They are suitable for fresh consumption, canning, soups and salads. Thanks to the strong skin, the fruits can be transported without fear of damage.

A photo of Imperia tomatoes is presented below.

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

The variety Russian Empire has many positive qualities, namely:

• fruits are not afraid of storage and transportation. High density of pulp and peel provides good keeping quality of tomatoes and retains an attractive appearance;
• high immunity to most diseases. The empire is only afraid of late blight, which affects almost all tomatoes;
• high productivity. The relatively small size of the fruits is compensated by the height of the plants and a significant number of fruits in the cluster (up to 8 pieces);
• unpretentiousness to growth conditions. The Russian empire grows both at home and in greenhouses, and in the open field (but only in warm regions);
• a fairly early ripening period. Already on the 90th day, you can collect ripe fruits;
• high taste.

The Empire variety has a couple of minor flaws:

• it is an indeterminate (tall) tomato, so the plants require a garter;
• the characteristics of the fruits, namely their density and meatiness, do not allow cooking tomato juice from them. In addition, the dense skin may not be to everyone's taste.

How to grow a tomato

The rules for planting and growing this variety of tomatoes are not much different from others.

Important! The Imperia F1 variety was bred artificially, and the seeds of the fruit do not have the genes for growing the next generation of plants. Therefore, every year it is necessary to buy new seeds for planting.

Before planting, the seeds are soaked in a solution of potassium permanganate for disinfection. Disembarkation is made 55-60 days before the estimated transfer date to the greenhouse or soil. It is better to plant seeds in separate plastic cups. This will facilitate the picking phase or even skip it.

The pick is carried out immediately after the leaves appear from the soil. It is done as an intermediate stage before planting in the greenhouse and allows you to prepare the root system, strengthen it.

In order not to destroy the seedlings, remember that in the room you should observe the temperature regime and control the air humidity. In addition, daylight hours should be at least 13 hours.

After two months from the date of planting (when the plants reach about 25 cm in height), the seedlings can be moved to the greenhouse.Do not forget to prepare the soil in advance: mix it with humus and treat with insect repellent. For 1 sq. plant no more than six bushes of the Empire. The optimal conditions for the healthy growth of tomatoes will be a temperature of + 24C and a humidity of about 70%.

Approximately 10 days after transplanting the plants into the greenhouse, pinching should be started. This is the name of the removal of excess shoots from plants so that nutrients are directed not to growth, but to the formation of fruits.

It is recommended to form no more than two stems. The most important step in the care is also the garter of the plants. To do this, use strong sticks and twines, as a large number of fruits can break the bush.

Remember to ventilate the greenhouse and provide sufficient light to prevent mold and rot. Spend abundant watering two times a week. Don't forget about weeding and loosening the soil.

Already 18 days after moving the plants to the greenhouse, you will be able to observe the appearance of the first flowers. Fruit ripening begins 90 days after the first shoots appear. This short ripening time makes the variety ideal for growing in regions with cold and short summers.

Read also:

The best varieties of greenhouse tomatoes that are resistant to late blight.

Rating of the 15 best varieties of low-growing tomatoes for greenhouses.

Prevention of diseases and pests

Tomatoes of the Russian Empire have a great advantage over other varieties: they have the strongest immunity against various diseases. However, the likelihood of infections is still present. For prevention purposes, it is necessary to periodically process the plants with purchased solutions.

Also, don't forget to ventilate the greenhouse. Do not over-water your tomatoes, as this can create an environment conducive to the development of fungal diseases.

Important! Remember that insects are also dangerous. In addition to treating plants with pesticides, remember to check the leaves for beetles and their larvae and collect them or set special traps.

Reviews of gardeners

Always read the reviews of experienced summer residents before growing this or that variety of tomatoes. Here are some of them.

Katerina, 33 years old, Primorsk: “I am incredibly pleased that I decided to grow this variety. Its yield is simply amazing: in good years, it collected 12 kg from one bush. The family is large, but the harvest was enough until spring, and they ate fresh tomatoes all winter. She kept them in the basement, folded in cardboard boxes. Almost all the fruits survived these conditions, only a few were spoiled. I was also pleased with the simplicity of care: once I tied it up, and then just watering and loosening. "

Vladimir, 61 years old, Krasnodar: “After retirement from spring to late autumn I live in the country. I have a lot of free time, I decided to grow tomatoes. Planted several varieties, including the Empire. It was she who took root in the garden. Tomatoes are tasty, easy to care for, and keep well. The harvest was so large that part of it was put up for sale. Now I am engaged in cultivation on an industrial scale - I get a good income. A good increase to your pension with a small investment, I recommend it to everyone. "

Anastasia, 25 years old, Volgograd: “My husband suggested growing tomatoes so as not to buy them on the market. We opted for the Imperia variety, as we liked it the most. Seedlings were prepared at home: they washed the seeds, planted them in the ground, then dived and watered. By spring, the plants were ready for planting. There was no greenhouse yet, so they planted the seedlings in open ground. Surprisingly, all of it sprang up and began to grow rapidly - the variety turned out to be persistent and tenacious. "

Conclusion

The artificially bred tomato variety Imperia has long established itself as tasty and unpretentious.The absence of difficulties in cultivation, as well as the universal use of tomatoes in cooking, made the Empire one of the most beloved tomato varieties among domestic gardeners.

Try to grow these tomatoes to personally appreciate all the advantages of the Russian Empire.