Delicious tomato for lovers of large fruits: tomato "King of Giants" - how to grow it yourself and where to apply
The King of Giants tomato variety was bred relatively recently, but has already gained popularity among vegetable growers. The variety is loved by gardeners both in the southern latitudes of Russia and in the northern ones. And although the Giant King is whimsical and requires special care, his high yield more than compensates for this disadvantage.
Today you will learn how to properly plant and grow large fruits of the King of Giants tomatoes in your garden.
The content of the article
Description of tomato variety
This tomato variety was bred by Russian breeders from Siberia only in 2010.
The King of Giants is an indeterminate, mid-season variety. The height of the plant reaches 1.5-1.6 m in open ground, and in greenhouse conditions it grows up to 2 m. If you adhere to all the rules and timing of planting, tomatoes will begin to ripen 110-120 days after the first shoots.
Distinctive features
Among the features of the variety, gardeners note resistance to most diseases and high yields. The fruits tolerate long-term storage and transportation well.
The plant requires special care and attention. Regular pinching and timely garters are required. Also, this variety is very dependent on sunlight and heat.
Another feature of this tomato is that it is better to pick the fruits a little unripe. Overriding, the fruits of the King of Giants tomato quickly lose their appetizing appearance and burst. This is especially inevitable with excessive watering.
Fruit characteristics and yield
The shape of the fruit is round and slightly flattened. The color is bright red. The pulp of tomatoes is fleshy and juicy. The fruits have no more than eight chambers inside. The skin of the "royal" variety is dense.
The average weight of the King of Giants tomato variety is 450-600 g. However, in greenhouse conditions, subject to all recommendations, larger fruits weighing 800-850 g grow.
The King of Giants variety is also distinguished by its excellent taste: the taste of the fruits is sweet, slightly sour.
How to grow seedlings
This variety of tomatoes is mid-season, but if you wish, you can speed up the ripening process. For this, the seeds are sown in late February and early March. But in this case, additional artificial lighting is created for them. If you sow the seeds at the end of March, you can do without additional light.
Seed preparation
To speed up germination, do the following:
- Pour some warm water into a flat dish.
- Place a napkin at the bottom.
- Spread out the seeds.
- Cover the top with a napkin. The seeds should be moistened with water, but not floated in it.
- Wrap everything in a plastic bag and place in a warm place (25-26 degrees) for 2-3 days.
- After the appearance of root shoots, the seeds can be sown in the ground.
Important! Purchase seeds only from trusted producers. In the future, collect seeds from the largest and healthiest fruits of your crop and process them yourself. This will give you better results.
Capacity and soil
It is better to prepare the ground mixture in the fall. To make a mixture, use:
- garden land taken from under deciduous trees;
- compost made from plant residues (but not from nightshade);
- humus from pork, cow or horse manure;
- coarse-grained river sand that does not contain clay.
To prepare the soil, mix all components (except sand) in equal proportions. Add sand at the rate of 1 kg per 1 bucket of mixture.
For 10 kg, take 2 tbsp. l. ammonium nitrate and superphosphate and 0.5 kg of furnace ash. Having prepared this mixture, let it brew for 2-3 weeks.
If you cannot prepare the mixture yourself, purchase a universal seedling soil. Such purchased land has many advantages:
- has good air and water permeability;
- enriched with minerals;
- balanced in acidity;
- disinfected;
- tested for pests.
Sowing
It is allowed to plant seeds in one container, followed by mandatory picking into individual glasses.
Step-by-step instructions for sowing tomatoes:
- Fill the container with soil mixture.
- Seal.
- Spread the hatched seeds at a distance of 2-3 cm from each other.
- Sprinkle with soil 1-1.5 cm.
- Tighten slightly.
- Pour from a sprayer with water 2-3 degrees warmer than room temperature.
- Cover with plastic or glass.
- Place the container of seeds in a warm place. The comfortable temperature for germination of the Giant King is 25-26 degrees.
Growing and care
The prepared seeds are sown in boxes two months before transferring to the ground. Before the seedlings germinate, the boxes are covered with glass or foil and kept at a temperature of + 25-26 degrees. Then it is reduced to + 17-18 degrees. Seedlings are demanding on the lighting regime.
Important! Do not water the seedlings initially. Turn the film / glass over or remove for a short time every day - this will make it possible to ventilate the seedlings and maintain optimal humidity.
How to grow tomatoes
In the open field, the King of Giants tomato is grown only in the southern regions of our country. In the middle lane and northern regions, it is kept only in greenhouse conditions. But even in the south, the beds will still have to be covered with foil to create a certain microclimate.
Choosing a place for a greenhouse is similar to choosing a place for planting seedlings.
Planting and leaving
Before planting seedlings, prepare the holes and water them with water. Place plants with thick, strong stems straight in the holes, and with weak ones slightly at an angle. Plant King of Giants seedlings in open ground only after the frost has passed, and the soil and air have completely warmed up.
Planting scheme - 50 cm by 40 cm (at least 50 cm between rows, 40 cm - between holes), with a planting density of 3-4 plants per square meter.
The main care for this variety is the following:
- Top dressing of tomatoes with nettle infusion, manure and "Superphosphate". Nitroammophoska should be used as complex fertilizers.
- Abundant and regular watering followed by loosening the soil around the plant bush.
- Tying and pinching in one or two stems of tall plants.
Features of cultivation and possible difficulties
Planting scheme - 2-3 bushes per 1 sq.m. You should not do denser plantings, since this tomato needs space for nutrition and good fruiting. Immediately after this, the bushes are watered and the soil is mulched.
The plant is formed into one or two stems. The stepsons are removed in a timely manner, preventing them from growing.
Like all large-fruited tomatoes, the indeterminate King of the Giants needs good lighting, warmth, regular feeding... Tomatoes are fed three times a season, alternating organic and mineral preparations.
Important! When landing, a support system is compulsorily formed. As soon as the shoot grows up, it is tied up. In the future, they carefully observe the plant and fix it at the support, as soon as the stem begins to bend under the weight of the fruit.
For successful growth, development and fruiting, the King of Giants tomato is watered abundantly. It is advised to loosen the soil under the plants regularly. You should also remove stepchildren in a timely manner, without waiting for their excessive growth.
The nuances of growing in open ground and in a greenhouse
Change the position of the tomatoes in your garden every three years. It is good to plant this tomato variety outdoors after cucumbers, zucchini, carrots, cauliflower, parsley and dill. The soil after these crops is favorable for tomato growth.
To choose a place for planting tomatoes, take into account its good illumination and protection from the wind. If you grow a plant annually in the same greenhouse, dig up the ground in the fall, be sure to add mineral fertilizers and humus.
Diseases and pests
Diseases that regularly affect other tomato varieties are not terrible for the "royal" plant. Of the pests, only the whitefly can harm it. When growing tomatoes in greenhouses, it is necessary to monitor the level of humidity and temperature.
For prevention, experienced vegetable growers are advised to regularly spray plantings with herbal infusions:
- Grind 100 g of dandelion and cover with a liter of water. Insist the solution for a week.
- Finely chop 150 g of garlic or pass it through a press. Insist in 1 liter of water for at least five days. Whitefly does not like the smell of garlic.
Important! Such infusions will help if whiteflies have just appeared in your greenhouse and there are still few of them. Otherwise, special drugs will help stop the invasion. for pest control... Use them according to the instructions and do not forget about personal protective measures - rubber gloves and glasses.
Harvesting and application of the crop
This variety has a high yield. With proper care, up to 8 kg of fruits are obtained from one tomato bush. Considering that 1 sq. It is recommended to plant 2–3 plants on a plot of land, from such an area you can collect up to 24 kg of tomatoes.
How to use
Tomato King of Giants is eaten both fresh and in salads. A variety of sauces are made from this tomato variety.... They are not suitable for blanks as a whole, since they are too large.
Pickle or canning tomatoes The King of Giants will not work in pieces either - in the process of heating their pulp "creeps". But they are great for ketchup or lecho. Juice is also made from these fruits.
Tomatoes King of Giants contain a large amount of nutrients, trace elements and vitamins with a minimum content of acids. Therefore, nutritionists recommend including it in the diet of children and people on a weight loss diet.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
Among the main advantages of the variety, it is worth noting:
- taste of fruits;
- high productivity;
- resistance to most diseases.
Ripening, the fruits of this variety hardly crack. In addition, experienced vegetable growers highlight one more superiority of the King of Giants over their "brothers".
Usually, when ripe on large-fruited tomatoes, a large green or yellowish-green spot appears at the stalk. The fruits of this variety do not have such a disadvantage - they ripen evenly.
Among the disadvantages, gardeners highlight the difficulty in caring for seedlings, as well as regular tying up the stems and plant feeding.
Farmers reviews
The farmers, who have planted this variety of tomatoes more than once, argue that it is not so difficult to grow them, and the harvest is really “royal”. On thematic Internet forums, you can always read the reviews of summer residents on a particular variety - we advise you to read them before planting tomatoes.
Maxim: "The tomatoes came out large (though not 800 g each, as promised) and delicious. Most of them were eaten fresh, the rest was used for sauces. In the greenhouse I bore fruit well, although not without problems. It is necessary to plant bushes as rarely as possible and radically pinch. If this is not done, they begin to noticeably weaken from thickening and lack of light. You have to feed actively. "
Sergei: “I have been growing these giants in a greenhouse for the third year. Everything suits me. The main thing is to tie up the bushes so that they don't break from heavy tomatoes. "
Andrei: “I have been planting the King of Giants tomato variety for four years in a greenhouse. Large, tasty, good fruit. Demanding to active feeding and good lighting (in one of the seasons, in my oversight, he tied few tomatoes, and their size turned out to be much smaller than usual). I plant bushes sparsely, usually forming them into two stems. It is often necessary to spawn this variety, otherwise the bushes “overgrow” strongly. The largest tomatoes we could get weighed about 400 g. "
You can get acquainted with the appearance of the King of Giants tomatoes in the following photo:
Conclusion
Tomato King of Giants attracts vegetable growers with its delicious weighty fruits and high yield. But in the middle zone of our country and in the North, without spacious greenhouses with artificial lighting, it cannot be grown.
This variety is dependent on heat and light, but it is not afraid of diseases and pests, like many tomato varieties. Royal harvests to you!