Spectacular appearance and unusual taste: "Kumato" tomatoes and the secrets of their cultivation

The Kumato variety is black-fruited. This feature attracts many gardeners. Although there are opponents of the uncharacteristic color of tomatoes. But these tomatoes do not leave anyone indifferent. These unusual, tasty, healthy fruits contain more vitamins and antioxidants than their red and orange brothers.

They contain substances responsible for cell rejuvenation and repair and even aphrodisiacs (but this has not been proven).

Tomato Kumato: characteristics and description of the variety

Kumato is a tomato variety that is in high demand in Europe and Turkey. In Russia, he is not yet so popular.

The Kumato variety is indeterminate. The bush can grow above 2 m, the growth of the stem does not stop even during the fruiting period. Therefore, the top is usually pinched as soon as the plant reaches a height of 2 m. This is necessary for the favorable development of the fruit.

reference: In indeterminate tomato varieties, the growth points must be removed.

The stem of the plant is liana-like and resistant. The amount of foliage is moderate. The leaves are small, dark green in color. Each bush has from 8 clusters with fruits.

The roots grow 50 cm or more wide, without deepening.

According to the rate of ripening, these tomatoes are classified as mid-season. The first crop is obtained approximately 120 days after seedling emergence.

Growing is possible both in greenhousesand in open ground.

Distinctive features and comparison with other varieties

The main distinguishing feature is, of course, the unusual color of the fruit. They are brown, dark brown, chocolate colored, or with a black tint.

The fruits have the same regular round shape, which is rarely found in other varieties of tomatoes.

Another feature: the seeds sprout quickly, and then the growth of seedlings slows down.

Fruit characteristics, yield

Fruits are round in shape, weighing from 75 to 180 g, quite firm. The skin is thin. The pulp is juicy, red in color, sometimes with a greenish tint.

Tomatoes have a rich aroma and bright taste, are rich in vitamins A and C, as well as potassium, magnesium and fructose. There are few seeds in the filling, which has a positive effect on the taste of the fruit.

Kumato is a fertile variety with a high yield: up to 8 kg of fruits are harvested from one bush, and from 1 sq. m. - on average 15 kg.

How to grow seedlings

Sowing seeds for seedlings is necessary in early March. Before that, you need to complete a number of points described below.

Seed preparation

Before planting, it is recommended to disinfect the seeds by keeping them for 15-20 minutes at 1% potassium permanganate solution... Then rinse the seeds with running water. These actions will help get rid of diseases that live on the surface of the seeds. Purchased material does not have to be decontaminated.

You can treat the seedling material with a specialized solution to stimulate seed dew.

Capacity and soil

If you plan to buy soil for seedlings, choose peat. If you plan to prepare the soil yourself, then mix peat, humus and river sand in a ratio of 60:30:10. Add 1 cup wood ash. The soil must be disinfected from pathogens. To do this, bake it in the oven.

The optimal capacity is the seedling boxes.In them, you can take care of all the sprouts at the same time and easily move the containers to the right place.

Sowing

Seeds are planted in depressions of 1-2 cm and at a distance of 2 cm from each other. The soil should be warmed up to a temperature of 22 degrees.

Gently water the soil with the seeds with warm, settled water and cover the box with plastic wrap or thin glass. This is necessary to ensure the correct humidity level.

Place containers in a well-lit room with a temperature of +25 degrees.

Growing and care

The first shoots appear on about the fifth day. After that, the film or glass can be removed. Open the window for micro-ventilation at night, but avoid drafts.

As soon as the first leaves appear on the sprouts, they need to be dived into separate pots. So the plants will not interfere with each other, and the root system will develop in full force. When transplanting, feed with liquid food.

After picking, the seedlings are watered regularly as the soil dries out. Avoid moisture stagnation.

Important! Try to prevent water from getting on the plant itself.

Seedlings need to be fertilized twice, with an interval of 2 weeks.

In order for the seedlings to grow strong and adapt well during transplantation, they begin to harden them 2 weeks before planting. It is necessary to take boxes with seedlings outside for several hours every day, slightly increasing the time every day.

How to grow tomatoes

The cultivation of the Kumato variety is quite standard. This block of the article sets out the basics for getting healthy tomatoes and a high yield.

Landing

The first thing to start with is soil preparation. In many respects, the success in growing this variety will depend on its quality. The ideal option is slightly acidic loamy soil. It should be fertilized with organic fertilizers, manure, straw or compost. Add lime to the soil to normalize acidity.

Seedlings are planted in greenhouses in early May, and in open ground much later: in late May or early June. It is important that the earth is warm and there is no frost at night. By this time, the seedlings reach a height of 35 cm.

Each bush has about 8-10 leaves, stem thickness 0.6 cm.

Before planting the bushes, the soil is moistened, the holes are prepared, fertilizer with phosphorus is placed on the bottom of the holes. The distance between the shoots should be 50-60 cm. It is better to organize the planting in a checkerboard pattern.

After planting, the soil around the tomatoes is watered abundantly, the soil is loosened to provide oxygen to the roots and mulched with peat.

It is recommended to immediately tie the planted bushes to the support.

Plant care

Water the plants as the top layer of the soil dries up, on average every 5-7 days and always at the root. It is better to use warm, settled water.

Weed as needed, after weeding, the ground around the bushes is loosened.

Since the bushes grow very tall, they need a garter. Only the lower and lateral processes need to be painted.

No bush formation is required. The highest yield can be harvested from bushes that grow in 2-3 stems.

The variety is fed strictly according to the schedule (once every 10 days) with mullein or other mineral fertilizers.

Features of cultivation and possible difficulties

As such, the cultivation of the Kumato variety does not. There is a small nuance: the stems and foliage of these plants contain glycoalkaloid substances, so you need to process them, transplant and pinch them only with gloves.

Otherwise, the juice that is released from the leaves and stems on contact with the skin can cause a severe allergic reaction.

Diseases and pests

The variety is resistant to the main diseases inherent in tomatoes. Nevertheless, it is worth carrying out preventive spraying against diseases and pests.

If the seedlings are infected with late blight, spray them with soapy water (use laundry soap) or a specialized commercial solution.

The soap solution will also help get rid of pests: aphids, Colorado beetles, slugs. If you are using industrial solutions for pests, apply them to the plants before flowering.

Remember to ventilate the greenhouse to avoid bacteria damage.

The nuances of growing in open ground and in a greenhouse

If you are planting seedlings in a greenhouse, it is better to form bushes in 1-2 stems, otherwise the tomatoes grow too densely and they become crowded.

When the bush hits the ceiling, pinch the top. Ventilate the greenhouse, avoid extreme heat and excess moisture. Failure to comply with these rules will negatively affect the taste of tomatoes.

If you plan to grow your Kumato outdoors, choose the sunniest garden. Establish good supports, more than 2 m in height. Once the plant reaches 2 m, pinch the top.

Harvesting and application of the crop

The harvest ripens in early or closer to mid-July. Ripe fruits are best removed from the bushes immediately, so they will be stored longer and will not lose their attractive appearance. And the plant will not waste its energy on ripe tomatoes, but will let them ripen for green fruits.

Fancy black tomatoes are good for your health. This color is given to them by substances that are responsible for cell restoration and rejuvenation of the body. They also contain more vitamins and useful microelements than the fruits of traditional varieties. Specifically vitamin C and antioxidants.

Kumato tomatoes are perfectly stored and transported.

This variety is considered a dessert and is suitable for fresh consumption, in salads, for making juices. During heat treatment, some of the useful properties are lost and taste changes.

These tomatoes go well with herbs, cream cheese, salted cheese or blue cheese. Suitable as an appetizer for dry red wine.

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

The main advantage of these tomatoes is their excellent taste and unique composition of nutrients, which was mentioned earlier.

There are other pluses:

• high productivity;
• sweet fruity taste;
• pleasant aroma;
• smooth, uniformly shaped fruits;
• rapid seed germination;
• fruits are well transported;
• shrubs are resistant to high temperatures and many diseases.

A conditional minus is the unusual color of the fruit. Many gardeners are skeptical of such tomatoes. But people who love everything unusual, on the contrary, consider this property an advantage.

Farmers reviews

On the forums you will find tons of reviews about this variety. Here are some of them:

Elena, Kharkov:

“I grew tomatoes in the open field. Height 1.7 meters, weight 90 g, mid-season chocolate variety, dense, with a thick wall, very tasty, firm sweetness 5! The bush is very strong and high yielding. Knits until frost. Recommend".

Nina, St. Petersburg:

“A productive variety, thick-skinned, but tasty, sweet. But in the tomato season I don't want to eat it because of the thick skin, I would like to leave it for the fall, but it is medium-early. "

Julija, Moscow:

“This unusual and tasty tomato is suitable for a variety of diets. The calorie content of the fruits of the Kumato variety is low, the taste is high. In addition, the fruits of this variety have an unusual color, which makes it possible to diversify the appearance of salads. I have been growing this variety for 3 years now, growing is simple and does not require much knowledge. There are a lot of fruits. "

Irina Seraja, Tver:

“The Kumato variety is not often found in vegetable gardens, but those who have tried to grow them in their beds do not regret it. Delicious, aromatic fruits with a brown-red color look beautiful on a bush and in a salad. I plant 5 pieces each year and the harvest is enough for the whole family. "

Farmers share such photos of Kumato tomatoes:

Conclusion

The beneficial properties of Kumato tomatoes are obvious, in addition, they have an unusual bright color, a special taste and a lot of other positive characteristics. Plants are unpretentious in care, grow well and delight farmers with an excellent harvest.

To understand and appreciate all the benefits of a variety, be sure to try growing it. These fruits, exotic in taste and appearance, will not leave anyone indifferent.