Does tomato "Lakomka" justify its name and what do vegetable growers say about the variety?

The tomato variety Lakomka is an excellent choice for growing in a summer cottage according to several criteria. This is an early ripening variety - the harvest can be obtained as early as 90 days after sowing the seeds, which is very important in the conditions of the Russian climate, when rains can charge from the beginning of August. In addition, it is fruitful, disease-resistant, tasty and versatile in use - medium-sized fruits are convenient for canning.

In the article you will get acquainted with the characteristics and a detailed description of the variety of this tomato.

Description of the variety

A gourmet is considered undersized tomato. The height of the bush reaches 60 cm. The shape of the plant is semi-spreading, the number of leaves is small. In general, the bush is compact, does not require tying.

In the process of growth, several brushes are formed, the first is formed above 8-9 leaves, the next - with an interval of 1-2 leaves. The fruits are raspberry-colored, round in shape, weighing about 130 g, and have a characteristic sweet tomato flavor.

Interesting! There is a black-fruited variant of Gourmand - the Black Gourmet tomato, but their similarity is limited only by the name. The dark member of the nightshade family is tall and grows up to 2 m. The percentage of sugar in the Black Lakomka tomato is 2.5 times higher than the amount of organic acids.

Features, advantages and disadvantages of the variety

Tomato compares favorably with other varieties with a number of features:

• ripening of fruits one-time;
• resistant to pathogens of fungal and bacterial diseases;
• resistant to adverse weather conditions, lack of water;
• due to the compactness of the bushes it does not take up much space;
• you do not need to form a bush;
• tomatoes tolerate transportation well, as they have a strong skin.

There were no drawbacks during the entire cultivation period.

Fruit characteristics and yield

Tomatoes Gourmet raspberry color, without a green spot around the stalk, rounded, weighing about 120-130 g. Fruits have a juicy pulp of low density with a characteristic sweet tomato flavor. Under the thin skin there are 3-4 seed nests.

The yield is high. With proper care, you can harvest up to 7 kg of tomatoes from a bush.

How to grow

Tomato Gourmand grows well both in the open field and in the greenhouse. But before planting plants in the beds, you need to grow seedlings.

Sowing seeds for seedlings and care

The seeds are planted approximately 55-60 days before the planned transplant. For cultivation in a greenhouse, this is done in early March, for open ground - in early April.

If the seeds are bought in a store, you do not need to process them, as well as check for germination: they have already passed the selection and the necessary preparation for sowing. However, not all summer residents trust the manufacturer, so they re-process it.

If the seeds are collected in their own garden, then before planting they are placed in a saline solution (1 tsp in a glass of water) for 10-15 minutes. Then the liquid is mixed with the seeds and those that float on the surface are removed. The seeds left on the bottom are suitable for sowing.

Next, the seed is washed and soaked in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. This is done to increase the immunity of future seedlings. Instead of potassium permanganate, you can use other agents with bactericidal properties.: aloe juice and potato juice, a solution of honey in water, a decoction of mushrooms and an ash solution.

Aloe juice, in addition to disinfecting seeds, will enrich them with nutrients, which will have a beneficial effect on the harvest. Chop aloe leaves before use, add water and leave in the refrigerator for a week. After treatment with any of these means, the seeds are dried.

The soil for growing seedlings is prepared in advance. Even in the fall, you can mix sand, peat and earth in equal proportions. Three weeks before the intended sowing, the soil is calcined in the oven for 30 minutes. The cooled earth is fed with a home-made composition (for 10 liters of water, 25 g of superphosphate and potassium sulfate, 10 g of carbamide).

The seeds are planted in wooden boxes or peat pots.

Important! It is better to take small boxes for seedlings. Plant seeds to a depth of 1.5-2 cm at intervals of 1 cm. If pots are used for sowing, 2 seeds are planted in the hole.

After sowing, the box is covered with plastic wrap and placed in a warm place (the room temperature should be at least 20 ºС). When shoots appear, the film is removed, and the box is moved to the window, where the shoots can receive enough sunlight.

If done correctly, tomatoes will sprout in a week. When the first two leaves are formed, the seedlings must be dived by transplanting the sprouts into separate cups. The land for planting is fertilized in the same way as before sowing seeds.

Water the seedlings about 1 time a week, while checking the soil for dryness. Excessive moisture will lead to rapid stem growth with a weak root system.

Planting in open ground or greenhouse

Transplanting seedlings into open ground is carried out around the end of May - beginning of June. If frosts are still possible at night, the planted bushes are covered for protection with caps made of thick paper or newspaper.

Tomatoes are transplanted into the greenhouse earlier, in early May, when the ground warms up to 10 ºС. Previously, in the fall, the soil is fertilized, and dug up 3 weeks before planting.

Holes for tomatoes Gourmet are dug at a distance of 50-60 cm. An average of 6-7 bushes are grown per 1 m². Pour 2 handfuls of humus and ash into each hole, mixing them with the ground. Seedlings are covered with soil to the first leaf, but if the seedlings are too elongated, they are immersed deeper. After that, the beds with tomatoes are well watered.

It is better to plant in the evening. So the seedlings adapt more easily to new conditions and quickly resume active growth. After 2 weeks, tomatoes are treated with Bordeaux liquid (1% solution) to prevent possible diseases. The treatment is repeated after 10 days.

Features of further care in the greenhouse and open field

Despite the unpretentiousness in cultivation, in order to obtain a rich harvest, tomatoes need to be provided with proper care:

• regular wateringbut not during the flowering period when the frequency of irrigation is reduced;
• top dressing mineral fertilizers (ammonium nitrate, potassium salt and superphosphate) and mullein, it is diluted with water in a ratio of 1: 5;
• weeding and loosening of beds;
• removal of excess leaves and shoots.

If leaves begin to fall from the bushes, watering is reduced, and potassium-phosphorus fertilizer is applied to the ground.

Important! In a greenhouse, the yield of Gourmet tomatoes will increase several times, especially if pollination is stimulated: lightly shake each bush three times a day.

Harvesting and storage

Tomatoes are harvested as they ripen. To increase the yield, not only ripe brown fruits are harvested, but also those beginning to ripen. Vegetables are best removed in the morning before the tomatoes are hot.

In the second half of August, in warm weather, the leaves of this variety begin to die off, and then the bushes. By this time, you need to collect all vegetables, regardless of their degree of maturity.If the temperature drops to +5 ºС earlier than this period, it is also recommended to completely harvest the tomatoes and remove the bushes, since the fruits will no longer be able to ripen naturally.

Fully ripe tomatoes are not stored for long, they are harvested for immediate consumption. Unripe vegetables, ranging from green to brown and orange, are stored in wooden boxes. Dry, healthy, clean fruits are packed tightly, covered with a lid and transferred to a cool and well-ventilated area. So they are stored for up to 2 months. To make the tomatoes ready to eat, they are brought into the heat, where they ripen in 2-3 days.

Prevention of diseases and pests

Lakomka tomatoes have the ability to resist many pathogens. In addition, the variety is early ripening, and such an attack as late blight, does not have time to hit the plants. Therefore, treatment against diseases is usually not performed.

FROM pests fight with the help of special fungicidal preparations (for example, "HOM"). They are also used to prevent pest damage throughout the growing season. Colorado beetles and their larvae are manually removed from the plants.

Reviews of gardeners

According to the reviews of those who planted Lakomka, this variety is worthy to take its place in every garden.

Marina, 35 years old, Barnaul: “I've been planting Lakomka for 2 years now, I'm very happy. Tomatoes are small, all about the same, it is convenient to put them in jars. We decided to try to grow without a greenhouse - everything was fine, no illnesses. They ate fresh in salads, prepared juice for children. Now I will plant them constantly. "

Ekaterina, 48 years old, Voronezh: “The forecast promised a rainy summer. I heard that Lakomka is an early ripening variety, bought seeds so that I could grow something before the rains, and did not disappoint Lakomka. The first ones ripened already in mid-July, although it cracked a lot from the rains, but we are still happy - we ate fresh and preserved them ”.

Vladimir, 56 years old, Orel: “Recently I am engaged in a vegetable garden, I planted only Lakomka from tomatoes. I got the harvest even earlier than promised in the instructions. It looks like the photo on the package, the taste is wonderful. "

Conclusion

Gourmand is one of the earliest, most delicious and fruitful varieties of tomatoes. With a little effort, you will receive the first tomatoes at the beginning of July. Fresh vitamins in salads all summer, a variety of canned food in winter - exactly what you need for health and good mood.