Incredibly sweet and amazingly beautiful tomato "Honey Salute"

Gardeners love to experiment by growing tomatoes of unusual colors and shapes. In gardening markets, tomato seeds are abundant in green, black and blue. Unfortunately, not all exotic varieties have a pleasant taste and yield in our latitudes. Therefore, each cultivation of a new tomato variety is a risk.

Among the proven varieties with interesting fruits is the Honey Salute tomato. It produces multi-colored yellow-red berries with a pronounced taste and rich composition.

Description of the variety

The tomato variety Honey Salute was bred in 1999. It was added to the Russian State Register only in 2004.

This variety is produced by many manufacturers. It is popular with gardeners around the world. It is especially often grown in Russia and the countries of the former CIS.

Distinctive features of the Honey fireworks

Tomatoes Honey salute differ in the unusual appearance of the fruit. The berries of this variety are bright yellow at the stage of maturity, with red streaks and spots.

The tomato taste is also impressive. It is sweet with a honeyed aftertaste and slightly sour taste. The pulp of such fruits is dense and juicy.

The variety is considered large-fruited. The weight of its fruits varies between 350-450 g, but there are specimens weighing up to 900 g.

Tomatoes Honey fireworks are consumed fresh. They are not suitable for preservation in whole and in slices, not only because of their size, but also because of their thin skin. Some gardeners use this variety to make juices and sauces.

Fresh fruits retain the greatest amount of nutrients. Yellow-red berries contain a lot of beta-carotene, which has a beneficial effect on eyesight, improves the condition of the skin, hair, blood vessels and heart, and improves immunity.

The variety itself is susceptible to fungal diseases, but resistant to viral diseases.

The downside of the Honey Salute is its exactingness to care. It forms a large number of stepchildren, therefore it needs regular formation. The thermophilicity of this tomato does not allow it to be grown outdoors in most regions of our country.

General characteristics

Characteristics of the Honey Salute tomato will interest experienced gardeners. A novice gardener should start with less capricious varieties.

Description of Honey Salute:

Growing seedlings

For seedlings, seeds are sown in early March in all regions. This is due to the fact that the tomato Honey Salute in the central and northern parts of the country is planted only in a greenhouse. A dive into protected ground is possible much earlier than into open ground

Working with planting material

Before starting to grow seedlings, planting material is prepared. This reduces the likelihood of plant infection and accelerates seed germination.

Be sure to check the expiration dates before purchasing seeds. Expired planting material will have a low chance of germination.

To select the most viable seeds, they are soaked in saline for half an hour. To prepare the product, stir 1 tsp in a glass of water. salt. Floated specimens are thrown away, and those that have sunk to the bottom are washed and used for planting.

In view of the instability of the Honey Salute to tomato diseases, its seeds must be treated with a disinfectant. Some growers sell pre-treated planting material, as evidenced by the label on the packaging and the orange or green color of the seeds. In other cases, the seeds are disinfected on their own.

To do this, they are soaked:

• in a light pink solution of potassium permanganate for half an hour;
• in a solution of soda for 12 hours;
• in aloe juice diluted in half with water for 12 hours.

After dressing, the seeds are treated with a growth stimulant. I often use "Epin", in which the seeds are soaked for 3-5 hours.

Selection of soil and containers

Usually seeds are sown in one common container. Stores sell special wooden boxes and plastic trays.

The materials at hand are also used for these purposes:

• disposable tableware;
• semi-finished trays;
• cut 5-6 liter bottles.

For picking plants into individual pots, a container with a volume of 300-500 ml is used. For these purposes, use special pots, cut bottles or disposable cups.

The containers are disinfected before use. To do this, they are soaked in a strong solution of potassium permanganate.

Soil for tomatoes is prepared independently or bought in a store. The soil for tomatoes should be light and nutritious. To prepare the soil, sod, peat and humus are mixed in different proportions. A slanting substrate or river sand is added to the resulting composition.

The soil is disinfected. To do this, it is watered with a solution of potassium permanganate or boiling water. Another option is to ignite the soil in the oven.

Sowing seeds

The soil is poured into the container so that a distance of 2 cm remains to the edge. Grooves are made in the soil, 1 cm deep.The distance between them should be 3 cm.

Seeds are placed in the grooves at a distance of 1.5 cm from each other. From above they are sprinkled with earth, without ramming it.

The seed boxes are moistened with warm, settled water. After that, they are covered with foil and placed in a warm place. Depending on the room temperature, seed germination times vary from 3 to 7 days.

It is convenient to grow seedlings in peat tablets. To do this, such blanks are soaked until they swell, after which seeds are placed in the holes. Then all the tablets are placed in one container and covered with foil.

Seedling care

Care seedlings should be regular. Only in this case will it be possible to grow healthy and viable plants. Below are the main nuances that a gardener who grows tomato seedlings needs to know about:

1. The seeds do not need sunlight before germination. Therefore, they are placed in a dark, warm place. Sometimes growers cover the boxes with dark plastic to speed up germination.
2. When the first shoots appear, containers with seedlings are placed in a well-lit place. If there was a dark film on them, it is removed. If the boxes are covered with transparent glass, then in the first week after germination it is left.
3. Before the seeds germinate, the soil is moistened with a spray bottle. After the first shoots appear, the plants are watered with a syringe. Use water at room temperature.
4. When the first true leaves appear on the plants, they are dived into individual containers. Do not pinch the root. This slows down the growth of plants.
5. After picking, tomatoes are watered from a watering can. It is important that water does not fall on the ground part.
6. For the entire period of growing seedlings, plants are fed 3 times. The first time fertilizers are applied 2 weeks after the pick, the second - after 2-3 weeks, 3 - 3 days before planting in the greenhouse.
7. 14 days before picking tomatoes to a permanent place, they begin to harden. To do this, they are taken out to the balcony, gradually increasing the time spent in the fresh air.

Agrotechnics of Honey fireworks

The honey fireworks are planted in a permanent place in May. The way it is cultivated depends on the region:

• southern - in the open field;
• central - in film shelters;
• northern - in a glazed greenhouse.

3 days before the tomatoes are planted in a permanent place, they are watered and fed. They use phosphorus and potash fertilizers.

Planting seedlings in a permanent place

The beds for planting tomatoes are prepared in advance. They are cleaned of plant residues and dug up. To enrich the soil, fertilizers are introduced into it: mullein, humus, etc. If there is a need to reduce the acidity of the soil, then it is mixed with dry lime.

In the spring, the soil is dug up again. It is watered with a solution of copper sulfate. Dig holes, which are staggered in rows. Use the scheme 40 x 70 cm. For 1 square. m place 4 plants.

The tomatoes are removed from the pots and placed in the wells. 1 liter of water is poured into each depression. The holes are covered with soil.

Honey salute care

Honey salute is a tall plant with large fruits. Therefore, it needs to be tied up. The bushes are attached to the support as they grow. Additionally, brushes with fruits are tied up.

Form a tomato into 1-3 stems. The more stems remain, the less large the fruits will be and the later they will ripen. When a tomato is formed in 2 stems, the best yield indicators are observed.

The growth of the Honey Fireworks is artificially limited. To do this, pinch the top of the main stem after 4 brushes. The point of growth of additional stems is limited after the appearance of 3 brushes.

When pinching tomatoes, they remove not only stepsons, but also all leaves up to the first ovary. This will speed up the fruit setting and ripening. Sonkeeping is carried out no more than once a week. No more than 3 leaves are removed at a time.

Watering tomatoes should be regular and abundant. At least 2 liters of water are consumed for each adult plant. Use warm, settled water. After picking the plants to a permanent place, the soil is moistened for the first time after 10 days.

Tomato bushes are shaken regularly. This contributes to their pollination.

Tomatoes are fed 3-4 times per season. The first feeding should include nitrogen. Mineral fertilizers are used for the second time. Then the tomatoes are watered with organic compounds. After the appearance of the first fruits, formulations with potassium and phosphorus are used.

Twice a season, the bushes are sprayed with foliar dressing... Boron must be included in such fertilizers.

Common mistakes gardeners make

The Honey Salute variety is quite capricious in its care. Often novice gardeners make mistakes that increase the risks of disease and plant death:

1. Refusal from mulching... Mulch retains moisture in the soil, slows down the growth of weeds, prevents roots from freezing and becomes an additional fertilizer for tomatoes.
2. Spraying tomato bushes with water. Tomatoes do not like when liquid gets on their greens. Such a mistake often leads to wilting and death of plants. Drops of liquid on bushes attract pests.
3. Application of a large amount of fertilizers. In this case, the tomatoes will be covered with a lot of greenery, but the fruits will be small and rare.
4. Thickening of plantings. Tomatoes planted too close create additional shade, This leads to a decrease in tomato yield.
5. Preservation of all inflorescences. All malformed inflorescences must be removed. This will help healthy fetuses form faster, gain maximum weight and ripen.
6. Wrong neighborhood. Tomatoes should not be planted outdoors next to other nightshades. This will increase the risk of infection. In the greenhouse, tomatoes should not coexist with any other crops.

Diseases and pests

Honey salute has a weak immunity to tomato diseases. Therefore, its cultivation requires not only compliance with the rules of prevention, but also the use of additional funds for processing bushes.

Rules for the prevention of tomato diseases:

1. Disinfection. Disinfecting compounds are used to treat the soil, seeds, containers and garden tools.
2. Cleaning of last year's plants. The remains of plants in the beds must be removed and burned. They can be carriers of infection.
3. Right watering... Overdried and waterlogged soil is an ideal environment for the development of infections.
4. Insect protection. The ground part of tomato bushes is treated with herbal decoctions, soap solution and compositions with colloidal sulfur. Eggshells are poured under the root. Large beetles are collected by hand.
5. Preventive treatment of bushes. To prevent the development of fungal diseases, tomatoes are treated 3 times a month with solutions containing copper, or Bordeaux liquid.

Indoor and outdoor cultivation

Honey fireworks are grown mainly indoors. In such conditions, the yield of the variety increases and the likelihood of its infection decreases.

Before planting tomatoes in a greenhouse, you need to treat the walls of the room with copper sulfate or a solution of potassium permanganate. It is advisable to do preventive treatments during the period of growing plants.

The windows in the greenhouse are opened daily for ventilation. On cloudy days, the room is left closed.

In the open ground, the landing of the Honey Fireworks is possible only in the southern regions. Even in warm climates, the yield of tomatoes not grown in a greenhouse will be reduced and the risk of infection will increase significantly.

Harvesting and application of the crop

Tomatoes Honey fireworks are harvested in the second half of August. The ripeness of the fruit will be indicated by a dark yellow color and red stains.

When picking tomatoes, it is important to preserve the stem. In this case, they will be stored longer. After picking, the tomatoes are placed in a refrigerator. There they will lie fresh for no more than a month and a half.

The fruits are used for salads and cooking. For conservation this variety is not suitable.

Advantages and disadvantages

Benefits of Honey Salute:

• a large amount of beta-carotene in the composition;
• rich sweet taste;
• beautiful colour;
• large-fruited.

Disadvantages:

• not suitable for conservation;
• needs frequent pinching;
• picky about care;
• grows poorly in the open field;
• has low immunity to plant diseases.

Farmers reviews

The gardeners' reviews of the Honey Salute are mostly positive. Everyone notes the excellent taste of its fruits.

Alena Sachuk, Klin:“I grew Honey fireworks in a greenhouse. Formed in 1 stem. Excess inflorescences were removed. Regularly treated with Bordeaux liquid, so the tomatoes did not get sick. At the end of August, she harvested large fruits, weighing from 400 to 600 g. The taste was very impressive. The berries are sweet, juicy, very fleshy. I'm thinking of planting it again, although it's a lot of fuss with it.

Andrey Grigorenko, Belgorod: “For two years I have been growing Honey fireworks in a greenhouse. In care, the variety is capricious. Constantly need to be treated with various agents for diseases and pests and fed. Brushes with fruits must be tied additionally. I grow it for my grandchildren because of the delicious sweet fruits without sourness. Some tomatoes crack, although I don't water them often. "

Conclusion

Tomato Honey Salute is a variety with bright yellow-red fruits. In addition to their beautiful color, these tomatoes have an amazing sweet taste and rich in vitamins.

This variety is not suitable for beginner gardeners. It has low immunity to disease and is demanding in its care. Its cultivation is possible only with a greenhouse. Nevertheless, everyone who has tried to plant this variety once will come back to it again. After all, all labor costs are paid off by great taste.