Pros and cons of hybrid tomato Snowman F1

Looking for an unpretentious, productive and disease resistant grade tomatoes? Pay attention to the Snowman F1. This is a young attractive hybrid that even a novice gardener can handle growing.

Origin of the variety

Tomato Snowman F1 is a hybrid variety bred by Russian breeders. It was entered into the state register of varieties in 2007. The variety belongs to the category of first generation hybrids.

The plant is intended for open field cultivation in the Volgo-Vyatka, Far Eastern and Ural regions. In colder areas, it is recommended to grow tomato in greenhouse shelters.

Characteristics and description of the variety

Sort Snowman F1 - early maturing. From the moment the seeds germinate to the ripening of the first fruits, 85-90 days pass.

The plant is determinate. In the open field, the height of the central stem is 50-70 cm, in greenhouses, the tomato grows up to 120 cm. The leaves are medium-sized, colored dark green.

Fruits are flat-rounded with slightly pronounced ribbing. Ripe fruits have a thin, glossy skin and become bright red in color. Medium-density pulp with 4-6 seed chambers. The weight of tomatoes varies from 60 to 120 g. The tomato has a sweet and sour pleasant taste and pronounced aroma.

The yield of the variety is above average. Up to 4-5 kg ​​of ripe fruits are harvested from one bush. Ripe tomatoes are used both fresh and for processing and canning.

Pros and cons of the variety

Consider the advantages and disadvantages of the variety we are considering.

Benefits:

• resistance to major diseases of nightshade;
• a high percentage of fruits of commercial size and quality (up to 90%);
• unpretentiousness. Tomato tolerates drought and heat well, as well as low air temperatures;
• fruits tolerate transportation well;
• suitable for growing both in the open field and in the greenhouse.

Among the disadvantages of the variety, we note only the need for an annual purchase of seeds, since the hybrid variety does not allow you to harvest seeds yourself.

How to grow a tomato

Let's talk in detail about growing our "snowman".

Seed preparation

Growing seedlings of early maturing varieties begin 35-45 days before the expected date of planting the plant in a greenhouse or open ground.

Note... Don't worry if you are a little late with seeding. Solar activity increases as summer approaches, and seedlings grow faster, the seedlings will have time to develop enough and will not outgrow.

Before planting seeds for germination, preparatory processing is carried out with them: heating and soaking.

Two weeks before planting, the seeds are placed in a warm, dry place so that they warm up well. It is most convenient to place seeds near heating devices. The procedure imitates the natural process of warming up in spring and triggers an “awakening”.

Immediately before sowing, the seeds are soaked for several hours in growth stimulants. This will accelerate germination and make the future plant stronger and more resistant to adverse environmental factors.

Important! During the soaking process, some of the seeds will float. They must be removed and not used for sowing.

It is not necessary to disinfect the seeds, since all seeds are disinfected before being sold.

Sowing

A drainage layer of expanded clay 1.5-2 cm thick is placed on the bottom of the planting container.A 5-6 cm layer of soil is poured on top. Tomatoes prefer neutral, slightly acidic soil. Both ready-made and self-prepared soils are suitable for planting.

To place the seeds in the ground, small grooves are prepared, about 1 cm deep. The soil is well moistened with a spray bottle. Then, at a short distance from each other, the seeds are laid in rows and sprinkled with dry earth on top. The upper ground is slightly compacted. The container is covered with foil and placed in a warm place.

The optimum air temperature is 24-25 ° C. If the temperature is not observed, the seeds will germinate more slowly.

Important! Compared to varietal, hybrid tomato seeds are more heat demanding.

After the first shoots appear, after about 5-7 days, the film is removed from the container.

Growing seedlings

Approximately 14-20 days after the appearance of the first shoots, the sprouts dive into individual containers. By this time, two true leaves are revealed on the plant.

The seedling is dripped in with a teaspoon and transferred to a container along with an earthen lump. The earth around the transplanted plant is well compacted so that voids do not form, and it is shed. Top up with dry earth and no longer watered. Following watering required as the earthen coma dries out after 3-5 days.

Once every 2-3 weeks, seedlings are fed with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers.

If tomatoes will grow in the open field, then 1-2 weeks before planting, hardening begins. For eco, seedlings are briefly taken out into the cold air and open sun every day. The first time it is done for 15 minutes. The residence time is gradually increased every day. The optimum temperature for hardening is from +12 to + 15 ° C.

Landing

As soon as the ground has warmed up to 12-14 ° C, and the probability of night frosts is minimal, the tomatoes are planted in a permanent place of growth. The earth is treated with a solution of potassium permanganate for disinfection 1 week before planting.

To ensure uniform lighting and airing of the plant, leave 50-60 cm between the bushes.

2-3 days before planting, the preparation of the landing holes or grooves begins. Nitrogen-free fertilizer is applied to the planting hole (or furrow) (for example, 2 tablespoons of Borofoski; the dressing will slowly dissolve throughout the summer). Then spill with solutions "Fitosporin" with "Baikal" or "Trichodermin" with "Baikal". On the day of planting, the holes are spilled again with warm water.

Before planting, the seedlings are not watered for 2-3 days so that the earthen lump dries out a little. This will make it easier to remove the plant from the container and not damage it.

When planting, the seedling is placed in a hole or groove at an angle of 45 degrees, sprinkled with earth and compacted well to prevent the formation of voids. The earth is once again watered from a watering can with water (calcium nitrate can be added to the water at the rate of 1 tablespoon per 10 liters) and sprinkled with dry earth on top.

Important! The next watering after transplanting the plants is done no earlier than 7-10 days later. This will allow the plant to form a more branched root system.

Watering

Tomatoes do not like waterlogged soil, abundant watering; once a week is enough. It is best to water in the morning, then during the day the plants will have time to absorb excess moisture, and the roots will not overcool at night.

To prevent the formation of a hard crust on the surface of the ground, the soil around the stem should be loosened regularly. The sharp edges of the crust leave microdamages on the delicate skin of the shoot, through which pathogens and bacteria enter the plant.

Bush formation, pinching

Tomato Snowman F1 - determinant, so the bush is formed into 2-3 stems. Before the formation of the first brush, the plant is kept in one stem. All stepsons and leaves are removed. After the first brush, up to 2-3 strong stepsons are left. The main crop will be formed on these branches.

Advice... When breaking out the stepson, leave a stump 3 cm long.For a long time, it will not allow a new stepson to form in the leaf axil.

Top dressing

The hybrid tomato needs to be fed weekly. For different phases of growth, the plant requires a different ratio of minerals. For root feeding, the following fertilizer ratios are used:

All dosages are based on 10 liters of water.

Observing your tomatoes will allow you to adjust your fertilization. With the intensity of the growth of green mass, the plant “fattens” and does not bloom. In this case, the amount of ammonium nitrate should be reduced, and the dosage of potassium and phosphorus (superphosphate) should be increased.

Prevention of diseases and pests

Like many hybrid varieties, the Snowman is resistant to the most common diseases nightshade (to mosaic and bacterial leaf spot, as well as to root and apical rot). Due to the early ripening period, the tomato manages to give its fruits before the onset of the mass development of late blight.

Despite the plant's immunity, violation of the rules of agricultural technology can weaken it and reduce the possible yield.

The main mistakes of caring for tomatoes:

• planted plants too close;
• excessive watering, in which the earthy clod does not have time to dry out;
• the formation of a hard crust on the surface of the earth, which prevents the flow of oxygen to the roots;
• high air humidity in the greenhouse (over 60%);
• lack of nutrients.

If you still run into difficulties, these tips will help you:

• fungicides will help deal with bacterial infections. They are of chemical or biological origin. Biological: "Ecosil", "Fitosporin". Chemical: "Ridomil", "Bordeaux liquid";
• they cope with insects by spraying with odorous liquids, for example, tincture of chamomile, celandine or garlic;
• aphids are easily washed off with a simple soapy solution.

Reviews of gardeners

Gardeners who have already tried to grow a Snowman, in their reviews of tomatoes of this variety, note:

• good taste of fruits;
• abundant and prolonged fruiting;
• a high percentage of beautiful tomatoes;
• ripe tomatoes correspond to the characteristics and photos declared by the manufacturer;
• fruits tolerate transportation well;
• the removed fruits are stored for a long time without losing their taste.

Conclusion

The unpretentious and fruitful variety Snowman F1 is perfect not only for experienced gardeners, but will also delight beginner gardeners with its qualities. It is resistant to disease, bears fruit early and does not require increased attention. It is enough to provide him with timely watering, removing weeds, loosening the soil, and the plant will thank you with a bountiful harvest.

Tomatoes are well stored and transported. Definitely, it is worth trying to grow this variety on your personal plot.