How to grow a Geranium Kiss tomato with compact bushes, rich taste and stable yield

Tomatoes are especially popular with gardeners, which are distinguished not only by high productivity, but also delight the eye with an attractive shape, color and abundant flowering. An important role is played by the high taste of the fruit.

Such characteristics are possessed by the variety Geranium Kiss. It is about him that will be discussed in our article. You will learn about the pros and cons of culture, the rules of growing in open and closed ground.

Description of the variety

Tomatoes Geranium Kiss or Geranium Kiss - the result of the selection work of Alan Capuler, a farmer from the American state of Oregon. The variety was registered in 2009.

Distinctive features

Features of the variety:

1. The crop is intended primarily for growing outdoors in regions with warm climates. In the middle lane and in the northern regions, tomatoes are cultivated in greenhouses.
2. The bushes are determinate, reaching a height of 50-60 cm in the garden, and up to 1 m in the greenhouse.
3. Early ripe tomatoes - 90 days pass from germination to the time of fruit emergence.
4. There are few side shoots, so there is no need to pinch the plants.
5. The main trunk is thick and strong, able to support the weight of tomato brushes, does not require a garter.
6. The foliage is dense, corrugated, green, with slight pubescence. On the edges of the leaves there are obtuse teeth.
7. The plant is self-pollinated, gives 100% ovaries.
8. Lemon flowers. The bushes during the flowering period resemble a yellow ball.
9. Complex inflorescences. Up to six bunches are formed on each bush. Up to hundreds of small-caliber fruits are formed on long racemes.
10. A powerful rhizome goes into the ground no deeper than half a meter, and grows around the entire perimeter of the site, providing the plant with nutrients.

Reference. The variety Geranium Kiss is suitable for growing on balconies and loggias in pots with a capacity of at least 5 liters.

In the photo - a tomato Geranium Kiss.

Fruit characteristics and yield

Small cocktail tomatoes have this characteristic:

• shape - oval, oblong, sharp nose at the end;
• size - no more than a walnut;
• weight - 15-30 g;
• the skin is bright crimson, smooth and thin, does not crack;
• fruits retain their presentation for a week after harvest;
• pulp - juicy, sweet, deep red;
• the cross section shows six chambers with small seeds.

Productivity from 1 m² - up to 10 kg, from one bush - up to 2 kg.

Agricultural technology varieties

Tomatoes Kiss geraniums are grown in two ways: through seedlings and by direct sowing into the ground. The second option is more suitable for regions with a warm climate. Sowing work begins in May, after the soil warms up enough and the threat of night frosts disappears.

Seed preparation for seedlings

Seeds from the parent plant have excellent germination more than three years, without losing the characteristics of the variety.

Assembled the seed is soaked in a strong solution potassium permanganate for 3 hours or in 2% hydrogen peroxide solution for 30 minutes. Then immersed in drugs that stimulate growth - "Zircon", "Epin".

The soil

Seedling soil is prepared from turf, river sand and peat in equal proportions or take a ready-made substrate for tomatoes. Both options are disinfected in the oven, in a double boiler, or spilled with a strong solution of potassium permanganate.

About other grape varieties of tomatoes:

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Sowing

Wet soil is laid out in seedling boxes or immediately in separate peat containers. Seeds are sown in early April, into furrows 2 cm deep with an interval of 1.5 cm. A 1 cm layer of soil is poured on top and watered. To create a greenhouse effect, a film is pulled over the containers and taken to a dark place. The seeds hatch after 4-5 days at an air temperature of +25 ° C.

Growing seedlings

After the emergence of seedlings, the film is removed, the containers are taken out on a windowsill with good lighting. Watering - moderate, at the root of the syringe.

Saplings fed with ready-made fertilizers: Agricola, Radiance, Baikal, Effekton.

A pick into separate containers is carried out after the appearance of two leaves.

A week before landing in the ground seedlings are taken out to the balcony for hardening. First for half an hour, then the time is gradually increased. The day before planting, seedlings should be outdoors for 24 hours.

Landing in the ground

Transfer to seedlings in the ground is carried out as soon as the first flowers appear. This usually happens in early May, as the seedlings grow quickly. No more than four bushes are placed on 1 m2... The planting pattern is standard for indoor and outdoor ground - 30x50 cm.

Watering is suspended three days before the transfer... On the site, dig holes with a depth of no more than the height of the glass in which the seedlings are located. 3 g of superphosphate are added to each and the seedlings are loaded with an earthen lump. The soil is poured abundantly with warm water, wait until the moisture is completely absorbed, then repeat the procedure twice.

Care

Geranium kiss is watered moderately with rain or settled water no more than once every seven days. After each watering, the soil is loosened. Weeds are periodically weeded.

To reduce the frequency of weeding and facilitate maintenance, the beds are covered with mulch (hay, straw, sawdust, pine needles).

Important! The bushes do not need to be pinned, molded and tied.

During the growing season the culture is fed three times:

• when planting - with organic fertilizers ("Vermix", "Piksa");
• during the period of active flowering - with phosphorus dressings ("Superphosphate", "Ammophos", "Nitrofoska");
• in the formation of tomatoes - potassium ("Potassium monophosphate", "Kalimagnesia").

Important! Not only the ground part is treated with nutritious dressings, but also the soil is watered abundantly. This is due to the growth of the root system in breadth.

Diseases and pests

The early ripening variety is resistant to most nightshade diseases... Fruiting begins long before the peak of the activity of viruses and fungi. Farmers note that the culture rarely gets sick with fusarium, verticillosis, late blight, powdery mildew.

But the plant has no immunity against cladosporia and tobacco mosaic.... To preserve the harvest, follow preventive measures:

• disinfection of seeds before sowing;
• removal of weak seedlings;
• annual soil renewal;
• spring tillage with 5% copper sulfate solution;
• ensuring the optimal level of soil moisture;
• adherence to the principle of crop rotation (do not plant tomatoes in one place for more than four years in a row).

To combat insect pests (Colorado potato beetle, whitefly, spider mite) use the drugs "Confidor", "Iskra", "Commander".

Get rid of the fungus will help foliar treatment with "Barrier" or Bordeaux liquid.

Growing difficulties

Tomatoes Kiss geraniums love moisturebut will not be able to grow in wetlands. Therefore, the frequency of watering plays an important role in the successful cultivation of the variety.

At air temperatures above +32 ° С pollen becomes sterile, which leads to the cessation of ovary formation.

In the heat, areas of tomatoes near the stalk turn yellow... This does not affect the taste in any way, but the presentation is lost.To avoid this, the bushes are shaded with a special mesh or agrofiber.

When growing ornamental shrubs on loggias and balconies it is important to choose a pot of the appropriate size, in which the plant will not be crowded. Otherwise, the tomatoes will stop growing and will lay fewer brushes with fruits. In the worst case, this may not happen at all.

Reference. Agrotechnology of tomatoes on the balcony is identical to the rules for growing in a garden and a greenhouse - moderate watering and feeding.

The nuances of growing in open ground and in a greenhouse

Geranium kiss loves neutral, fertile soil.

The choice of a place for cultivation depends on the region and the weather forecast for the summer.... In areas with short and cool summers, tomatoes are planted in greenhouses. In the southern regions, seeds can be safely sown directly into the soil, starting in mid-May. The earth in such areas has time to warm up to +16 ° С. In case the forecast of weather forecasters is not happy, tomatoes are planted in greenhouses.

The plot for tomatoes in unprotected soil is chosen from the south side, with adequate lighting and no drafts. The ideal location is along a fence, wall of a house or greenhouse. The earth is dug up in the fall and fertilized with humus. In the spring, the soil is loosened and fed with chicken droppings mixed with peat and sawdust.

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Rules for growing seedlings in the open field:

1. In the prepared soil, holes are dug 1.5 cm deep in a checkerboard pattern (40x60 cm, 30x50 cm) and poured with hot water. After cooling down, 3 seeds are sown into the holes, covered with earth and pressed with a palm. Seedlings appear in a week. If the seeds germinate before this, then after 4 days.
2. As soon as three leaves hatch, the seedlings are examined and the strongest are left. Weak ones are removed and transplanted into other wells.
3. After sowing, the beds are not watered, but are waiting for the emergence of seedlings. Otherwise, a crust forms on the surface of the earth, through which it is difficult for weak shoots to break through.
4. For irrigation, rain or settled warm water is used. Water in the morning before sunrise or in the evening, strictly at the root, once a week. In the heat, the frequency of watering is increased up to two times. In rainy weather, on the contrary, they are reduced.

Farmers recommend removing the bushes before the onset of cold weather, even if they have ovaries. This should be done in the first decade of September. The fact is that the culture is sensitive to cold, and when the average daily temperature drops sharply, it stops growing and the tomatoes begin to rot.

The main advantage of cultivating the variety in greenhouse conditions - the ability to get an early harvest. The advantages of growing in the garden are natural hardening of plants, disease resistance and high taste of tomatoes.

Harvest application

Tomatoes Kiss Geraniums have a universal purpose... The crop is harvested together with brushes at the stage of technical ripeness. This allows you to store products for a longer time without losing taste and presentation. Unripe tomatoes are stored in wooden boxes in two layers. Several ripe fruits are placed between them to stimulate ripening. The process takes about a week.

Ripe tomatoes are stored for a long time in the refrigerator or cellar at a temperature not higher than +10 ° С. The fruits are used for preparing salads, tomato juice, snacks, drying, pickling and pickling.

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

The advantages of tomatoes:

• ease of cultivation in a closed, open field, in a city apartment;
• there is no need for pinching, tying and shaping bushes;
• the plant has an attractive appearance, abundantly covered with lemon-colored flowers;
• taste - excellent;
• compact bushes do not take up much space on the site;
• bears fruit abundantly and ripens early.

disadvantages:

• predisposition to bacterial lesions;
• intolerance to high humidity.

Reviews

Kiss geranium bushes attract attention with abundant flowering, neatness and branches covered with miniature scarlet tomatoes. Everyone who tried to grow the crop was pleased with the result.

Vera, Liski: “A friend shared with me tomato seeds. She planted bushes in a greenhouse in mid-May. The variety is excellent, consistently bears fruit. The fruits are tasty, sweet, aromatic, stored in the refrigerator for a long time. We ate fresh ".

Irina, Krasnodar: “Two years ago I got hold of the Geranium Kiss seeds. I grow through sowing directly into the ground. In our climate, this is permissible. I water according to the rules, I try not to spread dirt on the site, tomatoes do not like this. I feed with ready-made organic and mineral fertilizers. In the heat, I cover it with agrofibre, otherwise the skin burns out, turns yellow, but the taste does not change ".

Conclusion

The early ripe variety Geranium Kiss has a lot of advantages: early ripening, abundant fruiting, visual appeal, relative ease of maintenance and the possibility of cultivation in any type of soil. If desired, the plant can be grown on the balcony in large pots.

Excellent taste and universal use in cooking allows you to use the fruits for preparing fresh salads and preparations for the winter.