Secrets of successful cultivation of "Black Moor" tomato
Black tomatoes attract attention with their unusual color. But few people know that dark fruits, due to the presence of anthocyanin pigments in them, have an antioxidant effect on the body, increase immunity and even stimulate male potency.
Dark-fruited varieties include, among others, the Black Moor tomato. Further in the article, we will consider its features and secrets of successful cultivation.
The content of the article
Characteristics and description of the variety
The main properties of Black Moor tomatoes are:
- Mid-ripeness... From germination to fruit ripening, 105-115 days pass.
- High yield... From one bush, subject to agricultural technology, you can get 4-6 kg of harvest.
- Semi-determinism... Plant growth stops after the formation of 10-12 clusters.
- Average height... Plant height reaches 140-180 cm.
- Unpretentiousness... Suitable for growing both in the greenhouse and in the open field.
Tomatoes of this variety are plum-shaped and have a sweet taste.... They grow medium-sized, weighing 40-50 g. 10-15 fruits are formed on one brush. In the photo you can see how they look:
Until the state of full ripeness, the fruits have a green spot near the stalk.... The color of tomatoes ranges from reddish brown to close to black. This is affected by the acidity of the soil on which the tomato bush grows. If the ground is acidic, the tomatoes will grow reddish brown. If the soil pH is neutral, the color will be close to black.
Attention! Experienced gardeners have found a way to get tomatoes of this variety with the most black color. They reduce the acidity of the soil with the help of ash: they bring it in at the rate of 1 kg per 1 sq. m.
Pros and cons
The Black Moor variety has several advantages.:
- plants tolerate temperature changes well and bear fruit until mid-autumn in warm weather;
- unusual fruit color;
- sweet taste of tomatoes;
- high productivity;
- can be grown outdoors.
Among the disadvantages of tomato growers are the following:
- you need to pinch, tie up and form a bush;
- the fruits have a thin skin and juicy pulp, which is why they do not tolerate transportation well;
- fruits are not suitable for canning as a whole;
- tomatoes are heavily eaten by pests;
- plants are susceptible to disease.
Features of care and cultivation techniques
The process of growing dark-fruited tomatoes is similar to the care procedure for the usual red tomatoes.
Read about other varieties of tomatoes:
Tomato "Samara" and its advantages over other types of tomatoes
Seed preparation
Before planting, the seeds are checked for germination.... They are placed in a glass and filled with water at room temperature. Those seeds that have sunk to the bottom are suitable for planting.
To increase germination, seeds are soaked in a solution of a growth stimulator: for example, "Epina" or "Zircon" (the solution is prepared according to the manufacturer's instructions).
Sowing seeds for seedlings
Seeds are best planted for seedlings in March.
Attention! If you are unhappy with the seed germination, you will have plenty of time to plant additional plants.
It is better to buy soil ready-made in the store - preparation of land from your site will take a long time.
Seeds are embedded in the soil by 1-1.5 cm and sprinkled with a layer of earth... The container with the soil is wrapped with plastic wrap, creating a microclimate favorable for seed germination. Before emergence, the container is placed in a dark place. When shoots appear, they are taken out into the light (the film is removed). When the soil dries up, the sprouts are carefully watered with settled water.
Seedling picking
When several real (not cotyledonous) leaves appear, tomato seedlings dive - each plant is planted in separate containers. Tomatoes will grow and develop in them until they are planted in the main growing area.
Planting seedlings to a permanent place
Plants are transplanted to a permanent growing area in mid-May (to the greenhouse) and during the first week of June, when the threat of morning frost passes (to the open ground).
Landing scheme: 40-45 cm between plants in a row and 60 cm between rows.
Before planting, each hole is spilled with water and complex fertilizers are addedcontaining nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (dosage according to the manufacturer's instructions).
Plant care and feeding
Experienced gardeners before flowering tomatoes (in the budding phase) the aerial part of the plants is sprayed with a solution of boric acid. It is prepared from 1 teaspoon of boric acid crystals and 1 glass of hot water. After dissolution, the mixture is poured into 10 l of room temperature water. To obtain a good harvest, the leaves, stems and buds are abundantly sprayed with the resulting solution from a spray bottle.
Important! It is advisable to carry out such feeding in cloudy weather or after sunset. This is to prevent wet leaves from getting sunburn.
Tomato bushes grow tall and therefore need a garter to the supports.
Plants stepchild: remove young shoots that form in the leaf axils. Passynching is done 1-2 times a week, in the morning or in the evening. Columns from distant shoots are left 1.5-2 cm high.
Bushes of the Black Moor form in 1-2 stems.
Attention! In greenhouses, in warm sunny weather, plant flowers are pollinated by gently shaking the flower brushes. This way it is possible to achieve more ovaries.
Watering and loosening
Before flowering, plants are watered every 4-6 days. at the rate of 4-5 liters per 1 sq. m. During flowering and pouring of fruits, watering is increased to 8-10 liters.
After watering, the soil around the bushes is loosened and sprinkled with dry earth... Aisles are weeded 1-2 times a week. A few weeks after planting, the plants are spudded: the base of the stem is sprinkled with earth by 2-5 cm. In the sprinkled part, additional roots will then develop, which improve the nutrition of the bush.
Harvesting
July and August are ripe and harvest time... Regular picking of tomatoes will contribute to the amicable ripening of the remaining fruits. You can pick unripe tomatoes, put them in boxes and leave to ripen in a dark place.
Attention! Red-fruited brothers can be added to unripe dark-fruited tomatoes. This will speed up the ripening process.
Diseases and pests
One of the disadvantages of the Black Moor is susceptibility to disease.... As a preventive measure, it is recommended to spill soil (even purchased) with a solution of copper sulfate at the rate of 1 tbsp. spoon for 1 liter of water.
For the prevention of top rot (she speaks of a lack of calcium and is manifested by spots on the top of the fruit) you can do root dressing from ash. The solution is prepared by diluting 0.5 liters of ash in 4-5 liters of water. 0.5 liters of fertilizer are consumed under the bush.
The main pests of tomatoes are whitefly and aphids... If they appear, the plant can be treated with Imidor (1.5 ml per 10 l of water). Also, as an effective method of pest control, tomato growers distinguish spraying the bushes with garlic tincture. It is prepared by infusing 200 g of garlic cloves in 5 liters of water for 5-6 hours. The resulting tincture is abundantly irrigated on the stems and leaves of tomatoes on both sides.
More about tomato varieties:
Tomato "Chocolate Miracle": reviews and photos of the harvest
Reviews of tomato growers
On internet forums there are different reviews about the Black Moor variety, mostly positive.
Elena, Moscow region: “We grow black tomatoes every season. We alternate varieties. Last year we tried the Black Moor. It tastes very sweet, looks beautiful on the bush: on the brushes, almost everything is the same size. I read that if you regularly eat these fresh tomatoes, your immunity increases, your skin condition improves and metabolic processes are accelerated. ".
Oksana, Kirov: “We didn't get big harvests from this variety. Perhaps it should have been better fertilized. But the bushes bore fruit until autumn. The whole family noted that dark tomatoes look very appetizing in fresh summer salads. ".
Anatoly, Krasnodar: “In the summer I grew this variety in the open field. The fruits are not large, but there are many of them. Be sure to tie it up: the brushes are large, they can break off the bush. ".
Let's sum up
Tomatoes of the Black Moor variety contain anthocyanins, which have an antioxidant effect and inhibit oxidative processes. These tomatoes are good for the body and very beautiful in appearance: the fruits grow even and calibrated.
The care of the variety is standard: garter, pinching, watering, weeding and feeding. But the Black Moor is susceptible to diseases, therefore, increased protection measures will be required. If you follow all the recommendations, the variety will certainly delight you with a stable harvest!