Delicious and time-tested tomato "Heart of Ashgabat": an overview of the variety and the basics of its cultivation

Breeders create dozens of new tomato varieties every year. They differ in the requirements for care, and the color of the fruits, and the shape of the bushes, and the speed of ripening. Despite all the variety, many gardeners prefer old, proven tomatoes.

The Heart of Ashgabat is considered one of the most popular tomatoes. It first appeared in horticultural markets almost half a century ago. During this time, not many varieties were released that could surpass it in terms of simplicity in care, taste and size of fruits. Let's get to know him in more detail.

General description of the variety

The heart of Ashgabat is a varietal tomato. It was bred in the USSR by Turkmen breeders. The name and surname of the originator are unknown, therefore the tomato is called the development of folk selection.

In 1972, the tomato was entered into the Russian state register. Since then, its popularity has not diminished.

Advice... The largest tomatoes are allowed to fully ripen on the bushes. Their seeds are harvested, peeled from the pulp, and stored in cloth bags. It is from such planting material that the strongest and most productive plants are obtained.

Distinctive features

The heart of Ashgabat is distinguished by large beautiful fruits... They are bright orange in color, with small pinkish spots. Their shape resembles a heart, for which, in fact, the variety got its name.

Tomato berries are fleshy and juicy. They have a rich sweet taste with a mild sourness. The aroma is tomato.

The fruits are high in beta-carotene and lycopene. Thanks to this, they contribute to the elimination of harmful substances from the body, improve vision and strengthen immunity. Moreover, these tomatoes do not cause allergies and have a low concentration of purines. They are useful for children, allergy sufferers and people suffering from vitamin deficiency.

The tomato has a high yield.

Another positive quality of the Heart of Ashgabat is its high immunity to fungal diseases of tomato crops. The variety is not even afraid of late blight.

Like most other tomatoes, it is picky about light and temperature. The variety is not cold-resistant. Also, gardeners attribute to the disadvantages of the Heart of Ashgabat the fact that it will not give a good harvest without regular and proper feeding.

Main characteristics

The popularity of the variety is due to its impressive characteristics and delicious fruits. In terms of its yield and resistance to diseases, it is not inferior to the younger achievements of breeding.

A detailed description of the Heart of Ashgabat is given in the table.

Growing seedlings

Mid-season tomatoes are grown in seedlings. This is the only way they manage to ripen before the onset of frost in our country.

The key to fruitful tomatoes is strong and healthy seedlings. To obtain such plants, it is important to take a responsible approach to each stage of their cultivation.

Seed treatment

One of the most important stages of growing seedlings is the preparation of planting material. The resistance of the variety to diseases and negative environmental factors depends on how correctly this procedure is performed:

1. The first step is to choose planting material that will germinate... To do this, the seeds are soaked in warm salted water (1 tsp salt in 1 tbsp. Water). For planting, use only those specimens that have sunk to the bottom.
2. The planting material is disinfected, since infections persist on the seeds. It is soaked for 20 minutes in a light pink solution of potassium permanganate or hydrogen peroxide. Folk remedies are also used that not only disinfect seeds, but also stimulate their germination. As such means, aloe juice is used, diluted in half with water, or a solution of soda (1 tsp for 1 tbsp. Of water). In such preparations, the planting material is kept for 12 hours.
3. The last stage of processing tomato seeds is to stimulate their growth. This procedure not only speeds up their germination, but also increases cold resistance. Use purchased products ("Epin", "Sodium humate") or homemade preparations (honey water).

Note! Some gardeners prefer to germinate seeds beforehand. In this case, the planting material is folded on napkins moistened with a growth stimulator, which are laid on the bottom of a deep container. From above they are covered with several more layers of wet gauze. Until germination, they are kept in a warm place, periodically wetting the material with warm water.

Selection of containers and soil

When growing seedlings in a heated greenhouse, use the same soil in which adult tomatoes will grow. It is disinfected with hot copper sulfate.

When grown at home, a special soil mixture is prepared. They take the land from the site where adult tomatoes will be grown. It is mixed in equal proportions with humus or peat (sometimes two options are taken at once). Add half of the sand, sawdust or coconut substrate to the soil. A bucket of this composition is mixed with 1 tbsp. ash and 1 matchbox of superphosphate.

Suitable for growing seedlings and purchased soil. Choose a universal soil mixture or a special soil for tomatoes and peppers.

Both purchased and home-made soil are disinfected. It is poured with a dark pink solution of potassium permanganate, hot copper sulfate, or ignited in the oven.

Inexpensive tomato varieties, which include the Heart of Ashgabat, are first sown in a common box. They use both special containers for seedlings and improvised materials (boxes from semi-finished products, cut six-liter bottles, etc.).

When the seedlings grow up, they dive into separate containers with a volume of 300-500 ml. Plastic cups, peat pots, 1-2 liter cut bottles are suitable.

Important. Containers are also disinfected. It is enough to soak them for half an hour in a dark pink solution of potassium permanganate.

Sowing planting material

The seeds of the Heart of Ashgabat are sown 55-60 days before the tomatoes are planted in the ground. This usually happens in March.

Seedling boxes are filled with soil, which is watered with warm water. In the soil, grooves are made 1 cm deep at a distance of 3 cm from each other. Seeds are placed in the grooves with an interval of 2 cm.

The seeds are covered with soil. The containers are covered with foil and placed in a warm place. Every day, the film is slightly opened for 15-20 minutes so that the water does not stagnate.

Seedling care

Growing seedlings is a simple but responsible process. The main thing is to follow the basic rules:

1. When the seeds germinate, the film is removed... Plants are placed on the windowsill. If the seedlings do not have enough natural light, fluorescent lamps are used.
2. Water the tomatoes as the soil dries. It is important to use water at room temperature and be careful not to get on the greens of the plants.
3. Make sure that the seedlings do not stand in a draft... Otherwise, immature plants will die.
4. When 2 true leaves are formed on the plants, they are dived into individual containers, at the bottom of which drainage is necessarily poured. Tomatoes are not watered or fed within 10 days after transplanting.
5. 14 days after picking the tomatoes, the first feeding is applied. The next two times the soil is fertilized with an interval of two weeks. Complex fertilizers are used that include phosphorus.
6. Before planting tomatoes in a permanent place, they are hardened. Prior to that, two weeks before the pick, the seedlings begin to be taken out into the fresh air, gradually increasing the time of their stay there.

Agrotechnics of the Heart of Ashgabat

Tomatoes are transplanted into open ground when the soil warms up at a depth of 15 cm. In greenhouses, picking is possible two weeks earlier.

The time for planting seedlings in open ground depends on the region:

• southern - late April or early May;
• central - mid or late May;
• northern - early June.

Before picking, the seedlings must be fed and watered. This will help her quickly settle down in a new place.

Planting tomatoes in the ground

Digging up tomato beds. They are cleared of weeds and enriched with fertilizers. For 1 sq. m make 6 kg of rotted manure. If the acidity of the soil is increased, additionally add dry lime or ash.

Advice... Gardeners recommend chopping the tops of last year's tomatoes, pouring with potassium permanganate and dripping into future tomato beds. In spring, the tops will turn into nutritious fertilizer.

In the spring, the beds are dug up or leveled with a rake and cleaned of weeds. They are poured over with hot copper sulfate.

The holes are dug in rows in a checkerboard pattern. For 1 sq. m place no more than five plants.

Ash or dry granular fertilizers are poured into the holes. Some gardeners throw one small fresh fish there.

Tomatoes are removed from the pots just before planting. They are carefully moved into the holes, deepening to the lower leaves. The depressions are covered with soil, which is tamped.

Plants are watered, spending a liter of warm water on each of them. The next watering is done in two weeks.

Care

The heart of Ashgabat must be tied up. Not only the main stem is attached to the support, but also brushes with heavy fruits. Use synthetic thread that does not rot.

Form a tomato into 2-3 stems. The fewer stalks remain, the larger the fruits will be, but the smaller they will be.

In the process of formation, dry leaves and greens are removed below the first flower brush. In one procedure, no more than three sheets are ripped off.

Water the tomatoes 2-3 times a week. At least two liters of water are used per plant. The soil is moistened early in the morning or at sunset so that water does not fall on the ground part of the plants. On days of pinching, tomatoes are not watered.

After each glaze the soil is loosened, weeds are removed in the process.

The heart of Ashgabat loves feeding. They are applied at least four times per season.Complex mineral and organic (silage, humus, chicken droppings) alternate.

The lazy way to grow tomatoes

There is an interesting new way that gardeners call "lazy". It consists in a special way of planting tomatoes in a permanent place, which allows you to spend a minimum of time on care during the entire growing season.

For tomatoes, dig holes 50 cm wide and 30 cm deep. The distance between the grooves should be 1.2 m. A high wooden support is installed in the center of the hole.

At the bottom of each hole, they are covered with layers of a bucket of rotted manure, humus and sand. The rest of the volume is filled with garden soil. 85 g of nitrophoska and 0.5 kg of ash are added to each well. All components are thoroughly mixed.

5 tomatoes are planted in each hole, 60 days old. The greens from the bottom of the bush are removed. They are tied to one support located in the center of the recess.

Each well is poured with 1 liter of water. Then their mulch hay, straw, fallen leaves or burlap.

Water the tomatoes 1-2 times a week. You do not need to loosen the beds. In the nutrient substrate, worms will surely start, which will do this for you.

When grown lazily, you only need one for the whole summer. feeding... Chicken droppings diluted 1/10 with water are used as fertilizer. Tomatoes are sprayed with boric acid 3 times a season.

This is all the care the tomatoes need. Gardeners who have tried it claim that they get 20-40 kg of fruit from one hole per season.

Diseases and pests

The heart of Ashgabat is a variety that is resistant to fungal diseases of tomatoes. It does not differ in high immunity to viral diseases.

To reduce the risk of infection, it is important to follow the basic rules of prevention:

1. Observe the crop rotation. Tomatoes are not planted in beds after nightshade crops.
2. Disinfect soil, containers, seeds and garden tools.
3. Correct neighborhood. Potatoes are not planted next to tomatoes.
4. Compliance with the rules of watering and pinching. The soil should not be waterlogged or dry. Do not allow water to enter the ground part of the plants.
5. Insect protection. Pests - carriers of viruses and bacteria. To scare them away from tomato bushes, plants are sprayed with wormwood broth or "Barrier". If small pests have already hit the tomatoes, then use a soap solution (1 bar of soap, rubbed into a bucket of water).

Features of cultivating varieties in open and protected ground

Before planting tomatoes in the greenhouse, the walls must be treated with copper sulfate. The soil is replaced on the beds. New soil is also disinfected.

Airing is another important step. This procedure helps maintain optimal indoor humidity, reducing the chance of plant infestation.

In the greenhouse, the plants are helped to pollinate. The first option is to periodically shake the bushes during flowering. The second way is to put a fan in the room.

In the greenhouse, tomatoes are watered once a week, and in the open field - 2-3 times.

At night, tomatoes planted in open ground are covered with foil for two weeks. This will protect them from night frost.

Harvesting and application of the crop

The first crop is harvested in mid-May. The fruits are plucked by the piece. The berries are stored in a cool dry place.

Tomatoes are suitable for fresh consumption and juicing. In general, they are not canned due to their large size.

Advantages and disadvantages of the Heart of Ashgabat

The advantages of the variety:

• high productivity;
• immunity to tomato diseases;
• availability of seeds;
• the ability to use seeds from your own harvest for planting;
• low allergenicity and rich composition of fruits;
• great taste and unusual shape of the berries.

The disadvantages include the need for a garter and pinching of bushes.

Farmers reviews

Gardeners' reviews about the Heart of Ashgabat are mostly positive.

Victoria, Moscow: “I have been growing the Heart of Ashgabat in a greenhouse for ten years already. I form it into 1 stem, because I like to get fruits of record sizes. The variety is ideal for salads, but I don't like it in juices because of the lack of acidity. "

Gleb, Kherson: “The heart of Ashgabat was still grown by my mother, now I plant it too. Heart tomatoes are beautiful and bright as in the photo. It tastes sweet and juicy. Requires no more attention than other large-fruited varieties. "

Conclusion

The heart of Ashgabat is an old and proven variety. It is liked by all gardeners who have tried it. The fruit has a beautiful bright orange color and a sweet rich taste.

It is not difficult to grow such tomatoes. They are not afraid of tomato diseases and are not whimsical. The main thing is to pinch, water and feed the bushes in a timely manner.