An exotic variety with a unique appearance - the Gargamel tomato and the intricacies of its cultivation
Red and pink tomatoes are classics of tomato culture. They are sold in abundance in shops and markets. Therefore, gardeners often purchase varieties with more exotic fruits.
Many novice gardeners mistakenly believe that the more unusual tomato fruits look, the more difficult it is to grow a plant. But breeders strive to produce varieties that have not only an interesting appearance, but also good immunity to diseases and unpretentious care. Gargamel tomato meets all these requirements.
The content of the article
Description of the variety
The Gargamel tomato is distinguished by its unusual fruits. Their color is uneven, the main color is red-orange or dark yellow., brown and purple spots and stripes are present.
Plant indeterminate... The tomato reaches a height of two meters.
Due to the unusual appearance of the fruit, the tomato is also interesting for beginners., and for experienced gardeners. Make sure of the exoticism of this variety by looking at the photo.
Features of the Gargamel tomato
The main feature of the Gargamel tomato is an unusual type of fruit. Outwardly, they resemble a large plum or nectarine. Tomatoes are elongated and flattened at the base.
The taste of tomatoes is also unusual - sweet, with a light fruity aftertaste. The texture is jelly and sugary at the same time. Gargamel contains many useful substances, especially antacids. The number of such compounds increases if the tomato has received a lot of sunny color.
The variety is resistant to many tomato diseases. It has relative immunity even to late blight.
Grown in a greenhouse and outdoors. The second method is more suitable for the southern regions of our country.
Gargamel fruits predominantly are consumed fresh, but they are also used for conservation.
Read also:
A variety with a unique taste - tomato "Striped chocolate"
Specifications
Besides its unusual appearance, Gargamel has other characteristics that make it increasingly popular among gardeners.
Description of the Gargamel tomato variety:
| Parameter | Indicators |
| Bush type | the stems are powerful. There is a lot of greenery, but the leaves are small and light green, the flowers are simple |
| Growing method | in greenhouses and unprotected ground. In central Russia, it is better to give preference to greenhouses |
| Yield | high - up to 4 kg of harvest is obtained from one bush. On average, from 1 sq. m harvest 9 kg of tomatoes |
| Fruit | outside the color is orange or golden, with a purple base, brown and purple stripes. Inside, the fruits are red. The shape is elongated, slightly flattened at the base. The pulp is jelly and juicy, dense and sugary at the break. There is no wateriness. The taste is sweet, with a light fruity flavor. Each fruit has 5 branches with a small amount of seeds. The skin is firm but not tough |
| Transportability | high, not damaged during transportation due to strong skin. Stored up to a month |
| Ripening terms | mid-season, 110 days pass from seed germination to ripening |
| Disease resistance | rarely prone to late blight, rot, stem damage |
Growing seedlings
The seedling method of growing tomatoes is optimal for all regions of our country... Seeds are sown 2-2.5 months before planting plants in a permanent place. Preparations usually begin in early March.
Working with planting material
Before planting, seeds need to be prepared to increase germination.
To do this, soak the planting material for half an hour in salt water. Remove the floating seeds, since they will not sprout, and rinse and dry those that have sunk to the bottom.
Disinfection of the planting material is also necessary. Soak the seeds for twenty minutes in a solution of potassium permanganate, diluted in a 1: 100 ratio.
Stimulating seed growth accelerates seed germination. To do this, place the seeds in the pieces of gauze soaked in liquid and cover with a film.
Formulation options for stimulating seed growth:
- Purchased funds - "Zircon", "Epin", "Heteroauxin", "Bud". Use drugs as directed.
- Aloe juice... This folk remedy is suitable not only for stimulating growth, but also for disinfecting seeds. Soak the seeds in the juice for half an hour.
- Honey... Add a teaspoon of honey to a glass of water at room temperature. Soak the seeds in the liquid for half an hour.
Tank and soil options
Seedling containers are suitable for any... Seeds are usually sown in a common container. Then the grown plants are planted. All pots must be disinfected in advance with a solution of potassium permanganate.
The soil is purchased in a store or prepared independently.Variants of soil compositions for growing tomatoes:
- Mix 4 kg of peat, 1 kg of turf and 250 g of mullein... Add 1.5 kg of sand, 5 g of ammonium nitrate and 1 g of potassium chloride and phosphate to the resulting composition.
- Take 3 kg of peat, 1 kg of sawdust, 0.5 kg of mullein, 1 kg of sand, 1 glass of ash, 1 g of potassium chloride, 2 g of superphosphate... Mix everything thoroughly.
- Take 2 kg of humus, sod land and peat... Add 2/3 cup ash, 1.5 tbsp. tablespoons of superphosphate, 0.5 potassium sulfate and 0.5 teaspoons of urea.
Both purchased and homemade soil need disinfection... To disinfect the soil, pour it with a solution of potassium permanganate, boiling water, or bake it in the oven.
Sowing seeds
Make grooves 1 cm deep in the prepared soil... The distance between them should be about 3 cm.
Place the seeds in the grooves at a distance of 2 cm from each other... The greater the distance, the later the pick is made.
Sprinkle the seeds on top with a layer of soil, without tamping... Pour with a spray bottle. Cover the container with glass or plastic and place in a warm place. It doesn't have to be well lit. Already germinated seeds need a lot of light.
Moisten the soil regularly... However, it is not worth pouring it, this can lead to mold damage to the soil.
Seedling care
Healthy and viable seedlings will grow only if you follow the rules of care:
- Temperature... After sowing, place the container in a warm place with a temperature of 24-26 degrees. After seed germination, experienced gardeners are advised to take the plants out to a well-lit place with a temperature of 12-16 degrees for one day to prevent them from stretching. Then bring the tomatoes back into the room.
- Watering... Seedlings are watered with settled water at room temperature. Moistening the soil with cold liquid will lead to tomato disease.
- Picking... After the first leaves appear, transplant the plants into individual containers. When replanting tomatoes, cut off one third of the center of the root.
- Top dressing... A week after picking, feed the seedlings. To do this, use a composition prepared from 5 liters of water, 6 g of ammonium nitrate, 20 g of superphosphate and 5 g of potassium salt. After two weeks, do a second feeding. 3 days before transplanting tomatoes to a permanent place - the third.
How to grow Gargamel tomatoes
Caring for Gargamel tomatoes will not cause much difficulty... This variety is resistant to many diseases. It can be grown indoors and outdoors.
Tomatoes are planted in open ground in late May or early June... In greenhouses - in the last month of spring.
Planting culture rules
Before planting tomatoes, you need to prepare the soil in the fall. Remove weeds and plant debris from the beds. Dig up the soil and add lime, superphosphate and organic fertilizers to it.
Dig the ground again in the spring. Dig holes in a checkerboard pattern. There should be a distance of 60 cm between the rows, and 50 cm between the bushes. Just 1 square meter. It is recommended to plant no more than three plants per meter.
Pour 1 tablespoon of ash into the prepared holes and pour water. Place the plants removed from the pots with a lump of pre-moistened soil.
Position the plant root so that it is in the center of the hole. Cover the grooves with earth without tamping.
About other varieties of tomatoes:
Tomato care
To get a rich crop of tomatoes, regularly care for the plants.
Tomato care rules:
- The first time tomatoes are watered 10 days after planting in the ground... You can only use settled water. Moisten the soil in the evening. The frequency of moistening the earth varies from 1 to 3 times a week, depending on the temperature outside.
- After each watering, the soil around the tomato is loosened... This improves air exchange in the tomato root system and promotes better plant growth. The depth of soil loosening is 4-8 cm.
- 21 days after planting tomatoes in the ground, make the first top dressing... The plants are then fertilized every two weeks. For this, purchased or complex fertilizers are used. Chicken droppings are recognized as an excellent remedy.
- Gargamel needs a garter... Already when planting a plant, a special support or trellis is installed near each tomato.
- Gargamel tomato pickling is also necessary... It is recommended to form this variety into three stems. You need to remove not only extra shoots, but also wilted leaves.
Mistakes when growing tomatoes
Try not to make mistakes when growing tomatoesto keep plants healthy and strong:
- Refusal of hilling... Many gardeners believe that hilling is unnecessary. However, if you notice additional roots on the stem, it is worth covering them with earth. This sign indicates that the plant needs additional nutrition.
- Late planting of seedlings in open ground... Overexposing tomatoes in pots for longer than the prescribed period will negatively affect yields and lead to stunted growth.
- Growing different crops in one greenhouse... You need to understand that tomatoes and other plants have different requirements for conditions. Therefore, with the wrong neighborhood, it will not work to provide the desired temperature and humidity for all vegetables.
- Incorrect pinning... A common mistake is incomplete removal of stepsons. If you leave a stump from a distant shoot, the risks of plant infection will increase.
- Removing large amounts of green mass... Many people think that by removing the leaves, they provide better nutrition to the fruit. Such a mistake increases the wateriness of tomatoes and causes them to crack.
Diseases and pests
The Gargamel tomato is resistant to many diseases... It has resistance to fungi and late blight. For this reason, it is not necessary to spray it with chemical preparations for prevention purposes. It is enough to follow the rules of care, avoiding waterlogging and drying out of the soil.
Weeding regularly will protect plants from pests and root diseases. Mulching also contributes to this.
By treating the bushes with soapy water, you will prevent them from being damaged by mucus and aphids. Collect the rest of the pests by hand.
Use mulching to protect the plant from disease and pests.Line the beds with hay, burlap, or straw.
What is the difference between growing Gargamel in the open field and in a greenhouse
When growing tomatoes in a greenhouse, gardeners have the least difficulty. All that is required is to ventilate the structure daily.
There are more worries outdoors. The first two weeks after planting plants in open ground, they must be covered with foil. Shade tomatoes if possible on hot days. Hilling in the open field is an important step in plant care. If additional roots appear on the stems of the tomatoes, sprinkle them with earth.
Otherwise, there is no difference between growing Gargamel tomatoes in protected and open ground.
Harvesting and application of the crop
By the end of July, you will have your first harvest of Gargamel tomatoes. Pick the fruits by hand or cut with a knife along with the stalk.
Harvest as it ripens. remember, that overripe tomatoes are an ideal place for bacteria and harmful insects to grow.
Tomatoes that touch the ground are best harvested while still green. Otherwise, there is a possibility of plant infection with late blight.
Gargamel Tomatoes suitable for long distance transportation. They are stored for a month.
Tomatoes of this variety are mainly consumed fresh, but they are also suitable for conservation.
Advantages and disadvantages of Gargamel tomatoes
Benefits of Gargamel Tomato:
- high productivity;
- resistance to fungal diseases;
- the possibility of growing in open and protected ground;
- unpretentious care;
- unusual appearance of the fruit.
The disadvantages include the need for pinching and garter tomato.
Farmers reviews
The described variety of tomatoes amazes with its excellent taste and unusual appearance... The opinions of gardeners about this variety are extremely positive.
Elena Muruzhenko, Tula: “I planted a Gargamel tomato this year. Grown in a greenhouse, pinched in 3 stems. The fruits are amazing, sweet, similar in appearance to a plum. I did not face any particular difficulties in leaving. I advised the variety to the neighbors ".
Sergey Voronov, Krasnodar: “For two years I've been growing Gargamel in the open field for myself and for sale. Tomatoes have an unusual appearance and great taste. They grow tall and give a good harvest. From 1 sq. m I get 8 kg of fruit ".
Conclusion
A honeycomb of Gargamel tomatoes is very unusual. It is distinguished by fruits of orange and golden color, uncharacteristic for tomatoes, with purple and brown stripes.
Despite the exoticism, Gargamel is unpretentious in care. The only difficulty that gardeners face is the need for pinching. Therefore, even novice gardeners can cope with the cultivation of such tomatoes.