Step-by-step instructions for growing a "Golden Nugget" tomato and its benefits
Varieties of tomato crops never cease to amaze with their diversity, which can amaze even the most experienced grower. The original shapes of the fruits, different flavors and exquisite colors testify to the constant development of breeding.
Tomato variety Gold nugget is notable for the possibility of growing at home. In addition, the variety belongs to high-yielding, disease-resistant, differs in simple agricultural technology and unusual yellow cream tomatoes of excellent taste.
The content of the article
Characteristics and description of the variety
Gold nugget belongs to cherry tomato variety, does not belong to f1 hybrids, therefore, the planting material can be selected independently. The seeds retain their parental properties in subsequent generations.
Distinctive features
The species is determinate, height 1.2-1.5 m, the stem is strong, like the root system. Forms 8-9 brushes, building up a large amount of green mass. Leaves are light green, slightly elongated. 8-10 fruits are formed on each cluster.
Mid-season variety, from the moment of sowing seeds to full ripeness 110-115 days pass.
The yield is high, from 1 sq. m collect up to 8 kg, provided planting 3-4 seedlings per 1 sq. m. Fruiting is extended.
Recommended for cultivation in the open field and in greenhouse conditions... Differs in good resistance to diseases of the nightshade family, but susceptible to late blight.
Tall culture, requires obligatory garter and pinching... To get more fruits, the plant is led into 2 stems.
Fruit characteristics
The average fruit weight is 25-50 g, the shape is rounded, slightly elongated, the fruits are similar to plums. Color yellow, reminiscent of gold... The skin is thin, but strong enough, does not crack even during heat treatment. Juicy pulp, seed chambers 2-3. The taste is sweet with barely noticeable sourness.
Vegetables are high in lycopene, beta-carotene and protein, but are hypoallergenicmaking them suitable for baby food and dietary meals.
The purpose of ripe vegetables is universal: look great in salads, good for sandwiches and canapes. For harvesting for the winter, they are used in a variety of ways: from whole-fruit canning to the preparation of tomato products. To be dried, frozen and dried.
Vegetables withstand well long-term transportation and are subject to long-term storage.
The photo shows the tomatoes Golden nugget:
How to grow seedlings
Sowing seeds begins 2 months before planting seedlings in the ground, pre-preparing them for planting.
Seed preparation
Before sowing, the grain is inspected for suitability by external signs.... They should be free of visible damage and not too small. Then they are disinfected in a weak solution of potassium permanganate, where they are placed for 20 minutes.
For germination, planting material is left in aloe juice for 12-18 hours... Aloe juice gives the seeds additional protection against infections and nutrients. As soon as the first 2 mm sprouts appear, the grains can be sown into the ground.
Capacity and soil
The soil is prepared from garden soil, mixed with humus and washed river sand... Ash 0.5 L is added to the prepared mixture per bucket of soil. Such soil is considered light and fertile, which fully meets the requirements of the Golden Nugget tomato.
The soil mixture is laid out in planting containers, filling them halfway... Later, as the seedlings grow and develop, the remaining soil is reported in the container. This technique provides additional nutrients.
You can plant in a common wooden box and in an individual containersuch as plastic and peat cups or paper honeycombs.
Sowing seedlings
Seeds are sown in grooves at least 1.5 cm deep at a distance of 2 cm from each other... Before sowing, the soil is slightly moistened with a spray bottle. After sowing, the containers are covered with foil or glass and left in a warm room at a temperature of at least 23˚С.
Read also:
Growing and care
When the first shoots appear, the containers are rearranged to a well-lit place, for example, on a windowsill... Daylight hours for seedlings should be at least 16 hours. If there is a lack of natural light, they must be supplemented with phytolamps.
Watered as needed, with warm, settled water using a shallow watering can, along the edge of the nursery. After watering, the seedlings are superficially loosened without touching the roots.
When 2 true leaves appear, the seedlings dive, seating in separate containers or leaving in a common box at a distance of 10 cm from each other and 10 cm between rows.
2 weeks before transplanting into open ground, the seedlings begin to harden... The hardening procedure is reduced to the presence of seedlings in the open air for 1-2 hours. This method helps the seedlings adapt more quickly to outdoor conditions. Gradually the time spent on the street is increased to 14 hours.
How to grow tomatoes
After 2 months, the seedlings are ready for transplanting to a permanent place.... At this time, young bushes look strong, they have at least 7 true leaves and a fully developed root system.
Landing
It is best to plant in open ground in the evening or in cloudy weather., since the tomato does not like direct sunlight and it will be more difficult for it to adapt to new conditions at an unfavorable moment.
Wells are prepared in advance with a depth of 15-25 cm... A little ash is added to the bottom and filled with water. After planting, the earth is compacted and hilled. After that, the sprouts are left unattended for 5 days.
Tomato Care Golden Nugget
Regular watering is established as soon as young bushes adapt to new conditions... Always watered with warm, settled water at least 2 times a week. On dry days, the number of waterings is increased to 3 times a week.
Reference! Fruits begin to crack from excess moisture.
Watered at the root, without falling on the leaves, in order to avoid burning the green mass... The best watering option is drip. To do this, install an ordinary plastic bottle without a bottom next to the roots of the plant. Water is poured into it, and moisture gradually penetrates to the roots. After each watering, the soil is loosened and hilled.
Reference! Loosening the soil improves the air permeability of the soil.
Mulching the beds with straw or peat retains moisture in the beds, so they water less often... Mulching is also a preventive measure in pest control.
They are fed at least 3 times a season with a complex of mineral fertilizers or organic matter... As organic matter, infusion of mullein and bird droppings at a concentration of 1:15 with water are suitable.
The first feeding is carried out 2 weeks after transplanting seedlings... The second plant feeding is required during flowering, and the third time is fed during the formation of fruits.
Features of cultivation and possible difficulties
Tall bushes of the Golden Nugget require compulsory pinching... They are tied to a wooden support or to metal rods, which are installed immediately when the bushes are planted in the ground. Many gardeners install trellises, which is considered the most convenient way to tie.
Since the plant is characterized by constant growth of green mass, it becomes necessary to systematically pinch... Remove unnecessary shoots in the morning. After the procedure, the bushes are treated with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
The highest rate of fruiting of this variety is when keeping a bush with 2 stems.
Diseases and pests
The species is resistant to fusarium wilt, tomato bronzing, gray spot, verticillium and tobacco mosaic... But late blight is susceptible to fungal disease. Compulsory preventive measures will help prevent the spread of disease-causing spores. To do this, you need to systematically loosen the beds and remove weeds with roots.
Waterlogging of the soil and high air temperature are favorable factors for the development of fungal infections... Therefore, it is necessary to control the level of moisture in the earth. The lower leaves are removed so that they do not rot from constant contact with wet beds, which also contributes to the spread of the fungus.
If the disease does hit the crop, fungicides will help fight it., for example, "Fitosporin". Copper sulfate, which is sprayed on both the ground and plants, also helps well. Copper sulfate is also used as a prophylaxis.
From pests, beware of the bear and the Colorado potato beetle... Medvedka moves underground, disrupting the root system. It is almost impossible to notice it, but pungent-smelling herbs planted next to the tomatoes, such as calendula and marigolds, help scare away from the beds.
On a note! Medvedka is afraid of the smell of garlic, so it is crushed and buried in the beds.
Spraying the bushes with mustard powder saves from the Colorado potato beetle... The beetle itself and its larvae are collected by hand and burned. Regular inspection of the bushes helps to protect plants from insect infestations in time.
The nuances of growing in open ground and in a greenhouse
The variety is recommended for cultivation both in the open field and in greenhouse conditions.... To increase the yield, the plant is led into 2 trunks. In order not to lose part of the harvest, it is recommended to tear off the leaves under each newly formed fruitful brush. This measure will protect the developing fruits from damage by fungal spores.
Pinching of tall plants is optional, they themselves bend after the formation of 9-10 brushes.
To increase the resistance of tomatoes to fungal diseases, they are fed with fertilizerscontaining salts of potassium, magnesium and nitrogen.
If the culture is planted in a greenhouse, it must be regularly ventilated.... Greenhouse plants are often harmed by spider mites, which live only in greenhouse conditions. The regular supply of fresh air destroys the habitat of the parasite.
Variety Gold Nugget can be grown on the balcony in large containers... Fruit-bearing branches decorated with golden tomatoes look unusual and decorative. But do not forget about the need to tie tall bushes.
It can be useful:
How to grow and tie tall tomatoes
Harvesting and application of the crop
Ripe vegetables ripen with tassels, which makes them much easier to collect.
The purpose is universal: they look great in summer salads, perfectly complementing other vegetables, decorate any assortment, sandwiches and canapes... Yellow vegetables are processed for the manufacture of tomato products: pasta, juices, lecho. It is good to mix them when salting with red tomatoes, jars of colorful vegetables look very appetizing.
Small Tomatoes Are Good For Whole Fruit Canning, moreover, they not only retain their taste perfectly, but also do not crack during heat treatment.
Tomato pulp is rich in vitamin C, lycopene, beta-carotene... But despite the content of these substances, tomatoes are recognized as hypoallergenic, which allows them to be used for baby and diet food.
Ripe vegetables are subject to long-term storage and long-term transportation without loss of appearance and taste.
Advantages and disadvantages
A gold nugget has many positive qualities.:
- high resistance to disease;
- high rate of fruiting;
- unpretentious care;
- the possibility of breeding in the beds and at home;
- the possibility of self-selection of seed material;
- great fruit taste;
- amicable maturation;
- extended fruiting;
- rich in vitamin C;
- versatility in cooking;
- good for baby and diet food;
- stored for a long time;
- transportable.
When choosing a variety, it should be borne in mind that it:
- requires a garter;
- requires pinching;
- susceptible to late blight.
Farmers reviews
Farmers' reviews testify to the reliability of the culture, which decorates many gardens with yellow-gold tomatoes. Here are some of the opinions of vegetable growers.
Anna, Moscow region: “Such small tomatoes on tall bushes not only look great, but also incredibly tasty. Of course, this requires proper care. But it's not difficult at all. Just do not forget about the garter of bushes and timely feeding ".
Egor, Tikhoretsk: “The plant was led in 2 stems. Watered, tied up, fertilized. The harvest was excellent. Enough to eat in the summer and prepare for the winter ".
Conclusion
Immune to many diseases, high-yielding, unpretentious in care and with fortified fruits, this tomato variety is a real treasure for all lovers of yellow tomatoes. The ability to grow it on the balcony is another feature of the Gold Nugget. A separate bonus for gardeners who decide to grow it is the bright appearance that the fruits retain during any heat treatment.