High-yielding hybrid tomato "Alhambra", pleasing with large juicy fruits and resistant to diseases

We present to your attention an English hybrid - tomato Alhambra. Despite the fact that the culture was bred in other climatic conditions, it took root well in Russian beds and won a considerable number of fans. And this is not surprising: ripe vegetables are so tasty and unlike other varieties that they cannot be confused with anything.

These tomatoes are rich in lycopene and vitamins A and C, which helps to strengthen the immune system during the summer. And lycopene is a source of good mood, which, of course, is important for maintaining health at any age.

Description of culture

The originating country of the f1 hybrid is Great Britain. The seeds of the hybrid are distributed by the British firm Johnsons. It is one of the oldest trading and manufacturing companies in the UK, founded by two English amateur gardeners in 1820.

Johnson's Alhambra tomato seed can be purchased from the Aelita agricultural company, which in 2019 became the official distributor of the British company.

Distinctive features

View indeterminate, tall. The inflorescences are simple, the first is laid above 9-10 leaves, the subsequent ones - every 2 leaves. The foliage is medium, the leaves are bright green. Each fruiting cluster forms 4-6 fruits.

Ripening time is average, from the moment of emergence to full maturation 110-115 days pass.

The yield is high, there is a possibility of getting a double harvest. At the first collection, they are collected from 1 sq. m up to 15 kg of vegetables, in the second turn the average figure reaches 17 kg from 1 sq. m.

The hybrid is characterized by increased resistance to diseases: cladosporium, top rot, tobacco mosaic virus, fusarium.

Recommended for growing in open ground and greenhouse conditions.

Fruit characteristics

The average weight of one fruit is 160-200 g. The shape is round, slightly flattened at the top and bottom. The color is bright red, the taste is pleasant, sweet, the pulp is juicy, the peel is dense, does not crack. Seed chambers 4-5.

Ripe tomatoes retain their attractive presentation for a long time and withstand long-term transportation, therefore they are often grown commercially. Ripe vegetables on a large scale are eagerly bought by trade organizations.

The photo shows the Alhambra tomatoes.

How to grow seedlings

The seeds are bought in specialized stores. Before sowing in the ground, a number of preventive measures are taken.

Seed preparation

The seed is laid out on the table and carefully examined for any visible defects. Viable grains should be light in color, without damage or distortion. Then they are placed in a saline solution (1 teaspoon of salt in a glass of water) for 10 minutes. Those seeds that floated to the surface are not suitable for sowing, since they are hollow inside.

Next, disinfection is carried out in a weak solution potassium permanganate within 20 minutes. The grains are placed in a gauze bag and dipped into a glass with a solution. After disinfection, they are washed with running water and dried.

reference... Disinfection of seed material will further protect plants from viral and fungal diseases.

To improve germination, the seeds are soaked in a growth stimulator for 12 hours. The swollen grains are ready to be sown.

Capacity and soil

The soil is prepared from turf and peat mixed in equal quantities. For ease, washed river sand and some mineral fertilizers are added to the resulting mixture. The soil is disinfected to destroy pathogenic flora. To do this, it is spilled with a hot solution of dark-colored potassium permanganate or steamed in the oven for 15 minutes at a temperature of 50 ° C. The cooled soil is laid out in planting containers.

They are planted in a common wooden box or in an individual container - peat or plastic cups. The process of growing in peat containers further simplifies the care of the seedlings. In addition, during development, it receives additional nutrients contained in the walls of peat tanks.

Sowing

The seeds are sown to a depth of 1.5 cm with a distance of 2 cm from each other. Sprinkle on top with earth, level and slightly moisten with warm, settled water from a spray bottle. Then the containers are covered with foil and left in a warm room at a temperature of 20 ° C. Every day, the film is removed for ventilation and the topsoil is moistened as it dries.

The first shoots begin to appear in a week.

Seedling care

When the first shoots appear, the film is removed and the containers are rearranged in a well-lit place, on the windowsill. Watered as needed with warm, settled water from a shallow watering can, along the edge of the nursery, not flooding the sprouts, but slightly moistening.

Attention! Waterlogging of the soil will negatively affect young roots, they will begin to rot.

Seedlings that have grown by 8-10 cm dive, seating them in separate containers, twice as many as those into which the seeds were sown. The picking procedure is to remove the main root by one third.

After picking, the seedlings are kept at a temperature of 16 ° C. This will prepare it for further hardening before transplanting into the ground.

Seedlings begin to harden 2-3 weeks before transplanting. They are taken outside in the daytime for 40 minutes, gradually increasing this interval to 12 hours. At the same time, the night temperature is reduced to 12 ° C. The hardening procedure helps the seedlings adapt more quickly to outdoor conditions.

How to grow tomatoes

After two months, the seedlings are ready for transplanting into the ground. Seedlings are transplanted into closed ground at the beginning of April, on open beds - at the end of April-beginning of May.

Landing

Beds for tomatoes are chosen in a sunny, draft-free place. In protected ground, seedlings are planted in large pots or boxes. On open beds, they are transplanted into shallow holes, after placing a little wood ash and mineral fertilizers on the bottom of each. After planting, the soil is slightly moistened and left to get used to new conditions for 1 week.

Planting pattern: 45 cm - distance between seedlings, 55 cm - between rows. For 1 sq. m place no more than three plants.

Further care

Regularly, no more than 2 times a week, the plants are watered. On hot and dry days, the amount of watering is increased depending on the condition of the soil. Watered with warm water, under the root, in the morning. The crop responds well to drip irrigation - through a plastic bottle without a bottom, installed in the root system.

After each watering, the soil is loosened and all weeds and roots are removed. On dry days of the garden mulch peat or straw for longer moisture retention.

The hybrid is fed with a full complex of mineral fertilizers 2 weeks after transplanting into the ground. Subsequent feeding spend 1 time in 2-3 weeks with the same fertilizer or organic matter.

Mullein infusion is used as organic matter in a ratio of 1:10. During fruiting, potassium salts are added to mineral fertilizers for faster pouring of fruits.

Features of cultivation and possible difficulties

When transplanting, vertical supports are installed next to each bush for the subsequent garter of tall plants. They fix not only the stems, but also the fruitful branches, since they cannot withstand the weight of ripe fruits. The support is metal rods or wooden stakes. If some fruiting branches cannot be attached to the support, additional supports are installed.

The formation of plants consists in rationing the number of fruits on fruit-bearing branches. On the lowest ones, 4 ovaries are left, and on the next - 5 ovaries. Thanks to this technique, the fruits grow larger.

When 4-6 inflorescences appear on the bushes, stepchildren begin to regularly remove and pinch the tops of the plants.

Diseases and pests

The genes of the hybrid have a high resistance to dangerous diseases of the Solanaceae family.... It is practically not susceptible to the tobacco mosaic virus, cladosporium, fusarium. Also, the top rot is not terrible for the hybrid. But in the summer, plants can be attacked by insect pests. And, as you know, taking preventive measures to eliminate them is much easier than getting rid of parasites.

Whitefly and the Colorado potato beetle will be relieved of sharp-smelling bushes planted next to tomatoes, for example, mustard, calendula, marigolds or onions. Also, spraying with broths of onion peels and garlic helps from many insects.

Treatment of plant stems with soap solution will relieve aphids and slugs... It is prepared by dissolving 1 piece of laundry soap in 1 bucket of water. Also, slugs go well for the smell of beer, so when slugs accumulate in the garden, gardeners arrange beer traps.

Medvedka doesn't like strong smells. For prevention purposes, crushed heads of garlic or fish heads are dug into the beds, which, when rotting, scare away many pests with a pungent smell.

The nuances of breeding a hybrid in various conditions

The culture is recommended for breeding in open and protected ground. It is also successfully grown on the balcony, at home, pinching the top of the plant in advance, thereby preventing further growth.

The lower leaves must be removed, since in contact with wet beds, they can cause the development of fungal infections. When growing a hybrid in a greenhouse, the room is ventilated in order to reduce humidity.

The cultivation of greenhouse soil with sulfur smoke bombs begins after harvest. The gases penetrate deep into the soil and destroy fungal spores and many pests. The walls of the greenhouse are sprayed with copper sulfate. The top layer of soil at the next planting is replaced and disinfected with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.

In the open field, the ground for tomatoes is prepared in the fall. It is dug up and mineral fertilizers are applied.

Harvesting and application of the crop

In the open field, the harvest begins in August. Greenhouse plants bear fruit from June to mid-October. The vegetables ripen almost at the same time, which makes picking much easier.

The purpose in cooking is universal. Tomatoes are great for fresh salads, hot and vegetable dishes, do not lose their taste when baked with meat. They are used to make pizza, sandwiches and a variety of snacks.

Tomatoes are suitable for whole-fruit canning, pickles, marinades. They perfectly retain taste in tomato products: juices, pastes, ketchups, lecho, adjika.

Ripe vegetables are subject to long-term storage and do not lose their presentation within 1 month. Tomatoes can withstand long-term transportation, so the variety is bred for sale.

Advantages and disadvantages

Of the positive aspects of the hybrid, there are:

• adaptation to any climatic conditions;
• immunity to many dangerous diseases;
• high productivity;
• the possibility of obtaining a double harvest;
• great fruit taste;
• amicable maturation;
• safety of presentation for a long time;
• versatility in cooking;
• long-term storage;
• the possibility of long transportation.

The negative sides include:

• garter required;
• regular pinching is required;
• pinching the crown to restrict growth;
• regular feeding.

Farmers reviews

Reviews of the hybrid are only positive. Those who planted the Alhambra tomato are sure to advise everyone to try it.

Anna, Svetly Yar: “The Alhambra is very good looking, fruitful, did not hurt, and the tomatoes are delicious, I did not notice the sourness. I fed them twice a month, watered infrequently, and used stepsons in moderation. For the winter I made great spins and great juice. Plant everything, you won't regret it. "

Yaroslav, Tver: “I planted a hybrid for the first time this year. I liked it very much. The expended energy is a little, but it bore fruit perfectly. The only thing, in the greenhouse, I often pinched the tops of the tops to limit growth and grew the crop in large boxes. But there is nothing complicated about it. I was pleased with the result ”.

Conclusion

The high-yielding hybrid, immune to many diseases, has taken root in the beds in the Russian regions. For most farmers, this variety is a real boon.

Due to their attractive appearance and delicious taste, ripe vegetables are eagerly snapped up by trade organizations. It is not difficult to grow the Alhambra, however, since it is a hybrid, you will not be able to prepare seeds from the resulting crop on your own.