General information and cultivation of a variety of tomatoes "French Grape"

Tomato "French grange" was created for those who do not have time for long troubles in the garden. It got its name due to the similarity of the description with the grapes "Lady fingers". This variety is perfect for novice gardeners and lovers of tasty vegetables due to its characteristics, which we will discuss below.

Description

This is a truly universal variety: it is salted, pickled, allowed to juice and tomato paste, and also consumed fresh. If stored properly, it will delight with its taste even for two months after harvest.

Bushes

Tomato "French Manure" grows usually up to 1-1.5 m in height, while the bush forms a powerful, requiring garters, which should not be forgotten. Side shoots grow slightly, so that it does not require staving. Even more than that, experienced gardeners are categorically against the removal of the stepsons in this class: the larger the bush, the higher the yield. In a good year, full clusters of tomatoes can form on its branches, justifying its name.

Fruit

These very clusters usually consist of 10-20 tomatoes each. If you create all the conditions for fruiting, then for the season bush can produce up to 19-21 kg of crop. Ripe fruits have a beautiful shape, rich red color, and inside - juicy, pleasantly sweetish flesh. Since this variety tolerates transportation very well, it is often grown for sale, and in this case it matures fairly quickly already at room temperature.

Characteristic variety

Tomato "French Manure" refers to medium-late, high-yielding species.In the greenhouse, it can bear fruit until the first frost, in the open ground - until August-September, depending on climatic conditions.

It is necessary to add to its description that it is a variety from the category of determinant, the bush stops growing itself after reaching a certain size, so that all brushes mature at about the same time.

Advantages and disadvantages

Thanks to its undeniable merits:

• He has a taste of classic sweet tomato.
• Juicy fruits of medium size (80-100 g) have an oblong shape, which allows tomatoes to easily fit in a container for preservation, so it is perfect for harvesting for the winter.
• Dense peel makes it possible to transport tomatoes without any problems, as well as store them for a long time.
• The variety is characterized by relatively low bushes, but with good yields.
• Pretty unpretentious and does not cause difficulties in the care.
• It can be grown in both open and closed ground.

As for the disadvantages, the disadvantages can be considered as relatively late maturation in the open field, which is not always convenient.Usually the fruits in this case are harvested green, and they ripen in room conditions.

Growing seedlings

The first step on the way to a new harvest is the preparation of seedlings. Many lovers try to miss this delicate process when buying ready-made seedlings. But, if you look, there is nothing difficult in this matter, the main thing is to follow the instructions in time and step by step.

Timing

Sowing seeds is recommended two months before planting them in open ground. The exact dates of planting future seedlings depend on the climatic characteristics of the region, the best option is considered to be March.

Seed and Substrate Preparation

Let's start with the soil. If possible, the best option for this variety would be garden soil with humus.

Choosing the soil, go to the seeds. First you need to:

• Perform sorting (culling):

1. In a glass of water put 1 tsp. salt and drop the seed there.
2. We interfere with two or three minutes, the next ten give to stand.
3. The seeds that have risen up are lightweight “pacifiers”, we are interested in the settled grains, because they are full of nutrients that later allow the plant to take place.
4. We rinse with water quality material and dry.

• Harden the seeds. If you plan to plant seedlings in open ground, then hardening is necessary necessarily: it will make future plants more resistant to temperature fluctuations. Do the following:

1. Seeds in a thin cloth pouch are left in water for 12 hours.
2. When the water is drained, the swollen seeds are sent to the refrigerator for 10-12 hours.
3. Day we withstand the seed in conditions of 15-20 degrees.
4. Repeat 2-3 times.

If planting is planned in the greenhouse, then pre-hardening is not needed.

• We disinfect future sowing. Disease prevention does not take much time, but it will protect your crop. To destroy possible bacteria on the seeds, soak them for 15-20 minutes in a 1% solution of potassium permanganate. As an alternative, this can be done in a 2-3% solution of hydrogen peroxide, heated to a temperature of 40-45 degrees. You need to hold the material in it for 7-8 minutes.
• "Wake up" future seedlings. All plants have protective mechanisms that prevent them from germinating ahead of time. This protection is “turned off” by simple manipulations: in the bag we keep the seeds in water (slightly warmer than room temperature) for 12 hours. Water at the same time should be 20-25% less than the volume of seed.

• Feed the seeds. The day before disembarking, it is recommended to keep them in the nutrient solution for a day. It can be based on purchased preparations, as well as folk remedies (potato juice or aloe). After - dry without washing.

Sowing scheme

When the soil and seeds are ready, choose a convenient container and produce sowing. It is desirable that the thickness of the ground in the box reaches 4-5 cm. It is recommended to carry it out according to the scheme 3 by 1.5 cm and to a depth of 1 cm. Remember that too deep sowing can cause the sprout to die.

Seedling care

"French grasses" germinated under the film, and very careful care is not required. But, if you have free time, you can always devote it to seedlings:

• For the rapid development of the tomato needs sunlight. If the weather does not spoil, then you can dosachivat electric lamps for 14-16 hours a day. Do not forget to raise the lamp in accordance with the growth of seedlings.
• Watering is carried out moderate, young saplings more like spraying with a spray gun.
• When the first pair of true leaves appears, it is time for a pick. In determinant varieties, this moment usually comes a month and a half after planting. Before starting the picking, we don’t forget to water the plant, throw 1 capsule of superphosphate into the well and transplant only developed plants with no signs of deformation.

Features agrotehnika

Planting in open ground occurs on the 55-70th day. The exact time depends on weather conditions, the period of sudden frosts should be left behind. Usually, planting is made in the greenhouse in early May, but in open ground - in early June.

Seedlings are placed on the site at the rate of 2 bushes per 1 sq. M., So that there is enough space for an adult bush with fruits. As mentioned above, the “French Manure” does not require a hatching, the larger the shrub, the more yield it will give. The garter is obligatory, because the stems often break under the weight of rich brushes. Therefore, after transplantation into the open ground, young plants are immediately tied up to the trellis or stakes.

Watering

Tomatoes love infrequent but abundant watering, approximately once or twice a week, depending on weather conditions.Well-hydrated soil helps them endure the heat of the day. It is better to produce watering in the evening, so that the roots have time to absorb the life-giving moisture.

If the plants receive less of the required amount of water, the leaves will begin to darken and fade, so you will immediately realize that you should increase the volume. On average, it is believed that about five liters of fluid should go to one bush, and even more during the period of the ovary.

Of course, it is ideal for plants to receive water recharge. As for plumbing, it must be defended for a certain time to soften, otherwise it adversely affects the acid balance of the soil and damages the plants. You can also add weeds or compost to a jar of water — they will help reduce stiffness.

The best option for watering tomatoes - drip or underground. Hose irrigation can damage the root system of the bush, and water on the leaves is fraught with damage to the sun or the development of late blight spores.

Top dressing

In addition to watering, feeding is also necessary from time to time. For "French Grape" It is recommended to do it in three stages:

• During planting, add to the wells a solution of nitroammofoski in the ratio of 1 tablespoon. l powder to 10 liters of water. If possible, 4 liters of water should be poured into one hole.
• To improve growth.The second feeding is carried out approximately on the 21st day after landing in the ground and includes solutions of potassium nitrate and superphosphate, is diluted in accordance with the instructions.
• In the period of flowering and the appearance of fruit. At this stage, bushes feed infusion of mullein, which is added to 1 tbsp. l urea and superphosphate to 1 liter.

Mulching, weeding, loosening

The purpose of mulching is to maintain a normal level of moisture, i.e. mulch retains water, slowing its evaporation.

In addition, it has a number of additional properties depending on what materials are produced:

• Mulching with mowed grass. An effective method that feeds tomatoes with nitrogen and other beneficial substances. To obtain mulch, grass is used from the lawn, weeds, but they must first be dried, otherwise the freshly cut grass may rot in the wet environment of the tomatoes.
• Straw mulching. It reflects the sun's rays, does not allow bacteria from the soil to contact with the fruits, and also protects the bushes from anthracnose and early decay.
• Compost mulching. This way - 2 in 1, mulching and top dressing. Quality compost includes kitchen waste, last year's weeds and other organic matter.

Loosening is desirable to carry out as often as possible - once or twice a week, depending on weather conditions, in order to saturate the soil with oxygen. Weeding is carried out as necessary so that the weeds do not interfere with the growth of the bush.

Both processes should be carried out very carefully, closer to the plant, but not deep: otherwise there is a risk of damaging the root system.

Pests and diseases

"French Manure" - a variety resistant to diseases. So that he remained so simple rules should be followed:

• If a tomato grows in a greenhouse, air it after watering.
• Collect ripe fruit in a timely manner.
• Remove the lower leaves on the bushes.
• Periodically process the plant with antifungal, anti-inflammatory solutions.

Most often, this variety is affected by a typical tomato disease - blight.The reason for its appearance is excessive watering and sudden changes in temperature, and it affects the stems, leaves and fruits. To prevent it, practice the above-mentioned preventive methods, especially closer to the fall, when the heat is hot during the day and much colder at night.

Harvesting and storage of the crop

The most pleasant stage in the process of growing tomatoes, because finally the result of months of work is visible. Ripening in the open ground occurs in mid-August, it can drag on until the beginning of autumn, depending on weather conditions. There are a few simple rules that make harvesting systematic and as rich as possible:

• Collect the fruits that just started to fill with color. For 10-15 days, they will calmly reach the desired condition in sunlight, and the bush will send the stored energy to the next generation.
• You can not throw, drop and knead tomatoes, they are easily damaged, and one spoiled tomato becomes the cause of damage to the whole box.
• It is better to remove the last fruits before the temperature at night drops to 8 degrees, otherwise there is a risk of spoiling them.
• The best time to harvest is in the morning when the tomatoes are elastic and without dew.

As for storage, this is not the strongest side of tomatoes. A number of special conditions are needed to maintain their edible condition, storage, although after prolonged storage tomatoes may lose their ability to resist pathogenic bacteria.

If you still want to enjoy a fresh vegetable a little longer, then try to keep it neatly laid out in boxes at a temperature of about 20 degrees in a dry, ventilated room. Do not interfere with the fruit shift dry hay for preservation.

"French Manure" - a great way to start working with tomatoes, it is impossible to make a mistake with it or lose in the struggle for the harvest. It is enough to devote a little time to the seedlings, and then simply control the growth process and carry out the timely collection of ripe fruits.