Tomato "Cosmonaut Volkov" bred I.N. Maslov - an engineer in space technology, who, having completed his main activity, began to get involved in the cultivation of tomatoes. Maslov's method allowed to collect about 70 kg of tomatoes from one bush.
Characteristics and distinctive features of the variety
Tomato "Cosmonaut Volkov" has a unique characteristic and amazing properties. We provide to your attention a detailed description of a unique variety of tomatoes.
Popular varieties of tomato include such varieties as "Katya", "Tretyakovsky", "Pink Honey" and "Cardinal".
Description bushes
Tomato bush - indeterminate (has unlimited growth, with good weather can grow quite high). The bush is powerful, up to 2 m high, therefore it should be cut if necessary.
Fruit Description
The fruits of this variety of tomatoes have the following characteristics:
- rounded flat shape;
- ribbed around the stem;
- color: interlacing of lemon, orange and red colors;
- fleshy, have a sweet taste;
- weight: 200-400 g (with proper care reach 600 g).
Did you know? This variety is named by the author in honor of his deceased friend - cosmonaut Volkov.
Advantages and disadvantages
Each tomato variety has its advantages and disadvantages, depending on the type and methods of operation. Let's look at all the pros and cons of Cosmonaut Volkov tomatoes.
Pros:
- average yield per bush is 4-6 kg;
- excellent fruit taste (fragrant, sweet, with a slight sourness);
- the fruits are resistant to diseases;
- medium early ripening (120-125 days);
- large tomatoes (one fruit weighs 300-400 g);
- can grow in a greenhouse (in warm regions it is planted in open ground);
- bush unpretentious to the composition of the soil;
- the growing season (growth and development) is about 135 days;
- up to 8 tomatoes are placed on each inflorescence;
- Tomato is versatile to use, suitable for preservation, pasta, tomato juice, salads, and also tasty fresh.
Did you know? Tomatoes contain thiamine - a unique substance that promotes the full operation of the nervous and cardiovascular systems, as well as the digestive tract.
Minuses:
- Tomatoes must be tied up (due to large fruits, the stems break);
- the bush requires pinching (to stop growth);
- growing in a greenhouse requires additional light;
- short rows of storage of ripe tomatoes.
Self-growing seedlings
The variety of tomatoes "Cosmonaut Volkov" is perfect for growing seedlings.
Planting dates
Tomato seedlings should be planted in seedlings in early March or in late February. Landing time depends on the weather and conditions of each individual region. If the weather allows, you can plant seeds before this time.
To high-yielding varieties of tomato include such varieties as "Star of Siberia", "Gina", "Grandma", "Madeira", "Miracle of the Earth", "Crimson Miracle" and "Openwork F1".
Capacity and soil
It is advisable to use fertile soil. You can take any kind of container: wooden boxes, plastic pallets, etc. The main thing is to ensure proper drainage, water should not stagnate in the container.
Seed preparation
Before planting, soak the tomato seeds in the solution of potassium permanganate for one to two hours. This procedure will protect the plant from fungal diseases, for example, "black leg". For friendly and timely shoots, gardeners often treat seeds with growth stimulants.
Important! Check seed germination: immerse the seeds in water for 10-15 minutes. All seeds that float to the surface are not suitable for planting, they should be thrown away.
Sowing seeds: the pattern and depth
Planting seeds in transplanting tanks is carried out according to the 2x2 cm scheme. At the same time, the planting depth should be 1.5-2 cm. Sprinkle seeds that have been planted should be moistened, moistened, and then covered with foil.
Conditions for germination
For quick and friendly germination planted seeds covered with foil. The box with the future seedlings must be placed in a bright place, but so that the sun's rays do not directly fall on it. It is not necessary to water much, only moderate watering to refresh the soil. With all the rules, the first shoots should appear 5-6 days after planting the seeds. The main thing - to properly handle the seeds and comply with the landing scheme.
Care of seedlings
After the appearance of the first shoots, the film should be removed, and the container with the seedlings should be moved closer to the sunlight. Tomato sprouts should be fed (use potash phosphate fertilizers) and water.
Did you know? In Russia, tomatoes became fashionable thanks to Catherine II, after the empress received a foreign fruit as a gift from the Russian ambassador.
Hardening seedlings
10-14 days before landing in the ground, seedlings need to be hardened, that is, prepare it for more severe real conditions. To do this, the seedlings are transferred to a cooler room, so it becomes accustomed to lowering the temperature, which should not fall below +8 ° C. The hardening of seedlings on drafts and on the ground with direct sunlight is prohibited.
When hardening, seedlings must be carried out to fresh air, but for no more than 30 minutes. The hardening process should be systematic. Subject to all rules, the plant will be able to tolerate frosts down to -5 ° C. A couple of days before planting the seedlings in the ground, it must be sprayed with a solution of copper sulphate, adding to it any biological preparations for fungal diseases.
Important! Favorable temperature for plant growth should be + 22 ... +24 ° С.
Planting seedlings on a permanent place
Planting seedlings on a permanent place will not bring you much trouble. The plant is not whimsical, therefore, does not require any universal planting schemes.
Terms of transplantation
After 2 months, after the appearance of the first shoots, the seedlings can be planted in a permanent place. If the weather is warm and favorable, the landing can be carried out earlier.
Optimal scheme
Cosmonaut Volkov tomato bushes grow tall and powerful, so their placement should be two bushes per square meter. m
Features of care and cultivation agrotechnics
To get a good harvest, tomatoes need to be well looked after. Monitor the condition of the bushes, and as necessary, perform the following actions.
Watering, weeding and loosening
Watering the bush is rare, but abundant (especially watering is important before flowering and before the ripening of tomatoes), the dose of water increases at the moment when the ovaries are already formed. After watering the ground need to loosen. Also, loosening is carried out as needed, but not less than 1 time in 2 months. Around the bush you need to regularly remove weeds.
Masking
Masking - removal of excess shoots that are in the plant's sinus, between the stem and leaves. Different bushes stepsons differently. Tomato "Cosmonaut Volkov" is an indeterminate plant, therefore it stepson by cutting off shoots 7-8 cm long, while shoots need to be cut off, leaving about 1-2 cm from the edge of the base, to prevent re-growth of the stepsons. This method removes all stepchildren, the bush does not thicken and the level of yield does not decrease.
Also, be sure to grape and cucumbers.
Garter
Before the formation of the fruits, each tomato brush is tied up so that the ripe fruit under its weight does not damage the bush.
Preventive treatment
The Cosmonaut Volkov tomato is susceptible to diseases and pests, regardless of whether it grows in a greenhouse or in open ground. Late treatment ensures poor tomato yield. Consider potential diseases and ways to treat a plant:
- tobacco mosaic - forms a mesh on the leaves, and also provokes their twisting (with this disease, the affected branches of the plant are to be removed, and the cut points must be treated with potassium permanganate);
- brown spotting - occurs when the temperature is poor and the watering is inadequate, respectively, for treatment, it is necessary to adjust the irrigation process and adjust the temperature condition;
- insects such as the greenhouse whitefly (when growing tomatoes in a greenhouse), slugs, spider mites (when growing tomatoes in open ground) can also attack tomato bushes. In the fight with the greenhouse whitefly, the Confidor solution will help (1 ml of solution per 10 l of water); soap solution will remove spider mites (just wipe the affected areas of the bush with it); zolirovanie soil removes all slugs from the plant.
Top dressing
Fertilizing lay in the ground at the time of planting tomatoes, and after the plant fertilized every 10 days. Before feeding the bush is watered, it promotes uniform distribution of fertilizer in the ground. Complex (phosphate and potash) fertilizers are suitable for top dressing, their nutritional elements contribute to better growth of tomatoes.
Important! Fertilizer application rule: per 1 sq. M. m need to make no more than 30 g of fertilizer.The variety of tomatoes "Cosmonaut Volkov" brings a huge harvest, it is unpretentious and quite simple to clean. Suitable for any kind of operation. Stable yields, disease resistance and good taste attract a growing number of gardeners, so this tomato is very popular, despite the fact that it was bred by an amateur breeder.