When growing tomatoes on an industrial scale, it is important that the variety is suitable for mechanized harvesting. One of these is the Rio Grande. The tomato variety has a number of advantages that are also appreciated among summer residents and owners of country houses.
Description and characteristics of the Rio Grande tomato
Let's start with a description. The plant of determinant type with a vegetation period of 110-120 days is characterized by stress resistance and universal use of fruits. The height of the bush rarely exceeds 70 cm, so agricultural technology does not provide for a garter. A compact tomato with a moderate amount of foliage does not need pinching.
The fruiting period continues throughout the summer season. The fruit in the form of cream by the time of technical ripeness gains weight from 70 to 150 grams... The flesh of a beautiful red color has a dense structure, which makes the vegetable suitable for drying and drying. The crop is often used to make sauces and ketchups. The sweetish taste with a slight sourness is appreciated by culinary specialists from many countries of the world.
The variety is the work of Dutch breeders. The crop is intended for cultivation in open ground and under cover (in greenhouses and greenhouses). The yield per bush is 4.5-5.8 kg.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
In order to form an opinion about the Rio Grande variety, it is worth considering its advantageous characteristics. Among the main ones:
- unpretentious care (no need for a garter and pinching);
- good adaptation to the difficult climatic features of the region, unfavorable weather;
- strong immunity to resist fungal infections and viruses;
- interesting taste;
- versatility of the fruit;
- fruiting period throughout the summer;
- long shelf life of the crop, good transportability.
The tomato has no obvious drawbacks, although some gardeners note low juiciness. This fact is due to the dense structure of the pulp, which is appreciated in the production of ketchup and sauces.
Features of soil preparation for planting seeds
The soil is selected with a light structure, fertile (a universal substrate or a mixture of sod land with humus is suitable). Before sowing, the soil is heated in an oven or watered with a weak solution of potassium permanganate for disinfection.
When planting seeds in open ground, the garden bed is prepared in the fall, digging up and adding humus. In the spring, mineral fertilizers are used to enrich the soil with the necessary trace elements... Holes are made under the seeds at a distance of 40 cm. Along the edges of the beds, boards from boards are installed, with the help of which the film is fixed as a shelter. After the formation of 2 pairs of leaves, the seedlings are transplanted into separate holes.
How to choose the right seeds for planting?
It is recommended to purchase seeds in specialized stores. This guarantees complete processing of the material, resistance to diseases and pests.
It is not necessary to carry out disinfection and soaking at home in order to stimulate growth.
When choosing grains, you should first familiarize yourself with the information on the label, which indicates the basic rules of agricultural technology, expiration date and other recommendations. After removing the grains from the packaging, healthy and large grains should be selected. If any lesions are found, culling is done.
Sowing rules
When using the seedling method, sowing is planned for early or mid-March (60 days before planting seedlings in the garden).
For soil, use containers or wooden boxes that are at least 10 cm deep. Plastic cups and pots can also be used. The bottom of the container must have drainage holes to release excess moisture during watering.
On the surface of the soil, small indentations are made with a finger (no more than 2 cm) with an interval of 4-6 cm. 2 seeds are placed in each hole. From above they are covered with a small layer of peat.
To create optimal conditions for seed germination, you need to spray the crop with warm water (in moderation), and cover the container with glass or film. The temperature regime before germination should be 23-25 °. As soon as the seedlings appear, the container is placed in a well-lit place, the shelter is removed, and the temperature is reduced to 18-20 °. To prevent the sprouts from stretching too much, it is better to lower the night indicator to 16 °.
In case of insufficient light, seedlings will not develop normally, therefore, additional lighting (a fluorescent lamp) should be installed above the improvised bed.
After the formation of 2 leaves on the sprouts, the seedlings should be dived, that is, transplant each root into a separate container. 7-10 days before the transfer of seedlings to the garden, a hardening procedure is carried out for better adaptation in a new environment.
Transplant to open ground
The transfer of seedlings to the greenhouse is carried out from mid-April to the 10th of May. Young shoots are planted in open ground from the 20th of May to mid-June. In the southern regions of the country, sowing directly into the open ground is practiced.
Plants are considered the best predecessors for the Rio Grande variety: herbs, legumes, cabbage, lettuce.
Tomatoes are planted in rows with an interval of 35-45 cm or in a square-nesting method according to a 40x50 cm scheme. The depth of the holes is 10-15 cm. No more than 6 shoots are placed per 1 m2. A mixture of peat, wood ash and humus is first poured into the recess, then the shoot is immersed.
Post-transplant care
The Rio Grande tomato is very easy to care for, even an inexperienced gardener can grow and take a good harvest. The basic rules of agricultural technology are in the following sections.
Watering
Do not overmoisten the soil when growing tomatoes, this can provoke the development of fungal diseases. It is enough to irrigate once a week after planting the seedlings. Regularity only increases with drought. The rate of liquid per bush is at least 5 liters. It is advisable not to flood the foliage during irrigation so that it does not turn yellow.
Weeding and loosening
The Rio Grande tomato loves loose soil, so aeration should be carried out regularly (once every 10-15 days). Simultaneously with loosening, weeding is done, ridding the beds of weeds. The immersion depth of the instrument is at least 5-7 cm.
Experienced gardeners advise, after the first or second weeding, to spud the bushes to increase yields.
Top dressing
After transplanting shoots to an open bed, regular fertilizing is carried out:
- for the first time, the soil is fed with a solution of mullein (1: 5) or bird droppings (1:15);
- the second complementary food is introduced 2 weeks later (for a bucket of water 25 g. ammonium nitrate, 15 g. potassium salt, 60 g. superphosphate and 1 g. boric acid);
- the third portion of food is added in a couple of weeks (30 grams of nitrate, 70 grams of potassium salt, 40 grams of superphosphate are dissolved in 10 liters of water).
Subsequent complementary foods consist of a solution of wood ash (for 10 liters of water 200 gr. Ash).
Mulching the garden
Immediately after transplanting the seedlings, the garden bed is mulched. This will help to retain moisture in the soil without frequent watering and reduce weeding.
Care errors
Many gardeners make ridiculous mistakes in agricultural technology that can negatively affect yields. Among the main ones:
- overfeeding with fertilizers (in particular nitrogen), which entails intensive growth of tops;
- thickening of the beds, provoking the development of the fungus;
- pruning shoots in order to form a bush (the variety does not need a procedure, due to cut branches, yield decreases);
- planting tomatoes nearby with peas or potatoes (crops are incompatible).
Diseases and their prevention
Strong immunity allows the variety to resist many diseases and pests, but this does not mean that there is no need for prevention. If we are talking about cultivation in a greenhouse, then it is rational to replace the soil annually at the end of the season (a layer of at least 25-30 cm is removed). You also need to provide good ventilation when growing tomatoes.
Open beds are watered with boiling water or a solution of potassium permanganate of low concentration before planting... After transplanting, the seedlings are regularly treated with biological products (for example, Fitosporin) or folk remedies in order to prevent fungal diseases or pests.
The following diseases pose the greatest threat to tomatoes:
- late blight;
- gray and white rot;
- mosaic virus.
Fungi and the virus more often infect weak plants, so you should not ignore the schedule for the introduction of fertilizing, as well as overdo it with the amount of fertilizer.
Among the dangerous pests are:
- bear;
- Colorado beetle;
- slugs;
- aphid.
For prevention purposes, it is necessary to carefully remove vegetable debris from the beds in the fall. In it, larvae and adults of insects perfectly tolerate the winter cold. Before the first frosts, the ground needs to be dug up to open the nests of pests... This will get rid of most of the parasites. In the spring in the aisles it is worth planting plants that repel most insects: marigolds, marigolds, oregano, etc. If necessary, before the flowering period, treatment with insecticides should be carried out.
The Rio Grande variety is very easy to care for, has the ability to adapt to certain conditions, which is a good help in agricultural technology. If you make a little effort, the plant will surely thank the zealous owner with a generous harvest.