When growing tomatoes in greenhouses and hotbeds, you should choose varieties that are resistant to high humidity and fungal infections. Such requirements are met by a tomato of the Sugar Bison variety. We will talk about its description and characteristics further.
Description and characteristics of tomato sugar bison
The variety is the result of the labors of domestic gardeners. A variety of greenhouse culture was registered in 2004. Due to its interesting taste and commercial qualities, the tomato has become popular among owners of private households in a short period of time. Vegetable cultivation can be carried out in almost all regions of the country, since the plant is positioned as a greenhouse. In the southern part of the country, enterprising gardeners have adapted to growing large tomatoes in the open field.
Sugar bison is a determinant plant with a growing season of 90-100 days. The height of the culture reaches 1.6-1.8 m, which provides for a tying procedure. A feature of the early ripe variety of tomatoes is a high yield, an average of 8-12 kg is removed from 1 m2.
Brief characteristics of the fetus:
- shape - heart-shaped;
- color - raspberry pink;
- weight - 250-350 gr.;
- purpose - for salads, making sauces, ketchups, winter preparations.
Tomato peel is firm, medium density. Thanks to this quality, good crop preservation and transportability are noted.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
The general impression of the Sugar Bison tomato can be summed up by familiarizing yourself with its advantages and disadvantages. Among the advantageous characteristics:
- early ripening (after harvesting, you can use the bed for planting other early ripening crops);
- consistently high yield;
- unsurpassed taste, in which there is both sweetness and a little sourness;
- universal use of fruits;
- strong immunity, which manifests itself in resistance to various diseases.
The weak side is the limited space for growing crops (under cover). There are no complaints about the marketability and taste of the tomato.
Requirements for soil for planting a tomato
For sowing seeds, it is recommended to use a ready-made universal substrate or a special one for tomatoes. The soil mixture can be prepared independently by combining 3 parts of sod land, 1 part of peat, 1 part of humus (compost). Before filling the containers, the soil must be warmed up in the oven or poured with a solution of potassium permanganate of low concentration to disinfect the environment.
When growing tomatoes in a greenhouse, it is recommended to replace the top layer of the soil (at least 30 cm) annually. Under the shelter, favorable conditions are created that promote the development of fungus and harmful bacteria. All microorganisms accumulate in the ground, which reduces the yield of the new season. Therefore, instead of the removed layer, a new one is poured, consisting of fertile soil (garden soil), peat, humus. This procedure improves the physical properties of the soil and increases its fertility.
Tomato is a crop that reacts well to fertilizers, therefore, in the spring, organic matter (humus, compost, mullein or chicken manure solution, wood ash) and minerals (ammonium nitrate, superphosphate, potassium phosphate) are introduced into the soil. Before planting seedlings, you will need to disinfect. For this, the site is watered with a solution of potassium permanganate or copper sulfate. You can also treat the soil with boiling water.
Tomato loves loose soil of light structure, enriched with micro and macro elements. This promotes the development of the root system and strengthens the immune system. The medium should be slightly acidic or neutral.
Sowing rules
Seeds are planted 60-65 days before the transfer of seedlings to the greenhouse bed. They are buried 1.5 cm in moist soil, sprinkling the surface with peat. The interval between seed is 3-5 cm. The top of the container is covered with glass or plastic wrap. At a temperature of 22-25 °, seedlings will appear after 5-7 days.
As soon as the sprouts appear above the surface of the ground, you need to rearrange the box in a well-lit place with a temperature regime:
- during the day - 18-20 °;
- at night - 14-16 °.
Reduced degrees contribute to the correct development of seedlings. In a hot room, the sprouts will simply dry out, and with a lack of light, their stems will become thinner.
Sowing is often planned for late February - early March. During this period, daylight hours are not enough for normal vegetation, therefore, a fluorescent lamp should be installed above the box with seedlings.
It is worth watering the seedlings sparingly using a spray bottle. In this case, you need to try not to get water on the greens. At the stage of formation of 2-3 leaves, the seedlings are picked. It is important to transfer the roots to a separate container with an earth lump so as not to damage them. A week after the pick, the first feeding is applied. The second time, the soil is enriched with nutrients a week before transplanting the seedlings. This is necessary for quick adaptation to the new environment.
A week before transferring seedlings to a greenhouse or an open bed, you need to take out pots of tomatoes to fresh air (or under cover) daily for hardening.
Transplanting tomatoes into open ground
The seedlings are transferred to open ground after the soil warms up to 16 ° C, and night temperatures will not fall below 10 ° C. In any case, before May 10 (in the middle lane) this should not be done, the probability of night frosts is high. At first, the bed can be covered with a film for safety net.
Tomatoes are planted according to the scheme:
- the interval in the rows between the seedlings is 40-45 cm;
- the distance between the rows is 50-60 cm.
The depth of the hole is 25 cm. Before planting the seedlings, peat and wood ash are poured into the holes (1 glass each).
When planting a tomato in a greenhouse, the same conditions are observed, but the timing of the transfer of seedlings is determined differently... You need to focus on the degree of soil warming. The indicator should not fall below 15 °, otherwise the root system will not develop normally, which will postpone the harvest time. You should also avoid large temperature drops, which is typical for March - April, when the daytime indicator reaches 30 ° and above, and the nighttime drops to 12-14 °.
Variety care after transplanting
Watering
Irrigation after planting is carried out in 3-5 days. For irrigation, warm settled water is used, preferably rain or melt. Of the irrigation systems, drip and underground are more suitable. Due to the use of sprinkling, air humidity increases, which can provoke the development of fungus.
Weeding and loosening
Sugar bison reacts positively to loose soil, therefore, after watering, you need to fluff the top layer with a depth of 5-7 cm. After loosening, the soil will warm up better, which has a good effect on the growth of the shoot. At the same time, weeding is carried out, which is a source of infection with fungal infections, and also contributes to an increase in air humidity. After planting seedlings, loosening should be carried out 1 time in 7-10 days.
As soon as the bush is formed, the number of procedures is reduced so as not to injure the plant during the formation of flowers and ovaries.
Mulching
After plowing up the soil, the garden bed should be mulched. Mulch laid with a layer of at least 4-5 cm retains moisture inside the soil, which reduces the amount of watering. A decrease in the intensity of weed growth is also noted. Dry straw, peat or artificial mulch are used as flooring.
Top dressing
During the growing season, the tomato needs 2-3 additional fertilizing. The first is carried out 2 weeks after transplanting seedlings to the garden bed, the second - before the beginning of flowering, the third - at the stage of mass formation of ovaries. Organic and mineral fertilizers are used as food.
Bush formation, pinching
The bush is tall, therefore it needs shaping. Most often, the 2-stem method is chosen. Grazing and hilling increase yields. After the seedling reaches a height of 30 cm, a garter is carried out on a trellis or other type of support.
Common care mistakes
Among the common mistakes made by gardeners when caring for tomatoes, the following stand out:
- dense planting of seedlings (the number of seedlings of the Sugar Bison variety is 3-4 plants per 1 m2);
- abundant or frequent watering (provokes the development of the fungus);
- transfer of seedlings to cold soil (shoot development is inhibited);
- overfeeding a tomato (ovaries can crumble from an excess of nutrients and leaves turn yellow).
Diseases and their prevention
Tomato is highly resistant to humid environments, which reduces the risk of developing a fungal infection. But pests and diseases can create problems even for a strong plant.
The main enemy of the tomato is the greenhouse whitefly... Under the shelter, favorable conditions are created for the reproduction and feeding of the insect. Despite the scanty size, the damage to the crop can be irreparable. If a parasite is found, treatment with Confidor should be carried out.
If the tomato is grown outdoors, thrips and nightshade miners can also attack the garden. It is recommended to get rid of rapidly propagating pests with the help of the Bison.
When diluting drugs, you should adhere to the recommended dosage so as not to harm the plant and human health.
Of the existing diseases, brown rot of fruits poses a threat to Sugar Bison... If a problem is identified, the affected tomatoes should be removed from the bush and disposed of by burning to localize the outbreak. It is also necessary to adjust the fertilization (reduce the amount of nitrogen), and the irrigation regime (reduce soil moisture). One of the reasons for the development of brown rot is insufficient lighting, so it is worth checking the light intensity in the greenhouse and the length of daylight hours. If the listed activities do not give a positive result, you need to carry out treatment with one of the drugs: Hom, Oxis, Barrier, Zaslon, etc.
At first glance, agricultural technology is not considered difficult. However, those gardeners who have been growing vegetables in greenhouses for more than one year will be able to create optimal conditions for obtaining large, and most importantly healthy fruits of Sugar Bison.