Description of the tomato variety Groot, its characteristics and care
The Grotto tomato variety was developed by Russian breeders in 1994. It is characterized by a compact size, the height of the bush does not exceed 40 cm. Due to this, it can be easily grown on the balcony, which allows city dwellers who do not have their own summer cottage to plant it. The volume of the plant is also small, the branches and leaves are oversized.
Tomato Grotto is intended for growing outdoors, however, nothing prevents it from being planted in greenhouses and greenhouses. Those who planted this variety say that it will yield crops there even earlier, and the fruiting period will last until September-October, depending on the region. The variety is considered to be early maturing, you can start harvesting after 110–120 days, counting from sowing seeds.
Special care is not required, due to the low height of the bushes, they do not need a garter.
The flowers are simple, small, the stalk is articulated. The first inflorescence is formed over 6-7 leaves, then the rest follow in a chaotic manner.
The description of the fruits is as follows: tomatoes are round or oval in shape, the surface is smooth, the color is bright red. An unripe tomato is green, darkening can be found near the stalk. Their weight is about 50 grams, the yield per square meter is from 3.5 to 5 kg. The taste of tomatoes is sweet and sour, the taste is good. The variety is universal, suitable for pickling, fresh consumption, making salads or juice. The fruits tend to ripen after harvest. But they also ripen quietly on the bush.
This variety is susceptible to the following diseases:
- late blight;
- septoria;
- macrosporism;
- black bacterial spot;
- slight rot formation.
This characteristic inspires confidence and the desire to try to grow this tomato variety in your garden.
Care
Gardeners grew this tomato both in the open field and in the greenhouse. A characteristic feature of the grotto is considered to be limited growth. After the first fruits appear, the stem stops growing, and all the energy of the plant is directed to nourishing the fruits. The variety forms 5–7 fruiting branches.
So that the harvested crop does not disappoint, it is necessary to properly care for the plant. Care includes the following activities:
- Grasshopping - it is necessary to rid the bush of unnecessary shoots, they do not bear fruit, but take nutrients. Overloading the plant with useless twigs will slow the growth of tomatoes.
- Garter - despite its small growth, the plant still needs a procedure, tying the stem ensures its stability, due to which the fruits will be in a suspended state without touching the ground.
Thanks to its fast ripening, the Grotto tomato variety is suitable even for growing in northern regions.
Low-growing varieties do not sit directly in the ground, it is necessary to sow for seedlings, otherwise the growth of the plant will slow down, and the harvest can be harvested only at the end of summer. It is recommended to sow in March, it is at this time that the bush begins to grow intensively, since the sun illuminates them for longer. The formation of the first brushes can be seen in late April - early May.
Before planting, tomatoes must be hardened so that they quickly adapt to a new place. Already with the appearance of the first shoots, the temperature should be reduced to 16-18 degrees. The room must be ventilated, and from the end of May you can take them outside for the whole day.
In addition, the seedlings need to be fed with special products that can be found in specialized stores. The moisture content of the soil should be moderate, too much water will rot the roots of the plant.
The soil must be periodically loosened, and if the stem is strongly extended in growth, it can be hilled so that it becomes more stable.
Reviews
Reviews of summer residents about this variety are positive, many say that with proper care it gives a high yield, and fruiting lasts from June until the end of the season.
Marina: I planted the Grotto for the first time last year, I rated the taste of the tomato at 4, more acidity than sugar, the yield pleased me, from a small plot I harvested about 10 kg.
