Characteristics and description of the Delicious tomato variety
For those who like to experiment with tomato varieties, we recommend growing the Delicious variety. The description of the tomato is quite attractive, perhaps this variety will later become a favorite. Anyone who has tried to grow Delicious once again plants these large-fruited tomatoes on the site. Almost all reviews about tomato are positive.
Varietal characteristics of Delicious tomatoes
Gardeners plant several varieties at the same time. Be sure to grow salad varieties and tomatoes suitable for canning - with an average fruit size and a fairly dense skin. The ripening time of vegetables for harvesting for the winter is usually limited by a short time frame.
Salad-type tomatoes are larger. They can reach 600 - 700 g in weight. One tomato is enough for making a salad for a small family. Some are hesitant to start growing large-fruited tomatoesmistakenly believing that this is too troublesome.
Delicious is a fairly old variety, bred by American breeders back in 1964. It was created by Burpee. Sometimes the tomato is confused with another variety called Deliciosus.
The plant belongs to the indeterminate type and can reach two meters in height. There are few leaves on the stems. The tomato has an average ripening period. The growing season is 110 - 120 days. Total yield from 1 sq. m - average.
The fruits of the Delicious tomato have a flat-round shape. The surface is glossy, red-orange in color, the pulp is homogeneous and fleshy. The seed chambers are very small. Ripening occurs evenly. Delicious tomatoes have a peculiar sourness. Weight ranges from 400 to 600 g. Fruits are resistant to cracking.
The variety can be grown both in greenhouse conditions and in the open air. In the middle lane, such a giant does not have time to mature. In these regions, tomatoes are grown under a film cover. Diseases practically do not bother this tomato variety. Even if there are diseased plants of another variety on the site, Delicious remains healthy.
For planting seeds for the preparation of seedlings, it is better to use seed purchased in a specialized store. Some summer residents manage to grow a good harvest from seeds collected from their plot. To do this, choose outwardly beautiful tomatoes that have ripened on the bush.
Growing
It is recommended to start planting seeds to obtain seedlings no later than mid-March. If the air temperature in the room is insufficient, the seedlings can be heated by equipping with heat lamps.
When the first true leaves appear on the seedlings, a dive is carried out. Only strong, healthy seedlings should be selected. You can buy special land in the store, but you can prepare it yourself by mixing soil from the garden with rotted manure.
It is recommended to plant seedlings of large-fruited varieties in the ground no more than 3 pcs. for 1 sq. m. Young plants are planted in a hole with a handful of manure and wood ash. The soil must be thoroughly watered. The next watering is carried out after 7 days.
Sometimes the plant drops the first flowers. This is due to the insufficiently strong root system and the process of adaptation to the new soil. Even if the first flowers did not fall off for any reason, they are advised to cut them off. Fruits grown from such an ovary will not have the necessary condition.
When growing large-fruited varieties of tomatoes, you should not use too much nitrogen-containing fertilizers. In this case, all the energy of the plant is spent on the formation of stems and foliage, while the fruits cease to set and ripen.
It has been noticed that the yield will be higher if the first inflorescence on the bush is removed. After 4 inflorescences are formed on the stem, its upper part is pinched to prevent further growth of the bush upwards. This procedure can be done in mid-August.
On each inflorescence, 1 - 2 ovaries are left. Above the last inflorescence, 2 leaves are left on the stem. So that the large fruits of tomatoes do not break off fragile stems, be sure to install props.
Fertilizer
Growing tomatoes must be constantly monitored. If the leaves have begun to turn yellow, this may indicate a lack of magnesium in the soil.
This condition in plants is called chlorosis. In this case, the tomatoes are fed with magnesium sulfate: 10 g of the drug per bucket of water. This amount is enough to fertilize 3 bushes. This solution is used to spray the foliage of tomatoes.
How to water
During the period of ovary formation, tomatoes need more intensive watering. If insufficient moisture is supplied during this period, the plant usually sheds its color.
How to keep tomatoes safe from unpredictable weather
It is difficult to predict in advance whether the summer will be hot, rainy or windy. To increase your chances of getting a decent harvest, you can do the following:
- Plant seedlings grown only from quality seeds into the soil.
- The seedlings should have the first true leaves. Bushes should be about 20 cm high.
- Choose a windless, sunny place for planting tomatoes.
- Use well-rotted manure to fertilize the soil before planting seedlings.
- To keep your tomatoes safe from aphids, plant a companion next to them - garlic or basil.
- After flowering begins, apply potash fertilizer every week.
- Watering should be done in small portions, but often. This will protect the tomatoes from cracking.
- Be sure to break off the shoots growing between the stems and the main branches. The flow of air will save tomatoes from disease and help them ripen quickly.
Freshly plucked from the bush, the self-grown giant tomato Delicious is much tastier than the one bought in the store.
