Characteristics and description of the tomato variety Cosmonaut Volkov, its yield
Tomatoes Cosmonaut Volkov are not an example of the professional work of a group of breeders, as they were bred in a private experimental backyard. This variety is not highly stress-resistant to weather conditions and is only relatively resistant to most common diseases.
However, the wonderful taste of the space vegetable and the enormous yield - about 7 kg of fruits from one bush - put this amateur sample on a par with the most famous breeding hybrids.
Varietal characteristics and description
Among the recommendations for growing tomato there are no clear indications for what soil the variety is intended for, however, based on the experience of those who planted "Volkov", we can conclude that in the greenhouse the bush feels more comfortable, gives more ovaries and suffers less from the effects of wind and temperature differences. This is due to the excessive height of the stem, reaching two meters in length and disproportionate weight for such a fragile structure of fruit brushes.
Returning to the characteristics and description of the tomato variety Cosmonaut Volkov, the following main points should be noted:
- mid-maturity in terms of ripening - within 135 days;
- characteristics of inflorescences - complex and semi-complex;
- inflorescences are formed into a brush containing from 5 to 9 ovaries;
- all bushes, subject to the same time for planting seedlings in the ground, give a simultaneous collection;
- fruiting lasts up to three months;
- the plant requires a mandatory garter and periodic pruning;
- there is a need for constant fertilization with mineral dressings;
- Tomatoes Cosmonaut Volkov are well transported and suitable for conservation, including the whole form.
The fruits describe how:
- having a rounded shape, slightly flattened at the top and bottom;
- the color of vegetables when they reach maturity is dull scarlet;
- each fruit is divided into 6 or 7 chambers;
- the weight of an individual vegetable is from 300 to 700 g;
- the taste of tomato is sweetish with a slight sourness.
To preserve the best keeping quality of tomatoes, they are harvested unripe, and after ripening, separately from the bush, the taste of the vegetable is not lost, and the amount of nutrients in the form of a vitamin set, a sugary element and thianine (an important amino acid for the body) is preserved in full.
Seed material and growing seedlings in a box
For planting tomato seeds, Cosmonaut Volkov, the period of late February-early March is selected. Before lowering the seed material into the seedling container, the grains are checked for quality - they are soaked in a cup of water at room temperature and after ten minutes the floating seeds are removed from the surface. Those seeds that remain at the bottom are suitable for planting.They are sanitized - they are kept in a manganese solution for two hours and only then are they planted in a box.
It is better to prepare neutral soil, always with a drainage pad at the bottom of the box, so that excess water does not accumulate in the ground.
Seeds are introduced into the ground, one for every 2 cm2, to a depth of 1.5 cm. After leveling the soil surface and once sufficient moisture, the box is covered with cling film to create condensation and exposed in such a way that it is exposed to light for most of the day and does not overheat in direct sunlight. Germination can be assessed as early as the fifth day after planting.
After the greens appear in the box, the shelter is removed from the seedlings and they begin to gradually feed the plants with liquid fertilizers containing phosphorus and potassium. Two weeks before planting in the greenhouse, future seedlings begin in the conditions of the place of future transplantation, but no more than half an hour a day at temperatures above 9 FROM.
Often, a hostess who has grown seedlings according to all the rules, but then planted the seedlings in a greenhouse without preliminary hardening, discovers that the plants die within a few days, and the surviving bushes grow weak and do not bear fruit. All this is the result of ignoring the adaptation of a whimsical plant and, as a result, a ruined crop.
Caring for tomatoes in the greenhouse
Gardeners, who have already grown this variety, brought the optimal timing of planting seedlings into the ground at about 55-60 days from the emergence of seedlings. The distance to honey with bushes should be at least 45 cm, since this variety is highly branchy.
Tomato Cosmonaut Volkov requires enhanced feeding - twice the size of any other tomato varieties with a standard frequency of fertilization, that is, about four times during the period of the bush development.
Watering is carried out once every seven days, and always followed by loosening the soil and removing weeds.
This variety requires pinching. The procedure is carried out by a continuous method, that is, by removing all lateral processes over 8 cm, leaving small segments of shoots (up to 2 cm) in order to avoid their further active growth. Thanks to this event, the bush is not burdened with unnecessary useless weight and does not cast a shadow on neighboring plants.
By the way, shading or a short light period when growing these tomatoes is not allowed at all, on the contrary - reviews left by numerous amateur owners say that additional lighting in the greenhouse is necessary. Otherwise, the bush begins to vigorously reach for the light, spending energy on intensive growth to the detriment of fruiting.
A garter for tomatoes is necessary, and it is best to carry it out before the inflorescence begins to rebuild into a full-fledged brush with the formation of ovaries. As the fruits ripen, the untied fragile stem often breaks - especially the lower brushes, where the tomatoes ripen first and are the largest on the bush.
Sometimes, with incomplete formation of the bush, gardeners completely remove the lower brush with ovaries so that it does not pull over all the nutritious juices of the plant. This does not harm the harvest, and subsequent tomatoes are poured faster.
It is also advisable to break off the top of the tomato to stop the growth of the bush in height, which is necessary for a small greenhouse. Almost immediately after the procedure, the stem of the plant begins to thicken and grow stronger, and the number of ovaries increases.
And finally, the main advantage of the Cosmonaut Volkov tomato is its unpretentiousness in relation to the soil.Fertilizers in this matter solve all the nuances and shortcomings of the soil, but top dressing must be applied with strict regularity, both before the start of fruit ripening (at least three times), and during the formation of tomatoes (1-2 times).
