Characteristics of tomato varieties Azure Giant and Early Giant, reviews and yield
Some gardeners call the Azure giant tomato variety Radiant or Sugar. The tomato is a mid-season tomato, and the Early Giant ripens a couple of weeks earlier. Connoisseurs of the unusual color of tomatoes speak positively about this variety.
General information about the Azure Giant
The Azure giant tomato is sectioned in Russia, intended for growing in the garden. The description of the variety notes that the tomato has good growth rates in greenhouse conditions.
First of all, the Azure Giant attracts with its unusual appearance. Its color is purple with a black tint, and sometimes tomatoes take on a chocolate hue. The pulp is red and very sweet. Despite the fact that the fruits are dense, they have enough juice.
The yield characteristics of this tomato variety indicate that the Giants have average. But with proper care for the season, up to 20 tomatoes can be obtained from one bush.
The plant belongs to a determinant species, the height of the bush ranges from 80 cm to 1.2 m. The description of the variety includes increased branching of the bushes and the need for pinching. Such manipulation provides access to sunlight, due to which the ovary is formed and the fruits ripen. The plant needs sun for 10 hours a day during the summer season.
The formed brushes contain 4 - 6 ovaries. Fruiting of a giant size: a tomato can reach 700 g. So that large tomato fruits do not break the stems, they must be tied to a stretched trellis or other support. Usually the largest tomatoes grow on the lower ovaries, and at the top of the stems the tomatoes weigh no more than 200 g.
The tomato has a dense (but relatively soft) peel and ribbing at the stalk. The shape of the fruit is flattened-rounded. They tolerate transportation well. Usually they are used fresh for making salads, added to soups and prepared gravy. Juice is made from well-ripened fruits - the drink turns out to be thick and rich. Tomatoes can be used for winter preservation, but not whole.
The description of the variety indicates that the fruits of the Azure Giant are distinguished by good taste. The plant is resistant to diseases, tomatoes can be transported without problems.
The complaints of those who grew this variety relate to the instability of the yield, which depends on the weather conditions and the care of the plant. Timely pinching of bushes is required.
Features of tomatoes Early giant
The Early Giant Tomatoes are distinguished by very large fruits of a pale pink color.Their shape resembles a giant cone with a narrowed part downward. These tomatoes are very early, the first to delight gardeners with their fruits. One ripe tomato can weigh up to 500 g.
Agricultural rules
The description of the Azure and Early Giant tomato variety confirms that tomatoes require a lot of attention from gardeners, certain care.
To protect tomatoes from diseases, it is necessary to observe crop rotation and not plant tomatoes in the same place for several years in a row.
Seed treatment
Before planting, seeds purchased in a specialized store or obtained from the harvest are treated with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Then they are washed in clean water and placed in a special solution that stimulates growth. After 1 day of exposure to the drug, the seeds are placed in a cool room for hardening.
The cultivation of this variety is carried out by planting seedlings. For planting seeds, they acquire a light soil consisting of humus and garden soil. River sand and wood ash calcined in the oven are also added to this mixture.
Planting seeds
Seeds are planted at the end of winter in containers with soil. The seeds are buried in shallow grooves and covered with peat on top. Then the container is watered with warm, settled water. The air temperature in the room should be about +23 - 25 degrees. After the first shoots have appeared, the containers are taken to a room with a lower temperature, +16 - 20 degrees. There should be no drafts.
They are placed on the sunny side, providing sufficient illumination. If the weather is cloudy for a long time, it is advisable to carry out additional lighting with fluorescent lamps. Water the seed containers carefully, using a spray bottle or a regular strainer.
After the formation of the first leaf, the seedlings are dived, transplanted into another container and watered with complex fertilizers. For hardening, seedlings, starting from the end of April, are taken out daily to a cooler room or into the air.
Transplanting seedlings into soil
Transplantation into soil is carried out towards the end of May. The bushes of these varieties are placed in such a way that 1 sq. m accounted for 3 plants. Fertilizers and wood ash are added to the dug hole, and then a seedling is placed and sprinkled with soil. Bushes with a lush green part, but a weak root system will be more difficult to take root and grow slower.
In order for the harvest of such tomatoes to be longer, re-planting of new tomato bushes is carried out 3 weeks after the first planting.
Watering
Water the bushes after the topsoil dries up. Only warm water is used for irrigation: the effect of cold has a negative effect on the tomato, slowing down the growth and the ability of the tomato to bear fruit. When watering, the following rule should be observed: water should be at the roots, and not on the leaves. It is considered mandatory to loosen the soil after each watering of the soil.
Formation of bushes
In order not to weaken the plant, remove all barren stems. It is considered optimal to leave 1 - 2 large stems on one bush. The rest are pinched (cut with a knife at a distance of 2 - 3 cm from the main trunk). The stepchildren pinch after 4 fruit clusters appear on the bush.
Conducting dressings
Experts in the cultivation of tomatoes Azure giant F1 in the reviews advise fertilizing the soil on which the tomatoes grow 4 times per season. Both organic fertilizers and mineral fertilizers should be used.
Disease and pests
The description of the variety Azure giant claims that the tomato is relatively resistant to diseases, but can be affected by tobacco mosaic, fusarium and verticillary wilting. It is impossible to do without preventive measures.
The soil in which the seedlings are planted is treated with a solution of potassium permanganate or a solution of copper sulfate. Then the tomatoes are sprayed with non-toxic biological products that have antifungal action, for example, Fitosporin.
You can cope with garden pests that can affect tomatoes by mulching the soil with straw or peat, and regular weeding. Larvae and adults of slugs are collected by hand. When plants are affected by aphids, the bushes are treated with a solution of laundry soap. The insecticides used for this purpose will scare away flying pests, but they can only be used until the ovaries form.
High humidity can lead to the formation of fungal diseases. Dark spots appear on the lower leaves. If you find them, you should immediately remove the damaged sheets. If this is not done, the disease can completely destroy the plant. You can cope with such a disease with fungicides: Chlorothalonil or copper sulfate.
