Characteristics and description of the Rio grande tomato variety, its yield
Rio Grande tomatoes ripen 110-120 days after germination, which allows them to be attributed to mid-season species. The vegetable bred by Dutch breeders is highly appreciated by summer residents and farmers. The characteristic of the taste of the fruits, their excellent keeping quality, makes you want to purchase the seeds of Rio Grande.
Main characteristics of the variety
The determinant culture is ready to grow both in the open field and in greenhouses, greenhouses. Compact bushes, reaching a height of sixty to seventy centimeters, have an average amount of foliage. They don't need a garter or pinning. During the entire growing season, fruits are tied on the branches of Rio Grande tomatoes. Their education ends by mid - end of July.
Plum fruits of red color, similar to varietal Red, can reach a weight of seventy to one hundred and fifty grams. From one bush, when favorable conditions are created, from four kilograms or more of a Rio Grande tomato is harvested. A feature of the fruit is the versatility of their use. They can be kept fresh for a long time, up to the New Year, if they are harvested green. Varietal tomatoes are often grown for sale as they do not crumple or crack when transported over long distances.
The fruits have a high solids content, so they are ideal for making sauces, juice, pasta. Dense tomato pulp is suitable for freezing, drying.
The peculiarities of the Dutch tomato are that compact bushes can be used in the design of a balcony, a plot, by placing the plant in flowerpots.
Features of sowing and cultivation
If the Rio Grande variety is grown in seedlings, then the Grande Original can be sown directly into the ground. The optimal time for planting seeds is from early to mid-May. Of the sowing methods, choose a square-nested one. Up to five to eight seeds are placed in the nest, embedding them to a depth of one to two centimeters. The distance between the sockets should not exceed sixty centimeters. So that the spring frosts do not negatively affect the development of seedlings, the seeds are cooled. When seedlings appear six days after sowing, they begin to thin out, leaving two or four plants in the hole.
Seeds are planted on seedlings sixty days before planting in open ground. The description of growing tomatoes by seedling is the same as for all determinants. It includes:
- sowing in boxes with nutrient soil;
- the creation of greenhouse conditions using plastic wrap, which covers the containers;
- moderate watering;
- regular airing of landings;
- creating an appropriate air temperature, sufficient lighting;
- picking seedlings.
Before planting, the seedlings are hardened for two to three weeks, bringing the containers to the balcony or veranda.
The yield of tomatoes depends on careful care of the vegetable crop.
Care rules
In order for the plant to be healthy, to start bearing fruit, the rules of crop rotation must be observed. You shouldn't plant the Rio Grande tomato in the same spot every year. The best predecessor of tomato bushes will be legumes, cabbage, spicy greens. The plant feels comfortable on loose, highly fertile, deeply cultivated soils.
In addition to moderate watering, it is necessary to apply fertilizers on time:
- It is advisable to carry out the first feeding using mullein diluted in water 1: 5 or bird droppings 1:15.
- After two weeks, ammonium nitrate (25 grams), superphosphate (60 grams), potassium salt (15 grams) are mixed in a bucket of water. It is necessary to add boric acid, one gram of which is previously dissolved in half a liter of boiling water.
- The third top dressing of Rio Grande tomato consists of 30 grams of nitrate, 40 grams of superphosphate, 70 grams of potassium salt.
- For the fourth and fifth procedures, two hundred grams of wood ash are taken for ten liters of water.
One liter of nutrient solution is poured under each bush.
Thanks to competent cultivation, the plant will be protected from diseases and pests.
The difference between varietal tomatoes from hybrids
Tomatoes, similar in name, differ in both external features and growing conditions. So the hybrid tomato Rio Sprint F1 is already a later ripening species. Tall hybrid suitable for greenhouses. And the description of the variety, its fruits, differs from the Rio Grande. The indeterminant has large fruits, reaching a weight of more than three hundred grams. When purchasing seeds, one must understand what they want to receive, what fruits, the purpose of their destination. If you need small ones like Red, Cherry, then choose the Rio Grande variety.
Reviews of gardeners about Dutch varietal tomatoes are the highest. Although the fruit has a thick skin and not very juicy pulp, they are one of the best for canning. And they keep fresh for a long time.
It is difficult for tomato lovers to understand the variety of varieties. Many names of tomatoes are similar to each other, but differ in many ways. You must be careful when buying seeds, otherwise instead of plum-like Rio Grande, you can get yellow Chico.
