Tomato Bull's forehead: yield and characteristics of the variety, reviews

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Author of the article

Yakov Pavlovich

Professor, Head of the Department of Vegetable Growing

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Among the tomato varieties cultivated in the country, the Bull's Head tomato is especially popular. The variety is grown in the northern and southern regions, and everywhere there is a good opinion about it. Thanks to the beautiful and tasty fruits, high-quality seed material, and easy care, the popularity of the variety is growing every year.

Characteristic

Among the main parameters that attract gardeners, it is enough to name a few of them.

Fruits and yield

The tomatoes are large, weighing from 0.6 to 0.8 kg. Moreover, the largest sizes are those of the first fruits. Fruiting is stable, regardless of where the bush grows.

The tomatoes are round, slightly flattened. The color of ripe vegetables is bright red, the aroma is strong, tomato. Sugary and meaty tomatoes are tasty and juicy. Each of them has 6 chambers with a small amount of seeds.

With proper care, even inexperienced gardeners can harvest 17-18 kg of tomatoes per square meter. meters. And this indicates high crop productivity.

Bush and root system

Determinate type variety. The height of the bushes is 1-1.2 m, in the southern regions they rise to 1.7 meters.

The plant has many large dark green leaves with fruit clusters after the ninth leaf. There are 8 such brushes and each has 3-5 tomatoes. Due to the height of the bushes and large-fruited tomatoes, the stems break. Therefore, the bushes are tied up or pinched. Since Bull's forehead has a powerful root system, this is taken into account when planting.

Negative and positive sides

Positive traits:

great taste;
powerful yield;
early maturation;
large fruit;
immunity to major tomato diseases;
easy care;
distribution of seeds for propagation;
tolerance to temperature changes and lack of fluid;
presence of useful vitamin composition;
endurance to any weather, drought.

Interesting. The Bull's forehead tomato has a property that is rare for tall plants. It can survive without irrigation for some time.

Negative sides:

ability of fruits to crack;
need for tying;
pinching and shaping;
intolerance to increased humidity;
poor keeping quality of tomatoes, low safety during transportation;
short shelf life.

Despite its shortcomings, the Bull's forehead variety is in demand and is cultivated in many garden plots.

Review: Tomato seeds Siberian Garden “Bull's forehead” - Large and fleshy tomatoes.

Greetings to everyone, especially gardeners, vegetable gardeners, and summer residents! The long-awaited holiday season is approaching. Now I’m buying more seeds and seeing which were successful last year and which were not so successful. In a word, I am preparing for landing as best I can. We got tomatoes from agro. I bought them last year. This year I will also sow. These tomatoes from this manufacturer appeared on the market for the first time (I met them in 2021), and even in such a format that I wanted to try them. They are designed in such a way that the seeds are clearly visible through the plastic bag. The package is attached to a cardboard note similar to a postcard.

I won't say it's convenient, but it attracts attention. Seeds are expensive

I chose the average price.

I sowed half of the seeds because I wanted to plant other varieties. All of them came up for me. I always pre-soak the seeds in a weak solution of liquid complex fertilizer. When 2-3 leaves appear, I plant the sprouts in cups. The seedlings immediately showed that the bush would be healthy! She grew quickly, surpassing the others.

Notice how many roots it forms! A very strong plant! I planted it in a greenhouse at the beginning of May. The sprout was immediately tied to stakes

Later, I had to tie up the stem several times and place supports under the branches so that they would not break due to heavy fruits. There are a lot of stepchildren! I kept cutting them off. Formed a stem in 2-3 branches. Bushes grew more than 2 meters long. At the beginning of August, I cut off all the tops, although they were simply delightfully covered with flowers. They won’t ripen anyway - our summer is short.

Caring for tomatoes in a greenhouse is standard. A neighbor watered it with a yeast solution. But we insisted mullein is the best fertilizer. When planting such large tomatoes, be sure to add a little superphosphate and half a bucket of compost to the hole. The tomatoes grew large, but different in shape. Some are flattened, some are semicircular. I understand that this is because they are so heavy. Average weight from 400 to 600 grams. But I didn't have many. Productivity is average. However, the spring was long and cold, and the summer was short and hot. Somehow I found out that this variety bears fruit better in open ground. I doubt it, but I’ll try to plant it in open ground this year.

Bull's forehead tomatoes are tasty and fleshy, sweet, and even sugary when cracked. The skin is thin and can even be removed when slicing if the tomato is ripe. Such giants are not stored for long. I grind everything that is not included in the salad in a blender and send it to freeze, otherwise before you know it, the tomato is gone. I recommend this variety. But keep in mind that miracles do not happen. Tomatoes need care: constant watering, fertilizing, pinching. In general, tomatoes love when you touch them, do something with them - in a word, they are responsive to touch. I wish everyone successful shopping for the new holiday season!

Recommended growing regions

Bull's forehead is intended for open ground and greenhouses. Country garden beds are more suitable for the southern regions. In the middle zone the yield is high, but the bushes are still covered with film. The northern regions receive a harvest of greenhouse tomatoes, although some gardeners cultivate the variety in their dachas and vegetable gardens.

See also: The benefits and harms of tomatoes for the human body

Expert opinion

Stanislav Pavlovich

Gardener with 17 years of experience and our expert

Ask a Question

Advice. To speed up the ripening of tomatoes in the northern regions of the country, they are sprayed with an infusion of young spruce shoots.

History of the variety's creation

Siberian breeders were involved in breeding this tomato variety in the last quarter of the last century. The tomato passed tests and was included in the Russian State Register in the mid-90s of the last century.

The name of this tomato was given due to the large size and unusual shape of ripe tomatoes.

The originators of the variety recommended it for growing in garden beds and in greenhouse conditions in most Russian regions. It is best to grow this tomato in open ground in the south of Russia, and in colder regions place the plants in film greenhouses or greenhouses.

Preparing the soil and planting site

The soil is prepared in May. By this time, the seedlings will be ready to be transferred to the site. Bullhead tomatoes love light. Therefore, a bright, windless area is chosen. Tomatoes grow well in nutritious soil rich in vitamins and minerals. If the selected soil is depleted, the soil is saturated with fertilizers.

When planting seedlings in the holes, first pour 2 tbsp. spoons of superphosphate, 1 teaspoon of wood ash and 1 tbsp. a spoonful of humus. This feeding is enough for 2-3 weeks. Then the soil is fertilized according to the scheme.

Due to the powerful root system per 1 sq. m, only 4 holes are dug in a checkerboard pattern. In this case, the bush will not shade its neighbors.

Expert opinion

Stanislav Pavlovich

Gardener with 17 years of experience and our expert

Ask a Question

Important. You cannot plant tomatoes in the same area every year. Tomatoes planted after root vegetables and legumes give a high yield.

Irrigation regime

It is best to install drip irrigation on the beds with these tomatoes. In this case, the plants will receive a sufficient amount of moisture, which will not accumulate in the soil.

After each watering, the root zone of tomatoes is loosened while weeds are removed. It is also necessary to form bushes of no more than 3 stems, and remove the remaining stepsons as they appear.

Landing rules

Bull's forehead tomatoes are planted in two ways: seeds and seedlings. Each option has its pros and cons. The seeded material produces tomatoes with stronger immunity. The procedure of transferring seedlings to open soil, which is painful for plants, is avoided.

Before sowing, the seeds are processed.

Seed preparation:

Quality check. A prepared salty brine is prepared into which the seeds are poured. The floating seeds are removed as unsuitable for growth.
Etching. The seeds are soaked in a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution for 10 minutes.
Heat treatment. Cover the baking sheet with baking paper and place the seeds on top. Place in a hot oven (60°C) for 2-3 hours. The material is stirred regularly (every 20 minutes).
Bioactivation. The seeds are kept in aloe juice for 12 hours, then dried in air.
Germination of seeds. The procedure is not necessary, but seedlings will appear earlier.

Moisten a 3-layer bandage. The seeds are laid on top and kept at a temperature of 26-28°C. When the gauze dries out, add water. If the seeds hatch, they are transferred to the ground. Prepared seeds are sown in the ground or for seedlings.

Seeds

Place 3-4 seeds in one hole. Seed depth is 2 cm. Soil is poured on top and watered with warm water.

The distance between the seeds in the holes is about 3 cm, between the holes - 35-40 cm. Having finished sowing, the beds are covered with film. The shelter is removed daily for ventilation. Shoots will appear on the 12th day. When the soil dries, moisten it.

When the first 3 leaves appear, weak shoots are removed from each hole, leaving several powerful specimens. And after another 2 weeks, the most powerful sprout remains in each hole.

Seedlings

Sowing seedlings is carried out according to the following algorithm:

Preparing containers. Use any dishes, boxes, containers. Agrofibre is laid at the bottom, then sawdust and small pebbles as drainage.
Soil preparation. Ingredients: turf or leaf soil, humus, peat, a little sand.
Calcination of the soil in the oven from bacteria and harmful spores. Or pouring boiling water on it.
Watering the soil with settled water at room temperature.
Deepening the seeds into the soil by 1 cm.
Mulching with peat.
Installation of film cover.

See also: Effective means for protecting and treating tomatoes against late blight

Keeping temperature in bright light is 25°C. The first watering is carried out with a light solution of manganese or boric acid (2 g per bucket of water).

The film is removed daily for ventilation, and after the seeds are pecked, it is removed. If there is not enough light, use a phytolamp or natural light, for which the seedlings are transferred to a balcony, winter garden, or another bright room. When 2-3 leaves appear, the seedlings dive. Before transplanting into the garden, the seedlings are hardened by keeping them in the air for 15 minutes a day.

Transplanting tomatoes into beds occurs at the end of May. The seedlings are 50–60 days old at this time. For 1 sq. m place 2-4 bushes.

Caring for tomato beds

The Bullhead tomato is an undemanding crop and needs minimal attention.

Shaping bushes and garter

Bushes are formed into 1-2 stems. A maximum of 7 clusters are left for better fruiting. The garter is done so that the bushes do not break off under the weight of the tomatoes.

Irrigation

It is preferable to water tomatoes twice a week, with warm water at the root. The norm is 3 liters per bush. Watering is carried out in the evening.

Top dressing

At least 3 times per season. Superphosphate, saltpeter, and potassium salts are used. Liquid fertilizers - a diluted infusion of humus at a rate of 1:10.

Preventative treatments

Pest Control:

Butterflies are white butterflies. Codling moths. Lepidolite is suitable for treatment.
Greenhouse whitefly butterfly. The drug "Confidor".

Weed control:

weeding;
mulching;
chemicals.

The necessary drugs are purchased in stores.

Growing the “Bull's forehead” tomato: description of the variety, photos, recommendations

The attention of all lovers will be attracted by a tomato that is resistant to weather surprises, which is very important, especially in the middle zone. This variety is called “Bull's forehead” and in addition to its unpretentiousness and durability, it will also delight you with its productivity. Read more in our article

Country of origin and year of registration

The Bull's forehead tomato variety was developed in Russia in 1995. It received state registration as a variety recommended for greenhouses and unprotected soil in 1997. And for many years it has been very popular among summer residents. Farmers are not very fond of this type of tomato because it cannot be stored for a long time.

Which regions are best to grow in?

This type of tomato grows very well in the southern regions if grown in open ground. It can produce a good harvest in the middle zone, but for a guaranteed high yield it is better to cover it with film. In the northern regions it is grown in greenhouses.

Method of use

The fruits of the "Bull's forehead" tomato are good fresh; the fruits are dense, fleshy and very tasty. Smaller tomatoes are good for canning, and larger ones are good for barrel pickling. Juices and pastes are very tasty, thanks to a good combination of sugars and acids.

Productivity of the variety

With good care, the bushes of this plant can produce 8-9 kg per bush. With a recommended planting density of 2 plants per square meter. m comes out to 18 kg. This is a pretty good result, although not a record.

The photo shows tomatoes of the Bull's forehead variety:

Advantages and disadvantages

Among the advantages of this variety are noted:

good tolerance to temperature changes;
general unpretentiousness;
high productivity;
tolerance to lack of moisture;
resistance to diseases.

Among the disadvantages, one can highlight the fact that currently there are many fakes of seeds of this variety. Also among the disadvantages is that the fruits cannot be stored for a long time.

The main feature of Bull's forehead tomatoes is its unpretentiousness and ability to produce a good harvest even in difficult conditions. It should also be noted its high taste qualities.

The trunk of the bush needs garter, and the branches need supports, this will help prevent the branches from breaking off under the weight of the fruit.

The bush should be formed into two or three stems, more often they are formed into three. At all stages of growth, this species loves complex feeding.

"Bull's forehead" needs more prevention, as it has very good resistance to fungal diseases.

Compliance with watering, lighting and timely ventilation will help you avoid diseases.

The most common pests of this species are white moths, codling moths and sawflies; the drug “Lepidocid” will be effective against them.

The nightshade miner also often affects this variety; the preparation “Zubr” should be used against it. In greenhouse shelters, the main enemy of all tomatoes is the greenhouse whitefly. The drug “Confidor” is successfully used against it.

Bull's forehead tomatoes will not cause any difficulties even for an inexperienced gardener. This variety will bring a large harvest even in difficult conditions if the weather brings “surprises”. Good luck with your tomato growing.

Errors during cultivation

When cultivating tomatoes in a greenhouse and in beds, the following mistakes are made:

when choosing a landing site;
growing tomatoes and cucumbers in the same greenhouse;
incorrect formation;
constriction of tomato stems;
errors when pinning;
eating disorder;
irregular ventilation of the greenhouse;
missed processing deadlines.

Attention. All work is carried out according to the instructions for growing Bull's forehead tomatoes. Otherwise, you may be left without a harvest.

Cooking

Due to its large size and thin skin, “Ox forehead” is rarely salted or pickled. The exception is barrel pickles. It makes an excellent thick tomato paste. Due to its high sugar content, tomato quenches thirst well. You can grind the vegetables in a blender, add salt or pepper to taste and enjoy the tomato juice.

Due to its consistency, the variety is best added to summer salads. Its rich smell can induce appetite.

“Bull forehead” is a unique product of modern selection. Summer residents from all regions can reap a large harvest from each bush. We can only hope that various agricultural firms will be actively involved in the sale of seeds.