Tomato Date: red, yellow, orange, Siberian

Characteristics and description of Date tomatoes

Hybrid f1 Yellow date - the development of Russian breeders. It can be grown in all regions except the northern ones. In the south, the crop is grown in open ground, and in the middle zone - only in a greenhouse.

Distinctive features

The type is semi-determinate, height from 90 to 150 cm. The plant is able to adapt to short-term light frosts, but in this case the yield is significantly reduced. Therefore, it is planted in the ground only in early June.

The species is medium late, 120-130 days pass from the moment of sowing the seeds to full ripening. The crop requires obligatory garter, since there are so many fruits that the leaves are practically invisible. Plants are formed into 2 or 3 stems, planted up to the first cluster.

The variety is highly resistant to many diseases of the nightshade family.

Fruit characteristics

The fruits are small, date-like, oval, slightly elongated in shape. Average weight - 20 g, color deep yellow. The taste is sugary with a fruity tint, the flesh is dense and juicy. The peel is durable and does not crack during storage and transportation.

Juicy pulp and thick skin allow you to preserve ripe vegetables without losing their appearance. They look great in glass jars, especially assorted vegetables. The fruits are also used for drying and fresh consumption.

Due to their high glucose content, these tomatoes are loved by children. In addition to children's food, tomatoes are also used in dietary nutrition.

The photo shows Yellow Date tomatoes.

Siberian date F1

In the entire series of small-fruited hybrids, the Siberian Date tomato F1 is the only low-growing one. Standard-type bushes do not exceed a height of 0.7 m, and with dense plantings they grow no higher than half a meter. Strong, thick shoots can easily support the weight of fruits and foliage, so they do not need support.

Elongated, oval-shaped tomatoes are collected in clusters and are of equal size, weighing on average 18-20 g.

Tomatoes sit firmly on the stalks and do not fall off even after ripening. The red dense peel does not burst even when overripe.

Early fruiting allows you to grow the hybrid in any climate zone, as well as indoors in separate tubs. To grow Siberian dates, fertile, light soil with neutral acidity is required.

How to grow seedlings

Growing seedlings begins with sowing seeds in mid-late March, 2 months before planting in the ground.

Seed preparation

Preparation of seed material includes 3 stages:

1. Seed rejection. After careful inspection, non-viable specimens are disposed of.
2. Checking for emptiness. The seed material is placed in a saline solution for 10 minutes. Only those grains that have sunk to the bottom are left for sowing.
3. Seed disinfection. After disinfection, the grains become more resistant to infections and pests. For disinfection, dilute a weak solution of potassium permanganate and place the seeds in it for 30 minutes. They are then washed with running water and dried.

To increase germination, the seeds are soaked for 10 hours in a growth stimulator - for this, not only specialized preparations are used, but also traditional methods, for example, aloe juice or honey water.

Container and soil

The soil is prepared from a mixture of garden soil, peat and river sand in equal proportions. Potassium fertilizers are added to saturate the soil with useful substances. After thorough mixing, the resulting mixture is poured with a hot solution of dark potassium permanganate.

In this way, disinfection is carried out, destroying pathogens. The cooled soil is laid out in planting containers, filling them two-thirds.

Reference. Potassium fertilizers improve metabolism.

You can plant them in a common wooden box or in individual containers. The main thing is not to forget to make small drainage holes at the bottom to drain excess moisture, which causes rotting of the roots.

For disinfection purposes, prepared containers are treated with a manganese solution.

Sowing

The seeds are sown to a depth of 1 cm with a distance of 2 cm from each other, sprinkled with soil on top and lightly compacted. Moisten with a spray bottle with warm, settled water and cover with film to create greenhouse conditions.

The seeded containers are left in a warm and bright room at a temperature of 24 °C. Periodically remove the film for ventilation.

Seedling care

When seedlings appear, the containers are moved to the windowsill. Daylight hours should be at least 13-14 hours. Therefore, it is necessary to take care of additional lighting.

Reference. If there is a lack of light, the seedlings will begin to stretch and weaken.

As the top layer dries out, the soil is moistened with warm, settled water using a shallow watering can. After watering, the soil is loosened superficially with a regular fork or wooden stick.

When two true leaves appear, the seedlings are picked, planted in containers with a diameter of at least 15 cm. After picking, an increased growth of lateral roots occurs and they will be cramped in small containers. When transplanting, only strong and healthy specimens are left for further development.

If growth is weak, then young bushes are fed with liquid fertilizer for tomato seedlings.

Two weeks before planting in the ground, the seedlings are hardened off. This procedure helps them quickly take root in open ground after transplantation. To harden, plants are taken outside during the daytime for 40 minutes. Gradually, the time spent outdoors is increased to 13 hours, while the night temperature is reduced to 13 °C.

Landing

Seeds are sown in boxes and containers from the end of March. At the end of May, the seedlings are transplanted to a permanent location.

The containers are covered with film before germination (for 7–8 days before germination), and opened slightly for 1–2 minutes for ventilation. If there is a lack of light, turn on the phytolights to provide additional illumination so that the seedlings do not stretch out. Fertilize 2 times, use nitrogen mixtures and complexes.

The soil mixture is selected to be light, with a neutral pH, and fertile. Components:

• garden turf;
• peat;
• compost;
• sand.

The seeds are sown to a depth of 1 cm, lightly sprinkled and compacted. Sowing time is mid-March. In mid-May, the bushes are transplanted into greenhouse shelters, and from the end of the month - into uncovered areas.

How to grow tomatoes

After 2 months of the seedling period, the root system is fully formed and is able to take root in open ground. At the end of the spring frosts, the seedlings are ready to be planted in the ground.

Landing

Two weeks in advance, prepare holes 20 cm deep. Place a little peat on the bottom and fill it with water. Transplant seedlings on a cloudy day or in the evening hours after sunset. After transplanting, the holes are compacted and watered again with warm, settled water. When planting, young plants are buried down to the cotyledon leaves.

Planting pattern: 40 cm – distance between seedlings, 65-70 cm – distance between rows. For 1 sq. m place 3-4 seedlings. Until the young bushes take root in a new place, they are not watered or fed.

Further care for tomato Date yellow

The crop needs abundant watering during flowering and fruit formation. Before this, water with moderately warm, settled water at the root of the plants, at least twice a week. If moisture gets on the leaves, a serious burn can occur, especially if watered during the day.

The culture responds well to drip irrigation. To do this, place a plastic bottle without a bottom in the root system and fill it with warm water. Thus, moisture gradually penetrates to the roots.

After watering, the soil is loosened and weeds with roots are removed. Weeds take a lot of nutrients from the soil, so their proximity to tomatoes is undesirable.

On dry days, the beds are mulched, thereby retaining moisture. Peat, straw or sawdust are used as mulch.

The hybrid is fed every two weeks, alternating a full range of mineral fertilizers with organic matter. During flowering, they are fertilized with phosphorus substances, and during fruiting, potassium salts are added for faster fruiting. From organic matter, mullein infusion or bird droppings are used in a ratio of 1:15.

Features of cultivation and possible difficulties

A large number of developing ovaries require a mandatory garter. It is most convenient to install trellises and fix them to a horizontally stretched wire. Both the stem and fruit-bearing branches are tied up, otherwise they will not support the weight of ripe vegetables. Gartering on a trellis is also convenient because the soft fabric tapes used to tie up the bushes do not injure the plant at all.

They plant up to the first flower cluster, leaving the remaining shoots. Stepping out is not a mandatory procedure, but if you leave the lower shoots, then as they grow, the plantings may become denser, which will hinder full development. In addition, with constant contact with wet beds, the lower leaves may rot and the spread of fungal diseases.

Diseases and pests

By following the rules of crop rotation and performing simple agrotechnical procedures, gardeners thereby carry out prevention:

• disinfection of tomato beds with a manganese solution - pathogenic flora is destroyed;
• spraying young bushes with infusion of onion peels or nettle decoction;
• treatment with fungicidal preparations (if there is a real threat of disease).

Dangerous insects include slugs and whiteflies. To combat them, ammonia and strong solutions of manganese are used. But you should not overuse a strong concentrated solution of manganese, as the leaves can get burned.

When there is a large concentration of pests, insecticides are used. Otherwise, insects will harm many plants.

Nuances for open ground and protected structures

The date species can rightfully be considered a decorative decoration for the garden. The photo shows numerous branches decorated with small yellow tomato-dates. The hybrid grows up to 1.5 m in a greenhouse; in open beds its height does not exceed 1 m.

The height of the bushes does not affect the yield or taste of the fruit. Short frosts can reduce the quantitative indicator of fruiting. The hybrid will not die, but there will be significantly fewer fruits.

Tomatoes are successfully grown at home, on the balcony. It will take root well in tubs and become an unusual decoration for your home interior.

But residents of Siberia will only be able to grow a hybrid in heated greenhouses. The culture is not adapted to harsh conditions.

Harvesting and application

At the beginning of July, the first ripe tomatoes are harvested. When tied to a trellis, harvesting is not difficult. The main purpose of ripe vegetables is fresh consumption and drying.

Among fresh dishes, summer salads stand out especially, where tomatoes perfectly complement the taste of other vegetables. The high sugar content allows them to be used for baby food. Also, yellow tomatoes are suitable for dietary nutrition, replacing red ones.

Not all tomatoes can be dried. Only small fruits with a strong skin are dried. But there is one more nuance: many tomatoes do not retain their taste when dried. But the Yellow Date tomato does not lose either its beauty or taste.

Reference. Drying is a national Italian technology. Sun-dried tomatoes are an integral part of the Mediterranean diet.

Ripe tomatoes can be stored for a long time and can withstand transportation over any distance.

Growing

Any type of vegetable or fruit has its own growing technology, and the yellow date is no exception.

The standard procedure for preparing seedlings is proper preparation of seeds, their disinfection and feeding with nutrient mixtures.

Seed disinfection is carried out using a weak solution of manganese. The seeds are soaked in this solution for 20-25 minutes. After which, for better seedling growth, the seeds need to be fed with nutrient mixtures, soaking them in the product of your choice.

Interesting! There are many gardening mixtures for feeding seeds that are sold in stores. But you can also prepare these mixtures yourself, for example, from aloe juice or potatoes.

While your seeds are disinfected and saturated with useful substances, you can prepare soil for seedlings. For high-quality seed germination and further growth of seedlings, you need to mix soil, diluted mullein and you can add a little wood ash. Then, in the prepared soil, we make holes 1.5-2 cm deep and sift the seeds.

To prepare seedlings for transplanting into open soil, it is necessary to harden off the plants. 14 days before transplanting, seedlings should be taken out into fresh air for 20-25 minutes daily.

Plants are planted in open soil 65 days after sowing the seeds, somewhere in early June. A distance between bushes of at least 70 cm is best suited for this variety.

Care

Although this variety is considered small-fruited, due to the large number of fruits and high growth of the bush, it requires special care.

One of the main aspects in caring for such tomatoes is their garter. To do this, you can use vertical sticks, peaks, trellises as support.

This type of tomato needs good water soaking, weeding, fertilizing with fertilizers and growth stimulants. You can extend this look up to the first brush, but you don’t have to do this.

Advantages and disadvantages

Let's start with the advantages of a hybrid:

• simple agricultural technology;
• immunity to many tomato diseases;
• high fruiting rate;
• excellent taste;
• unusual shape;
• suitable for dietary and baby food;
• high glucose content;
• preservation of presentation;
• good keeping quality.

The advantages include the possibility of breeding on the balcony at home. This is especially important for those who do not have summer cottages.

The hybrid has few negative aspects. These include:

• obligatory garter;
• impossibility of cultivation in the northern regions.

Red date tomato

In addition to the yellow variety, Russian breeders also developed a red date hybrid based on cherry tomatoes. It is similar to the yellow hybrid both in terms of cultivation and the appearance of the fruit. The red date belongs to the semi-determinate type with medium ripening periods.

It takes root in greenhouse conditions in warm and temperate climates. It is resistant to dangerous diseases such as late blight and tobacco mosaic. The culture requires mandatory gartering and pinching. To increase productivity, plants are formed into 2 or 3 stems.

Ripe red date tomatoes are practically no different from yellow ones. Perhaps they do not have such a high sugar content, so they are less sweet.

They are used mainly for fresh salads and cocktails; they are stored for a long time without losing their presentation.

Series of tomato varieties "Date"

The Date variety was developed in Russia.
Its subspecies are the Red Date, the Yellow Date and the Orange Date. All of them refer to cherry tomatoes. All are characterized by small fruit sizes, high taste, and the ability to grow both in open ground and in a greenhouse. Moreover, in temperate latitudes, greenhouse cultivation is more preferable for all three subspecies. The difference between them lies in the color of the fruits, although they all have a rather attractive appearance. The Date tomato variety is distinguished by its small fruit size and very distinctive taste. The taste of these tomatoes is generally quite sweet, while in shape they resemble Crimean dates. After harvesting, the fruits are stored for quite a long time and are characterized by good taste both fresh, pickled and salted.

The fruits of this variety belong to the group of F1 hybrids. This is a mid-season variety. Often the height of a bush reaches 150 cm, but there are bushes only 90 cm high. Such bushes are dwarf and have a compact shape. The number of leaves and side shoots is small. Thus, this variety can be considered moderately leafy. One bunch usually produces from six to eight ripe medium-sized tomatoes.

The Date tomato variety has a long fruiting period; tomato harvesting lasts from July to September. These tomatoes are primarily suitable for greenhouses, but in the southern regions they can be planted under film.

Tomatoes have the shape of an elongated oval with a pointed tip. A finally ripe tomato is scarlet in color. The skin is quite dense and is not subject to cracking, so the fruits can easily be transported and are preserved for a long time. The average weight of one tomato is 20 g. The taste is quite sweet and the aroma is subtle. These tomatoes are used for salads and canning.

Farmer reviews

There are many reviews about the tomato and almost all of them are positive. Here are some opinions from experienced gardeners:

Svetlana, Nizhny Novgorod region: “The crop was grown in a polycarbonate greenhouse. I planted yellow and red hybrids and wanted to make multi-colored preserves. The tomatoes did a great job. Everything is as chosen, sweet, with a strong peel that does not crack during heat treatment. Now I’ll be with tomatoes all winter.”

Natalya, Ivanovo: “The best tomato for children! In the morning they run to the garden and pick their favorite tomatoes. I have been growing dates for more than one year. This was my first time trying to dry fruits. I was very pleased with the result. Real jam!".

Reviews from tomato growers

Most gardeners rate this tomato highly, giving it only positive reviews:

• Svetlana from the Volga region called the tomato cool. The fruits hung on the bushes until the cold weather. The tomatoes were tasty, sweet, and performed well in pickling.
• Natalya from Ivanovo also noted the sweet and pronounced taste of ripe tomatoes, calling this small-fruited variety a paradise for children.
• Elena from Voronezh also liked the tomato. It didn’t get sick, didn’t crack, was tasty, although it wasn’t particularly productive.
• Tatyana from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky wrote about tomatoes that she simply had never seen sweeter tomatoes. This hybrid has been planted for several years now, but it has not always been possible to get good seedlings.
• Tatyana from Yekaterinburg planted tomatoes only once. Her whole family thinks it is the most delicious. The next year I couldn’t find seeds for sale. Recommends this hybrid to other gardeners.
• Oksana constantly plants this variety. It attracts her with its unpretentiousness, dessert taste, and the ability to ripen without loss of sweetness.

The list of reviews can easily be continued, because these tomatoes have won the hearts of gardeners in different regions of our country.

The Red Date tomato is an excellent hybrid variety that will appeal to all lovers of small-fruited tomatoes. And it is not only very tasty, but also unpretentious, shelf-stable, and disease-resistant.