Tomato variety Babushkin's secret

It's no secret that pink-fruited tomatoes are very popular in Russia. It is these varieties that are primarily chosen for salads, preparing original holiday snacks and, do not be surprised, sandwiches. Therefore, the work of breeders to breed pink large-fruited tomatoes is considered promising. The varieties of Siberian selection, which can be grown even in very cold regions, are especially appreciated. These include Babushkin's secret, developed by the Novosibirsk breeders V.N. Dederko and T.N. Postnikova. The novelty was registered in 2005, and two years later it was entered into the State Register of Breeding Achievements of Russia. The admission was obtained in all regions of the country. The variety is recommended for growing in open ground and under film shelters in personal subsidiary plots. Shows very good results in greenhouses. It is not a hybrid, so everyone can harvest the seed on their own.

Description

The plant is indeterminate, 150 - 170 cm high. The tomato stem is not very powerful, with moderate shoots and medium foliage. The leaves of Grandma's secret are of normal size, tomato type, large, dark green in color, slightly wrinkled. The inflorescence is of a simple type. The first fruit cluster is formed over the 8th leaf, and the next ones - through 2 leaves. In total, 6 - 8 inflorescences can form on the main stem, each of which contains about 5 - 6 ovaries. But in order for really large fruits to ripen, try to normalize the brush, leaving 2 - 3 flowers. The peduncle of the variety has an articulation. The place of attachment of the stalk to the fruit is wide.

Tomatoes look impressive and attractive, have a flat-round shape, moderately dense, ribbed. The skin is thin, glossy. The unripe fruit is light green, when ripe it turns into a rich pink or red-crimson color. The flesh of Grandmother's secret is fleshy, not too watery (some say that it is even dry), moderately dense, sugary, at the break it resembles watermelon flesh, low-seeded. The seed chambers are small, there are 6 or more of them. The taste is excellent, but in order to fully develop them, the fruits must be fully ripe. Tomatoes are quite weighty. The mass of fruits according to the State Register is 354 grams, in other sources - from 300 to 600 grams. The largest tomatoes grow on the lower clusters, the higher ones are smaller. The promised kilogram specimen can be grown only if you limit the number of stems, leave only one flower in the brush and carry out enhanced feeding of the tomato.

Variety characteristics

• Grandma's secret will delight you with the harvest in 110 - 120 days after the emergence of full shoots, this refers it to the mid-season varieties;
• according to the State Register, the yield under the film cover is 16.9 kg per 1 square meter. Other sources mention 5 or even 8 kg per bush. As for growing in open ground, the plants under these conditions do not grow very large and form not such large tomatoes, which is why the yield is somewhat reduced;
• the fruiting period lasts until September;
• due to their thin skin, tomatoes are prone to cracking, mainly at the stalk. The problem is exacerbated during a rainy season or due to improper watering;
• the immunity is average, in general, the distributors of the seed material write very little about it, mainly in general phrases about good resistance to common diseases. On the forums, tomato growers generally do not complain about the health of Grandma's secret, although there have been cases of late blight (when grown in damp soil) and damage to fruits by scoop caterpillars;

• with regard to the resistance of the variety to weather whims, average results can also be noted. For example, when the temperature in the greenhouse rises, bushes can shed inflorescences and ovaries;
• the transportability of the fruits is low, the thin skin does not save them from mechanical damage. Although keeping quality is noted by many tomato growers as good;
• the way of eating fruits is salad.Large-fruited tomatoes are not suitable for canning, but the harvest can be used for processing (if not a pity) - tomato paste and sauce are excellent. True, the juice is too thick.

Agrotechnics

It is better to calculate the timing of sowing seeds for seedlings yourself, taking into account the climatic features of the region. The main thing is that by the time of transplanting into the ground, the seedlings should be at least 60 - 65 days old. Planting density is 3 pieces per 1 square meter, but if the bush is formed into 1 stem, then up to 4 copies can be planted in the same area. In order for Grandmother's secret to show the best result, it is recommended to form a bush in 1 - 2 stems. A garter to a support or to a vertical trellis is required, it can be carried out a week after transplantation. Excess stepchildren of the variety must be removed, leaving a stump of 3 - 5 cm. It is recommended to carry out grazing in dry, sunny weather, then the wound heals faster.

In August, the height of the plant is limited to 6-7 brushes. This will help the remaining ovaries to fully mature. Removing leaves under the brush with fruits that have already reached their size, but have not yet ripened will help speed up the ripening of tomatoes. But you cannot pick off all the leaves at once. This process is carried out gradually - 1 - 3 sheets per week. For tomatoes to show maximum weight, the plant needs nutrition. For feeding, which is carried out 1 time in 2 - 3 weeks, universal fertilizers are used. But during the fruiting period, the proportion of potassium and phosphorus should be increased. Preventive treatments will protect plants from diseases and pests.

The grandmother's secret succeeds in hardworking and attentive tomato growers who do not forget to water and fertilize the crop in time. The variety is valued for its ability to grow and bear fruit in open and closed ground. Large-fruited tomatoes taste good, pink sugary pulp is also healthy. True, you need to handle the harvested crop carefully, the thin skin may burst, and the presentation of the fruit will be spoiled.