German breeders have long bred a tomato variety called Rotkäppchen. Translated into Russian, these tomatoes are called Little Red Riding Hood. These tomatoes got their name due to the unusual arrangement of fruits on the bush. Most of them are located in the upper and middle parts of the plant. Tomato “Little Red Riding Hood” was brought to Russia in 2010 and registered in 2011. Superdeterminate standard variety. The bushes of these tomatoes do not need pruning, pinching and garter. However, a large number of fruits on the bush still forces gardeners to resort to a garter plant at least once in the middle of the bush.
Tomato "Little Red Riding Hood" ("Rotkeppchen"): cultivation
The authors of the "Little Red Riding Hood" tomatoes are German scientists who created a hybrid by pollination of several standard, disease-resistant, high-yield varieties of early ripening.
Local vegetable growers appreciated the innovation at its true worth for its generous fruiting and high-quality harvest.
Did you know? 135 years ago, a massive tomato scandal erupted in America. And all because the brothers-entrepreneurs Niksa refused to pay tax on the import of tomatoes, motivating their refusal with the belief that this is not about taxable fruits, but about vegetables that are not subject to this rule. The dispute ended with a decision of the Supreme Court, which, despite the indignation of the botanists, agreed with the arguments of the Niks.
Over time, the popularity of tomatoes spread far beyond the borders of the country, so in 1995, breeders were forced to start zoning them for cultivation in open soil and fresh consumption.
After the culture was adapted to the climatic conditions of temperate latitudes, it received recognition from Ukrainian landowners. Some city dwellers manage to harvest even from the bushes planted in pots.
You may be interested in familiarizing yourself with the early ripening varieties of tomatoes.
Harvesting and storage
The variety belongs to ultra-early ripening tomatoes. The fruits begin to ripen 85 days after the first shoots appear. By mid-August, a good harvest can already be harvested, which must be stored in a dark, warm, dry place.
The description for the tomato variety Little Red Riding Hood indicates the content of a large amount of vitamins, amino acids, lycopene and sugars. All of these components are safe and healthy, which is why the product is often included in the diet menu. In addition, the product is recommended for baby food.
Tomatoes "Little Red Riding Hood": characteristics
The secret of the popularity of these tomatoes lies in the early ripening of large and tasty fruits, high stable yield, compactness of the bushes and their resistance to lodging. Let's understand the features of the "Little Red Riding Hood" tomatoes in the detailed description of the variety.
Did you know?A glass of tomato juice contains half the daily requirement of vitamins C and A.
Description of the bush
The variety is a low-growing standard bushes with a neat crown, not branched, with strong elastic trunks. On average, the maximum height of a crop reaches 40 cm, so there is no need to tie its stems to supports.The uniqueness of the breed lies in its very easy care.
To get a good harvest, the gardener does not need to pinch the plants. In addition, tomatoes do not suffer from close planting. It is enough to create favorable conditions for them to grow in open ground or in a greenhouse. The diminutive shape and power of the stems contribute to the resistance to lodging.
Description of fruits
From the moment of planting the seeds to the ripening of the fruits, it takes about 95-100 days. Tomatoes "Little Red Riding Hood" are rounded, slightly flattened, slightly ribbed, with high-quality taste characteristics. They have a thin, smooth skin, juicy fleshy flesh with a deep purple color.
On average, the weight of one fruit ranges from 65-70 g. In clusters, 5 tomatoes are usually collected. A feature of the variety is that the fruits do not crack even under adverse weather conditions.
Important!When cultivating tomatoes of the "Red Riding Hood" variety in the open field, the yield decreases by 10%.
Yield
Regardless of external factors, the variety is characterized by consistently high fruiting. More than 2 kg of fruit can be harvested from one bush, which is even very good if we take into account the diminutiveness of the plants.
Agronomists of large agricultural enterprises do not hide the fact that up to 30 tons of crops are harvested from one hectare.
Disease and pest resistance
In addition to other advantages of the "Little Red Riding Hood" tomato variety, breeders have instilled in him genes of endurance for a number of diseases from which all nightshades suffer. Regardless of the area in which tomatoes are cultivated, with proper agricultural technology, vegetable growers will not have to constantly spray the bushes in order to avoid late blight, Alternaria and other disease-causing plagues.
Application
The fruits of this variety, due to their early appearance, are considered salad, therefore they are usually used for cutting vegetables, preparing fresh salads, as well as stews, vegetable dressings and soups. Of these, many housewives make juice and homemade ketchups, adjika, sauces.
Also tomatoes "Little Red Riding Hood" are suitable for canning green, as evidenced by reviews of lovers of home spins. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for ripe fruits. During heat treatments, they crack and look very unappetizing in a jar.
Important!Eggplants, bell peppers and potatoes cannot be the predecessors of tomatoes.
Positive and negative sides
Immediately, we note that the variety has no disadvantages. These tomatoes are good in many respects:
- High productivity.
- Cold and disease resistant.
- Good taste.
- Numerous beneficial substances in the composition - including amino acids. Thanks to this, tomatoes are used in baby and diet food.
Growing tomato seedlings "Little Red Riding Hood"
"Rotkappchen", like all varieties of tomatoes, is grown from seedlings, which are then rooted in a greenhouse or open ground. There are some subtleties of preparing land and seeds for planting. Let's consider them in detail.
Optimal timing
Taking into account the early ripening dates of the "Little Red Riding Hood" tomatoes, the cultivation of their seedlings should be started in the last weeks of March. And if you plan to cultivate vegetables in a greenhouse, then it is advisable to sow the grains at the end of February. Then the stems will quickly get stronger, and in April they can be transplanted into the prepared soil. Experienced housewives are advised to choose auspicious days according to the recommendations of the Lunar calendar.
Seed preparation
For sowing, last year's grains are not suitable, since they have poor germination. It is better to take material that is 2-3 years old. Before planting, it should be soaked in a growth stimulator for several hours. For this purpose, the following preparations are suitable: "Ecosil", "Acrobat MC", "Emistim".
Some gardeners share their experience of processing grains with a weak solution of potassium permanganate or with a fresh aloe teat.
This is done to strengthen the protective functions of the plant. You can use the method of our grandmothers, who wrapped the seed in a wide bandage or gauze and dipped it in warm water for a day.
Important! After disinfection of tomato seeds with a solution of potassium permanganate, they must be rinsed with clean water and dried.
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Soil for growing seedlings
To plant tomato seedlings, you need a light mixture of equal parts of humus, garden and turf substrates. You can also add river sand and peat. All components are thoroughly mixed, poured into a prepared container and sent to a warm place to warm up. Do not forget to start preparing the land in the fall, otherwise you will have to use purchased material.
Sowing seeds for seedlings
The prepared seeds need to be deepened by 1.5 cm. To do this, water your mini-garden so that it is moist. Then tighten it lightly with your palm. Place the grains at a distance of 3 cm from each other and sprinkle them with soil. To remove the resulting voids, lightly tamp the surface with your hand. Pour again and cover with glass or another transparent lid.
If nothing fits, you can tie the box with a plastic bag. After the performed manipulations, the "greenhouse" is placed in a poorly lit but warm place. The first shoots will appear in 4-5 days. Then move them to the windowsill. If the window is on the north side, you will additionally need a fluorescent lamp.
Did you know? The largest tomato in the world was grown by a Winkston farmer and weighed about 3 kilograms. And the smallest fruit with a diameter of about 2 centimeters was received by the British.
Many vegetable growers prefer the more modern method, planting grains in peat tablets, which can be found in any specialty store. They are preliminarily dipped into a plastic cup, watered until they swell, and only then the grain is deepened with a finger to the desired level.
From above, the container must be covered with a similar glass or tied with a cellophane bag. This method is more simplified, since the grown stems have enough space to build up a healthy root system.
Care and conditions for germination
Regardless of what you will germinate the seeds in, they need to create favorable conditions for germination. These are the first stages of light and heat. The temperature regime in the room where the seedlings germinate should be at the level of 23-25 degrees Celsius.
And from the moment the first sprouts appear, the temperature can be lowered to 16 degrees and you must definitely take care of good lighting. After a week, the garden bed is kept at room temperature. Such changes help to strengthen the plants and prevent them from starting to grow prematurely.
Landing
A compact arrangement of plants is possible - up to 6 per 1 square meter. The recommended distance between rows is 70 cm, between plants in a row - 30 cm. Suitable for growing on a balcony and even in an apartment.
The place for planting "Little Red Riding Hood" should be removed from the beds with potatoes and other nightshades (pepper, eggplant), as well as from strawberry plantations: these plants are more susceptible to late blight than others. The same property should be taken into account when planning crop rotation on the site.
Growing seedlings
In the southern regions, this operation is not required - you can, after checking the germination capacity, plant the seeds directly into the ground, under the film. In the middle lane and to the north, of course, you cannot do without seedlings. Sow it 55-60 days before disembarkation. Seedling does not require feeding, it is enough to provide the plants with watering and insolation. Otherwise, the care is the same as for seedlings of other varieties of tomatoes.
Landing in the ground
When planting, humus must be added to the holes. Then the plants are watered.During the entire growing season, watering is necessary, but it must be treated with caution - with an excess of moisture, plants can get sick.
Care of tomato seedlings
Competent care of grown tomato seedlings includes several stages. Let's consider them in more detail.
Picking
So, our seedlings have successfully begun to develop the first 2-4 leaves. If they grow in your box, be sure to separate them into separate pots. Before diving, water the earthen lump well so that the sprouts are easily pulled out. It is not worth delaying this procedure, since 20-day-old shoots can already be planted in a permanent place. In addition, a heavily overgrown root system will suffer greatly during transplantation.
If you preferred peat tablets for planting, then there is no need for picking. Experts consider this method more comfortable, since it is not so troublesome, and the seedlings, without injury, are very easily removed from the cups by pressing on their lower part or by cutting one of the sides.
Important! In polycarbonate greenhouses, you need to plant 45-day-old tomato seedlings.
Location
In the future, the cultivation of seedlings should take place in a well-lit place where it is dry and warm. With a deficiency of ultraviolet light, the sprouts will be emaciated and very fragile.
A southern window is ideal for pots with seedlings, where the sun will warm them for 12-14 hours. If this is not possible, you will have to compensate for the lack of light with additional lighting. In such cases, reflective screens are placed in front of the windows, which enhance the effect of the lamps.
It is also important to observe the temperature regime, since in the cold the shoots will stop developing or die altogether, and in the heat they will begin to fade. The most optimal mark of the thermometer is at the level of 19-20 degrees.
Watering
An earthen lump in pots should not dry out and turn into a swampy slurry.
Water the seedlings to the extent that the top layer of the substrate dries, using only settled water at room temperature.
Top dressing
2 weeks after picking, tomato stems need additional nutrients. As a top dressing, a solution of 1 tablespoon of nitrophoska and 1 liter of water is used. There is enough liquid for about 40 bushes.
As fertilizer for tomatoes, you can use wood ash, yeast, manure, urea, peat.
Subsequent fertilization is also carried out after 14 weeks. Elongated and poorly developed sprouts will need superphosphate substances, stems with yellowed leaves - nitrogen-containing ones, and too pale - iron, which received a purple tint on the veins - phosphorus.
Important! Under low temperature growing conditions, tomatoes show the same symptoms as with nitrogen deficiency: the leaves become smaller and turn yellow.
It is enough to water healthy stems with "Effekton", although fertilization can be applied by foliar method.
Hardening
To facilitate future transplantation in more severe conditions, airing is arranged for the grown seedlings. In sunny warm weather, the window is opened for several hours during the day. Fresh air helps to activate the protective functions and strengthen the tomatoes. It is important to avoid sudden changes, the minimum allowable temperature is +8 degrees Celsius.
We grow tomatoes in an open garden and in a greenhouse
Tomatoes of this variety are picky. In greenhouse conditions and in the open field, they require almost identical maintenance. There are several nuances worth paying attention to.
Depending on the further "habitat" of the bush, planting dates differ. Seedlings are transplanted into the greenhouse, starting in mid-May, on an open bed - in early June.
In the garden, Red Riding Hood tomatoes are best placed near the following crops: parsley, zucchini, cauliflower, dill, cucumbers, or carrots. It is this neighborhood that will be ideal. It is important not to plant these tomatoes where potatoes, eggplants or bell peppers have previously grown.
It should be noted that pests threaten the plant in the greenhouse more often.
Another fact about these tomatoes will delight gardeners: the plant is suitable for planting not only in greenhouses, but also at home on a balcony or windowsill. Due to its compactness and unpretentiousness, the bush grows and bears fruit even in adverse conditions.
Planting seedlings of tomatoes "Little Red Riding Hood" to a permanent place
Red Riding Hood tomatoes require warmth and moisture for good yields.
Also important are competent feeding and selection of a place for planting. But let's talk about all this in order.
Optimal timing
Transplanting seedlings into open ground should be carried out when a stable daytime air temperature is fixed on the street at a level of 22 degrees and above, and at night the thermometer will drop at least 17 degrees Celsius. In addition, spring frosts will be excluded.
It will be helpful for you to know when is the best time to plant tomato seedlings outdoors.
Choosing a site for planting: lighting and soil
The question of where it is better to plant tomato seedlings is relevant for those who plan to organize a vegetable garden in the open field. First of all, when choosing, you need to pay attention to the predecessors, which we will discuss below.
Then, from the remaining areas, choose the sunniest and warmest places where moisture and cold air currents will not accumulate. In such conditions, the risks of late blight and other diseases are very high. Make sure that nothing casts a shadow on the tomatoes. They love a lot of warmth and sun.
Did you know? Despite the fears of the ancient peoples about the toxicity of tomatoes, today they are leading all over the world in terms of production. For a year, on all continents, people collect about 60 million tons of this product.
The soil for tomatoes should be fertile, soft and clean. During the ripening of the seedlings, weeds may appear in the allotted area, therefore, before planting, it is recommended to loosen and clean the garden with a hoe.
Regardless of the place of cultivation of the vegetable crop, it is important to fertilize the substrate for it. To do this, mix equal parts of humus, peat, turf, rotted sawdust and a third of ash. On poor soils, superphosphate, potassium sulfate and urea will not be superfluous. On a bucket of the previously prepared mixture, these components are added in a ratio of 3: 1: 1.
Role of predecessors
If a tomato garden is planted on an area where nightshades were cultivated last year, the seedlings will suffer from the diseases and pests of their predecessors. In such cases, there are high risks of a decrease in yield due to attacking Colorado beetles, late blight, root and fruit rot, and the like.
In order not to endanger the young culture, you need to plan in advance for the planting of all plants in the garden. It is better to plant tomatoes after any kind of cabbage, legumes, pumpkin, onion and garlic.
Important! The lack of a seeding shift in the annual cultivation of tomatoes contributes to soil oxidation. To neutralize it, lime must be added (about 100 g per square meter).
Optimal scheme
The sun-loving "Little Red Riding Hood" is planted according to the classical scheme with the distance between the rows of 50 cm and 40 cm between the bushes. But you can use another technology, which provides for double rows and wide paths between them.
To do this, tomatoes are planted on a half-meter strip in a checkerboard pattern with repetitions every 80 cm. Many gardeners speak well of this method, noting that the plants do not create shadows for each other and receive enough light.In addition, the width of the paths allows you to stretch the hose for irrigation [/ url] without damaging the garden bed or do preventive treatment of the bushes.
Resistance to parasites and pests
Little Red Riding Hood pleases gardeners with its resistance to various diseases. These tomatoes are not afraid of late blight and alternaria. For plant protection, it is not required to treat the bushes with protective agents. Immunity is in the genes of plants.
And in the fight against pests, it is better to help plants. Tomatoes can be threatened by aphids, whiteflies, spider mites and thrips. Before the ovaries appear, it is worth treating the bushes with insecticides several times. In the future, you can use folk remedies. Effective prophylaxis with decoctions of chamomile, onion husks, celandine.
Recommendations for the care of tomatoes "Little Red Riding Hood"
In care, this variety is not much different from the rest of its early maturing counterparts. Experienced gardeners shared their secrets on how to accelerate fruit ripening and protect bushes from prolonged resuscitation after diseases and pest attacks.
Watering and weeding the soil
For the formation of the ovary and the juiciness of the fruit, it is important that there is always enough moisture in the soil. But you should be careful with watering, since excess moisture will not benefit the plants. Therefore, the amount of water must be strictly controlled. To moisten, agronomists recommend making a shallow hole around each trunk and pouring about 3 liters of water into it. In cases of the trench method of planting seedlings, the ditch is made in the aisles.
Important! Watering tomatoes should be carried out exclusively in the evening. During the night they will drink plenty of water and will more easily survive a sultry day.
The number of water treatments depends on weather conditions. Of course, in wet rainy weather, there is no need for them, and in the heat, every evening you need to water the bushes for at least the first 14 days after transplanting.
Each moistening should be accompanied by loosening of the soil. It should not be allowed that, when moisture evaporates, a tight earthen crust forms near the trunk. It is also important to remove weeds in time, since they are a favorable environment for the development of pests, pathogens and fungal spores.
Top dressing of tomato bushes
The farmers' opinion on the amount of tomato fertilizers was divided. Some believe that the procedure should be repeated every 20 days, others are sure that 3-4 dressings are enough for the entire season. Agronomists believe that everyone is right in their own way, because, in fact, the procedure is very individual and in most cases depends on the state of the plants and soil in which they are cultivated.
At the beginning of the growing season, it is important for the shoots to obtain a nitrogen rate for successful biomass growth. To do this, dissolve half a liter of infusion of liquid mullein or chicken droppings in a bucket of water and add 1 tablespoon of nitrophoska.
Did you know? There are only 22 kilocalories in 100 g of tomatoes.
To prevent the fruits from turning into a nitrate bomb, the bushes must receive phosphorus-potassium substances. Moreover, it is better to add wood ash to the mixture, and not potassium chloride, because chlorine has a detrimental effect on nightshades. Fertilizer is prepared from 0.5 liters of chicken manure infusion, 1 tablespoon of superphosphate and 1 teaspoon of potassium sulfate. Alternatively, you can use a mixture of 1 tablespoon of potassium humate and 1 tablespoon of nitrophoska.
Boron and magnesium, necessary during budding, are of particular importance for all tomatoes. The inflorescences will not crumble if they are sprayed twice with a solution of boric acid (1 g: 1 L).
Role of mulch
The watered and loosened bed with "Rotkappchen" must be mulched in order to retain moisture in the soil. For this purpose, buckwheat husks, sawdust, straw and dry grass are recommended.But of all these options, experienced gardeners call hay the best mulch.
The fact is that this material has a beneficial effect on the physical characteristics of the substrate, promotes its softening, looseness and nourishes during decomposition. For the experiment, some summer residents tried to close one tomato bed with grass mulch, another with sawdust, and the third with straw.
And after collecting the fruits, the looseness of the soil was measured using a metal pin. It was after the hay that the twig effortlessly deepened by 40 cm, when in other areas it barely reached 15-25 cm.
Important!When mulching tomatoes with cut grass, the soil receives an additional dose of nitrogen and other nutrients.
Features of growing and care
It is best to grow this variety with seedlings. Planting time in the garden is the second half of May. When choosing a place for tomatoes, you should avoid areas where eggplants, potatoes or bell peppers used to grow.
Tomatoes do not require painstaking care.
The plants are fed after the sprouts appear. For this, cow dung, chicken droppings, potassium salts are suitable. You can use one or all of these fertilizers at the same time.
Plants are rarely watered, but abundantly. Before the next watering, it is worth waiting for the soil to dry out. In order for the fruits not to be watery, the amount of watering is reduced with the appearance of flowers on the bushes.
To enrich the soil with oxygen, it is necessary to systematically loosen the soil surface.
Farmers reviews
If you still have doubts, check out the opinions of those who have already practiced the cultivation of these tomatoes.
- Oleg, 39 years old, Kuban. “I really like growing Little Red Riding Hood. For the third year I have it on my site. I like to pickle. The whole family is delighted with my pickles. They look super appetizing in the bank. "
- Sergey 49 years old, Chelyabinsk. “The variety fully met expectations - what was stated on the package, and it happened. The bushes are small, the fruits, by the way, are also slightly larger than Cherry. But the bushes were sprinkled with small tomatoes. I will continue to plant, as we have successfully stood the winter in banks, none of them has grown cloudy. "
- Olga, 59 years old, Murmansk. “This is the first time I planted something on the balcony, but I'm glad that I chose Little Red Riding Hood on the advice. I planted a seed for testing in an ordinary flower pot. A small bush grew, like a decorative one, but as a result it was completely sprinkled with tomatoes. "
