Tomato "Chocolate" is the result of the work of Russian breeders. And it is maximally adapted to the usually unpredictable climate of different regions of our country. They buy it rather out of curiosity. Because the color of the fruit is very unusual. And not typical for tomatoes.
Gardeners are used to red tomatoes. But dark red-brown tomatoes are treated with suspicion. But in vain. The fruits have excellent taste. Perhaps, having learned more about the “Chocolate” tomato variety, you will also want to grow it on your plot.
Description of the variety
This variety can be classified as a semi-determinant variety. That is, the bush turns out to be of medium height. Height from 120 to 150 cm. There are not very many leaves. But at the same time they are quite large. And cover the fruits.
The most important feature of the "Chocolate" variety, in addition to the unusual color of the fruit, is that the plant has a very high immunity. There is no mention of the fact that the bushes of this variety were affected by common "tomato" diseases. Such as root or top rot.
Positive and negative traits of the variety
Advantages of the Chocolate tomato variety:
- Good yield.
- Sweet and juicy tomatoes.
- Disease resistance.
- Fruiting during the entire growing season.
- Tomatoes are large in size.
The variety has no significant disadvantages. If only under unfavorable growing conditions, the bushes can be affected by late blight. Also, for many, the height of the bush and its size may be a minus. Plants are tall and grow up to 1.3 m in height.
How to grow a tomato "Chocolate"
You can grow these tomatoes both in the greenhouse and outdoors. The fruits ripen on average 3.5 months after germination. That is, the variety can be called medium early. Of course, in a greenhouse, there are much more chances to get a large harvest. Especially in the more northerly areas during short summers.
The first inflorescence usually appears above the eighth leaf. On each hand, an average of five fruits are tied. At least 10 kg of tomatoes are harvested from a square meter. And with good care and up to 15 kg. So the variety can be called a high-yielding variety.
Description of fruits
Most of the reviews you'll read or hear will start with a description of the unusual color of the tomato. These are really very beautiful fruits of dark red color. Which turns to brown. And when fully ripe, the skin becomes completely chocolate-colored.
Inside, a light green color may be partially retained in the seed chambers. This does not mean that the fruit is unripe. A is a feature of the variety. Fruits usually have at least 4 seed chambers, sometimes more. The mass of tomatoes can range from 0.2 to 0.4 kg. The fruits are rounded, flattened at the top and bottom.
How to use chocolate tomato
As we said, in most cases, these unusual tomatoes are grown out of curiosity. And mostly consumed fresh. However, chocolate tomatoes are suitable for conservation and freezing. And also for making lecho and tomato juice. But be prepared for the color of the juice to be as unusual as the tomatoes themselves.
You also need to know that "Chocolate" tomatoes are not stored for a long time.So they need to be eaten or processed soon after they are removed from the bush.
Agrotechnics
To grow tomatoes, you need to sow seeds for seedlings. This procedure is carried out in mid-March. After 2 months, the seedlings are ready for transplantation. Planting pattern: 40 cm between bushes, 60 cm row spacing. After transplanting, the plants are tied up, formed into 1 - 2 stems. Although some vegetable growers have grown a crop in 3 - 4 stems. Stepping-stones must be carried out. Bulky brushes need to be removed in time so that the remaining ones have time to mature. Watering is carried out as needed, but it is impossible to allow waterlogging or overdrying of the soil. Mineral fertilizers are used for feeding.
Amazing Dark Chocolate can only grow and bear fruit well in greenhouses. The plant shows good productivity with sufficient care. In principle, agricultural technology is simple, it corresponds to the culture as a whole. The variety is prized for its unusual coloration, fruity taste and yield. In addition, the dark pulp is very beneficial as it contains anthocyanin. The crop is not suitable for storage and processing. But tomato growers speak highly of the variety, and albeit in small quantities, they are going to plant it in subsequent years. Fortunately, you can always collect the seeds yourself by choosing the most beautiful tomatoes for this.
Tomato "Chocolate" and its advantages
Based on the statistics of reviews of gardeners growing the "Chocolate" tomato, as well as on the characteristics and description of the variety, we can highlight the main advantages of this plant.
The plant has high immunity and successfully resists most diseases. Even in unfavorable weather and heavy rains, the resistance of this variety to various types of rot is noted.
But this does not mean at all that gardeners can relax. And neglect disease prevention. If you plant plants too close, then late blight may well appear in greenhouses in heat and high humidity.
Fruit size and yield can also be attributed to the plant's strengths. In cold and rainy summers, you can feel the difference by comparing the harvest from bushes of different varieties of tomatoes. The yield from the "Chocolate" bushes in most cases will be greater.
Despite the exotic look, the tomatoes of this variety are just as tasty as regular red tomatoes.
Pros and cons of tomato varieties Dark chocolate
Cherry Tomatoes Dark chocolate has a number of positive characteristics. And one of them is the good immunity of tomatoes. Bushes resist the main diseases of tomato crops, but prevention should not be abandoned. In addition, the variety has found fans due to its qualities:
- unusual type of fruit;
- pleasant taste;
- high yields;
- ripening ability.
Dark chocolate tomatoes are undemanding to care for, their cultivation is not much different from ordinary tall varieties.
However, tomatoes are not without drawbacks:
- poor transport performance;
- the need for the formation of bushes and garters.
Also, many people don't like that Dark Chocolate cannot be canned. And in some regions, tomatoes can only be grown in greenhouses, since they do not adapt well to the harsh climate, do not tolerate cold snaps and sudden temperature fluctuations.
Variety care
A very important advantage can be considered the fact that tomatoes of this variety do not require your constant presence in the country. Because they are very unpretentious to care for. With the exception of holidays, most summer residents have the opportunity to take care of the garden only on weekends. So this is very important.
Most gardeners are inclined to believe that the only drawback is the unusual color of the fruit. Otherwise they are very good.But if you look at the situation from a different angle, then the unusual color can become another advantage of this variety.
Gardeners reviews
Maria
I am very disappointed with this variety - it was praised so much, they say, it is both tasty and beautiful. Handsome is yes, but what to do with it? I grew tomatoes without any problems, I also harvested them without any problems, and after a week the fruits deteriorated! What's the point - they cannot be stored if not eaten in a few days - all that remains is to throw them away. I don’t know who can use them at all.
Victor
Excellent tomatoes, grown even in our town, where the sun is not so often. True, I constantly fed and generally cared. Interestingly, this variety did not cause allergies in my grandson, but red tomatoes did happen. The fruits themselves are tasty and pleasant, I advise.
Alexei
I planted Chocolate a couple of years ago, but limited myself to three bushes. It is not clear why it is needed at all - beautiful, but quickly deteriorate. The wife uses it for unusual salads, children like interesting coloring - that's all.
Preparation for growing seedlings
Regardless of how you grow tomatoes (in a greenhouse or outdoors), it always starts with growing seedlings. The sowing time should be calculated based on the climatic characteristics of your area.
At the time of transplantation to a permanent place, the seedlings should be at least 50-55 days. By this time, the plant usually has six true leaves. And maybe some of the bushes will already bloom. As a rule, sowing seeds is carried out in the second half of February or in March.
Seedling varieties "Chocolate"
The planting material purchased in the store has already passed the necessary pre-sowing preparation. Still, you can carry out additional sorting by dropping the seeds into water. If some of them float to the surface, discard them. Most likely they are empty and you can't wait for seedlings from them. But all the rest can be planted.
Then, before planting, you can soak the seeds for several hours in a vermicompost solution. Or another growth promoter. Because it will speed up the emergence of seedlings. It will also further enhance the immunity of plants.
Pest and disease control
As a prophylaxis against fungal diseases, tomato bushes can be treated with any fungicide at the end of May:
- Bordeaux liquid;
- "Topaz";
- "Ordan";
- "Tattu".
You can also use a versatile remedy that can help treat both infections and insects. Take a packet of dry yeast or 2 tbsp. l. ordinary (50 g) and dissolved in 10 liters of water. Add 2 tbsp. l. sugar, insist for several hours in a warm place. This tool can be used to treat bushes 1-2 times a month.
If the invasion of insects is too active, you will need to spray the dark chocolate tomatoes with insecticides:
- Fitoverm;
- Aktara;
- "Confidor";
- Green soap.
As folk remedies, solutions of baking soda, shavings of soap, wood ash, infusion of onion peels, garlic and other recipes are used. Processing is carried out in the late evening, in the absence of rain and wind.
Important! If plants are sprayed with chemicals, the fruits can be harvested only after the waiting period (usually 5-10 days), which is always indicated in the instructions.
Seedling soil
Seedling soil can be purchased at any flower shop. It contains the necessary supply of nutrients, which will be enough for the seedlings for the first time. But it is worth considering additional soil disinfection. Heat it in the oven. Or spill with potassium permanganate to get rid of harmful microorganisms.
Pour the prepared soil into containers, water. And deepen the seeds into it 1-1.5 cm.Then cover the container with glass or cling film. And put it in a warm place. Light is not important to us yet.The ideal temperature will be + 24 ... + 26 degrees.
We grow a tomato "Chocolate"
After the seedlings begin to germinate, the shelter must be removed. Rearrange the seedlings closer to the light. And also to reduce the air temperature by 5-7 degrees. This must be done in order for the seedlings to grow stronger. And it didn’t start to actively grow right away, stretching towards the light. Such plants are thin and weak.
Watering the seedlings should be moderate and careful. Avoid waterlogging of the soil. And always with warm water. And, as usual, after the appearance of the second true leaf, the seedlings must be sorted into separate containers.
Preparing seedlings and soil for planting
As the moment of transplantation approaches, it is necessary to begin hardening the seedlings. To do this, take the plants outside for a short time at first. Increase your exposure to air every day. If the tomatoes are to grow in the open field, then you need to let them spend a couple of nights on the street in the form of seedlings. Cover them with a film or geotextile.
Simultaneously with hardening, begin to prepare the soil. Tomatoes prefer soil with a neutral acidity level. The earth must be well dug up, adding humus. And if necessary, sand. If the soil is very heavy.
In case of a high level of acidity, you can use chalk, dolomite flour. And also slaked lime or ash. Also, when digging, apply a fertilizer containing the nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium necessary for the tomatoes.
Then the prepared beds can be covered with a dark film or geotextile. Because it will prevent weeds from sprouting. And it will also contribute to additional heating of the soil, the temperature of which should be + 14 ... + 16 degrees.
We plant a tomato "Chocolate" in the soil
When the threat of frost has passed, you can transplant seedlings, it is better that this happens on a warm, but cloudy day. It is necessary to plant with the calculation of three bushes per square meter, otherwise when the tomatoes grow they will not have enough nutrients.
Watering the plants in the greenhouse is enough once a week, watering must be carried out at the root, you can add a little ash to the water. And of course the best time for watering is very early morning, or evening hours. Watering outdoors is necessary taking into account the weather conditions, but in case of dry weather, twice a week will be enough.
"Chocolate" tomatoes, like other varieties, will need three additional dressings per season. Monitor the condition of the plants and, depending on this, adjust the content of certain elements in the top dressing, exclude nitrogen from the middle of summer. To improve the formation of ovaries, you can carry out foliar feeding with boron.
Do not forget about weeding and loosening the soil, these are extremely important elements of crop care. It is very important to install supports at the time of transplanting seedlings, to which you will then tie up the plants. By installing such supports at a later time, you risk damaging the roots of the tomatoes. As the tomato grows, remember to tie it up. You will also need to remove the stepsons, but in no case should you cut them off all at once - after such stress, the tomato may start to hurt or die (this applies to all varieties). Do this gradually in the morning, one a day.
And of course, despite the resistance of the "Chocolate" variety to most diseases, do not forget about preventive measures - do not allow too high humidity and do not forget to ventilate the greenhouse every day. Sprinkle ash or bone meal on the soil. If pests appear, do not immediately grab insecticides, try to start using folk recipes based on soda, soap, wormwood or garlic.
Growing features
Sowing dates
Tomato Sugar brown
Since the tomato hybrid Dark Chocolate can be planted in different regions of the country, vegetable growers need to correctly navigate the place and timing of sowing and planting tomatoes in the soil. They need to be sown two months before transplanting seedlings into a greenhouse or open beds. If the seedlings are planned to be grown in a greenhouse, then sowing is carried out 10 days earlier.
It is important! If sowing is planned in a greenhouse, then you need to know the forecast about a possible cold snap or freezing. This can slow down the growth of tomatoes and affect the future harvest.
The soil
An earthen mixture is often bought in stores. It is completely ready for sowing, but you can cook it yourself. It is necessary to mix peat, humus, turf in equal amounts. Then add a tablespoon of wood ash to the bucket of the mixture, one teaspoon each of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers. Ignite the prepared soil in the oven or microwave. To be sure that the soil is safe, disinfect with a manganese solution.
Transplanting
Interesting. If you moisten the soil prepared for sowing seeds and stand it in a warm place, this favors the appearance of microflora in it.
Sowing
The purchased seeds of the Chocolate hybrid have already been disinfected, hardened and soaked. Therefore, you can safely sow them. Sowing containers should have a volume of 1 liter and a depth of 10 centimeters. Having filled them with soil, make grooves spaced 4-5 centimeters from each other and evenly distribute seeds in them after 2-3 centimeters. Then sprinkle the hollows with earth and spray with warm water.
Seedling care
The seedlings must be placed in a well-lit place, covered with foil or glass and kept, observing the temperature regime: the air must be at least +18 and not higher than +25 degrees. If necessary, the soil must be sprayed. The containers need to be ventilated from time to time, removing the cover for a few minutes.
Important! If mold appears on the soil, carefully remove the top layer and treat it with an antifungal agent.
When the first shoots appeared, these days you need to gradually accustom the seedlings to the sun's rays, taking them outside. The first time - 5 minutes, the second day - 10, increasing the time intervals gradually. Sunbathing should be alternated with quenching in the fresh air or with an open window. All varieties of Chocolate tomatoes require feeding once every two weeks. It will be enough to water them with a weak warm solution of Humate.
Dive
The tenth day came, the first two leaves appeared on the seedlings. It's time to place them in separate pots, cups or special small containers, the volume of which should not exceed 200 milliliters. You need to move the seedlings carefully, digging a lump of earth together with the roots and lowering it into a glass. Slightly press the earth in the container, if it is not enough, add it.
Soil preparation
In order for young seedlings to be comfortable in a new place, it is necessary to create favorable conditions for them. The soil must be dug to the depth of the shovel bayonet, organic fertilizers must be applied (liquid mullein or chicken droppings). For 1 square meter, 3 kilograms of feeding will be required. It is necessary to use a solution of poultry manure carefully - excess fertilizer can burn tender sprouts. The norm for such a solution will be 1 organic matchbox per bucket of water. Water the soil before planting for a day or two and cover the beds with black film to warm up to + 15-18 degrees.
Soil preparation
Tomato transplant Shokoladnitsa
When 7 leaves and 1 inflorescence appear on the seedlings, this will be a signal to plant them in open ground. A couple of weeks before that, prepare the beds. The time of transfer should be chosen based on the weather: it should be warm, but cloudy and calm. This procedure is usually carried out in the second decade of May. No more than 3 bushes can be planted per square meter, planting depth is 3 centimeters.
Care and watering
No special techniques are required in the process of growing chocolate varieties, the measures are usual: timely watering, weeding and feeding. One condition that the variety requires is the formation of a bush. This means that it is necessary to tie up the stems and pinch on time, that is, remove excess ovaries so that they do not take nutrients from the growing fruits.
Important! Removal of stepchildren should be carried out in dry, calm weather. This will prevent the possibility of infection of seedlings with infections in places of wounds. Under the rays of the sun, they dry out and close the entry point for harmful bacteria.
The development of the root system and the growth of the seedling depend on regular weeding and loosening of the soil. Fertilizers will easily get into light soil with irrigation water, and removed weeds will not deprive tomatoes of moisture and nutrition. Well-loosened soil will open up oxygen access to the roots. The first ripe fruits will appear at 16 weeks. It's time to harvest. It must be remembered that Chocolate Tomato is not stored for a long time, so it must be processed immediately.
