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An amazing creation of domestic breeders is the “Valentina” tomato variety. He fell in love with most gardeners for a reason. This variety is ideally adapted to the Russian climate, the requirements for caring for it are minimal, and the harvest is able to please even true gourmets. It is in connection with the high yield and excellent quality of fruits that it gained its popularity throughout the country.
General description of the variety
Tomato "Valentina" in the characteristics and description of the variety is distinguished by the fact that it is most suitable for growing in open ground, and not only in greenhouses. Outwardly, the plant is a dense bush, which reaches an average height of 60 cm. If we talk about the statistical timing of ripening, then the variety belongs to the early maturing species. From practice, it has been established that most of the planted bushes give ripe fruits at about 100-105 days, if you count from the day of seeds for seedling.
At the same time, those who have already planted the Valentine tomato in the greenhouse supplement their reviews with photos with warnings about the moderate removal of stepchildren on seedlings.
The tomato bush is sprawling, which is why it is required to tie its stem to the garden support, because with a large number of fruits, their weight can simply break the stem. There are few leaves on the bush, but this does not mean that the seedlings are bad or the bush was grown in negative conditions. The foliage of this plant naturally has a greenish-yellow tint, which is the norm. The shape of the leaves is slightly corrugated and looks more like potato leaves than tomato.
The first inflorescence appears on the stem no lower than the seventh leaf. All subsequent flowers are arranged alternating 1-2 leaves up.
With a drought of a weak level or if it was short-term, you should not immediately carefully spill the bush with water and the negative effect of dryness will not affect the plant.
This variety was bred more than a decade ago, however, it became known only in the 2000s, when a group of breeders' researchers subjected it to a large number of tests. The results of such experiments have become the leading position of this variety due to the high quality of ripened tomatoes.
Significant benefits
Reviews about the Valentine tomato are most often positive and laudatory. This is due to the large number of advantages of this variety, which are as follows:
- The bush is compact in height and width.
- The fruits ripen quickly enough after planting the seedlings.
- The plant is resistant to drought if it does not last long.
- The sturdy stems provide a good level of seedling survival during transport.
- Tomato variety "Valentina" has a very high threshold of resistance to common diseases of this type of plants.
- After transplanting, the removal of the stepchildren is not required.
- Increased plant care is not needed.
- The yield is high and stable.
- The fruits have excellent taste and aroma, without the need for chemical fertilization of the plant during flowering and fruit ovary.
- In the description of the developers for tomatoes of the "Valentina" variety, there is no indication of special requirements for soil.
Reviews of Valentina tomatoes say that the average yield of this species is 2-3 kilograms from one bush. If the frequency of planting is no more than 6-7 bushes per 1 square meter, then the yield will be approximately 10-12 kg from this area.
The characteristic of the Valentine tomato says that this variety is optimal for those who do not have deep knowledge of gardening or gardening. Thanks to the minimum requirements for soil, care and fertilization, even a beginner in horticulture can get the maximum yield from the seedlings of this tomato with little effort.
Existing disadvantages
If you look at the gardeners' reviews about the Valentine tomato, the offered photos and read the yield statistics, we can say with confidence that this type has no obvious drawbacks. The only thing that can be attributed to negative characteristics is the need to tie the bush to the support. Although this situation is not surprising, because with a high fertility of the bush, its stems simply do not support the weight of the tomatoes, they bend and can break. In order to avoid such consequences, it is better to tie the stems of the bush to the support in advance. This will allow all the tomatoes that have set to form and ripen normally.
Characteristics and description of fruits
The fruits of the “Valentina” tomato variety are of medium size and slightly elongated, plum-shaped. The average weight of one tomato is 80 grams, although if the bushes are grown in a greenhouse, it can be up to 100 grams. Tomatoes "Valentina" by their taste characteristics are suitable for salads, however, they are best used for:
- Cooking dishes such as sauces and lecho.
- Canning whole fruits.
- Preparation for the winter as part of lecho, fried and canned tomato-based salads.
The fruits of this variety are excellently stored for a long time and during transportation, they have a strong skin and a dense pulp structure.
The fruits are very fleshy and juicy by their consistency, even despite the thickness of the peel, which is why they are often used in the preparation of tomato juice or paste. This variety is great for making high quality, aromatic gravy and gravy.
From the description of the “Valentina” variety and from the photo, you can see that the fruits are formed in clusters, and not singly. Due to the fact that the fruits themselves are not large in size, and the average in one bunch of tomatoes is usually a lot.
Fully ripe tomato variety "Valentina" has a bright red color with an orange tint. They taste sweet and sour, which makes them more original. Producers who grow the Valentina tomato variety in their description and reviews say that from large areas the yield of this species is about 40,000 kg per hectare of land.
Useful composition
Reviews about the tomato "Valentina" and the characteristics of experts suggest that the fruits are not only very tasty, but also healthy. The special value of this type of tomato lies in its vitamin composition:
- Natural saccharoids.
- Vitamins of groups: C, K and B.
- Proteins.
- Cellulose.
- Organic acids.
- Carotene.
- Minerals.
The peculiarity of tomatoes is that even after heat treatment, they do not lose their useful properties. The available reviews about the Valentine tomato, together with the description of the variety and existing photos, leave no doubt about the uniqueness of this species, its excellent taste and usefulness both for home cultivation and production.
What you need to know about growing
The description of the "Valentina" tomato contains important information that in order to maintain a high yield of this variety, it is not recommended to seed the seeds yourself. Such an activity is troublesome and ineffective. Due to the fact that this species is a selection development, it is not capable of independent seed production. For the northern regions of Russia, it will be optimal to grow such tomatoes only in a greenhouse. Although it is adapted to the domestic climate, however, it does not tolerate low temperatures during flowering and fruit formation.
According to the description and photo of planting seeds of tomato "Valentine", it is clear that when sowing, a certain distance should be maintained. Although the root system of this variety is dense, it is not recommended to damage the roots when planting sprouts. After planting the seeds and until the first shoots appear, it is strongly recommended to keep the container with the seeds covered with a film, not forgetting to periodically open it for 10-20 minutes for airing and watering.
After the first shoots reach a height of 30-50 mm, they must be planted at an even greater distance from each other for enhanced growth. At this time, the sprouts should be provided with abundant light and watering.
Planting in the ground should only take place when the stems and roots are strong. The land in which the seedlings are planted must be loose. It is recommended to lay peat, sand and manure at the bottom of the hole, but place seedlings on top of them. Such a manipulation will subsequently allow the soil to be loosely maintained, and at the same time feed the seedlings with natural fertilizers, which tomatoes are so fond of.
More about leaving
The description of the "Valentine" tomato and the captions under the photo show that special care is not required for this variety, however, tomatoes do not grow as weeds... Elementary care for them is still necessary. Yes, this species does not require the creation of special soil or special conditions for ripening and increasing yields. At the same time, professionals talk about the need to follow a few simple rules:
- Ensuring proper watering. This does not mean that you should pour tomato seedlings with water every day. Either a little every day, or once a week and very abundantly.
- Regular loosening of the earth. You can also loosen the soil around the sprout once a week.
- Frequent cleansing of the land next to seedlings from weeds. Weeds not only take water from the ground from the tomato, but also the nutrients that are necessary for their proper and timely development.
- Spraying against insect pests. This variety is protected from common diseases, but it is not protected from insects that eat it on foliage, flowers and roots.
- In a greenhouse, it is important to provide the plant with frequent ventilation. Once a day is enough.
- If the seedlings are planted in open ground, at first it will need to be covered with a film.
Warning! Watering plants should be done only with warm water, in no case cold.
Moreover, the water must be settled. That is why experienced gardeners have large containers on their plots in which they store water for irrigation.
Those who have been growing Valentina tomatoes for more than one year willingly post a description of this variety and a photo of their own harvest precisely because they have something to boast about. Beautiful appearance, amazing taste and unforgettable aroma are its main advantages.
