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Tomatoes "Shuttle" can be an excellent option for beginners, lazy or busy gardeners who do not have time to care for plantings. This variety is distinguished by its unpretentiousness and excellent endurance; it is not afraid of weather disasters. Even with the scantiest care, the Shuttle can produce a good harvest of tomatoes. A detailed description of this unique variety can be found later in our article. Perhaps, having familiarized themselves with the proposed photos and characteristics, novice farmers and agrarians who want to try something new will make the right choice for their garden.
Detailed description
The variety "Chelnok" was obtained by Russian breeders and zoned for the southern and central regions of the country. It is intended for open ground, but, if necessary, it can successfully grow and bear fruit in a greenhouse or under a film cover. Some experimental gardeners grow the "Shuttle" and in room conditions, setting large pots on the windowsill or on the glassed-in balcony.
Bushes of the "Shuttle" variety are determinant, of the standard type. Their height does not exceed 50-60 cm. Such undersized plants have a reliable, stable stem. On it, stepsons and leaves are formed in a small amount, which must be periodically removed as it grows. In general, the standard bush does not require enhanced formation, since it independently regulates its growth. Such self-regulation saves the farmer's time and is one of the advantages of the "Chelnok" variety.
Tomatoes "Shuttle" form fruiting clusters above 6 leaves. On each of them, 6-10 simple flowers are formed at once. If you want to get larger fruits, pinch the brushes, leaving only 4-5 ovaries. They are especially well loaded with nutrients and juice, resulting in large-fruited tomatoes. If you do not pinch the fruiting brushes, then the result can be a large number of medium-sized tomatoes. An example of such fruits can be seen above in the photo.
All about the Tomatoes "Shuttle"
The shuttle tomatoes have a cylindrical shape. A small pointed "nose" may form at their tip. The color of tomatoes at the stage of maturity is bright red. Vegetable skins are dense and resistant to cracking. When eating vegetables, tasters note its some roughness. You can evaluate the external characteristics and description of the "Shuttle" tomato variety by looking at the photos offered in the article.
The average weight of tomatoes of the variety "Shuttle" is 60-80 g. If desired, by removing a certain number of ovaries, you can get tomatoes weighing up to 150 g. It should be noted that such a mass is a record for ultra-early ripening tomatoes, which include the variety "Shuttle".
Experts assess the taste of the Chelnok variety as high. Tomatoes have a firm flesh with 2-3 seed chambers. The pulp harmoniously combines light sourness and high sugar content. The aroma of vegetables is not very pronounced. Tomatoes can be used for making fresh snacks, cooking and preserving. Tomatoes produce thick juice and pasta. After processing and canning, vegetables retain their sweetness and unique flavor.
Productivity and ripening period
Tomatoes "Shuttle" are ultra-early ripening: it takes about 90-120 days to ripen.Such a relatively short ripening period of vegetables makes it possible to use the variety for obtaining the first vegetables for salad purposes. You can grow the first ultra-early ripening tomatoes in a greenhouse. In general, it is rational to place seedlings of tomatoes of the "Chelnok" variety in open beds, since for protected conditions it is recommended to use high-yielding indeterminate varieties of unlimited growth.
The yield of the variety "Chelnok" depends largely on the conditions of cultivation. Growing a variety in a greenhouse, you can get about 10 kg of vegetables from 1 m2 soil. On open beds, the yield can drop to 6-8 kg / m2... To get a lot of vegetables, it is also important to follow the growing rules.
Disease and pest resistance
Unfortunately, with all the wonderful characteristics and description of the variety of tomatoes "Shuttle", the culture has no protection from diseases and pests. To prevent the development of ailments, special attention should be paid to preventive measures. So, before sowing, tomato seeds and the soil must be treated with a manganese solution or a solution of copper sulfate. These substances will remove fungi and viruses that can cause some specific diseases.
Such a well-known and widespread disease as late blight can affect plants in conditions with high humidity and low air temperatures. To prevent late blight, tomato bushes can be sprayed with garlic infusion or special preparations (fungicides). When favorable conditions are established for the spread of late blight, it is necessary to carry out preventive treatment 1 time in 3 days.
The causative agents of viral diseases often hide in the ground, so tomatoes should be planted in the place where the so-called favorable predecessors (carrots, cabbage, legumes, greens) used to grow. It is not recommended to plant tomatoes in a place where nightshade crops used to grow.
Preventive plant protection measures allow you to fight pests. So, it is recommended to regularly weed the ridges and mulch the near-stem circle of tomatoes with peat or straw. Regular inspection of plants will allow you to detect pests before they spread massively. In the fight against insects, you can use natural folk remedies, biological and chemical substances.
Advantages and disadvantages
It is possible to evaluate the variety of tomatoes "Shuttle" only with an objective balance of all its advantages and disadvantages. So, the positive qualities of tomatoes are:
- relatively high yield;
- excellent taste of vegetables;
- early ripening of fruits;
- compactness of plants;
- ease of care, no need for careful shaping of the bushes;
- high resistance to cold and adverse conditions;
- endurance and unpretentiousness;
- the ability to grow tomatoes in protected and open conditions;
- universal purpose of tomatoes.
Of course, all the listed advantages are very important, but some of the existing disadvantages of the "Chelnok" variety should also be taken into account:
- low resistance to diseases requires the implementation of preventive measures to protect plants;
- low air temperatures during the flowering period of tomatoes can cause a decrease in yields.
Many farmers consider these disadvantages to be insignificant and therefore unconditionally from year to year give preference to the “Shuttle” variety. We invite each reader to get acquainted with the detailed information in order to draw an objective conclusion about the variety and make a deliberate decision for himself.
Growing features
The technology of growing "Shuttle" tomatoes does not differ significantly from the rules of cultivation of other varieties.So, the first stage of growing is the cultivation of seedlings:
- Seeds of the variety "Chelnok" are sown for seedlings in late February - early March.
- You can do without picking if you sow seeds immediately in a container with a diameter of 6-8 cm.
- Germination of seeds is best done at a temperature of +250FROM.
- After the emergence of seedlings, the container with plantings must be placed on a lighted southern windowsill; if necessary, the light period for plants can be extended artificially by installing fluorescent lamps.
- Seedlings with 2-3 true leaves should be dived into separate containers.
- Tomato seedlings should be watered with moderately warm water as the soil dries.
- In the case of slow plant growth and the appearance of a yellowish tint on the leaves, the seedlings should be fed with a fertilizer with a high nitrogen content.
- A week before planting in the ground, tomato seedlings need to be fed with potassium-phosphorus fertilizers.
- You can plant “Shuttle” tomatoes in the greenhouse in mid-May. Plants should be planted in open ground in June.
The soil in the greenhouse and in the garden should also be prepared for planting seedlings. It needs to be loosened and fertilized with micronutrients. To plant bushes of tomatoes "Shuttle" need 4-5 pcs / m2... After planting, the plants must be watered and left to root for 10 days in complete rest. Further care for tomatoes consists in watering, loosening, weeding the soil. 3-4 times during the entire growing season, tomatoes need to be fed with organic matter and minerals. Watering for tomatoes should be moderate. It needs to be regulated depending on weather conditions.
In addition to the above description, characteristics and photos of the variety of tomatoes "Shuttle", as well as its advantages and disadvantages, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the visual information on the video:
Additional comments and reviews of the farmer will help, if desired, even the most inexperienced farmer to grow a good tomato harvest.
