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Among gardeners in recent years, hybrid varieties of tomatoes have become widespread. The Mazarin tomato is especially popular, a description of the variety, a photo, reviews of which testify to its great popularity.
The large red-pink fruits of this variety are distinguished by their original shape and excellent taste characteristics, which makes them indispensable in any salads.
Characteristics of the variety
Mazarin was bred by Russian breeders for regions with warm and temperate climates. Depending on the natural conditions, it is grown outdoors or in greenhouses. Indeterminate tomato bushes with lush dark green leaves can reach 1.8-2.0 m, actively developing lateral branches. With proper care, the Mazarin tomato bushes give excellent yields in about 3.5-4 months after germination and until frost.
The Mazarin tomato is valued for its characteristics such as:
- resistance to changes in weather conditions;
- high yield - each brush forms up to six fruits, and up to 14 kg can be obtained from a bush;
- resistance to characteristic tomato pathologies;
- long-term fruiting;
- undemanding to care, in dry years the Mazarin variety can withstand 40-degree heat.
At the same time, it should be noted that the yield of Mazarin tomato bushes and the taste of its fruits are strongly influenced by the intensity of sunlight.
Description of fruits
Tomato Cardinal Mazarin gives the largest fruits - up to 0.6-0.7 kg in weight in the lower hand, in the rest they are two times less. Mazarin tomatoes stand out:
- an unusual shape, reminiscent of a strawberry with a pointed nose;
- fleshy flesh with great taste, ideal for salads;
- dense skin that protects from cracks;
- good keeping quality;
- the ability to ripen in the light during storage.
Mazarin tomatoes are perfectly combined with other products, which allows them to be used in the preparation of many dishes. Sauces prepared on their basis are especially tasty. When canned, Mazarin tomatoes give a refreshing taste with a slightly noticeable sourness:
Agrotechnics
Growing a Mazarin tomato does not require time-consuming techniques, it is enough to timely perform the necessary procedures.
Sowing seeds
As the characteristics and description of the variety recommend, the Mazarin tomato is best planted in open ground in the form of ready-made seedlings. For its cultivation, seeds are sown starting from about the second half of February. The soil can be prepared from a mixture of garden soil with the same amount of humus. You can add a little ash and superphosphate to it. The acidity of the mixture should be neutral.
Seeds of the Mazarin variety are best purchased in trusted stores. You can prepare them yourself, however, there are few seeds in the fruits of the Mazarin variety, so it is difficult to collect the required number of seeds for extensive plantings. Previously, the seeds should be checked for germination - pour cold water, mix and leave for half an hour. Full-fledged tomato seeds will settle to the bottom, they can be planted. Floated ones must be thrown away, and high-quality ones - for disinfection, soak overnight in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. In the morning, the seeds of the Mazarin tomato can be rinsed and slightly dried. They are sown without deepening and sprinkled on top with a thin layer of soil, which is moistened with a spray bottle.
Growing seedlings
For the growth of Mazarin tomato seedlings, according to reviews, the temperature regime is favorable within the range of 22-27 degrees. When the first shoots appear, the film must be removed, and the tomato sprouts must be provided with good lighting. In cloudy weather, you can additionally connect daylight devices. Watering should be done at the root of the plants, but only when the soil dries up.
In the phase of the first leaves, seedlings of the Mazarin variety are dived, seated in separate pots with simultaneous liquid feeding. Often gardeners use peat pots, in which it is convenient to later plant tomatoes in open ground. After the end of return frosts, tomato seedlings begin to gradually harden in the open air - first for a short time, and then for the whole day and even overnight.
Landing in open ground
When the night frosts stop and the soil warms up to about 16-18 degrees, you can plant Mazarin tomatoes in open ground. This usually happens in May-June, depending on the region. Before planting tomato seedlings, the soil must be loosened well and the wells must be prepared by adding a tablespoon of a mixture of potassium and phosphorus salts to each. In the future, top dressing can be applied once a month, however, it is better to refuse nitrogen fertilizers at the time of ovary formation. During this period, it is better to add wood ash under the tomatoes. The optimal planting scheme for the Mazarin variety is 3 bushes per 1 sq. m, too close arrangement of tomatoes will negatively affect their yield.
Care features
To increase the yield of the Mazarin variety, it is recommended:
- cut off lateral shoots and leaves, leaving only the central stem;
- so that the seedling does not break under the weight of large fruits, the Mazarin tomato characteristic, reviews recommend tying to trellises or stakes - this procedure should be carried out as the seedling grows;
- 5-6 brushes - the optimal amount that can effectively develop on each plant, otherwise the fruits will be small;
- on sunny days, you can speed up the pollination of Mazarin tomatoes by tapping on the stem;
- watering is carried out with settled water as the soil dries up, it should not be waterlogged, especially during the period of increased growth of bushes;
- after watering, you need to carefully loosen the ground under the tomatoes to provide air access to the roots;
- you should regularly inspect the Mazarin bushes, promptly removing dried or diseased leaves.
If the Mazarin tomato began to actively grow green mass in the absence of flowers, perhaps the reason lies in excess moisture with a lack of lighting. In this case, experienced gardeners are advised to take the following measures:
- stop watering the tomato for several days;
- carry out pollination in the light by shaking the stem;
- feed the roots with phosphorus fertilizer.
Protection against diseases and pests
Protecting Mazarin tomato from pests and diseases, it is better not to overuse chemicals. They cause tremendous harm to the soil layer, and also accumulate in the fruits, then getting into the human body. Today, there are products that are safer for the environment. Popular recipes have not lost their relevance either.
Diseases of tomato
Subject to the correct temperature and humidity regime, the Mazarin tomato, as evidenced by the characteristics and description of the variety, as well as reviews, is quite resistant to diseases that are often found in nightshades:
- late blight, which is manifested by dark spots on the leaves and fruits;
- gray mold causing watery mildew on the stems;
- tobacco mosaic, manifested by curling and drying of tomato leaves;
- black leg affecting the root collar.
Timely preventive measures will help protect the Mazarin tomato from these scourges. In greenhouses, the beds are regularly sprayed with antiviral and antifungal drugs. For processing bushes of the Mazarin variety in the open field, many gardeners use folk remedies that have long been tested by time:
- garlic infusions and milk whey are effective against late blight;
- soapy water treatment protects the tomato from aphids;
- ammonia solution destroys slugs;
- spraying with Bordeaux liquid, as the description of the Mazarin tomato shows, protects against white spot, and copper sulfate - against brown;
- potassium permanganate solution is an effective remedy for tobacco mosaic;
- wood ash is a universal disinfectant;
- a beneficial effect will be the proximity of plants such as garlic, mint, onions next to tomatoes.
Fighting the bear
The bear is especially harmful to plants. Fighting it with chemicals is fraught with soil intoxication. Therefore, it is better to use one of the proven folk remedies:
- when planting seedlings of the Mazarin variety, place the seedling in a tube about 15 cm long, cut off from a plastic bottle - since the moves of the bear are in the upper layer, the plant will be protected;
- along the perimeter of the site where the cardinal Mazarin tomato grows, the description of the variety recommends spreading sawdust, eggshells, dried marigolds - the bear will stay away from them;
- with periodic feeding with chicken droppings, its smell will scare away the pest.
Testimonials
Numerous reviews testify to the popularity of the Mazarin variety and its excellent characteristics.
Conclusion
The combination of excellent taste, simple agricultural technology and high yield makes Mazarin tomato irreplaceable among other varieties and explains its high popularity.