Italian tomato tree care. Growing a tomato tree at home

Tomato tree or tomato tree Octopus F1 - bred several years ago hybrid variety cluster tomatoes, which aroused great interest among farmers, gardeners and summer residents who like various innovations and wonders. The unusual plant is indeterminate, i.e. unrestricted in growth, a hybrid with a well-developed ability to intensive shoot formation. Its height can reach 4 meters or even more, and the crown area is 40-50 square meters. meters. The annual harvest of the Octopus F1 is simply fantastic - about 14 thousand tomatoes, total weight which is equal to 1.5 tons.

The miracle tomato got its name for a reason - the tomato tree, like an octopus, braids the entire frame of the greenhouse built for it. The main features of this tomato variety are enormous growth energy, vigor, yield and disease resistance. He is genetically inherent in a powerful root system and a well-developed superficial leaf apparatus.

The brush of the Sprut F1 hybrid is laid in two or three leaves. Each of them produces 5-6 fruits with an average weight of 100-160 grams. Tomatoes are round, fleshy, juicy, with excellent taste.

The growth process of a tomato tree lasts on average 1-1.5 years, therefore, in the climatic conditions of Russia, productive cultivation is possible only in year-round heated and lighted greenhouses. For the first 7-8 months, you need to focus on the formation of the tree, not allowing it to bear fruit. It is not necessary to carry out pinching in the crown - all shoots should bloom and yield a crop. Further, when the crown is already formed, the period of fruit formation and active fruiting begins.

Tomatoes of the Octopus F1 variety can be planted both in professional and amateur greenhouses. When grown in an ordinary greenhouse in three summer months novice gardenercan get pretty tall plant, which will bear about 10 kg of fruit per season. But intensive mineral nutrition in addition with the most favorable conditions (enough heat and light) will allow you to grow a huge tree with good yields.

When growing a tomato tree in a professional greenhouse, you should abandon soils and soil - potential breeding grounds and accumulators of pests and diseases. Despite the good disease resistance of Octopus F1, it is advisable to exclude unfavorable factors that can harm the plant. For this indeterminate tomato, it is best suited hydroponic method, i.e. method of growing without soil on an artificial nutrient medium. It will provide good air permeability to the roots of the plant, which will exclude the intake of too a large number moisture and drying out. The tree will receive nutrition and moisture in a metered dose. Glass wool cubes can be used as a solid substitute for soil. For the full development of the Octopus F1 Special attention should be given to feeding with mineral salts.

Grow a tomato tree in open ground also acceptable, but in this case the height and yield of the plant will be much more modest.

Tomato tree Octopus F1 is a miracle of selection, which, if desired, can be grown by absolutely everyone. A little patience, enthusiasm and love for your work - and your greenhouse will be decorated with a luxurious plant, and the table - juicy and tasty tomatoes.

Experienced gardeners or beginners in this business will probably be interested to learn about the unusual, but very prolific tomato tree (octopus), which also gives very good yields. Most of us are used to having a more bushy shape, but this tree-shaped plant is a reality in our time. In this article we will tell you in detail about this "phenomenon", and also pay attention to the issues of its cultivation at home.

What is it?

V natural conditions different types of tamarillo (another name for the tomato tree) are tree-like bushes or whole trees, often reaching a height of 5 m. Their crown is about 50 m² in diameter, and on one cluster there are 5-6 tomatoes, the weight of which often reaches 150 g . The leaves of the plant have oval shape, and when flowering, white-pink flowers are noticeable on the branches.

As for the fruits, they can have a different color: from orange to deep red. The pulp is very juicy and slightly sweet in taste. According to rough estimates, such a plant is capable of producing fruits for about 15 years, and fruiting begins already in the second year after planting.

The harvest from the tomato tree is great for preparing dressings, sauces, as well as making vegetable cocktails or all kinds. That is, no matter how you use tomatoes, growing such a variety at home, you will provide yourself with an excellent source of vitamins.

If you have previously had to grow nightshade crops (, others), then you will have no difficulty in coping with this task with dignity. The only thing you need to maximize bountiful harvest - enough places for the growth of a tree and the appropriate care for it, which we will talk about further.

Did you know? A lot of time has passed since tomatoes appeared on the tables of Europeans (they were brought to Europe in the 16th century), but not everyone knows that these fruits long time not used in cooking. At the initial stages of acquaintance with the culture, gardeners considered it poisonous plant and was grown only as a "curiosity" brought from overseas countries. The recipe for the first European dish with tomatoes dates back to 1692.

Growing conditions

Given the unusualness of the tomato tree and its size, it is easy to assume that such a plant will need a fairly spacious greenhouse and relatively specific planting conditions and further care... Let's take a closer look at this issue.

Greenhouse dimensions

They are engaged in growing octopus in absolutely any form.(although you can land it in the open ground), but the main condition is that they must be constantly in a heated room and illuminated. Of course, given the maximum possible size of a tomato tree, it should not be less than 50 m² in diameter, and to accommodate such a giant plant, you will also need a sufficiently spacious container: from 1 to 2 m² (for example, an old bathroom).

Also, do not forget to prepare a lid of the appropriate size, which in the future will be able to protect the nutrients in the summer.
As an additional inventory, one more small bath will not be superfluous, which will serve as a place for the preparation of nutrient solutions for the tree.

Of course, in the absence of the required area, the specified plant can also be grown in ordinary greenhouses, but in this case we can only talk about seasonal fruit production from a tall shrub (the yield is within 10 kg per bush). For comparison with an unlimited tomato tree, you can collect up to 1500 kg, however, it will take up to 1.5 years to grow it.

Lighting

The fertility of the cultivated plant in this case completely and completely depends on the optimal temperature indicators and lighting, and not only when sowing seeds, but also during the formation of fruits. To comply with this requirement, they are equipped with artificial light sources ( fluorescent lamps) so that at all stages of tomato development, their daylight hours are at least 12 hours.
It should be noted that at least important condition the optimal temperature regime is also, which in summer should be within + 24 ... + 25 ° C, and with the arrival of winter it should not fall below + 19 ° C.

Soil preparation

The ideal substrate for a tomato tree provides for the presence of the same components that are used in the cultivation of ordinary tomatoes, and the main condition in this case is the high nutritional value and air permeability of the soil for the octopus, and it does not matter if it is grown in open ground or in a greenhouse. In addition, be sure to use special liquid fertilizers and do not forget to periodically loosen the soil with a rake. For the soil after planting a tree, it is better to use expanded clay.

Landing

Planting an octopus can be divided into several stages: first, the seeds are sown and care is taken, and then the grown seedlings are planted in or in another place prepared for them.

Tomato tree seeds can be planted at any time of the year, but most experienced gardeners advise to do this at the end of winter or in the first days of spring. To begin with, the whole planting material placed in the refrigerator for 12 hours, and after this time they are distributed in a container prepared for seedling (a good option would be wooden box, about 15-20 cm high).

Each seed must be buried in the loosened soil to a depth of at least 1.5 cm, after which the seedlings are watered and covered with foil. As soon as the octopus tomatoes sprout, they are sure to be seated in separate pots, in which they will grow up until they leave for their permanent "place of residence."

Seedling care

Seedling care involves proper implementation and regular fertilization. young plants as the soil dries up (about twice every 7 days), and this should be done only through the pallet.

As for dressings, as in the case of watering, their frequency should not be less than several times a week, always using complex formulations. When growing seedlings in winter, the introduction of liquid is reduced to once a week, and it is better to stop feeding altogether.
Of course, at this time, do not forget about temperature conditions in a room with seedlings (not lower than + 20 ... + 25 ° С) and its sufficient lighting, which is provided daily with fluorescent ones for 12-15 hours.

Did you know? The weight of the fruits of most varieties of tomatoes does not exceed 1 kg, but a resident of Minnesota (USA) was able to get into the Guinness Book of Records thanks to the tomato he grew, whose weight was 3800 g.

Planting tomatoes

If sowing seeds for seedlings was carried out in January or early February, then by about mid-April your seedlings will be ready for transplanting c. Usually at this time the temperature in such a room is stably kept at the level of + 20 ... + 25 ° С, which is quite enough for the further growth and development of the tomato tree. It is better to raise the land plots for planting 0.5 m above the ground and surround them with silicate bricks, so that they can warm up well.
From the harvested seedlings, only the strongest seedlings are chosen, since it is they who have high level vitality. Planting is carried out in pre-prepared holes, 10-15 cm deep, and for the formation of an additional number of root shoots, break off the two lower rows of leaves and deepen the seedling into the remaining leaf plates.

When preparing the holes, it is necessary to add a handful of ash and a small part of Azofoska to each such hole, and it is also good if it was introduced in the place of placement of the tomato tree in the fall (it is laid at a level of 20-25 cm deep). Until the temperature in the greenhouse stabilizes (until serious fluctuations between day and night indicators disappear), it is better to cover the transplanted seedlings, fixed on.

Care and growing of adult bushes

The tomato tree, like other varieties of this culture, is not difficult to grow at home, the main thing is to provide the plant proper care... To transplant the future giant into a greenhouse is only half the battle, and the second half consists in knowing some of the nuances of its watering, further and other agrotechnical measures.

So, as fertilizers, compositions are ideal, and the latter must necessarily contain boric acid, magnesium, potassium, zinc, copper, ammonium nitrate and simple. This fertilizer should be applied to the soil at least once a week. As a prophylaxis for various diseases of tomatoes, a special solution with a content is perfect (1 bottle should be dissolved in 10 liters of water). Once a week, you can fertilize with an aqueous solution of herbal infusion.
Do not forget that in the first year after planting, your tomato tree should not bear fruit, otherwise it will not be possible to get a properly formed plant in the future. Also, do not pinch the tree, leaving the shoots unharmed.

Of course, for the normal growth and development of such a giant, it needs a sufficiently large amount of water, which means that, starting from May, watering should be sufficiently abundant, and in sunny weather- daily.

It is important to understand that the tomato tree is not intended for profit, but rather as an exotic and proof of the unlimited possibilities of man, nature and the plant itself.

Go to almost any site on the Internet that talks about the tomato tree, and you will see this photo. This is a hybrid "Tomato-tree F-1 Octopus" - a miracle tree that grows in height up to 4 meters or more. Its name corresponds to its appearance - a tomato bush, like an octopus, entwines the entire greenhouse. The harvest is simply fantastic - up to 14,000 tomatoes, the total weight of which is 1,500 kg, its advertisements are increasingly appearing on the pages of gardening magazines. So what exactly is a tomato tree? What is it: the truth or just another publicity stunt, "miracles" of Photoshop, or is it an outstanding achievement of domestic breeders? The answer to this question can only be given by specific facts of the existence of the tomato miracle tree.

Japanese experience

At the international exhibition of achievements of science and technology EXPO-85, which was held for six months in the academic town of Tsukuba (Japan), the central place was occupied by a tomato bush. It was in the pavilion of the Japanese government, and was grown from a single seed. For 6 months of the EXPO-85 exhibition, on its spreading branches like a huge vine one could count an incredible amount - 13312 tomatoes !!! The method by which such a fantastic crop was grown is known as "hyponica" and was first developed by Nozawa Shigzo (J. "Japan", 1985)

The tree was grown in hydroponics using special computer technology, which regulated the modes of drip irrigation, lighting, air mode and other necessary manipulations.

Over the years after EXPO-85, Nozawa Shigzo finally came to the conclusion that the soil does not help, but ... prevents the plant from fully manifesting its potential, because makes it difficult for oxygen and light to reach the roots. It is practically impossible to maintain the water content in the earth at a constant required level, not to mention the temperature, mineral salts and trace elements. Many pathogenic bacteria and insects penetrate plants through the soil. New method growing a tomato tree got the name "haiponica" - from the words "high technology" ( high technology) and "hydroponics".

Now Nozawa Shigzo is the president of the prosperous Kiova company, and in the town of Tsukuba (according to unconfirmed information) in the interests of Food Industry For several years now, tomato trees have been grown, the crowns of which extend almost 10 meters, the height is 3 meters, and the trunk diameter is 20 cm at the base. It turns out the corresponding harvest - 14,000 tomatoes per season from a tree. And the most interesting thing: the tomato tree is by no means the result of the painstaking work of a lone breeder. This is a common tomato cultivar that, when grown at garden bed does not exceed 60-70 cm. The whole secret is in the "highponics".

Experiments in Russia

In the newspaper of Primorye "Arsenyevskie Vesti" No. 26 (479) of May 16, 2002, an article "Tomato tree" by Yu.I. Slushchina. This is what he wrote: "This cannot be!" - was the first thought when I heard about the tomato trees of G.A. Protopopov. But then came the second thought: "Why shouldn't they be, if wild tomatoes grow on trees in their homeland?"

Tomato trees appeared in the laboratory greenhouse of G.A. Protopopov at the Institute of Plant Protection to visually convince skeptics. Created trees from the domestic variety "Gift", which does not stand out in any way ordinary tomato. By using the Biostim drug developed in the laboratory, it was possible to dramatically increase the yield. So in the third year of growth, the stems of tomatoes became stiff, they developed a powerful root system, which ensures an increase in yield. The yield was 12.5 kg per tree and would probably continue to increase further. But ... they no longer had the fourth year for growth, since perestroika in the country had already entered its stage of destruction of the economy ”.

But the author of the article “Tomato tree F1 Octopus” (newspaper “Economy” №38 / 593 of September 16, 2008), describes his impressions as follows: “For the first time I saw the tomato“ F1 Octopus ”four years ago. I saw and from the impressions I could not sleep all night. I once read in magazines that such miracles happen, but I have never seen them with my own eyes. Honestly, I thought that all this was fiction, but when I saw it, I realized that this is not fiction, but modern reality, a miracle of selection and agricultural technology. I saw this tomato tree for the first time, when it was displayed and harvested. 3 people were engaged in collecting fruits, using baskets, buckets, basins for this. In one approach, about four thousand fruits weighing 100-130 grams each were removed. In total, according to the notebook, 13,000 tomatoes were harvested from one tree in more than a year, with a total weight of about 1.5 tons. Can you imagine what the yield ”.

You can believe these messages or not, but the conclusion suggests itself - the tomato tree is not a myth, but a reality. Why is there so little information about the miracle tree? Why, with such wonderful qualities, has this plant still not received the widest distribution among gardeners? The answer is simple: it is enough to analyze in what conditions it should be grown:

1. To get "F1 Octopus" in all its glory, you need a year-round heated greenhouse, with a fairly intense backlighting. Its dimensions, at least, should correspond to the dimensions of a tomato tree, which can be clearly seen in the photo at the beginning of the article.

2. A real Octopus from a tomato bush grows in only 1.5-2 years.

3. To grow a tomato tree, it is necessary to use hydroponic technologies, thanks to which the roots of the plant will constantly receive the required amount of oxygen and dosed nutrition. This is only possible with the use of computer programs.

If you want to create this miracle, fairy tale, dream, if you set out to surprise us and have the means, go for it. Getting a miracle tree is difficult, but possible. The one who really wants to get into the fairy tale gets into it.

Growing a tomato tree under normal conditions

In practice, a heated greenhouse alone is very expensive. In addition, in a year and a half on the area occupied by the tomato miracle tree, you can get twice the harvest from 80 -100 bushes of the same "F1 Octopus" grown by the usual method.

When grown under normal conditions, the F1 Octopus is one of the best indeterminate tomatoes. We state this with great confidence, since we have been growing it ourselves in a polycarbonate unheated greenhouse for 5 years.

We know from experience that in the spring tomato seeds "F1 Sprut" from the agricultural firm "SeDec" are not easily found on the shelves - either few of them go on sale or gardeners quickly disassemble them. What attracts gardeners to this tomato, what is its secret?

First of all, in the enormous energy of growth. So that the reader does not suspect us of self-advertising, let us quote the impressions of the author of the article (Anastasia Sukhorukova) in the magazine "Sadovye Delo" (No. 9 (43) 2010) who visited our estate:

“However, the real tomato miracle is, of course, the tomato tree - a plant of the F1 Octopus variety. When the couple decided to grow this miracle of nature for the first time, they did not really count on the result. And the result was just amazing! Imagine a huge, highly branched bush, about two meters high and about two meters wide, with the upper branches dotted with yellow flowers, the middle is decorated with green fruits, and the bottom is weighed down by clusters of large bright red fruits. By the beginning of August, the owners had removed four two-bucket baskets of a sweet vegetable from him. And, I think, this is far from the limit of the capabilities of the tomato tree! "

Another important quality of "F1 Octopus" is increased resistance not only to most "tomato" diseases, but also to low temperatures. We all remember last summer 2012, when due to frequent low temperatures and high humidity by the middle of summer late blight reduced the tomato crop in greenhouses to a minimum. Many plants had to be uprooted. And what about F1 Octopus? Of course, he also reacted to an unfavorable situation. But this reaction was extremely insignificant - it was enough to break off only some diseased leaves and improve ventilation. While the yield of many tomato varieties dropped sharply, F1 Octopus continued to bear fruit - its yield decreased by no more than 8-10%. Moreover, fruiting continued until the onset of "low" temperatures + 5 ... + 10 ° C inside the greenhouse, when the development of the fruit was already physically impossible. "F1 Octopus" was the last to "leave" the greenhouse: the beds were freed from other varieties of tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, eggplants, watermelons and melons long ago. The experiment with leaving the roots of the F1 Octopus tomato in the garden until next spring (naturally with warming them from above), in the hope of its early "awakening", did not give any results.

On the label of a packet of seeds "F1 Octopus" it is stated: "the brushes are beautiful, with 5-6 even fruits in each. Fruits are round, red, very dense, fleshy, weighing up to 100-160 grams. The taste is excellent. " This description really matches reality. Many years of experience in growing this hybrid led us to the idea of ​​abandoning the planting of a whole bed of Red Riding Hood tomatoes, which we planted exclusively for canning and pickling. One plant "F1 Octopus" completely replaced them both quantitatively and qualitatively. Tomatoes weighing 90-100 g of the same calibrated size are used for salting. Thickened tomato peel does not crack during heat treatment, the fruit lays down in a jar whole. Larger tomatoes are great for preparing various kinds of preparations (salads, "fire" with garlic, etc.), as well as for fresh consumption.

Gardeners' impressions

On the Internet forum, the impressions of growing a tomato tree are the most polar:

“... I have grown quite a common variety, of course it tastes good. I expected much more. "

“... wonderful taste qualities... On next year I'll plant more, what the people lack? "

“.... nothing gigantic happened. Just an average variety of tomato, just lost my place in the greenhouse ”.

The answer to these complaints is on the same forum: “... did you carefully read what is written on the label of the seeds of this variety? Or do you naively believe that having poured a bucket of manure (compost) or a kilogram of fertilizers under such a tomato, you can begin to expect half a ton of harvest from a bush?

So, ordinary gardeners who have grown the F1 Octopus tomato for only one season, received a very different results... The first group - those who were satisfied with the result - both the quality of the fruits and the nature of growth, and wanted to continue the experiment in the next season, expecting even more potential from the Octopus tomato. The second group unites those who really hoped to see a fruitful miracle, but for one reason or another were disappointed, such gardeners considered the hybrid to be an ordinary tomato with an average yield, although many noted its good taste.

Our cultivation experience

We will omit the details of preparing for planting seeds, they are well known. We sow seeds for seedlings as early as possible - in the second half of January; for planting we use Terra Nova peat soil - a universal soil with a high content of perlite and vermicompost. We grow seedlings of a tomato tree in the same way as seedlings of ordinary tomatoes, at a temperature of 20-25 ° C, according to the recommendations of the Agrofirm "SeDec" (for some reason, the temperature is advertised on the Web is strictly 25 °). From the moment of germination and further, until disembarkation in the greenhouse, the automation illuminates the seedlings with fluorescent lamps every day for 15 hours (from 9.00 am to 24.00).

After three weeks, we pick into a spacious elongated box (milk cartons). Such a package is already on the very early stage development of the tomato allows the plant to realize unrestricted root growth. Regularly, once every 10 days, we feed the seedlings with liquid organic mineral fertilizer "Biohumus" (for vegetables, with microelements).

In mid-April, we plant tomato seedlings in polycarbonate greenhouse... By this time, the daytime temperature in such a greenhouse is kept at the level of 20-25 ° C, and raised by 0.5 meters, bordered with silicate bricks and insulated from the floor level, the land ridges have warmed up quite well. We take seedlings from prepared seedlings the strongest, thickest, and therefore the most viable. We plant in holes 10-15 cm deep, for the formation of additional roots we break off the two lower rows of leaves and deepen the seedling to the remaining lower leaves. Before planting in the hole, add a little Azofoska and a handful of ash. Note that in the future planting site of the tomato tree, a layer of compost is laid to a depth of 20-25 cm in autumn. Before the onset of stable positive temperatures (without significant differences day and night) the planted seedlings are covered with lutrasil on arcs.

For the entire period of growth of the F1 Octopus tomato tree, it does not follow. On the contrary, the task is to form as many brushes with fruit ovaries as possible. The compost poured in the fall will ensure the initial growth and branching of the plant. By the middle of summer, a real "tomato tree" will be formed; we tie its numerous branches to the rows of wire stretched under the ceiling. The "tree" itself grows up to 1.8-2 m in height, its branches spread out in all directions up to 1.5-2 m.

The significant dimensions of the F1 Octopus tomato tree require adequate space. This must be taken into account when determining the landing site. In addition, due to the large amount of foliage, it is necessary that it be located in a well-ventilated place (as a rule, in the central garden bed, next to the window).

Such a powerful plant needs a lot of water. Since May, the tomato is watered abundantly, in sunny weather - every day. Watering is best in the morning, especially during the ripening period. In the morning, the skin of a tomato expands; in the evening, with a slight decrease in temperature, it narrows. And, if you water it during the day or in the evening, then the water entering the fruit breaks the skin, it cracks.

In addition to intensive watering, the plant needs feeding, which we carry out once a week with an aqueous solution of herbal infusion.
Under favorable weather conditions, the first fruits ripen by mid-June, earlier than all other varieties of tomatoes. Fruiting continues until late autumn, when other varieties of tomatoes have long given their harvest, often before negative temperatures"outside".

In conclusion, we note that in the conditions of the North-West region (as well as similar areas), where risky farming is carried out, growing the F1 Octopus tomato tree in the open field is impractical, since it is impractical to fully realize its capabilities in a short, and not always favorable summer does not work.

Text and photo: Mikhail and Tamara Tsurko, gardeners

Most vegetable growers dream of growing tomato trees. Most popular varieties such plants are japanese tree Octopus f1 and Italian Cherry, which features high yields. More than 10 kg of crop can be harvested from one bush. Before you start planting such tomatoes, you need to figure out how to grow a tomato tree.

To understand what kind of miracle tomato tree is, you can use its description.

They belong to indeterminate plants, which differ from the rest in their resistance to diseases, high yields and constant growth. During the first months after planting, the bush should not bear fruit so that it has time to fully form. During growth, such a tree cannot be pinned. This can disrupt the growth of the plant and further lead to its death.

A distinctive feature of tomato trees is that they form many shoots and branch well. Thanks to this, they can grow to an area of ​​about 5-10 square meters.

Small clusters with several fruits are formed on the bushes every 3-4 leaves. The weight of each of them can reach 200 g. The fruits are colored bright red and have a rounded shape. Outside, they are covered with a thin skin, under which is a fleshy and dense pulp. The main advantages of fruits include the fact that they are not prone to cracking and are stored for quite a long time.

Advantages and disadvantages

The popularity of tomato trees is due to the fact that they have many advantages. These include:

• adaptability to any level of humidity;
• resistance to diseases such as late blight, tobacco mosaic virus and fusarium wilt;
• resistance to sudden changes in temperature;
• the presence of developed and branched roots;
• ease of growing;
• tall bushes that can grow up to 3-5 meters.

The disadvantages of the Octopus F1 tomato tree include the fact that it takes up quite a lot of space. Also, the disadvantage is that it is recommended to grow it in heated greenhouses.

What you need to grow a tomato tree

Before planting a tomato tree in an open field or greenhouse, you need to figure out what you need to have for this. For this you will need:

1. Seeds. It is recommended to use the seed of the tall varieties, as they produce the most ovaries and grow well.
2. Preparations for the preparation of dressings, ugras and compost. For this you can use "Baikal EM 1". However, such drugs should be used only if EM technology was previously used on the site.
3. Shelter film or greenhouse. In the Urals or Siberia, it is better to plant tomato trees in heated greenhouses. This will allow you to grow tall plants over one meter in height. Residents of the southern regions can do without a greenhouse. To grow the tomato variety, ordinary plastic wrap will be enough, which can protect the bushes from night frosts.
4. Metal barrel without a bottom. Tomato trees should not be planted in holes, but in special containers with holes. Side vents are needed to saturate the soil with oxygen, and the lower ones - for moisture. If there is no barrel, then wooden boxes can be used instead.
5. Air pump with hose. It will be needed to improve ventilation of the plant root system. To do this, several holes are made in the hose, after which it sinks to the bottom of the container, where the tomato tree will grow. It is recommended to turn on the pump every 10-20 minutes.

Growing seedlings

It is necessary to plant seedlings early, so you can start as early as January or early February.

Seed preparation

Before growing tomatoes, you need to prepare planting material. To increase the germination of seeds of Octopus F1, it is necessary to warm them up in advance. To do this, they are placed in an oven preheated to 50-60 degrees for several hours. Throughout this time, the oven temperature can be gradually increased to 70-75 degrees.

They can also be warmed up with water. For this, tomato seeds are poured into a small jar, which will need to be placed in a saucepan with hot water.

In addition, disinfection is carried out before landing. planting seeds... There are several solutions with which you can eliminate the infection:

1. Aloe juice. It can be purchased at any pharmacy or squeezed out of the plant yourself. To prepare the solution, the juice must be diluted with water in equal proportions. It is necessary to keep the seed in the mixture for at least 15 hours.
2. Fitosporin. A few drops of the drug must be mixed with 300 g of water, after which the planting material can be added to the prepared solution. It should be soaked for no longer than two hours.

Soil preparation

It is necessary to plant seeds not in ordinary soil taken from the garden, but in pre-prepared soil. Preparing soil for planting seeds is not so difficult: in one part turf land added piece by piece river sand and peat. The resulting mixture is thoroughly mixed and poured with a nutrient solution, the composition of which includes 10 grams of carbamide, 30 grams of superphosphate and 10 liters of water.

You should also disinfect the soil in advance. For this, it is treated with a weak manganese solution and special antifungal agents.

There is another way to disinfect the soil. In this case, the earth will have to be placed in a cloth bag and put in the oven for 20-30 minutes. This will help cleanse the soil of all pathogenic microbes.

Planting seeds

You can plant the seed of a tomato tree in small boxes or pots. To begin with, the containers are filled with moistened soil, after which small holes are made in it, in which tomatoes will be planted. The distance between the grooves should be about 5 cm. After planting the seed in the soil, the containers are covered with glass or plastic wrap to ensure optimal humidity levels.

Planting seedlings

Growing a tomato tree outdoors or in a greenhouse begins with planting seedlings. Seedlings should be planted in mid-April or early May.

Site preparation

Before growing a tomato tree, you need to prepare seat... The barrels in which the seedlings will be planted must be placed in the most illuminated place of the greenhouse. It is also necessary to ensure that there is enough space around them, since one tomato tree can spread its branches several meters to the sides.

Soil preparation

Prepare the soil before pouring it into the seedling barrels. The bottom layer of the soil should be composed of urgas, and the top layer of EM compost.

It is better to harvest urgasa even in winter. To do this, put a garbage bag with several drainage holes in a plastic bucket. The bag contains small organic waste, which must be periodically sprayed with a solution of the EM preparation. A small weight can be installed on top, with the help of which liquid will be squeezed out of the contents of the bag.

Planting

You need to plant only the most powerful and large grown seedlings. In the barrels, holes are made, the depth of which should not be greater than the pots where the seedlings grew. It is necessary to install a support near each hole so that in the future the bushes do not break under the load of the fruits. After planting, the seedlings are not recommended to be watered for two weeks.

Care features

To grow a large tomato tree Octopus F1, it must be properly cared for.

Working with soil

Caring for any plant includes loosening the soil. It is necessary to do this 1-3 times per season. This is done in order to get rid of the crust that could form on the surface after watering. The first loosening is carried out 10 days after planting the seedlings.

Top dressing and watering

Top dressing should be done at the beginning of summer, since it is by this time that the tomato tree spends everything nutrients in the soil. It is recommended to periodically introduce boron into the ground. If the plant lacks this substance, then its stems will become very fragile and brown spots will appear on the fruits. In addition to boron, mullein, superphosphate and ammonium nitrate are added to the soil. It is necessary to apply fertilizers to the soil periodically every 2-3 weeks.

Plant bushes should be watered much more often. This is done 2-4 times a week, and at least a bucket of water is consumed per bush. It is best to use the sprinkler method when watering. In summer, tomato trees need to be watered daily.

Stepping

Leaves on the bushes should be cut off a week after planting the seedlings in barrels. At first, only the lower leaves are cut off, and the upper several rows remain intact. After that, the shoot is covered with a soil mixture made from earth and urgas. It will not only nourish the tree, but will also help strengthen the root system. Re-pinching is carried out in a week.

All varieties of tomato trees, except for Surgut F1, can be grown up.

Treatment

Sometimes fruit ripening on trees slows down. To speed up this process bushes need to be processed periodically. To prepare a solution for spraying tomatoes, you need to grind young pine shoots and place them for several weeks in freezer... After that, they are filled with water and boiled for about 30 minutes. Then the broth is filtered and diluted cold water in a ratio of one to three. It is necessary to use the prepared mixture during the formation of buds.

Conclusion

Anyone can grow this plant. In order to grow it, you need to familiarize yourself with the technology of growing a tomato tree.

Tomato tree "Octopus F1". The presentation of the tomato tree took place at the next international exhibition EXPO in Japan. A huge tomato bush, grown from one seed, was placed in the center of the government pavilion. During the period of the exhibition, which lasted six months, more than 14 thousand fruits ripened on its widely spread branches.

Biological features

Tomato tree or tomato-tree "Sprut F1" is a hybrid variety of a new generation of cluster tomatoes. He attracted close attention of the general public, arousing tremendous interest among modern breeders, farmers, gardeners and just ordinary gardeners-amateurs.

it unusual plant is an indeterminate (unlimited in development) hybrid with a genetic disposition to active formation of new shoots. While creating optimal conditions the height of a tomato tree can exceed 5 m, and the crown diameter is 10 m! The total weight of the fruits of the annual harvest from such a bush, occupying more than 50 m2, amounted to 1.6 tons.

The tomato tree fully justifies its name - "Octopus F1". Its branches, like the tentacles of an octopus, tightly entwine the frame arranged for it in the greenhouse. Unique feature This tomato variety is its limitless growth vigor, vigor, over-yielding and increased resistance to pathogens. He has a highly developed root system and a well-developed leaf apparatus.

The brushes of the Sprut F1 tomato hybrid are laid with an interval of 2-3 leaves. Each of them simultaneously forms 6-7 fruits weighing up to 170 g. Tomatoes have an attractive appearance, regular round shape, juicy and fleshy pulp with excellent taste.

Secrets of growing "Octopus F1"

Japanese breeders do not hide the fact that their giant tomato was grown without the use of soil substrate, i.e. in hydroponics. According to Nozawa Shigeo, its creator, the earth only hinders the development of the plant, making it difficult for the aeration of the roots, the intake of trace elements and mineral salts. He is convinced that only "highonic" is capable of supporting the life support of such a miraculous giant. The use of the capabilities of modern computer technologies allows you to stably maintain optimal indicators of greenhouse conditions of maintenance: temperature, humidity, watering rate, etc.

The duration of the development process of a tomato tree is on average about one and a half years. With this in mind, its cultivation in climatic conditions middle lane Russia is possible only in greenhouse conditions... In them, it is necessary to ensure stable maintenance of the year-round thermal regime and the level of illumination.

During the first 7-8 months of development of a tomato tree, you need to purposefully form its crown, preventing fruit ovary. After this period, when the crown is already fully formed, finally, a period of active fruit formation and fruiting begins.

Greenhouse cultivation "Sprut F1"

As practice has shown, it is possible to grow a hybrid tomato "Sprut F1" not only in professional, but also in amateur greenhouses. When grown in a simple greenhouse during the summer season, even an inexperienced gardener has a chance to get a sufficiently tall plant, which will give more than 10 kg of fruit by autumn. And at the maximum favorable conditions with intense mineral nutrition much more significant results can be achieved: a powerfully developed tree with a massive harvest.

When growing a tomato tree in a professionally equipped greenhouse, it is recommended to abandon the use of soil mixtures and soils, because they are potential breeding grounds for diseases and pests. Even taking into account the increased disease resistance of the Sprut F1 hybrid, it is advisable to exclude unfavorable factors that can cause damage to the plant.

For growing the indeterminate tomato "Sprut F1", the hydroponic method is considered optimal, ie. soilless cultivation method in an artificial, supernourishing environment. This method provides good air permeability and oxygen saturation of the root system, which, in turn, excludes the likelihood of excessive moisture ingress and drying of the root shoots.

Thanks to the use of an artificial substrate, for example, glass wool cubes, it is possible to obtain a metered amount of moisture and nutritional components... But at the same time, it is worth paying increased attention to feeding with mineral salts.

The experience of growing "Sprut F1" in the open field

Practical experiments of domestic gardeners have confirmed that the cultivation of the Sprut F1 hybrid tomato is also possible in the open ground of the middle lane. True, the size of the plant and its yield are significantly reduced.

Taking into account the need to regularly provide the plant with concentrated organomineral dressings, it is not advisable to plant a tomato tree in an unlimited soil volume. This will not allow even partially realizing the genetic potential of "Sprut F1".

Decent results were noted when growing the Sprut F1 tomato hybrid using EM cultivation methods. They consist in the application of modern biotechnological methods of using useful properties different types microorganisms that are an integral part of the living soil environment (Effective Microorganisms). On their basis, a number of drugs were developed: EM-A, EM-1, EM-X Gold, EM Ceramics of Japanese production, as well as their Russian counterparts Siyanie-1, -2, -3 , "EM-ceramics", "Baikal EM-1", "Bokashi" and others.

Experimenters who have resorted to this method, used to partially limit the volume of the soil, large bottomless barrels, which were filled in two-thirds layer by layer with a mixture of EM compost and fertile garden soil. Then the grown seedlings of the hybrid tomato "Sprut F1" were planted in them, which were grown similarly to the seedlings of local varieties of tomatoes.

As the seedlings "Sprut F1" developed, a soil mixture of the same consistency was poured into the barrels. Before the onset of June, pinching was regularly carried out on the bushes, forming the crown of the future tree and removing the buds. As a result, a powerfully developed root system was formed in the plant, densely filling the surface layers of the soil in the barrel. Such plants showed increased resistance to diseases, pests, temperature fluctuations and other unfavorable factors.

With the onset of the summer season, the main task was to form maximum number brushes and fruit ovaries. On experimental plants, their number reached 15 pieces on each brush. By this time, the main and side branches of the tomato began to hang under the weight of the fruit, in contact with the ground. Because of this, in the middle of summer, the tomato tree had to be strengthened on supports dug in next to the barrel.

Such a large plant needed increased doses of watering and feeding. On average, the moisture level inside the barrel was maintained at 60%. Excess irrigation water flowed out of the barrel without hindrance due to the absence of its bottom.

By the middle of the summer season, the first fruits ripened on tomato trees. For the possibility of further ripening of the crop, the plants began to need intensive feeding. From that moment on, they were watered with EM compost mash three times a week.

Thanks to increased maintenance with the use of EM cultivation methods, the tomato harvest was extended until the end of September. Interestingly, according to quality characteristics the fruits from the upper brushes were in no way inferior to the fruits collected from the lower brushes.