Characteristics and description of the tomato variety Red Riding Hood, its yield and cultivation
One of the fruitful varieties of tomato, Little Red Riding Hood, came to the Russian expanses thanks to German breeders. In its homeland, it is called the Rotkappchen tomato, which ripens early and gives high yields.
Characteristic features of the variety
Determinate tomato species are especially popular with vegetable growers. The main property of such tomatoes is that the shoot stops growing after the apical inflorescence appears. After that, a strong stepson begins to actively develop. It grows until a flower raceme appears at the top of the stem. Despite the modesty in the growth of stems, the determinants produce fruits very quickly.
The description of the Red Riding Hood variety completely coincides with the features of the undersized species. The formed bush will be no more than seventy centimeters high. The foliage of strong stems is medium. It follows from this that there is no need to tie the Little Red Riding Hood tomatoes or pinch them.
Neat bushes already in the first days of July delight with brushes of juicy tomatoes. The fruits are distinguished by the brightness of the color of red with an orange tint. In shape, small tomatoes, up to seventy grams in weight, resemble Cherry. Slightly crumpled on top, they look like a knot of a red cap that she carried to her grandmother.
Juicy pulp is hidden under the thin tender skin of a tomato. The fruit tastes pleasant, sweet, and contains trace amounts of acid. When eating a vegetable, the seeds are not felt at all, since there are very few of them.
The high yield of the variety pleases. With proper care, you can collect about two kilograms of red fleshy fruits from one bush.
Growing tips
Red Riding Hood tomatoes are suitable both for open ground and for greenhouse. Tomato cultivation begins with planting seeds for seedlings.
Seedling preparation rules
For planting, it is best to use seed collected two or three years ago. It is soaked in a solution of potassium permanganate, and in growth stimulants. Some experts advise placing varietal seeds in aloe juice diluted with boiled water. The procedure will strengthen the seeds, improve the immunity of future plants.
For the full development of seedlings, a nutritious soil is used that is good for moisture and air. A little river sand and wood ash must be added to the soil mixture.
The best option for planting seeds of a Red Riding Hood tomato is to place them in peat pots with two to three seeds each. It is necessary to plant in early March.Later planting dates will lead to the fact that by the time the seedlings are planted, the seedlings will not have time to get stronger and may die during their transfer to other conditions.
Tomato sprouts will quickly appear if the containers are placed in a room with a temperature of 25 degrees above zero. They need more light, so on cloudy days, they organize backlighting using fluorescent lamps. But the air temperature for the emerging seedlings is gradually reduced, bringing it to 18 degrees.
Watering the seedlings is done moderately with water at room temperature.
Before planting young tomato bushes, their readiness is determined, the characteristic of which consists of:
- strong thick stem;
- age 55-60 days;
- the presence of at least one flower ovary.
Vegetable plants will delight with the harvest in the future, if the seedlings are properly prepared.
Landing time and rules
The optimal time for transplanting seedlings into open ground will be the end of May - early June, in closed - the first days of May.
For the correct cultivation of tomatoes Little Red Riding Hood, the distance between plants must be at least fifty and no more than seventy centimeters. Three hundred grams of humus and fifty grams of wood ash are introduced into the prepared holes.
Seedlings are immersed in the ground to the first true leaf. To grow strong bushes yielding healthy fruits, you need to properly care for the plantings:
- Water abundantly but in moderation.
- Feed first with mullein diluted with water in a ratio of 1: 5, and then with ammonium nitrate (25 grams), superphosphate (60 grams), potassium salt (15 grams per bucket of water).
- Avoid sudden temperature changes.
- Loosen the ground.
- Weed in time.
Planting seedlings in open ground or a greenhouse will end with a rich harvest, if all the rules and regulations are followed.
The advantages of tomatoes according to gardeners' reviews
The characteristic that vegetable growers give to Little Red Riding Hood tomatoes is based on the advantages of the variety:
- great taste;
- disease resistance;
- compactness of bushes;
- good yield.
Gardeners who have chosen a cultivar for cultivation note that small fruits are good fresh, canned. The vegetable plant is easy to care for. Neat bushes decorate the suburban area.
After getting acquainted with the description of Little Red Riding Hood tomatoes, each vegetable grower will choose this particular variety. It is suitable for regions with any climate. Here, the main thing is to choose the right way of growing - in a greenhouse or in the open field.
