An early maturing and unpretentious variety that gives a bountiful harvest: the "Prima Donna" tomato is a favorite of domestic gardeners

Tomatoes are a thermophilic crop. Therefore, the conditions of central Russia, Siberia and the Urals are considered unfavorable for their cultivation. Frequent rains and cold snaps, tomato diseases and pests make it impossible to grow many varieties outdoors in most regions.

Thanks to selection, agronomists have developed varieties and hybrids that can not only withstand the negative effects of the environment, but also have high yields. The hybrid Prima Donna tomato is especially popular among them. Why it is so good, and how to grow it properly - read on.

General description of the hybrid

Tomato Prima Donna is a hybrid of the first generation. This is evidenced by the designation f1. It was entered in the Russian state register in 2007. Since then, this variety of tomato culture has not lost its popularity.

The hybrid was developed by domestic breeders. It is intended for cultivation in the climatic conditions of most regions of our country.

Note! A hybrid is obtained by crossing two varieties. When planting seeds from their fruits, the grown plants in most cases acquire parental characteristics. To grow a prima donna tomato constantly, you will have to buy new planting material every time.

Distinctive features of prima donna tomatoes

The main feature of Prima Donna tomatoes is their cold resistance. They are suitable for growing outdoors in the middle zone of our country.

The tomato fruits of this hybrid are bright red. They have a rounded shape with a well-defined elongated tip. See how the fruits look in the photo.

The berries have a pronounced tomato flavor. They taste sweet with a slight sourness. Fleshy inside, but juicy.

Prima Donna is a versatile tomato in a gastronomic plan. Suitable for canning whole, fresh consumption, cooking tomato products and hot dishes, freezing.

The hybrid is resistant to the most common tomato diseases. This reduces the need for prophylactic chemical treatment.

Main characteristics

The prima donna tomato is distinguished by its unpretentiousness and productivity. It is suitable for cultivation both for yourself and for sale.

Characteristics and description of the variety:

Growing seedlings

They begin to grow tomato seedlings two months before they are planted in open ground. In most regions, seeds are sown in March.

Before sowing planting material, you should familiarize yourself with the lunar calendar. It is believed that tomatoes, planted on the correct lunar day, germinate faster.

Seed preparation

Before planting seeds, they are sorted out. Suitable for use dense light seeds without stains and damage. It is important to check the expiration dates on the packaging.

Disinfecting seeds will prevent disease from infesting plants. Usually, for these purposes, the planting material is soaked for half an hour in potassium permanganate diluted in a ratio of 1 g to 10 ml. After soaking, the seeds are washed under running water.

To speed up the germination of seeds, they are soaked in growth stimulants or use other methods.

The list contains the most common ones:

1. Purchased drugs... Most often, "Epin" or "Fitosporin" is used to stimulate growth. The seeds are processed as indicated in the instructions on the package.
2. Folk remedies. The most effective are: aloe juice, diluted in a 1: 1 ratio with water, a soda solution, for the preparation of which you need to take 1 tsp of soda in a glass of liquid, a honey solution, prepared from 1 tsp of honey and a glass of water. In such stimulants, the planting material is soaked for 12 hours.
3. Plain water. To use this method, pieces of gauze are moistened in clean water. Seeds are wrapped in them. The cloth with seeds is placed in a saucer, which is covered with foil and placed in a warm place. The seeds are left in this form until germination. This takes 2-3 days.

Selection of soil and containers

You need the right containers to grow tomatoes. It depends on how comfortable the plants will feel.

For sowing seeds, large, but shallow containers are chosen. It is not necessary to use special trays and boxes.

Often pots are made from scrap materials:

• instant noodle trays;
• plastic containers for herring and seafood;
• cake packaging;
• plastic disposable tableware;
• cut six-liter bottles.

For picking plants, containers with a volume of 300 ml are used. The stores sell special plastic and peat pots. Disposable cups and cut bottles are often used for planting seedlings.

All containers are disinfected before use. To do this, they are soaked for half an hour in a strong solution of potassium permanganate.

Soil for tomatoes is no less important than containers... You can buy it from a gardening store or make it yourself. In any case, soil mixtures are treated with high temperatures or a solution of potassium permanganate.

To prepare the soil for tomatoes, mix black soil with humus in different proportions. Ash and "Superphosphate" are added to the mixture. To make the soil lighter, add one part of sand, sawdust, peat or chopped coconut fiber to it.

Planting seeds

Drainage is poured at the bottom of the seedling container (shell rock, small pebbles, crushed expanded clay). Prepared soil is poured on top.

In the ground, grooves are made 1 cm deep at a distance of 3 cm from each other. Seeds are grown in them with an interval of 2 cm. After this, the indentations are covered with earth.

The soil is moistened with warm water from a spray bottle, covered with foil or glass and placed in a warm place. The warmer it is in the room, the faster the seeds will germinate. Often boxes with planting material are placed near the battery.

It is interesting! Many gardeners choose to grow seedlings in the Chinese way. Its peculiarity lies in the fact that the planting material is placed in a cold place for several days. The seeds are sown with the waning moon in the constellation Scorpio. Plants dive exactly one month later.

Seedling care

To get healthy and strong plants, you need to pay great attention to the care of the seedlings. The list contains basic rules:

1. After seed germination, the boxes are rearranged in a well-lit place. The film is removed after a week.
2. Water the tomatoes only at the root. Water should not fall on the ground part of the plant. For immature sprouts, use a pipette or syringe. After picking, tomatoes are watered from a watering can or bottle. Use warm, settled water.
3. Seedlings dive after the appearance of the first true leaves. Most gardeners advise against pinching the central root, which is already damaged during transplantation.
4. After picking the plants, the first feeding and watering are carried out no earlier than a week later.
5. During the period of growing seedlings, three dressings are made. For this, complex fertilizers or biohumus are used. For one plant, take half the portion indicated on the package. The last time the tomatoes are fed a few days before they are picked to a permanent place.
6. Plants begin to harden two weeks before transplanting. To do this, they are taken out onto the balcony or outside, gradually increasing the time spent in the fresh air.

Planting plants in a permanent place

Seedlings are planted in a permanent place when the soil warms up. The disembarkation time is different for regions with different climates:

• southern regions - early May;
• middle strip - second half of May;
• northern cities - first half of June.

Before planting tomatoes in open ground, the beds are prepared. To do this, in the fall they are dug up, cleaned of plant residues and enriched with ash, lime and manure.

In the spring, the soil is dug up again. It is disinfected with a solution of potassium permanganate or other disinfectants.

Holes are dug in rows in a checkerboard pattern. For planting prima donna tomatoes, a 50x50 or 40x50 scheme is used.

A tablespoon of ash is poured into each hole. The depressions are filled with water. Three days before the tomatoes are planted in the ground, they are watered and fed.

Immediately before planting, the plants are removed from the pots. They are placed in the wells, forming the root towards the center. The depressions are covered with earth.

Rules for the care of the Prima Donna

Tomatoes Prima donna is one of the most unpretentious varieties to care for. With its cultivation, there will be no difficulties even for novice gardeners.

Although Prima Donna tomatoes are a determinant variety, the bush needs shaping. It is grown in 2 or 3 stems.

Stepsons on the bushes of this hybrid are formed in minimal quantities. Therefore, the prima donna does not need to be pinned.

Tie up bushes of this hybrid necessarily... Otherwise, they will simply break under the weight of the fruit.

Watered plants as the soil dries. Watering should be abundant, but not frequent.

Primadonna tomatoes are not too demanding on the composition of the soil. They give bountiful yields even with minimal maintenance and poor soil composition. Therefore, 2-3 is enough for them top dressing for the season.

Experienced gardeners recommend alternating mineral and organic feeding. They use both purchased and homemade products.

Foliar fertilizers are applied twice a season. Use means containing boron. They accelerate the formation of ovaries.

Growing errors

Gardeners often make mistakes when growing tomatoes.

The list contains the most common:

1. Watering tomatoes with a hose. This method of soil moistening is not acceptable for this crop. When using it, water gets on the greens, which increases the risk of plant diseases. In addition, the water from the well and the well is too cold.
2. Refusal to loosen plants. After each watering, a crust forms on the soil. It prevents normal air exchange in the roots and moisture evaporation.
3. Excessive watering. Waterlogged soil contributes to the development of fungal and viral infections. With high humidity, the roots of tomatoes begin to rot. In such conditions, the quality of the fruit also suffers, the taste of which becomes less saturated.
4. Stepping in hot time of the day... This increases the risk of plant contamination. The best time for this procedure is in the evening or earlier in the morning.

Diseases and pests

The prima donna tomato is resistant to most diseases inherent in this culture. However, experienced gardeners do not neglect the rules of prevention.

To reduce the likelihood of tomato disease, they are planted in beds that have not grown nightshade for the past three years. Do not plant tomatoes next to potatoes.

Disinfection of seeds, soil and seedling containers is necessary to prevent infestation of tomatoes. It is important to treat with disinfectants and garden tools.

Compliance with the rules of watering and formation will keep the plants healthy. For prophylaxis, plants are sprayed with "Fitosporin".

Insects not only damage tomato bushes, but also carry viral and fungal infections. Therefore, it is important to regularly carry out preventive examinations, removing pests from plants.

To prevent insect damage to tomatoes, I treat them with special agents. Most gardeners prefer homemade natural formulations such as soapy water.

Features of growing a hybrid in open and protected ground

In most cases, the Prima Donna hybrid is grown in the open field. Gardeners note that the highest yield is observed precisely when planting tomatoes in a greenhouse.

When growing tomatoes outdoors, it is important to follow a few rules. To help the plants adapt, they are covered with foil for the first 14 days after transplanting.

Be sure to mulch the beds. Hay, straw or burlap are used as mulch.

Attention! When planting tomatoes in a greenhouse, you need to regularly ventilate the room. For this, the vents are opened daily.

Harvesting

You can get the first harvest of the Prima Donna in June. The fruits are harvested immediately after ripening by cutting with a knife or gently twisting.

Large berries are harvested immature on cloudy days. This will prevent late blight infection of plants.

Diva fruits are versatile. They are stored for more than 6 weeks and are used for conservation and fresh consumption.

Pros and cons of Prima Donna

Hybrid advantages:

• no need for pinning;
• high productivity;
• early maturity;
• unpretentiousness to care and soil composition;
• resistance to low temperatures.

There were no serious deficiencies in tomato.

Farmers reviews

Reviews of gardeners about the Prima Donna variety are positive. In our country, this variety is popular.

Angelina Sachuk, Klin: “I have been growing a prima donna tomato for several years in the open field. Excellent yield. One of the few hybrids that harvests early even in our climate. As easy to clean as possible. The taste is ordinary tomato. "

Irina Kireeva, Voronezh: “I am growing a prima donna tomato for sale. It does not require special care. It gives high yields and ripens earlier than other tomatoes. "

Conclusion

The Prima Donna tomato is one of the most suitable hybrids for our climate. He is not afraid of cold snaps and is undemanding to the composition of the soil. Therefore, even the laziest gardeners and summer residents can grow it. The fruits are eaten fresh and preserved. The tomato is stored for a long time, therefore it is suitable for growing for sale.