Vegetables that do not take up much space in the garden and do not require painstaking care will always be in great demand. Tomato Ballerina is just one of those. To grow this early-ripe, productive tomato can even beginner gardeners.
Content
Description and characteristics of tomato Ballerina
From the time of sowing the seeds to the first harvest of ripe tomatoes, it takes from 100 to 120 days. Hybrid can be grown in open ground, under film shelters and in various greenhouses. There are no clear distinctions by region, however, the Ballerina gives the best results in the middle lane and in the south. When planting in cities with a cold climate, the yield will decrease significantly, the taste of the fruit will be fresh.
The bush is determinant, shtambovy, very neat and decorative. The maximum height of the plant is 60 cm. The first inflorescence is laid over a 5-7 leaf, up to 6 ovaries are formed on one brush. Fruits are red bullet-shaped or pepper-shaped with a rounded nose, elongated. The skin is dull, thin and dense, and the flesh is juicy, sweet and sour with a pronounced tomato aroma. Seed chambers not more than 5, the average number of seeds. Tomato weight 60-150 grams.
Use and yield
Tomato ballerina is very good for whole-canning, pickling, preparing juices, winter salads, freezing. In cooking, tomatoes are used to prepare various dishes, sauces, ketchups and adjik. Fresh fruits contain a huge amount of vitamins.
In the open ground, in conditions convenient for the hybrid, about 9 kilograms of tomatoes are harvested per square meter. In greenhouses or under film shelter, the figure is higher. For a determinant tomato, this is a very good result.
Advantages and disadvantages
Ballerina is popular among gardeners. Especially among those who want to get a crop early and cannot visit the garden every day. Based on the experience of those who grew the hybrid, we note all its advantages:
- the versatility of the fruit;
- resistance to differences in day and night temperatures;
- good immunity to the most dangerous diseases of tomatoes;
- the bush does not require formation;
- the possibility of growing at home (on the balcony or window sill);
- productivity;
- ripe fruits do not crack;
- Tomatoes are stored for a long time and well tolerate transportation.
The Ballerina has very few shortcomings. Only exactingness to top dressing, soil structure and composition can be distinguished.
How to grow tomato ballerina
No special skills and knowledge will be required when growing a hybrid. However, in order to fully enjoy all the benefits of tomato Ballerina should pay attention to some important nuances.
Seedling preparation
Sowing seeds for seedlings is carried out 55 or 60 days before the alleged planting of tomatoes in a permanent place. At this point, warm weather should be established without the risk of freezing frost. Seedling cultivation:
- the box is filled with nutritious soil, the seeds are laid out at a distance of 3 cm from each other and sprinkled with earth, a layer of 1 cm will be enough. Seedlings are watered with warm water, the container is covered with a transparent film and placed in a warm place. It is necessary to ensure that the earth does not dry out, from time to time the polyethylene is removed and the crops are irrigated a little;
- when the shoots appear, the film must be removed and put the box on the most lighted window sill. It is necessary to monitor the state of the soil all the time, underfilling or overfilling is dangerous for young sprouts. When 2 true leaves appear, seedlings dive;
- 2 hours before the procedure, the soil is abundantly watered. Holding the bore by the cotyledon leaves, carefully dig it up and transplant it together with a lump of earth into a separate container. Picked tomatoes are watered until the soil gets wet.
Further care for seedlings is watering and fertilizing (liquid fertilizers). During the day, the temperature in the room should not fall below 18 degrees, and at night below 12. On cloudy days, tomatoes should provide additional lighting. The normal amount of light for a culture is 16 hours a day. 2 weeks before planting, plants begin to prepare for new conditions. You can open the window or take out the seedlings on the loggia, first for a few minutes and gradually increase the time.
Landing and care
On one square meter, no more than 6 bushes of tomato Ballerina are placed, which is very convenient for those who have little space. The site should be open, sunny with cultivated, loose, non-acidic soil. Watering is carried out 1 or 2 times a week, it is desirable that the water is warm. Moisture lingers longer in the ground if the beds are mulched with straw or rotted sawdust.
The first time the hybrid is fed 2 weeks after planting, the second session is carried out during flowering. During the formation and ripening of fruits, the Ballerina is fertilized 3-4 times more. Use mineral complexes and organics.
If desired, you can remove the stepsons, but there is no urgent need for this. The hybrid does not need a garter. The plant has a powerful trunk and strong stems that freely support the weight of tomatoes, do not fall and do not break.
Diseases and Pests
Tomato ballerina is very rarely ill. Problems can arise only in the most adverse years or in the complete absence of basic care. One risk is root rot. If an ailment is detected, mulch is removed from the beds, loosens the soil and reduces watering. If tomatoes grow in a greenhouse, one should not forget about ventilation.
Of the pests, aphids and thrips are of particular danger. You can get rid of uninvited guests by spraying with various drugs or mixtures prepared according to folk recipes. Another enemy of the Ballerina tomato is slugs. They need to be collected manually, while all the weeds, tops and mulch are removed from the beds, the soil is sprinkled with coarse sand.
Where this name comes from is unknown. However, it is safe to say that the name came from the appearance of the bushes. They are elegant, decorated with a chic bright red skirt made of tomato.
Reviews
Anatoly
Three years ago, I planted a couple of bushes of tomato Ballerina for testing and immediately added the hybrid to my favorite list. He is really very good, tasty, easy to care for, you could even say unpretentious. Last year, prepared seedlings in 2 stages. The first sowing was carried out a little earlier - for the greenhouse. And the second at normal times - for open ground. Under cover, the harvest is really bigger.
Daria
I read that this hybrid is exceptionally thermophilic. I did not risk planting it in the middle lane without a greenhouse, I thought that there would be no harvest. The year before last, I found out that a neighbor had been growing the Ballerina for several years without shelter, and also acquired seeds. A wonderful tomato is universal in use, it does not get sick, is not afraid of a slight drop in temperature, which happens often with us.
Low-growing tomatoes, without pinching: 5 of the most delicious varieties
Why tomato seedlings grow poorly
We grow a tomato in a shell
Growing tomatoes without watering according to the method of Kazarin