Tomato tree: a miracle of nature and selection. Tomato (tomato) tree Octopus F1: description, features of cultivation and care

14.06.2019

Those who have a dacha undoubtedly plant tomatoes on it. But here grow a tomato tree did not happen to everyone.

Experts have already provided us with such an opportunity by deriving hybrid Sprut-F1.

Actually, these are the same tomatoes that just grow in an unusual shape. Let's take a closer look at the tomato tree.

What features of cultivation are characteristic of him?

Sprut's growth opportunities are unlimited, because it is an interterminate variety and is prone to branching. In order to hold all this mass on itself, the plant needs a special frame. Tomato tree appearance makes a lasting impression. According to the reviews of those who grew it, you can say a lot of good things about its fruits.

Octopus tomatoes have excellent taste and perfect shape y. They are small in size, painted red. Brushes grow on a tomato tree every 3-4 leaves. Each of them contains 5-7 fruits. Glory to this variety brought and unprecedentedly long shelf life. Gardeners claim that the fruits of this variety can be kept fresh until the New Year and served at the festive table.

This tomato variety realizes all its potential only when proper care and cultivation. Most often, a tomato tree is grown in greenhouses using the hydroponic method. What is its advantage over the usual landing?

This technique does not require soil fertility.
In a special way supplies the roots of the plant with oxygen.
It implies the use of exclusively organic fertilizers. The grown crop is environmentally friendly, without any chemicals.

Hydroponic cultivation technology

When growing hydroponic tomato Sprut, it is advisable to cover the soil on top of the soil with a kind of cover with a hole for the trunk.

It can be made from foam. This will protect the root system from overheating and drying out.

The solution itself is prepared from water and specially designed for hydroponic fertilizer th. You will also need aquarium compressors to oxygenate the hydroponic composition.

The solution is prepared in a large 100-liter container. Glass wool cubes are used for planting seeds size 15 by 15 cm. Octopus tomato seeds are sown at the very end of August. 2 months later the cubes are changed to large ones and a tube with oxygen is brought to each of them, which the roots need. The whole system is placed in a large container and covered with a lid.

In autumn and winter, the Octopus tomato tree is illuminated to provide it with 12 hour daylight. In winter, the buds must be removed, preventing the tomatoes from forming ovaries. Such a tree should bear fruit no earlier than 8 months. Before this period, the crown is formed. The conditions for successful growth within a year and a half are: constant inflow fresh air, stable temperature, bright lighting, regular top dressing.

Only when grown in a greenhouse from a variety can you get the full return. Required planting area for one plant - capacity 3 by 3 meters.

Preparation of hybrid seedlings takes place in the traditional way. Before planting, Octopus tomato seeds are soaked in a solution of potassium permanganate to disinfect them. In late February - early March, sowing is carried out in the intended containers. Seedlings at this stage are kept warm, at a temperature not lower than + 25 ° C.

When the stem of the plant grows to a length of 1 m, it is transplanted into a large container. It can be an old bucket with holes at the bottom, or a barrel without a bottom. Some people use an old bath for this purpose. The main thing is that there is a drain for water. The soil is prepared very nutritious, alternating layers fertile land and rotted compost. You can prepare the compost yourself in advance by folding it into compost pit cut grass, peel from vegetables and fruits, wood residues. Bird droppings or manure from under a cow is also added there.

Until the beginning of June, the Octopus tomato is given time to form strong roots. During this period, all buds and stepchildren are removed, diseased leaves, accidentally damaged branches are cut off. After that, for six weeks, do not prevent the tomato tree from tying brushes. As a rule, the ovaries are formed a large number of, up to 30 pieces on each of the branches. The tree grows rapidly and grows heavy.

The top of the main trunk must be pinched at the height you need, because the Octopus tomato can grow up to 5 meters in height, which is not advisable for seasonal cultivation.

At this stage, it's time to set up supports and organize a garter, water the tomato abundantly and give enough top dressing. The soil must be kept moist at all times. excess water will still go through the drain. Feed the plant with compost infusion every 2 days. It does not hibernate as in a greenhouse, but bears fruit until frost. In winter, the tree is not preserved. Therefore, this method of cultivation is called seasonal. It is usually used when it is not possible to grow the Octopus in greenhouse soil.

Diseases and pests

In wet weather, the Octopus, like other tomatoes, can be affected by rot, which literally eats the plant. The disease is manifested by the appearance of brown spots on the leaves. Plants grown in a greenhouse are less affected than those grown outdoors. To prevent fungal diseases in early summer, the tomato is treated with a fungicide. A variety of Octopus, more resistant to rot, has been bred, this is the Slivka tomato.

Of the pests, caterpillars cause the greatest damage to plants. These insects are the scourge of any tomato. In addition to destroying leaves, caterpillars are carriers of various viruses, which further weakens plants.

The fight against them can be long, for a successful result, you need to be persistent, regularly collecting caterpillars by hand.

If the bushes were attacked by aphids, an infusion based on soapy water and hot pepper can help. Two or three procedures are enough to get rid of these pests. If that doesn't help, use insecticides.

Yellowing and curling of the leaves speak more often about improper care, and not about viral diseases and pests. Yellowness on the leaves may be due to a lack of magnesium, increase feeding with this element. Leaves curl in the absence of aphids due to low night temperatures.

But the appearance of marble coloring, swelling and stripes on the leaves can be caused by a virus. Carefully remove all affected leaves without touching the healthy ones so as not to spread the disease. Garden tools must be treated with an antiseptic.

Grade Benefits

The octopus is unique variety tomatoes. If you provide him with everything the necessary conditions, you can get a harvest to the envy of all neighbors.

Tomatoes ripen perfectly and the top ones are not inferior in quality to the first fruits from the lower branches. Octopus tomatoes are suitable for salting and this is wonderful. It is impossible to eat such a quantity of fresh vegetables.

If you don’t particularly bother, but grow this variety like ordinary tomatoes, then it will be the most ordinary tomato. Varietal properties will not appear clearly. Still, it is worth making an effort and getting everything from the plant that its potential is capable of.

Not everyone managed to discover all the advantages of the Octopus, and therefore the reviews on it are very contradictory. If you are interested in a tomato tree, study thoroughly all the intricacies of its cultivation and success will be ensured.

Exotic plants in our home are not uncommon for a long time, and for some time now we have been growing many of them even on summer cottages. We are talking not only about flowers, but also about vegetables, berries, and fruit trees. You may have heard of the very interesting plant- tamarillo, or tomato tree. It not only looks beautiful, but also gives a high yield of tasty, juicy fruits. It turns out that tamarillo can be successfully grown in our latitudes, however, this will require attention, patience and strict adherence to the rules of agricultural technology.

What is tamarillo: description and features of the plant

The tomato tree came to us from the open spaces South America. Since this continent has a warm climate, there this plant is considered an evergreen perennial and lives up to 10-15 years. In our latitudes in conditions open ground tamarillo grows only 1 year. but long-term cultivation in a greenhouse is also possible with the maintenance of an appropriate temperature regime and room maintenance.

Tamarillo is also called the octopus and cyphomandra. The plant belongs to the nightshade family, in the wild it reaches a height of 5 meters. The diameter of the spreading crown can be 50 m². Oval wide leaves saturated Green colour covered with small fibers that prevent the evaporation of moisture. Leaf plates can reach a length of 35 cm. The stem of the plant is fragile and brittle, although it is covered with tree-like bark. The root system is superficial, so the tree often grows aerial root shoots for stability.

Flowers tomato tree, depending on the variety, can be white, white-pink or light blue. Outwardly, they look like potato flowers. The inflorescence can have up to forty flowers, but more often there are 5–8.

Tamarillo flowers are easily confused with potato flowers.

Tamarillo is a high yielding plant. It begins to bear fruit in the second year after planting. The fruits are not very large, elongated, outwardly similar to tomatoes, but sweet in taste, reminiscent of apricots and strawberries. For this reason, tamarillo is considered a fruit and not a vegetable. Each brush can have 5-6 fruits of 30 grams each. Their color can be orange or bright red. They are a two-chamber berry with elastic pulp and dense skin.

Tamarillo is a high-yielding crop with fruits similar in appearance to tomatoes.

Nowadays, cyphomandra is grown in Asia, East Africa and Australia. It is believed that the supplier of the highest quality tamarillo is New Zealand.

Video review of exotic fruits tamarillo

Varieties of tamarillo

Now more than 30 varieties of tomato tree are known. But it should be borne in mind that not every one of them is suitable for us to grow not only in open ground, but even in room conditions. In our latitudes, the following varieties are most popular:

Cyphomandra beetroot (Cyphomandra betacea) - evergreen, which is successfully grown in greenhouses and at home. This variety has long, oval leaves; fruits grow in dense clusters. Similar to ordinary tomatoes, not only in appearance, but also in taste.
The fruits of beet cyphomandra are similar to tomatoes both in appearance and in taste.
Cyphomandra tree-like (Cyphomandra abutiloides) grows in the form of a tree, the leaves look like an elongated heart. Medium-sized oval fruits can be yellow or orange. They taste sweet, so they are used for fruit salads, desserts and jams.
Tsifomanda tree It has sweet fruits, which are often used in the preparation of jams and desserts.
Octopus F1 - one of the types of tree-like cyphomandra. Very popular in middle lane because it is adapted to the conditions of our climate. When grown in a greenhouse, one bush of this variety can produce about 10 kg of fruit in one season.
The cyphomandra variety Octopus F1 is known to many of our gardeners

By the way, judging by the information from the forums, many novice amateur gardeners are confused in terms. Tomato, or tomato tree, tamarillo, cyphomandra ... As I noticed, many people call the tomato tree familiar to us tomatoes grown in a special way, thanks to which they grow up to two or more meters in height. And their productivity increases significantly, which again makes them confused with tamarillo, which is famous for its high fruiting. As for the name "Tsifomandra", it turns out that there is such a variety of tomatoes, also high-yielding, and also large-fruited. But it is not directly related to the plant considered in this article. Most likely, the confusion is due to the fact that all these crops belong to the nightshade order, because their names are associated with tomatoes (tomatoes). Still, be more careful when choosing seeds, decide for yourself what you want: tomatoes or exotic tamarillo fruits. Because, despite the outward similarity, after all, “as they say in Odessa, these are two big differences.”

Video: what are the differences between tamarillo and what we mistakenly call a tomato tree

In what conditions to grow a tomato tree

Since the cyphomandra is large, it needs space. She also needs warmth and sunlight. Therefore, in our climate, it is better to grow tamarillo in a greenhouse, observing special conditions.

Greenhouse room dimensions

Any type of greenhouse is suitable for growing a tomato tree. The main thing is to provide constant heating and regular lighting. If you plan to provide the plant with conditions close to natural, in which it will live for many years, please note: the area of \u200b\u200bthe room must be at least 50 m² and a height of 4 m.

A tomato tree can grow just huge, so the greenhouse for it must be appropriate.

In addition, you will need a large capacity to accommodate the root system. For example, well suited old bath. Also prepare the lid suitable sizes: you will need it to summer time protect the roots from moisture loss. One more container small sizes should be nearby so that you can prepare nutrient solutions in it for feeding the tomato tree.

If you do not have a suitable area, you can grow tamarillo in a regular greenhouse. But in this case, you can only count on seasonal fruit production within 10 kg per plant, which will reach the size of a shrub. For comparison, an adult tomato tree grown in its natural environment to a huge size produces up to 1500 kg of fruit.

Lighting and temperature conditions

The development and yield of tamarillo are directly dependent on suitable temperature and light conditions in the room, which must be ensured from the moment the seeds are sown until the fruits ripen.

A tomato tree needs at least 12 hours of daylight hours, so the greenhouse must be equipped with sources of additional lighting - fluorescent lamps.

The tomato tree needs a lot of light and a warm climate.

The optimum temperature for a plant in summer should be +24 ... +25 ° C, in winter - not lower than +19 ° C. Therefore, heating is carried out in the greenhouse or heating devices are installed.

Features of soil preparation

For growing tamarillo, the soil that is used for breeding ordinary tomatoes is well suited. The main condition is lightness, breathability and high nutritional value. This applies to growing both in the greenhouse and in the open field.

For tamarillo, a light nutrient soil with good air permeability is suitable.

Since the tomato tree is very demanding on nutrition, use liquid fertilizer intended for ordinary tomatoes to feed it, according to the instructions on the package. It is also allowed to use long-acting fertilizers in the form of granules and sticks.

After planting a tree, the soil around it must be mulched. For this, expanded clay is used. It can be replaced with sphagnum moss.

Note! Tamarillo is very voracious in terms of fertilizers. Stock up in advance with a large number of feed formulations.

Planting a plant

Cyphomandra is grown in several stages:

sowing seeds;
seedling care;
planting seedlings in a prepared place.

Let's consider each of them in more detail.

Sowing seeds

You can sow tamarillo seeds at any time of the year. But many experienced gardeners and gardeners recommend observing seasonality and sowing at the end of winter or at the very beginning of spring.

Seeds must first be hardened. To do this, place them in the refrigerator and keep there for 12 hours. After that, you can sow them in pre-prepared containers for seedlings. It can be wooden boxes or ceramic pots at least 15–20 cm high.
Fill the containers with soil, loosen well. Bury the seeds one at a time to a depth of 1.5 cm, keeping a distance of 2-3 cm. Pour and cover the container polyethylene film to provide a greenhouse effect.
Place the seed box on a well-lit windowsill. Every day, open the film for ventilation. When the soil dries out, water the plantings with a small amount of water.
Until the seeds sprout, provide crops with good watering, heat and ventilation.
After the seeds sprout, plant them in separate small pots. Put them in a well lit area. There they will grow until they reach right size and will not be transplanted to a permanent place.
Plant grown and strengthened seedlings in different containers

How to care for seedlings

seedlings required proper watering and timely fertilization.

Watering should be done as the soil dries, 3-4 times a week. This is done exclusively through a pallet in which there are pots with holes in the bottom.
Top dressing is carried out at least once every 3-4 months. For this, complex compositions for fertilizing tomatoes are used. Small, weak seedlings require more frequent feeding. Strictly follow the instructions on the packaging.
If you grow seedlings in winter, water no more than once a week, and stop feeding.

Transplanting

Tamarillo seedlings will be ready for planting in the greenhouse about 3 months after sowing. For example, if the seeds were planted in January-early February, then in mid-April you will be able to plant seedlings in a permanent place.

Caring for tamarillo while growing

Proper planting of seedlings in a greenhouse is only the beginning of growing a tomato tree. Now you need to follow the cultivation technique, which is extremely important for the health and productivity of the plant.

Apply organic fertilizer to the soil at least once a week. Useful will be mineral compositions containing:

boric acid;
simple superphosphate;
ammonium nitrate;
magnesium;
calcium;
zinc;
copper.

It is better to buy ready-made fertilizers in specialized stores.

The same organomineral fertilizers are suitable for feeding tamarillo as for tomatoes.

To prevent diseases, add an iodine solution to the soil (1 bottle per 10 liters of water). It is also useful to feed the tamarillo with a solution of herbal infusion once a week.

Note! In the first year after planting, the cyphomandra should not bear fruit. She needs to expend all her strength on the formation of the stem and branches. No need, leave all the shoots intact.

Since the tomato tree grows very large, it needs abundant watering. In hot sunny weather, it must be done daily. The soil under the tree should be constantly moist.

A fruiting tree is best watered in the morning. The fact is that the skin of the fruit tends to expand in the morning and narrow in the evening. If you water the plant twice a day, moisture will tear the fruit from the inside, and it will crack.

Thanks to the observance of agricultural technology and favorable conditions, the tree will give the first fruits in mid-June and will bear fruit until autumn.

Features of growing tamarillo in open ground

Even in our climate, a tomato tree can be grown in a garden, in an open area. It is better to use a plant for this hybrid variety Octopus. True, it will be an annual, but nevertheless it will give you a good harvest.

Tamarillo can also be grown outdoors, but the plant will only grow for one year.

Caring for a tree will be simple, it differs little from caring for ordinary tomatoes. But it is very important to follow certain rules.
Seeds for seedlings for subsequent transplantation into open ground need to be sown much earlier than for growing in a greenhouse. In winter, seedlings must be provided with intense artificial lighting.
Seedlings should be planted when the soil warms up by at least 5-8 degrees. You need to choose a suitable site in the garden. Sprut tomato tree needs good lighting.
To activate the growth of new roots and the entire bush, pinch the main root before planting.
Seedlings are grown according to the scheme 40 X 60 X 140 cm. This is due to the fact that an adult tree can reach 3–4 m in diameter.
The size of the hole should match the width of the root system. The depth of the hole is calculated individually for each bush, adding 10–15 cm to the length of the largest root.
A tamarillo planted in open ground does not need pinching, as is the case with planting in a greenhouse.
Fertilize regularly in the same way as in greenhouse cultivation. Apply compost in large quantities directly under the root.
Follow the rules for the prevention and control of diseases and pests. In the case of the Sprut variety, they are no different from the ways to protect ordinary tomatoes.
For a large harvest, cut off old and yellow leaves. This must be done from the moment the fruits ripen from the first flower brush. Such measures will provide good ventilation, due to which the plant is less sick. When the fruits begin to ripen on the second brush, all the leaves from the first must be removed.

Can you grow a tomato tree in a barrel?

If you live in a private house, you can grow tamarillo indoors, taking it out into the yard for the summer season, and bringing it indoors for the winter. Any large container, for example, a large barrel, is suitable for this. And planting a tree in the soil or a greenhouse is not required at all.

A wooden barrel is a great growing container garden plants, including tamarillo

Note! It is advisable to take a wooden barrel, since a metal one can saturate the soil with iron oxides. Also, instead of a barrel, you can use large ceramic pots.

I will tell you my story of growing tamarillos. I didn’t even know that this fruit was called that when they treated me to it a year ago, warning that it needed to lie down and ripen for a couple of weeks. The friend who gave it to her simply forgot the real name, she only said that it was like a tomato, but not a tomato at all. As a result, I found it on the Internet, read about an exotic miracle fruit and decided: why not try to grow it? There are seeds, there is a suitable pot, and I just bought soil for seedlings. Moreover, the taste seemed very interesting. Seeds sprouted pretty quickly, I think after 2 weeks. I transplanted the largest seedlings by diving. Already in August, the trees reached a height of 40 cm and had several large full-fledged leaves. My joy knew no bounds, but then something unpleasant began. Although the pots of tamarillo were in different places, insects were found on each plant. Simple manipulations in Google helped to find out that these are whiteflies. Tellingly, other flowers were healthy, so where this misfortune came from remained unclear. There were no insecticides in the house. And besides, I read that tamarillo is almost not subject to either diseases or pests, so I did not expect a catch. I tried to treat with a remedy for pediculosis and an insecticide for cats - it did not help. I decided to take extreme measures, bought Aktara and spilled the plants 3 times with an interval of 7 days. The whiteflies have disappeared, but the leaves have also fallen off. The plants almost died, but over time, buds appeared on the remaining stumps, and then new leaves. In general, in a couple of months my tamarillos returned to their former appearance. This year, I think, it will be possible to wait for the harvest, because we are already blooming!

Some 30 years ago, the tomato tree was an exceptional curiosity that could be seen growing only in the countries of South America. In the countries of Europe, this plant was found exclusively in botanical gardens. But everything changed dramatically after the Japanese breeder Nozawa Shigeo introduced the Sprut F1 tomato hybrid. For your attention, detailed information about the features of growing a tomato tree in open (and not only) ground: planting, care, reviews of gardeners (photo and information are attached).

Tomato tree Octopus F1: variety description, features, characteristics

Octopus F1 is an indeterminate tomato variety that is able to form new shoots with incredible intensity. Only a few years ago, almost nothing was known about him, but today he caused a real stir. And this is not surprising, because a tomato tree, with proper and complex care, can please an incredibly generous harvest.

This is a very powerful plant, which is a real tree, with lush foliage and a well-branched root system. Octopus F1 is a mid-season hybrid, which in the first 7-8 months of its life is not used as a fruit-bearing plant, but is grown in order to obtain a strong powerful tree. The rest of the time, the tree actively bears fruit with delicious fruits.

In its homeland, the tomato tree is a perennial

The octopus sometimes reaches incredible sizes: with proper care, the crown can have a diameter of about 50 square meters. m. The fruits of the plant are small, with a bright red skin and excellent taste.

Attention! Surprisingly, it is a fact: the Sprut F1 tomato tree, subject to agricultural technology, can produce an incredible amount of crop with a total weight of more than 1 ton in 1.5 years of its life.

Among the advantages of this tomato variety are the following:

high yield - not a single variety can be compared in terms of the amount of crop with a tomato tree;
high resistance to high temperatures;
excellent immunity to most tomato diseases;
long period of fruiting;
versatility of the use of fruits in cooking;
excellent keeping quality and transportability.

Tree growing technology

The tomato tree can be grown both outdoors and indoors. The main difference between these methods is the end result. In the first case, an ordinary seasonal plant grows, with proper cultivation which (in their reviews gardeners talk about the simplicity of this process) you can get about 10 kg delicious tomatoes from each bush. In the second case, a real sprawling tree grows, hung with tomato fruits. This result can be achieved using a special technology (hydroponic method). About all this further.

Agricultural technology for amateurs

Tomato seeds Octopus must be purchased exclusively in a specialized store. Landing properly prepared planting material should be completed around February.

By the way, it is preferable to purchase seeds rather than ready-made tomato seedlings, since in this case you will increase the chances of successfully growing a plant.

The fruits of the tomato tree perfectly tolerate transportation

Like any other, Octopus seeds must be carefully sorted out. Treat the best specimens with a weak manganese solution. Sowing seeds is carried out in a container with a previously prepared soil substrate (planting depth should be no more than 1 cm).

The container with seedlings must be rearranged in a fairly warm place. At night, provide additional lighting and (if necessary) a sufficient amount of heat.

Advice. For high-quality seed germination, it is necessary to strictly observe temperature regime. So, the air temperature in the room where the seedlings are located should not be less than 20 degrees, but it is also desirable not to increase it above 25.

When the first two leaves appear, you can pick the plant into separate small pots. Planting grown and strengthened seedlings in open ground is carried out approximately by the beginning of summer. In this case, the seedlings should reach a height of at least 15 cm, the number of leaves should be at least 5.

When choosing a suitable place in an open area, be extremely careful: the place should be as calm as possible and with a minimum amount of shade, and the soil should be as fertile, loamy, and waterproof as possible.

Attention! Since the plant is very demanding on the composition of the soil, the development of the culture will directly depend on its quality. Humic acids must be present in the soil mixture for planting tomato seedlings. If there are none in the soil, it is necessary to add humus compost to the soil.

Planting seedlings is carried out to a depth of about 20 cm. In this case, the lower leaves should remain on the surface of the soil. Be sure to pinch the main root in order to activate the increased branching of the plant.

Since the Octopus is an indeterminant, and also quite sprawling, it is important to observe a certain distance between individual seedlings, which is about 1.5 m, when planting, and to prepare for each plant wooden support(peg) or trellis so that the tomato can freely rise up.

The process of caring for this variety is extremely simple. The main thing is to apply complex top dressings in time (at least 1 time in 3 weeks), regularly water the tomato beds and loosen them, but in no case do not pinch the plants.

Agrotechnics on hydroponics

If you decide to use the hydroponic method for growing a tomato tree, first of all, forget about soil mixtures and open ground: the plant simply cannot withstand such conditions so long time and will definitely get sick.

So, prepare a container in which the plant will "live". Its dimensions are: 1.5x1.5x0.5 m (the first two parameters can be 2 m each). The color of the container inside should be black, outside - white. In addition to the container, you will need the following components:

A lid consisting of a black film topped with a piece of Styrofoam. In the center of the lid, you need to make a hole through which the tree will grow.
Glass wool (several blocks).
A set of micro and macro fertilizers, from which a solution for hydroponics will be prepared in the future.
A compressor for aerating the root system of a plant (aquarium is suitable).
Devices for determining the composition of the nutrient solution, as well as its consistency.
Plant lamps.

The first step is to prepare a nutrient solution. The option of Chesnokov and Bazyrina is suitable (all nutrients must be taken based on 1 ton of water). To simplify the process of preparing the solution, you can start with the stock solution. To do this, all elements are diluted separately from each other in a small amount of water, then everything is drained into a 10-liter container, which is filled with water (up to 10 liters).

It remains only to mix the water with the prepared solution: for every 100 liters of water we take 1 liter of the solution and gradually bring the volume to the desired one.

In greenhouse conditions, additional lighting is required

The next step is to prepare the glass wool. It must be cut into cubes of 0.5x0.5x0.3 m (for the main tank) and 0.2x0.2x0.1 m (for growing seedlings). A small hole 1x1x1 cm must be made in the center of each cube. Glass wool cubes are moistened with a nutrient solution and lowered into small containers with the same mixture so that they are halfway in it. Periodically it is necessary to moisten the surface of the cubes.

Tomato seeds are placed deep into each cube and the containers are covered with film / glass. As soon as the first shoots appear on the surface, the film can already be removed. Seedlings are grown until 5-7 leaves appear (it makes no sense to grow seedlings further, as this can lead to excessive growth of the roots).

When the first shoots appear, it is necessary to immediately bring the tubes from the compressor to the roots so that they are provided with air.

In the first days, every 5-6 hours, it is necessary to check the composition of the nutrient mixture and, if necessary, add the missing ingredients. In the future, it is necessary to carry out this action weekly.

After 55 days from the moment of sowing the seeds, the prepared main container is filled with a nutrient solution (the depth of the poured solution is about 35 cm) and a large cube of glass wool is lowered there. The grown seedlings are installed on a cube, and then tied strictly vertically to the trellis.

With the right agricultural technology, the culture will please with a huge number of fruits.

Cyphomandra is a shrub tree that belonged to the nightshade family. Otherwise, it is called tomato or tammarillo. It attracts with its tart taste.

Variety Description

The fruits have a red-orange tint, and a hard peel, unsuitable for food. Black varieties are available. The pulp itself is very juicy. The leaves reach 35 cm in length and have a pointed five-pointed shape. On the territory of Russia, most often tammarillo is planted in greenhouse conditions or in tubs.

Color and taste depend on the variety. Red and purple fruits are similar in taste to, the rest have a sweet taste. They grow in clusters. Each of them has up to 15 pieces.

Cultivation of Cyphomandra

Growing a tomato tree in open ground is possible through the seed method and cuttings. The methods for growing the Tsifomandra tomato tree differ from each other, but do not cause difficulty even for novice gardeners.

The seed method involves proper training seeds. They are removed from the pulp, washed thoroughly, dried and stored for a day in the refrigerator in the vegetable compartment.

Ready seeds are planted in the ground at a distance of 60 cm from each other. With this method, the first shoots will appear in a week. The temperature in the room where the seedlings are standing should be at least 28 ° C. The most suitable time for preparing seedlings is mid-February.

The cutting method involves rooting cuttings. The most suitable annual or biennial plants. For this, water and an earthen substrate are taken, where they are placed. The signal for planting is the appearance of a bulge and the formation of a callus.

Another breeding method is the collection of shoots with three buds. They are placed in a glass container with earth, watered and covered with a transparent material.

Sprouts are planted in open ground in May, at which time their length should be 1 meter.

Key Features

Before sowing a tree in open ground, the soil is dug up with. Secondary fertilizer is given from mineral mixtures. The difference in days between feeding should be at least two weeks.

For a tree to bear fruit well, the soil must be loose. Therefore, constant drainage is necessary. It must be done with great care so as not to affect the rhizomes.

The plant loves water, so it should be regular, but not abundant. With too much water, it will die.

A prerequisite for caring for Cyphomandra is that it will protect the earth from possible cold weather and improve its composition.

Top dressing is suitable from and the more often, the better. It should be added only under the root. Mineral and organic fertilizers are applied alternately every two weeks. A mixture of infusions of grass, ash and manure will also be an excellent recharge. To do this, take 2 kg of grass, 1.5 manure and 300 grams of ash per bucket of water. The mixture is infused in a warm place for 48 hours.

When planting it in the ground, you should take care of the support. It is desirable to take sticks more authentic, not less than two meters.

Bad sheets must be constantly removed so that others can get air. This procedure should be started after the first appearance of the color of the fetus.

Tomato tree needs constant lighting. In its absence, there will be much less ovaries or they may not be at all. In addition, it does not tolerate cold weather, the temperature must be at least 15 °

If the tree is transferred from open ground to home conditions, it is necessary to cut the tops. Its residual height should be no more than 20 cm.

Planting and caring for a tomato tree Cyfomandra

When planting Cyphomandra in tubs or boxes, it is worth using sheet foam. This will protect the nutrients from overheating. You can buy the item in specialized stores in the city.

Some varieties are grown on. This method protects the soil from diseases and drying out. The solution is made in the warm season at a temperature of at least 25 ° C for open ground and at least 17 ° C at home for greenhouse cultivation.

For a hydroponics solution, the following components are mixed (numbers are in grams):

nitrate ammonium (200);
magnesium (300);
potassium (500);
boric acid (0,3);
manganese sulphate (0.2);
superphosphate (550);
citric iron (0.9).

Everything is mixed and when 1 liter of this mixture is added to the soil, it is diluted with 100 liters of water.

The process of tree formation lasts about a year. During this period, fruiting should not be allowed, otherwise it will decrease in subsequent years. The service life of the shrub is about 7 years.

The yield depends on the selected variety. On average, one bush produces about 10 kg of fruit.

Caring for Cyphomandra is no different from caring for any tomatoes. For those who have already planted them, it will not be difficult to grow this variety, and novice gardeners will easily figure out the technology of growing it.

VIDEO: how to grow a tomato tree at home?

You can learn more about growing Cyphomandra tomato tree at home from this video:

Octopus tomato is an amazing result of the work of professional breeders. The appearance of images of this tomato tree caused a lot of controversy in the world on the topic of whether such a phenomenon is even possible. The creators of such a miracle as a tomato tree claim that it is possible. Moreover, in confirmation of this, a considerable number of gardeners have already tried growing this tomato on their own. household plots. There is an opinion that the Sprut tomato can be grown in our country even in the most unacceptable natural conditions for this.

Many people believe that if there is a possibility of growing such a miracle on their site, then this is only due to some unique capabilities of this plant.

Indeed, the Octopus tomato is a miracle of breeding production. Even such an unusual name for this type of plant was received for a reason. Outwardly, he looks like an inhabitant of the ocean depths, who embraces the prey he has caught with his tentacles. The tomato tree, like an octopus, wraps around the greenhouse with its elastic and long branches, literally spreads under the ceiling.

It is possible to grow a giant tomato only in greenhouse conditions. At the same time, it is necessary to heat the room throughout the year, without a break for the summer period. Feeding the plant, of course, must also be intense. If these conditions are not met, it is probably impossible to obtain the best indeterminate tomato variety, which differs not only in the height of the bush, but also in a rather long fruiting period.

A tomato tree can be planted in any of the following types of greenhouses:

glass vegetarians;
mansard greenhouses;
arch type structures;
wall greenhouses.

In any of these structures, subject to the conditions described above, it is possible to grow a huge branchy tree from an ordinary-looking tomato bush in 1-2 years, the height of which can reach 5 m, and the crown in girth will be more than 6 m.

One tomato tree Sprut F1 during the year can produce about 100 thousand tomato fruits, the total weight of which on average fluctuates around 1000-1500 kg.

One harvest allows gardeners growing this type of hybrid tomato variety to harvest about 3-4 thousand fruits, the average weight of the fruit is 100-150 g.

A tomato tree in the first 8-9 months, of course, will not give fruits. This period takes only the formation of the main crown of the hybrid. But all the subsequent time of the plant's life there is a continuous process of formation of flower stalks and fruiting.

Along with quantitative indicators, one can also note the excellent qualitative characteristics of this variety of tomato. Tomato Octopus has a very pleasant taste. Fruits filled with juice and fleshy, have a rounded shape. Under perfectly organized storage conditions, fresh fruits can lie until January.

Rules for growing tomato Octopus

Tomato Octopus is grown, as mentioned earlier, in a spacious greenhouse with heating. Only the observance of these two most important conditions allows us to hope for success in the development of the plant. Tomato tree Octopus F1 will grow without creating a special atmosphere, but in this case you should not expect a rich harvest from this plant. The tomato will not become a full-fledged tree, but will only be able to develop to the size of a bush, the fruits will be rare and small.

As in the cultivation of any plant, here importance has seedling preparation. It is worth taking care of it long before the spring period. Usually seedling preparation begins in January. At this time, the tomato first of all needs additional highlighting. Light day for tomato Octopus must be half a day, that is, 12 hours.

In the first half of the year, it is not necessary to allow the fruits to form on the plant, since only after a six-month period has passed, we can talk about the full formation of the plant. The fruiting of the plant can be allowed only 6 months after planting it in the ground. Planting a tomato in greenhouse conditions usually produced at the end of August. The strongest, main stem is pinched at this time. This allows the rest of the stems to catch up with him in growth and gain strength.

Considering that the Sprut tomato is not just a tomato growing on ordinary beds, but a whole tree, quite significant distances must be left between two adjacent plants. Their subsequent reproduction is carried out vegetatively.

Caring for this variety of tomato primarily involves generous and constant watering of the plant. This is perhaps the most important prerequisite in the cultivation of the Octopus in a greenhouse.

The best, according to gardeners, will be the hydroponic method of growing tomatoes. It is he who will allow you to dose the watering of the plant and its top dressing. In this case, the tomato roots do not dry out and they can breathe.

Tomato tree Octopus especially needs to be fed. Fertilizers should be both organic and mineral. The composition of mineral fertilizers must necessarily include: