Tomato Duckling

Duckling tomato is famous for its useful properties and excellent qualities. This variety has juicy fruits, so the plant is very popular among gardeners in different countries.

The variety was bred in 2007, at the same time it was entered in the state register. V.I.Kozak is considered the author of the subspecies. The culture is intended for cultivation both in greenhouses and in open beds. By the type of growth, the bushes are determinant. The manufacturer stated that the Duckling tomato is unpretentious, therefore it grows well even in regions with a harsh climate and short summer. Thanks to this fact, many gardeners pay their attention to this variety.

The culture is undersized, standard, therefore it does not require pinching. The height of the main stem is 50 cm for a vegetable garden, in greenhouses the bushes grow up to 70 cm. The trunk is powerful and strong, the crown is semi-spreading, and the branches are slightly ornate. There are few leaves. They are standard in terms of parameters, dark green.

The inflorescence is simple, the buds are light yellow in color. The first ovary is formed at the 6-7 leaf level. From 6 to 8 fruits can ripen on one bunch. Among the advantages of the variety are its frost resistance, unpretentiousness and good immunity to a number of fungal diseases. The compactness of the bush is also ranked among the advantages of the variety. At the same time, the most important advantages are the taste and beneficial properties of the fruit.

The main disadvantage that upsets many summer residents is that the crop yield is not too high. To get a good harvest, you need to plant as many bushes as possible.

Fruits are small, round in shape and with a small protruding "nose" at the top. The shape of the berry resembles a heart. On average, the mass of one vegetable is 60 g. There are also more weighty fruits, reaching 85 g in weight. The skin is dense, glossy, bright orange in color.

The pulp is juicy and slightly watery. 3-4 seed chambers with a small content of small seeds are formed inside the fruit. Tomatoes tolerate transportation well and have excellent shelf life (up to one and a half months).

The variety belongs to the universal type. Berries are suitable for making salads, for canning and pickling, as well as pickling. The fruits tolerate heat treatment well, the peel is carefully and completely removed. Vegetables can be used to make tomato pastes, sauces and juices.

The Duckling Tomato is distinguished by its beneficial properties. Tomatoes are good for those on a diet. Also, the berries have proven themselves well in baby food due to the fact that they contain beta-carotene (3%) and there is no red pigment. The variety has gained popularity also because it has the finest sweet taste.

The culture belongs to early maturing varieties. From the moment the ovaries appear and until the fruits are fully ripe, 100-105 days pass. Harvesting takes place in mid-July. In the southern regions, you can harvest the fruit twice if the bushes are properly processed.

Tomato Duckling does not have a high yield - only 2.2 kg of berries per 1 m2. Even with very good care and feeding, it will be quite difficult to remove more crops from the bushes.

Sowing seeds begins from March 10-15, but can stretch until March 30 - April 5. For this, seedling boxes are prepared. Land for them is purchased or prepared independently. The soil that was independently prepared must be processed and mixed with sand. Processing consists in the fact that the soil is poured into a baking sheet in a thin layer and placed in the oven for 15-20 minutes at a temperature of 150-200 °. After that, the earth needs to cool down.

In the seedling boxes, drainage is made to drain excess water. The first layer will be soil, then sand follows, then soil comes again, and at the end there is a mixture of soil, sand and fertilizers. All this is poured abundantly with water and set aside to dry.

Store-bought seeds do not need to be processed. But the material prepared with his own hand necessarily needs disinfection. To do this, you need aloe or potassium permanganate. Seedling material is soaked in a solution of the above means. And then wiped dry with a paper towel.

Large holes are formed in the ground, into which seeds are dropped. The soil is leveled and wetted with water. After that, the containers are covered with a film or bag and put away in a dark and warm place. The temperature under the film should be + 25 ° С and no more. If there is a lot of condensation on the surface of the bag, the container can be opened slightly for a few minutes.

After a week, the seeds will hatch, and you can water the plants again. Irrigation is carried out simultaneously with liquid fertilizing. After that, the earth is loosened up a little. The temperature for good germination should be 18-20 ° C. There should be plenty of sunshine, but not too much. The average daylight hours are 14 hours. But do not allow direct sunlight, as a fragile plant can burn out.

The pick is carried out after the first leaves of the seedlings have formed. The subsequent care of the seedlings does not differ from that which was carried out before the pick.

In late May - early June, the culture should be planted in a permanent place. For this, the site is dug up, moistened with hot water and fertilized with useful minerals. The holes are dug out immediately after the soil is moistened.

Planting of plants is carried out in the early morning or late evening after sunset - this is important for a greenhouse. Landing on the beds is carried out only in the morning hours and provided that the soil is well warmed up.

Due to the fact that the bushes are quite compact, they are planted according to the 40x40 cm scheme.

The main care of the crop is watering and feeding. Since the bushes are standard, they do not need to be formed or pinned.

Watering is carried out only when the topsoil dries out. Then the soil is loosened, and only after that all fertilizers are applied. It is better to alternate them (mineral and organic).

Greenhouse ventilation is just as important. If the air is too humid, insects will begin to appear in the ground.And in conditions of dry air, the leaves of plants will curl and wither.

The producers claim that the variety is immune to diseases such as late blight, fusarium blight, root and apical rot. But for the purpose of prevention, the bushes are treated with boric acid.

Among the pests, the most common tomato Duckling is attacked by:

• slugs;
• snails;
• spider mite;
• Colorado beetle;
• thrips.

Chemicals are really very good at fighting harmful insects, but they are very dangerous for the fruit and harmful when the berries are later consumed. After spraying, the fruits should not be picked and eaten for 20-25 days. And this is a very long time, and overripe fruits can become watery and not so tasty.

Biologics are not so aggressive, but they also affect the berries less. You can remove and eat the fruits a week after spraying.