Michael Pollan is recognized as one of the most unusual tomatoes. The exotic variety has an unusual shape, like a pear. The color is also not at all like tomato - emerald with golden stripes. But the taste is the most tomato-like, harmoniously combining sourness and sweetness.
| Height | Landing location | Ripening time | Fruit color | Fruit size | Origin | Fruit shape |
| Medium height | Greenhouse, Open ground | Mid-season | Bicolor | Average | Variety | Pear-shaped |
Description and characteristics of the variety
Tomato Michael Pollan is a determinate, medium-growing variety. What features do the bushes have:
- height within 1-1.2 m;
- moderate foliage;
- compactness;
- 7-9 bunches of tomatoes per plant;
- 5-6 fruits per cluster.
Ripening time is average - 110-122 days from germination.
Description of tomatoes:
- average weight 60-90 g;
- fleshy juicy pulp;
- glossy colorful skin;
- coloring – alternating bright green and sunny stripes;
- durable, non-cracking skin;
- In addition to sweetness and sourness, the taste contains spicy notes.
Ripe fruits are used for fresh salads, pickling, canning, and added to hot dishes and assorted dishes.
Description of the variety
Michael Pollan belongs to the group of mid-season semi-determinate tomatoes. The average height of plants is 1.2 m. To prevent the plant from breaking under its own weight and the nutrients not being wasted, the bushes are tied to vertical supports and pinched. The most effective molding scheme is considered to be 3–4 stems.
The shape of the fruit resembles a pear, the upper part of which is slightly elongated. The surface of the tomatoes is smooth and glossy. The color of ripe fruits is green-yellow with small green stripes. When agrotechnical requirements are met, the weight of the fruit varies from 60 to 100 g. The pulp is juicy, sweet, and there are few seeds. The taste is spicy and unusual. During the season, 3 kg of tomatoes are harvested from one bush.
Thanks to their dense pulp, tomatoes are perfect for fresh consumption and whole-fruit canning. The species is intended for cultivation in open ground.
Features of cultivation and storage
Planted through seedlings, grown in greenhouse conditions and in open areas.
There are 3-4 bushes per 1 m2. The holes are made at a distance of 40-50 cm.
How to grow:
- moderate watering once every 3 days, the water norm is 5-6 liters per bush;
- feeding with organic and complex mineral mixtures 2 times a month;
- mulching with such means as straw, hay, sawdust, optimal layer 8 cm;
- leading into 3 escapes.
The fruits are stored for 3-4 weeks without loss of commercial quality.
Growing and care
Despite its unusual nature, the Michael Pollan tomato variety does not require any special conditions. All you need to enjoy delicious tomatoes is regular care, which consists of simple manipulations:
- Watering. Tomatoes are not plants that are very demanding of moisture. To prevent the bushes from experiencing a lack of moisture, one abundant watering per week will be enough. It is impossible to increase the frequency of moisture, much less water the plants every day: excess humidity provokes the development of fungal diseases.
- Picking. If the seeds were sown in one row without taking into account the required interval, the plants that have formed 2–3 true leaves are replanted. Seedlings are planted in a garden bed or greenhouse at the age of 50–55 days.
- Garter. Medium-growing and tall varieties, which include Michael Pollan, simply cannot do without support. Due to the growth and large number of fruits, the bushes may simply break, which will lead to the loss of part of the harvest. After the seedlings take root and become stronger, twigs are installed near it. The stems are tied to the supports with twines or strips of nylon fabric.
- Feeding. Nutrients in the form of multicomponent mineral and organic fertilizers are applied to the tomatoes 3 times. Please note that in order for the description to correspond to reality, it is better to underfeed the bushes than to overfeed them.
See also
Description and characteristics of the tomato variety Sladkoezhka, its yieldRead
What is a Michael Pollan tomato?
Characteristics of the variety:
- Michael Pollan is one of those tomatoes that are called mid-season.
- The growth of the bush is limited, the maximum height is 1.2 m.
- The weight of the tomatoes can cause the bushes to break, so it is necessary to tie the plants to a support.
- You need to remember about pinching - if you allow shoots to appear, you can end up losing a large amount of nutrients and minerals, which will go not into the tomatoes, but into the shoots.
- As a rule, experts recommend forming this tomato variety into 3-4 stems.
- The shape of the fruits resembles pears. The upper part is somewhat elongated. The skin has a glossy shine and smoothness.
- Ripe tomatoes are yellow in color with a slight green tint. Small green stripes form on the fruits.
Each tomato picked from the bush can reach a weight of 100 g, but on average they weigh about 60 g. They have juicy and fleshy pulp with a sweet taste; there are not very many seeds in the fruits. Tomatoes have an unusual taste - the taste is described as spicy. In 1 season, each bush can bring about 3 kg of harvest to a summer resident.
Due to the fact that tomato pulp is characterized by high density, tomatoes can be consumed both fresh, just picked from the garden, or canned for the winter.
Experts recommend growing vegetables only when planted in open ground.
Care
Michael Pollan may be original, but he's also low-maintenance. To try delicious tomatoes, you will need the following:
- Regular watering. When we talk about regular watering, we do not mean that you need to water it every day. Abundant watering 2 times a week will be enough. If there is a lot of moisture, fungus may form.
- Picking. Plants must have a special spacing. Also, seedlings are planted in open ground 55 days after sowing. It is advisable that the landing takes place in May. So that climatic conditions have already stabilized.
- Needs a garter. Since this is a medium-sized variety, the plants must be tied up so that they do not break. Twines or strips of nylon fabric can help with this.
- Feeding. Nutrients are a must. These can be both mineral and organic fertilizers. They need to be applied under the tomatoes three times. We also advise that it is better to underfeed the bushes, then our description will correspond to reality.
Reviews about the variety
On the Internet you can find completely different reviews: from those who did not like the variety to those who prefer to grow tomatoes only of this variety.
- Vitaly, 37 years old:
I have been growing tomatoes for several years in a row. I wanted to try something new, the latest hybrids. I came across a description of the “Michael Pollan” variety on a vegetable growers forum. I decided to grow it on my summer cottage. Grown using the usual seedling method. The variety turned out to be unpretentious in care. I reaped a decent harvest, as was written in the description of the variety - about 3 kg per bush. The taste is a little unusual, I liked it. I plan to grow it for next season. I'm already preparing the place. - Alena, 55 years old:
The variety “Michael Pollan” attracted me with its unusual appearance, unusual for tomatoes. I read the reviews: many praise the variety, there are also those who categorically did not like it. I decided to try it in practice and grow the variety myself. Overall, I am satisfied: the variety does not require much time or care, it develops and grows well. Responsive to fertilization. The main thing is moderate watering, since waterlogged soil is a breeding ground for pathogens.
Mandarin tomato - description and characteristics of the variety
Swamp
Photo by Dina Petrova
Photo by Dina Petrova
Photo by Masha Bulatova
Photo by Olga Yanitskaya
In 4th place is a variety with a not entirely appetizing name - Swamp. However, the name did not in any way affect the taste: the fruits are fleshy, sweet, juicy, and very tasty. The average weight of a tomato is 200-250 g, but some specimens reach 400 g and even more. It is intended for fresh consumption because it has a very thin skin.
The variety is indeterminate and can grow up to 1.5 m in height. For this reason, mandatory garter of bushes is required. They should be formed into 1 stem. In protected ground, it is not recommended to plant more than 2 bushes per 1 sq.m.
Early ripening variety. From germination to harvest, only 90-100 days pass.
Reviews from our readers about the Boloto variety
Dina Petrova : “So tasty that only a little salt is acceptable, in my opinion. And you need to eat with a spoon, otherwise it will slip away! I sowed it in mid-March. Planted in a greenhouse in early May. The variety is early, lettuce, semi-determinate.”
Masha Bulatova : “We love it, we’ve been growing it for years. A tomato that has no sour taste at all.”
Arina Erdman : “Harvest variety, salad, tasty. There is only one drawback - it is very difficult. You need to eat or process quickly. I made caviar out of it. I won’t plant any more.”
Fruit
The "Michael Pollan" variety has an unusual fruit shape for tomatoes - these are pear-shaped vegetables. In addition, the green color with yellow stripes makes the vegetable look like a watermelon. The surface of the tomatoes is smooth and even. There's even some gloss.
Tomatoes are small in size, fruit weight ranges from 60 to 100 grams. The pulp is very juicy. The taste is sweet. There are very few seeds in ripe fruits. Tomatoes have a spicy taste. During the season you can harvest up to 3 kg from one bush.
Due to their medium-density pulp, tomatoes are consumed fresh. They are also good for canning as a whole.
tomato Earthly Love - description and characteristics of the variety
