Tomato Countryman: variety description, reviews, photos, characteristics

Tomato Countryman: characteristics and description of the variety

Growing tomatoes in a difficult climate zone always requires time and effort. Therefore, in such regions, unpretentious and well-zoned varieties are in particular demand among gardeners. The “Countryman” tomato is considered by many to be a real gift from Siberian breeders.

In order to grow a high-quality harvest of “Countryman” tomatoes, let’s carefully read the description of the variety and its main characteristics.

Those who planted the “Countryman” variety on their plot willingly share reviews and photos of ripe tomatoes. Along the way, they post observations and describe the nuances of growing the plant. This helps other vegetable growers decide on the choice of variety. The basic information you need to know about Zemlyak tomatoes is:

Growing method. The tomato variety is intended for open ground ridges. It tolerates the climate of Siberia well, but it can be grown in any region.
Type of plant. Non-hybrid. Summer residents can safely collect tomato seeds, using them for planting next year.
Maturing period. This species belongs to the early-ripening tomatoes and pleases vegetable growers with delicious fruits already 95-100 days after germination.
Type of bush. Determinant. An adult plant reaches 70-75 cm in height. Therefore, it does not require pinching, tying or shaping, which makes the care work easier for vegetable growers.
Resistance to changes in environmental conditions. According to reviews from gardeners, the “Countryman” tomato variety copes well with sudden changes and drops in temperature.
Susceptibility to diseases. “Countryman” tomatoes are highly resistant to major crop diseases.
Productivity. Vegetable growers harvest up to 4 kg of tasty, beautiful and nutritious fruits from one bush. Many people are proud of the productivity of the “Countryman” tomato, so they write good reviews about the variety and post photos of plants from their plots.

The description of the “Countryman” tomato variety can be continued by listing the advantages of the fruit. In their reviews, vegetable growers note that tomatoes of the “Countryman” variety have a rich color, uniform size and a beautiful oblong shape. The weight of each tomato is about 70-80 g; up to 15 pieces ripen on one bunch. The fruits are small-chambered, the maximum number of nests is three. “Countryman” tomatoes have a rich taste and a pleasant sweetness. In addition, ripe fruits are perfectly stored and transported, so they are often grown for commercial purposes.

According to reviews from fans of the variety, the shape and size of the “Countryman” tomatoes are suitable for whole-fruit canning, which is clearly visible in the photo.

Feedback from summer residents who grew the variety on their plots will help group the characteristics of the “Countryman” tomatoes. Among the advantages of the variety they note:

the opportunity to get an early and guaranteed harvest of tomatoes;
plant resistance to macrosporiosis, rot, black spot and septoria;
uniformity of fruits, which allows them to be preserved as a whole;
ease of care;
good seed germination.

There are no obvious shortcomings, but vegetable growers note:

Requirements for soil composition. The variety prefers light, fertile soil, so pre-sowing preparation is required.
Carefully adhere to the watering schedule. Violation of the regime affects the quality of fruits and crop yields.

These requirements cause trouble for vegetable growers only in regions with poor soil and lack of regular water supply. In other cases, according to the description of the variety, growing “Countryman” tomatoes does not require additional time and money.

There are two ways to grow a tasty species:

seedless or direct sowing in the ground;
seedling, by growing seedlings.

If “Countryman” tomatoes are planted in a region with a cool climate, then sowing the seeds in the ground is not advisable. Therefore, you need to take care of growing strong seedlings.

You need to start by selecting seeds and checking the planting material for germination. To do this, dissolve 2 tablespoons of table salt in a glass of water and pour in the seeds of the “Countryman” tomatoes. Gently stir the contents of the glass and watch which seeds fall to the bottom. They are suitable for growing seedlings. Selected seeds are dried at a temperature of 20°C - 24°C. After this procedure, the germination capacity of Zemlyak tomatoes does not decrease.

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The next step is to prepare high-quality soil and containers for sowing. Soil can be purchased at a specialty store. In this case, it will fully comply with the crop’s nutritional composition and structure requirements. If you decide to cook it yourself, you need to do it in advance. After all, sowing “Countryman” tomato seeds for seedlings begins when there is snow on the site.

Important! Do not use garden soil from beds on which nightshade crops grew for the soil mixture.

Optimal soil mixture composition:

peat – 2 parts;
garden soil - 1 part;
humus or compost – 1 part;
sand – 0.5 parts;
wood ash - 1 cup per bucket of mixture.

The soil is disinfected, if possible calcined and placed in clean, disinfected containers for seedlings.

According to the description of the “Countryman” tomato variety, you can get a very high yield by growing strong seedlings, as in the photo, which is confirmed by reviews from gardeners.

In order for the seedlings to grow healthy, you need to pay attention to each stage - sowing, picking, caring. They begin to sow 2 months before the expected date of planting in open ground. The seedlings dive, according to the description of the agricultural technology of early ripening tomatoes “Countryman”, at the stage of the appearance of two leaves (see photo).

When transplanting, it is important to preserve the earthen ball so as not to damage the delicate roots of tomato seedlings.

The process of sowing tomatoes is very simple:

Make shallow grooves in the prepared soil and carefully place the seeds at an equal distance from each other.
Sprinkle the furrows with a thin layer of soil and moisten them with a spray bottle.
Cover the container with plastic wrap.
As soon as the sprouts appear, remove the film and move the containers closer to the light.

Caring for seedlings consists of maintaining optimal temperature (16°C -18°C), humidity (70%), high-quality watering and fertilizing. It is important to remember that the seedlings should not be stretched or over-watered. Water the seedlings when the top dry layer appears on the soil. Be sure to regularly inspect the seedlings to prevent the appearance of diseases or pests. 2 weeks before planting in the ground, seedlings undergo hardening procedures, but are protected from drafts. According to the description of the tomato variety “Countryman” and reviews from vegetable growers, seedlings are planted in open ground in early June.

The planting pattern is standard for early-ripening tomatoes. 35 cm are left between plants, row spacing is marked at a distance of 70 cm. No more than 6 tomato bushes are placed per square meter of area.

Seedlings are planted in prepared soil at the beginning of summer, when it has warmed up well and the danger of return frosts has passed.

Important! The variety does not grow on soils with high acidity, so check this indicator before marking the ridges on the site.

The main points of plant care are activities that are well known to summer residents:

Watering. Moisten tomato bushes at the root after sunset with warm water.
According to the description of the agricultural technology of the “Countryman” tomato variety and reviews from vegetable growers, drip irrigation of the ridges is considered the best option (see photo). When industrially grown, special irrigation systems are installed, because this species is demanding in terms of moisture supply.
Feeding. During the growing season, it is enough to feed tomatoes 2-3 times. The first time during the period of weight gain. You will need nitrogen components. Plants respond well to organic matter - infusion of chicken manure or mullein, as well as mineral complexes. The second time when flowers and first ovaries appear. At this time, tomatoes are fed with potassium and phosphorus fertilizers. Nutrient formulations are applied in liquid form after watering or rain. Foliar fertilizing is applied by spraying the composition on the leaf.
Weeding and loosening. Removing weeds helps protect tomatoes from many pests and diseases, as well as retain moisture and nutrients in the soil.

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A detailed description and photo of the “Countryman” tomato helps vegetable growers make the right choice of variety for cultivation. Reviews from those summer residents who have already planted plum tomatoes play a big role.

Elena Zabolotova, Voronezh region

Tomatoes of this variety attract me because they can be grown in open ground and are easy to care for. I always plant a lot of bushes, so pinching and staking takes up almost all of my time. But for “Countryman” they are not required. The taste is pleasant, the fruits do not crack when canned, and they look very appetizing. It almost never gets sick, but you need to keep an eye on watering and feed it a couple of times during the season.

Tatyana and Victor Korneev, Krasnodar region

We brought “Countryman” tomato seeds from relatives living in Siberia. Excellent variety. Due to the warm climate, we sow directly into the ground. There is no need to plant tomatoes, the harvest is stable, the taste is good - we have been growing the variety for several years. We distribute it to neighbors and listen to gratitude. Children really like it for its taste and original shape of tomatoes.

An educational video will help you grow tomatoes correctly:

Advantages and disadvantages

Pros:

early maturation;
uniform yield over the years;
good taste of fruits;
retains a beautiful appearance when whole-fruit canning;
tolerates temperature changes well;
does not require pinching;

Minuses:

Tomato Zemlyak: characteristics and description of the variety, yield with photos and videos

The Zemlyak tomato is classified as a variety of Siberian origin. It is frost-resistant, strong, and has immunity to many diseases. They can even be grown in open ground. The fruits ripen quite early, and already in mid-summer they delight gardeners. Tomatoes are incredibly tasty and juicy.

The description of Zemlyak tomatoes can be read on the packaging. They will produce an excellent harvest if you study detailed characteristics about them and know the rules of care.

Description of vegetable crop

Characteristics and description of the tomato variety Zemlyak allows you to study exactly how to properly care for it so that many tasty fruits grow. This species belongs to varieties from Siberia. Many people prefer these fruits for their rich harvest, unpretentiousness, and immunity to disease.

Vegetables ripen three months after germination. The bush is not very tall, about 60-70 centimeters. Accordingly, it does not need tying. The foliage does not grow densely, the inflorescences are simple.

The fruits are oval-shaped, plum-like, smooth. They have a stalk. The color of the fruit is red, in different shades. They have a small weight of 50-70 grams, but a sufficient number of them ripen on one hand. The taste is sweet and sour, tomato, delicate aroma. They can be cut into salads, salted, pickled, or prepared as juice. The pulp is fleshy and juicy. The skin is dense.

Countryman tomatoes are grown in seedlings. They grow best in greenhouses, where special conditions are created for them. They love good soil, only then they produce a wonderful harvest of fruits.

How to grow properly

In warm regions, this variety can be sown directly into the soil without covering with film. But in temperate latitudes, it is best to germinate seedlings at home in advance from the beginning of spring.

The seeds of this variety are soaked in a special solution for quick germination and against fungus. Treat the soil with potassium permanganate or a fungal spore repellent. Then they are seated, keeping a distance. Usually containers with them are placed on the windowsill. Until the sprouts germinate, they are covered with film.

Enough light must always be provided. You don’t have to use artificial light, but always keep plants near the window. Always water when the soil is dry.

When the shoots form three leaves, they can be planted in separate pots so that they can further strengthen, gain vitamins, and grow. The soil in the garden is prepared in early spring. It should be dug up, loosened, and watered. It should have enough fertilizer, sand, peat and humus. Among fertilizers, Zemlyak hybrids prefer potassium, magnesium, fluorine, and ammonium nitrate.

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Only mature seedlings with a dense stem should be planted in the greenhouse. They do this together with the soil in which it grew. It is very important to change the location for tomatoes every year. In the same greenhouse they will produce a poor harvest. Usually planted two and a half months after the seeds germinate. Seedlings need to be hardened off and kept near an open window several times a day. Because in the spring the nights are still cold, and she should already be ready to move from a warm house to the street, where there are temperature fluctuations.

When planting tomatoes, you need to keep a distance between the bushes so that they do not interfere with each other with their roots, and it is convenient to approach them. After a successful ovary, stop feeding, frequent watering, and wait for the fruit to ripen. Good productivity of the Zemlyak tomato directly depends on high-quality and proper care. Caring for the variety is not very difficult, but there are several important nuances.

Harvesting and application

The fruits are harvested when they have grown to a size characteristic of this variety , as well as when they reach milky ripeness (the tomatoes are still green or white-green, but have their full weight).
It is important to monitor changes in weather conditions. In case of high humidity and pronounced cold snap, when the average daily temperature drops below +13 °C, it is worthwhile to start harvesting immediately. In this case, the degree of maturity does not matter.

If the tomatoes were picked from the branch while still green , they are dipped in warm water, dried and stored in a warm place until fully ripe. Unripe tomatoes can be stored for long-term storage. They are removed from the branch along with the stalk.

Fully ripened fruits are consumed in any form : fresh, heat-treated, canned. They are used to prepare first and second courses, salads, drinks, etc.

All about care

How to care for a vegetable garden so that it will bloom and bring tasty, healthy food. All summer residents should remember this proverb and not forget to take care of their plantings.

The Countryman tomato does not require special care; even an inexperienced summer resident can grow them. But it is important to remember that in caring for all tomatoes there are certain rules that cannot be broken.

Tomatoes of this family love high-quality watering at the root. This should be done several times a week, preferably not with ice water, which has stood for some time in a barrel.
Do not let the soil turn to stone, loosen it, hill it, mulch it.
Remove weeds that interfere with the supply of vitamins and nutrition to crops.
Several times during the summer you need to feed Zemlyak tomatoes with mineral and organic fertilizers.
Spraying with special solutions against insects and diseases.
Sometimes open the windows and doors of the greenhouse to ventilate the tomatoes.
If you plant it in open ground, then at night you need to cover this variety with a film to protect against dew and cold.

If you fulfill all these requirements and take some simple care, then soon your family will be pleased with these tomatoes with delicious small fruits.

Growing Tomato

The Zemlyak variety was not created for cultivation in the south. In the middle zone and further north, the main method of growing tomatoes is seedlings. There is still a choice to be made between open ground and greenhouses. It seems irrational to occupy greenhouse space with early-ripening tomatoes. High-yielding indeterminates with an extended growing season are more suitable here.

Let's decide on the dates for sowing seeds and planting seedlings in open ground.

Another value necessary for calculations is the age of the seedlings at the time of planting in the ground, measured from shoots. It is different for tomatoes with different ripening periods. For Zemlyak, the ripening time is 95-98 days; it belongs to the early ripening varieties, for which the rooting age is 50 days.

Having allocated another 10 days in total for seed germination and subsequent shoots, we get the dates of the main events of the growing season:

germination begins on April 2;
sowing seeds for seedlings - April 6;
expected shoots - April 11;
planting seedlings in open ground - June 1;
Fruit ripening - July 20.

Seed preparation

As a preventive measure, the seeds are pickled. This is done in a rich pink solution of potassium permanganate for 15-20 minutes, followed by rinsing with running water. For germination, damp material (cotton wool, gauze, toilet paper) is placed in a food container, on which the seeds are laid out.

The container is hermetically sealed and placed in a warm place (27-29 degrees). Germination time depends on external conditions and the quality of the seeds, and is approximately 4-5 days, when the sizes of the white sprouts and seeds are equal.

Sowing seeds for seedlings

The easiest way to do this is to use purchased soil. If you have prepared your own garden soil for these purposes in the fall, it must be disinfected. A simple and reliable way is to spill it with a solution of potassium permanganate. This must be done a few days before subsequent work, so that the substrate has time to dry.

After this, granules of a complete complex fertilizer (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium) are evenly poured into the ground - 1 tablespoon per 10 liters of soil. Seeds should be sown immediately in separate containers. This will avoid picking, which is painful for the shoots. The seed placement depth is 1 cm.

Seedling care

Plants should be watered when the top layer of soil dries out. Over-wetting the soil can lead to rotting of the roots. Growing shoots stretch towards the light and bend. You can avoid distortion of the seedlings by regularly turning them away from the light.

Tomatoes, like all nightshades, begin to grow new roots if their stems are covered with soil. The tomato becomes stronger overall. This property of nightshades is used when transshipping seedlings.

Once during the seedling period, young plants are transplanted into larger containers with the stem buried down to the lower leaves. The second time the same is done when planting seedlings in the ground. Elongated seedlings are planted obliquely, deepening to the first leaves.

Reviews from gardeners

Reviews and photos of those who planted Zemlyak tomatoes can be obtained on websites on the Internet. Gardeners love to share with each other, sometimes asking for useful advice. This variety inspires trust and admiration among many gardeners. Countryman tomatoes are a variety that everyone is happy with.

Tatyana, 53 years old: I’ve been growing Zemlyak tomatoes for three years now. There is always a bountiful harvest, although the climate is varied, sometimes drought, sometimes winds and rains. He doesn't care. Standard care. Tomatoes are very tasty. For the winter, I marinate and cook adjika from the fruits. His neighbor also raises him and makes professional tomato juice. The variety is unpretentious. The harvest is great.

Andrey, 47 years old: I really like this crop of the Zemlyak variety because of its good fruiting. The whole family ate fresh tomatoes and had enough for canning. The harvest was rich. When pickled, the fruits are also very tasty. This variety is not harmful and does not require any fancy action.

Beginning gardeners, or those who rarely appear on their plots, should stop at Zemlyak tomatoes. They are unpretentious and bear a lot of delicious juicy fruits. Happy landing!