Tomato "Irina" is a hybrid, the birthplace of which is Russia, where it is very popular because it has a huge number of advantages and a minimum of disadvantages. The features of growing this variety of tomatoes will be discussed in our article.

Grade description

The hybrid of the first generation "Irina F1" can perfectly bear fruit both in the greenhouse and in the open ground.

Main characteristics:

• the tomato has a slightly flattened oval shape, smooth red skin and a sweet aftertaste (fruit weight - 110–120 g);
• low bushes abundantly bear fruit, and bring the first crop very quickly;
• the fruits are very dense, tolerate transportation;
• the hybrid has a high resistance to diseases;
• vegetable can be consumed both raw and put on juice, prepare marinades from it and canned.

Advantages and disadvantages

Any fruiting plant has both advantages and disadvantages, and Irina is no exception.

• Grade advantages:
• fast ripening of fruits;
• plentiful harvest;
• high taste indices;
• unpretentiousness to the temperature regime (they feel great in a relatively low temperature);
• disease resistance;
• easy portability of transportation over long distances;
• well kept for quite some time.

• The disadvantages of the variety:
• relatively high price of seeds;
• a small amount of useful microelements (characteristic of precocious crops);
• exacting care.

Self-growing seedlings

Tomato hybrids have a lot of features in cultivation, which must be carefully studied before sowing. In this matter, it is of great importance in what soil the seeds are planted, how to prepare them correctly, and the layout of the planting itself is also important.

Did you know? In order to preserve the aroma of this vegetable, it must be kept at room temperature.

Optimum timing for sowing

Since the described variety ripens very quickly, the optimal time for planting it (using seedlings) is the period from the beginning to the middle of spring (March-April). Thus, by the middle of summer it will be possible to harvest the first crop.

The soil

Variety "Irina" is very picky about the soil. For a higher percentage of seedlings, you need to purchase special soil (which is factory-disinfected and filtered) or prepare the soil for seedlings yourself.Methods for disinfecting soil at home:

1. The amount of soil required for seedlings must be completely frozen and then completely thawed. Repeat 2-3 times.
2. The right amount of soil can be steamed in a water bath for 1.5–2 hours.
3. Soil can be heated in the oven to 90 ° and left there for an hour.
4. Water the soil with a small amount of boiling water.

Thus, the soil will be processed from harmful and excess microorganisms, which will allow the seeds to be completely safe.

Important! The composition of the soil is not significant for the hybrid under consideration.

Capacity for growing

As a container for growing, you can use any separate dishes (boxes, cups, peat tablets, etc.). Today in the shops for flora there is a huge variety of suitable pots that are made of the highest quality polyvinyl chloride. And this option is the most optimal, since this dish does not contain harmful or toxic substances, and also has the most suitable sizes for uniform formation of the root system of the future bush.

Seed preparation

Preparing seeds for planting is one of the most important processes in horticulture. It consists of two main stages (selection and disinfection) and auxiliary (hardening). So:

1. Selection. At this stage, it is necessary to carefully sort through all the seeds and select the best, excluding too small or damaged seeds.
2. Disinfection. At this stage, it is necessary to disinfect the seed, which will allow it to quickly begin to grow and develop. To do this, briefly place the seeds in a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
3. Quenching (not necessary). The stage is carried out if the springing region is cold. To harden the seed, it is necessary to place wet gauze with grains in a warm, then a cold place (for 12 hours). Repeat the procedure 2-3 times.

Sowing seeds

Sowing seeds of the Irina F1 variety is similar to planting other tomatoes. So, the optimal landing depth is 1 cm (approximately). In the case of growing in special cups, where the seeds are planted separately, you can make the corresponding grooves (depth to the base of the nail). If a box is used as a container, for uniform disembarkation it is necessary:

• fill the prepared container 2/3 with soil;
• pour out the seeds in a checkerboard pattern;
• add a centimeter layer of soil on top.

Such a planting will achieve uniform immersion of seeds in the ground. In order to avoid excessive penetration into the soil, it is impossible to water the planted seeds immediately.

Seedling Care

A very important role in the growth and development of future plants is played by proper care at the beginning of cultivation. So, the first 7-10 days (before the appearance of the first shoots), boxes or other containers must be kept under the film, creating a home greenhouse. Important points:

• the ground must be constantly moist (sprayed with a spray gun);
• constantly need to carry out airing (raise the film for a while) so that the soil does not bloom.

The seedlings should be located directly near the source of light and heat, that is, on the windowsill, but the windows should be closed to prevent drafts. Since winter and spring light days are still too short, it is advisable to install additional lighting by increasing it to 16 hours a day. After the first shoots appear and the film is removed, it is necessary to constantly monitor the soil: it must be moist all the time.

Did you know? The world's largest tomato was in the Guinness Book of Records and weighed 3 kg 800 g.

It is during this period that the rapid growth phase begins. Organic fertilizers (humus, compost or manure) can be added to the soil on days 14–16. As soon as 2 sprouts appear on the neighboring sprouts, they must be very carefully separated and placed in separate containers to form a strong root system for each of the future bushes.

Seedling hardening

Hardening of seedlings is a stage that should never be overlooked in any case, since it will depend on this process how well the plant will take root in the open ground. In order to properly prepare future bushes for the environment outside the house, for 10-14 days before planting, seedlings should be taken out daily (or left near an open window), gradually increasing the period of such “acquaintance”. You should start with 15 minutes a day and add another 15 minutes daily.

Planting seedlings in a permanent place

Before planting seedlings in open ground, you must wait for the moment when the ground warms up enough after winter. Usually this moment occurs when the air temperature stably keeps at a level not lower than 10 ° С. The Irina planting scheme is standard, as for most tomato crops:

• 40-50 cm between rows;
• 30–40 cm between shrubs.

Thus, there should be about 3-4 bushes on the area meter per meter. For planting the most suitable is the sunny side of the site. Also, before planting, the earth must be carefully fertilized with organic matter. During the organization of the garden plot, it is imperative to take into account the need to install supports for garters in the future.

Outdoor Care

Tomato "Irina" has excellent performance, and therefore most gardeners are very flattering about the results of their cultivation. However, they are the result of hard work while caring for this hybrid.

Watering

Features of irrigation of tomatoes of the Irina variety:

• watering must be done directly on the ground (in no case should you pour water on the leaves, especially when there is strong sunshine);
• water should not be too cold (preferably room temperature);
• watering should be done as the soil dries (each year the number of irrigations can vary significantly).

Top dressing

The first fertilizer application should occur after 25 days of bush growth. Any organic fertilizer (both purchased and composted) is suitable as a top dressing, however, the amount of nitrogen that will fall into the soil should be reduced. The total number of fertilizing during the growing season should not exceed 3. It is also important to pay attention to the fact that if there are not enough sunny days, you need to give more potassium.

Stepson

Pasynkovka - the process of forming a bush by cutting off excess shoots. This is a mandatory procedure, because if you do not do it, the bush will grow in all directions and will not give a normal crop. So, it is desirable to pinch the Irina tomato in one, maximum two stems, and this must be done as soon as lateral shoots appear on the plants. Unnecessary sprouts should be carefully trimmed. Thus, the bush will always look neat, and all its forces will go to the fruits, and not to the growth of shoots. In addition to removing green sprouts, it is necessary to regularly cut dried leaves and branches.

Soil care

Weeding weeds is a mandatory daily procedure, along with loosening the soil and watering. After each watering, the soil must be well tilled for uniform moisture penetration, and also so that the soil does not crack or harden.

For additional protection against drying out, you can mulch tomatoes with needles, hay or peat. This will provide good moisture conservation in the earth, however, the most rational way to get moisture is a modern drip irrigation.

Important! As mentioned earlier, you need to think about the garter in advance, while maintaining a place between the cultures for the installation of supports.

Bush tying

Tieing a bush must be done as it grows. This is done so that the heavy fruit does not break branches with its weight and does not bend them to the ground. If this happens, it will not be possible to get a saturated ripe fruit. There are many ways to garter, but many farmers continue to come up with more and more intricate designs for this purpose. However, the two most common methods are the most common:

Preventative treatment

Tomato "Irina" is considered a very resistant variety, which is rarely exposed to disease or attack by pests. Because of this, there is no particular need to carry out any prophylaxis. However, heavy rainfall can cause late blight. Therefore, in the case of a large number of rains, it is necessary to treat the bushes with Fitosporin, Trichopolum or a solution of wood ash a couple of times with an interval of 2-3 days. When pests appear, the bushes should be treated with soapy water, and if this does not work, then only resort to chemical insecticides.

Harvesting

"Irina" is an early ripe tomato variety. With proper care, you can wait for the first crop in 9 days after planting in open ground. Each well-formed bush gives a fairly voluminous crop. So, from 10 bushes you can get up to 20 kg of fruits.

Tomatoes of the described variety tolerate transportation well and, due to their elasticity, can be stored for a rather long time. Also, the Irina variety is popular among farmers who grow tomatoes for wholesale, due to the rapid ripening of delicious fruits.So, the Irina F1 tomato variety is very popular in Russia, Ukraine and other countries because it has excellent productivity indicators, grows in almost any climate, and the first crop can be obtained already 90 days after planting the bushes.