Choosing tomato varieties for greenhouses in the Moscow region for 2021: photos and reviews

Tomatoes

To choose a good tomato or other vegetable variety, always look at the variety description with photos and read reviews from gardeners. This will help you choose the right variety. It's also important to consider the region where the vegetables will be planted; favorites vary by region. For example, the best tomato varieties for greenhouses in the Moscow region in 2021 include "Ural," "Typhoon," "Pink Honey," "Big Beef," "Samara," "Volgograd," "Bull's Heart," and others.

Climate of the Moscow region

The Moscow region lies in a temperate climate zone with uneven seasons. Air cyclones from various directions often sweep over this region, but westerly winds prevail. The average winter temperature is -10°C, while the summer temperature is +17°C. Average annual precipitation is 550-650 mm. Winter lasts 151 days, with snow falling in late November and persisting until early April. The snow depth is no higher than 40 cm. Spring arrives in late March and lasts until the second half of July.

Summers in this region are rainy, with the heaviest precipitation falling during this period. This period lasts until early October. Autumn is roughly divided into two periods: the first is warm and sunny, and the second is cool and rainy. If you grow tomatoes in a greenhouse only until they reach seedling stage and then plant them outdoors, you must take into account the climate peculiarities of the Moscow region. However, if tomatoes undergo their entire development cycle in a greenhouse, these peculiarities can be ignored.

Which varieties are suitable for growing in a greenhouse?

The best tomato for growing in a greenhouse is 'Honey Moon,' a versatile pink tomato variety grown both in the Moscow region and elsewhere. The fruit of this variety is round, fleshy, and juicy. The average weight of this tomato is 190 to 210 g. It has a high yield of 25 kg per m². It stores well. Also in this category is 'Big Beef,' a hybrid resistant to various diseases. It ripens mid-season. It is a highly productive variety, yielding 5 kg per plant. The fruit weighs 250-310 g. Five to six tomatoes ripen simultaneously on a single plant, all of which are of similar size. They have a distinct aroma and rich flavor. 'Supernova' produces the earliest harvest of this variety, producing round, bright red fruits weighing 220-270 g. Yields exceed 100 t/ha, which is a high figure. The flavor is rich, with a distinct tomato aroma.

Interesting!

From a botanical point of view, a tomato is a berry, but from a technological taxonomy, it is a vegetable.

The yield can be assessed not only by the total number of fruits harvested from a single plant but also by the weight of each individual fruit. "Pink Honey" is a large-fruited variety, with fruits weighing up to 700 g on the lower clusters. It has a heart-shaped form and a raspberry color. The tomatoes are fleshy and sweet in taste. The bush grows tall, reaching up to 1.5 m, requiring staking and pinching. The yield is 6 kg per square meter. These tomatoes are most often used for fresh salads or canning (tomato juice, preserves), as this variety is not suitable for long-term storage, as the fruit tends to crack.

'Bull's Heart' is a large tomato, with an average fruit weight of 350-450 g, and some berries reaching 950 g. Yields are 8-12 g per square meter. Larger berries are found closer to the ground, with medium-sized ones located at the top. This is a tall variety, reaching a maximum height of 2 m. It is resistant to various diseases and is easy to grow. It is heart-shaped and typically raspberry-pink in color, but geneticists have developed yellow and black varieties. It is most often eaten fresh or juiced.

8 Common Hybrid Varieties

To ensure a good tomato harvest, even hybrids are best planted according to regional guidelines or with varieties developed by Russian breeders. Popular tomatoes in the Moscow region These are first generation hybrids, namely:

"Ural" is a mid-season, large-fruited hybrid. It is a tall, indeterminate bush that requires pinching and tying. The yield reaches 10-12 kg/m². The average tomato weight is 250 g. It has a round shape with slight ribbing on top, without a green spot where the stem attaches. It is firm and stores well.
'Krasnobay' is a mid-early, tall variety. It produces a high yield of up to 14-15 kg per bush. It weighs 350-500 g and is round, slightly flattened. It is bright red in color.
'Cavalcade' is an early variety with small berries (150g each) that grow 5-6 per cluster. They are highly disease-resistant and yield 15 kg per square meter, keeping well, making them ideal for winter storage.
'Volgograd' is easy to care for and produces a good harvest even with minimal time and effort. This mid-late determinate hybrid reaches a height of up to 90 cm. A single bush yields up to 5 kg, with an average fruit weighing 150-180 g.
"Firebird" is a low-growing variety with orange tomatoes weighing up to 400 grams. They are round and have a thick skin, making them resistant to cracking. This early variety ripens in 95-105 days. Yields 13 kg per square meter.
"Samotsvet Zolotoy" is a mid-season variety (110-115 days), producing 5-9 bright yellow, ovoid tomatoes weighing 60-70 g each. Yields 7 kg per square meter. Resistant to tobacco mosaic virus and cladosporiosis. It has a delicate tomato flavor and aroma.
'Typhoon' is an early-ripening (90-95 days), tall, medium-branched variety. Each cluster produces 6-8 round, bright-red fruits weighing 60-100 g each. Yields up to 10 kg per square meter. Ideal for winter preserves.
"Samara" is a hybrid included in the State Register of Russian Cultivars and is recommended for greenhouse cultivation. It ripens early but produces fruit for a long time. The plant reaches 2 m or more in height, so staking is essential. The fruits are deep red and weigh 100 g each. Yields up to 15 kg per m².

These are the most common and tried-and-tested hybrids. However, breeders strive to develop new varieties every year, and this list may change.

Feedback from those who planted

Olga:

Last year, I planted "Volgograd" tomatoes because they were described as low-maintenance. I wasn't expecting a large harvest, but it exceeded all my expectations, producing enough not only for seasonal consumption but also for canning. As a reminder, hybrid tomatoes require pollination assistance if grown in a greenhouse. This can be achieved by occasionally shaking the flower clusters or spraying them with a fruiting stimulant.

Elena:

I've been growing tomatoes in a greenhouse for a long time, and during that time I've tried many hybrids. My favorites are "Ural" and "Typhoon." All tomatoes require periodic hilling for best growth. This will help the plant develop a strong root system, better supplying nutrients to the fruit, and resulting in a larger harvest.

Oleg:

I've been growing tomatoes for sale for several years now, planting only proven varieties such as 'Supernova,' 'Nevsky,' 'Cavalcade,' and 'Gem of Gold.' Early on, a seasoned gardener advised me not to throw away the tops after harvesting, but to incorporate them into the soil—the tomatoes grow better that way. And if you add small raw fish to the soil when planting the seedlings, the harvest will be excellent. The organic matter from the decomposing fish will provide excellent nutrition for the plants.

Vegetable growers can use variety ratings, which include photos and descriptions, to select varieties for planting in their greenhouses. Reviews of the hybrid and the intended purpose of growing the tomatoes should also be considered. Today, hybrid tomatoes are more commonly grown in commercial greenhouses, as these varieties produce higher yields and are less susceptible to diseases and pests.