Description of the Aphrodite tomato: characteristics, yield, where it is grown

The Aphrodite tomato is quite popular due to its special qualities and resistance to various factors. The fruits grow quickly, the bushes don't require any special care, and produce a fairly good harvest. And tomatoes can be used almost anywhere.

Description and characteristics

This tomato hybrid is considered an ultra-early variety. The plant itself is tall, reaching up to 1.5 meters. It has abundant, bright green foliage, and the bush itself is determinate rather than standard. The ripened fruits are very tasty, sweet, and juicy, with a dry matter content of approximately 5%. The tomato is bright red, perfectly shaped, round, and symmetrical, with 3-4 chambers. The skin is glossy and dense. These tomatoes have no blemish near the stem.

The tomatoes themselves are small, typically weighing around 90-115 g each, but can reach up to 170 g. They are uniform in shape and size on the vine and in the cluster. Aphrodite tomatoes transport and store well, as the skin doesn't crack like some other varieties.

Small bushes up to 50 cm tall have medium-sized leaves. The bush has a simple inflorescence with approximately 6-8 florets. The plant's first cluster arises from the 5th or 6th leaf. The remaining clusters alternate leaves or are not even separated by one.

Plants mature in approximately 70 days after planting. Due to climate and weather conditions, this period can extend to 100 days in some areas.

Aphrodite produces a good harvest both in open ground and in a plastic greenhouse. Depending on conditions, yields in a greenhouse range from 14 to 18 kg per square meter, while in open ground they average 8-10 kg.
These are very good indicators for tomatoes.

Although Aphrodite is picky about soil and weather, it is grown in many regions:

• Crimea;
• Astrakhan;
• Caucasus;
• Belgorod and Voronezh regions.

Here they are planted in open ground. In temperate climates, the beds should be covered with plastic in the spring. In northern regions, they should be grown only in greenhouses, but this method produces very good results.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Aphrodite

As with all plants, Aphrodite tomatoes have their pros and cons.
Advantages of the variety:

• bear fruit well;
• grow quickly;
• externally they look almost identical in shape, size, and other qualities;
• good, easy and simple to store;
• tolerate transportation well;
• resistant to many diseases, unlike other varieties;
• almost not susceptible to pests;
• good taste characteristics for such an early variety;
• do not crack;
• They don't need to be stepsoned.

They also have disadvantages, but they are easily solved by agricultural methods:

• they are quite capricious about the weather;
• they need to be formed;
• the plants will have to be tied up.

How to grow and care for Aphrodite tomatoes

Typically, seeds are germinated in early March or late February, allowed to germinate, and the seedlings are planted. Once they reach maturity, they are pricked out and allowed to grow further. The mature seedlings are then transplanted into a greenhouse or open ground. However, everything depends on the timing of fruiting. Therefore, the month and day of planting and germination may vary. It's also important to consider the climate, temperature, and weather. The weather isn't the same every year; plants may freeze in one year, while in another they'll thrive.

Seeds

First, the seeds are tested for germination. To do this, they are wrapped in envelopes or rolls of paper or newspaper and tied with string. Then, one end of each is placed in a couple of centimeters of water. After seven days, it will be clear whether the seeds have germinated. Seeds with low germination rates may have no more than 50% of their seeds empty.
The best way to do this is by pelleting. This is a process in which the seeds are coated with various nutrients from mixtures that have adhesive properties. Typically, this is a polyacrylamide solution, whey, or a solution of fresh mullein. Polyacrylamide is diluted at a ratio of several grams per 10 liters of plain water. Mullein is diluted 1 to 7-10. This ensures that the seeds receive the necessary nutrients that may not be present in the soil.

Immediately before planting, the seeds are warmed to 50-60 degrees Celsius. They are germinated at 20-25 degrees Celsius. To do this, wrap them in a light cloth, or even better, in cheesecloth that can stay moist for a long time, place them on a saucer, and leave for 3-4 days.

The seeds need to be hardened at the beginning of germination. Place them in the refrigerator for 20 hours at a temperature of +1 to +3 degrees Celsius. Then remove them and leave them at room temperature for 5 hours. Repeat this process for 6 days. Be sure to keep the seeds moist.

Soaking them before sowing is also beneficial. Soaking should be done in melted water; regular water can be frozen in the freezer and then allowed to thaw.

Seedling

Plan your planting in advance. You'll need to prepare the soil, as it was previously stored in the cold. This should be done in the fall. Once the soil has thawed, add store-bought soil. Wood ash is also added to the mixture. Mix thoroughly until smooth. Then you can sow the seeds.

Plant the seeds at a depth of 1-2 cm. Make holes, place the seeds in them, and cover with soil. You can place the seeds on the soil first, then press them in slightly and cover with soil. Do this carefully to avoid damaging the seedlings. Be sure to water after planting. The tomatoes will sprout within a week.

Once the plants have sprouted well, you'll need to transplant them. Afterward, water the seedlings regularly and, once they've grown, plant them. For open ground, wait until warm weather arrives, while mid-May is ideal for greenhouses.

The soil for planting seedlings also needs to be prepared. First, dig it, fertilize, loosen, and moisten it. To achieve the desired results and a good harvest, plant nine plants per square meter of soil. No more. Space them approximately half a meter apart. Otherwise, the tomatoes won't develop properly.

Care and watering

Aphrodite tomatoes, like other varieties, enjoy abundant watering. They require the same care as other tomatoes: regularly remove weeds, loosen the soil, provide adequate water, and periodically treat with various pest control products. This variety especially requires regular shaping and timely support. However, pinching is almost never necessary. Occasionally, the plants should be given additional fertilizer, especially if the soil lacks nutrients. Tomatoes require plenty of sun and space. This will ensure delicious fruits and a bountiful harvest.

Preparing seeds for the future

Seeds can be harvested from the fruit after harvest. Select healthy, firm, and large fruits from the second or third cluster of the plant. Make sure the fruit isn't rotted or sour. Next, cut the fruit along the axils and remove the seeds. Place them in a warm place and let them ferment for a couple of days. Rinse them with water and spread them out to dry. Once the seeds are completely dry, transfer them to paper bags and store them in a cool, dry place. If you see any damaged seeds, remove them immediately.

If you're still unsure about the quality of your seeds, test them with a solution of salt (usually 3-5%). To disinfect them, add a little potassium permanganate to the solution. This test only takes 15 minutes. Seeds that float to the surface are empty and should be discarded, while those that sink are suitable for further planting.

What are Aphrodite tomatoes used for?

Thanks to its properties, Aphrodite tomatoes are recommended for growing on large farms and in multiple greenhouses. Their good commercial quality and ability to be transported over long distances allow this tomato variety to be used in virtually all applications. The variety is considered truly versatile. It looks beautiful sliced, in salads, and on sandwiches, holding its shape without spreading too much. Aphrodite tomatoes are also processed in various ways: they are made into pastes, sauces, and canned whole. They can also be used in pizzas, main courses, pies, and soups.

The influence of diseases and pests

Aphrodite has a fairly strong immune system, resisting many diseases that commonly affect tomatoes. These include:

• TMV;
• late blight;
• stolbur;
• Fusarium wilt.

However, they should still be sprayed occasionally with Bordeaux mixture. Although the plant isn't bothered by diseases, it does have another enemy: the Colorado potato beetle. This can cause the loss of both the plant and the entire crop. Therefore, they shouldn't be planted near potatoes; instead, keep them away. It's also worth periodically spraying with anti-Colorado beetle products and checking the leaves for these pests. "Prestige" is effective against Colorado beetles, and "Zubr" is effective against small insects such as aphids and thrips.

How to store properly

If you decide not to can or process tomatoes, you can store them whole, but the key is to maintain proper storage conditions. The room temperature should be between 10 and 12 degrees Celsius, with humidity no higher than 80-85%. Otherwise, the tomatoes will mold or rot, and if the humidity is too low, they will dry out.

The storage room and areas must be free of pests, mold, and other harmful organisms. To prevent microbiological processes, it's important to remember that tomatoes breathe during storage, causing moisture to evaporate. The room must be well-ventilated, the tomatoes must be inspected, and any spoiled ones must be removed. Ripe tomatoes emit ethylene, so storing them near other tomatoes is not recommended.

Tomatoes, if stored properly, last approximately 2.5-3 months. To extend their shelf life, their skins are often coated with Vaseline or paraffin. Another older method of storage involves digging up green plants before the cold weather sets in and hanging them upside down in a warm place. The fruits ripen and expand as nutrients from the plant are transferred to the fruit. This allows them to be stored for quite a long time.

What do people say about Aphrodite tomatoes?

Almost all reviews on forums and other online resources are positive. However, some recommend either painting the greenhouse or ventilating it well in the summer. During growth, the stakes should be replaced periodically if the plant has grown tall. It's best to train the bushes into three stems; four is too many. Aphrodite's harvest is usually undulating, with two harvests. The fruits are perfectly matched, with a single cluster producing almost identical fruit.