Characteristics and description of the tomato "Red Banana"

Red Banana isn't a tropical fruit at all, but a tomato variety recently developed by Russian breeders. It's only been around for a few years, but it's already been embraced by experienced Russian vegetable growers. The name was given for its unusual color and shape.

Characteristics and description of the Red Banana tomato

This early-ripening crop is resilient to environmental changes. It can grow even in the most climatically unstable regions of the country. Tomatoes thrive best in gardens in Ukraine, Moldova, and southern Russia.

This is a determinate variety. Bush height: 0.7–1.2 m. The main trunk is moderately covered with side shoots and leaves. To obtain a high-quality harvest, the plant should be trained into 2 or 3 stems. Support is required during development.

Red Banana tomato ovaries form in all weather conditions. The first appears above the 8th leaf, and the remaining ones appear every two leaves. A cluster consists of 6-12 flowers. These flowers later produce large tomato clusters that produce a high yield.

Experienced gardeners familiar with the Red Banana variety recommend pinching medium-sized bushes above the fifth inflorescence. This procedure should be repeated on all fruiting stems a month before the plant stops producing fruit. This will ensure the tomatoes ripen on time.

In appearance, tomatoes bear little resemblance to the well-known fruit. They are distinguished by their elongated, plum-shaped form. Ripe tomatoes are sometimes 10-12 cm long, but generally do not exceed 6 cm. The fruits weigh between 70 and 120 g. Their size is directly related to the soil composition and other growing conditions.

The tomatoes are bright red. The skin is thick and doesn't crack easily, though it can be a bit tough. This variety is most often used for canning. The fruit has a slightly bland flavor compared to other salad tomatoes.

Tomatoes contain 2-3 seed chambers containing juice. The pulp contains sugar, acids, and other beneficial substances. This gives the fruit its pleasant flavor and makes it widely used in cooking. These tomatoes are highly marketable. They have a long shelf life and are easy to transport. They are suitable for making sauces and fresh snacks. However, juicing red bananas is difficult; it will be very thick. These tomatoes can also be dried.

Bananas can be not only red, but also yellow and orange. The varieties differ only in color; their cultivation methods are the same.

Productivity and ripening time

Fruit develops quickly. The growing season lasts 85-90 days. After another 14 days, the tomatoes begin to ripen en masse.

Each season, up to 3 kg of tomatoes are harvested from a single plant. The average yield of this variety is 15 kg per square meter. Greenhouse-grown tomatoes produce fruit until November.

Pros and cons of the variety

It's difficult to give a definitive assessment of the Red Banana tomato, as it has not only advantages but also obvious disadvantages that all gardeners should be aware of before planting.

The advantages include:

• adaptation to different climatic conditions;
• good yield under any circumstances;
• immunity to most diseases;
• widespread use of tomatoes;
• attractive appearance

Now a little about the negative traits of the variety:

• average taste;
• a large amount of dry matter and difficulty in preparing tomato juice;
• problems with bush formation

Considering all the advantages and disadvantages of the tomato, we can conclude that it is optimal for cold Russian regions.

How to grow

This variety can be grown in a greenhouse, an open garden, or under plastic. The plant is grown from seedlings, with seeds placed in pots for 55 days before transplanting to a permanent location. Each region has its own suitable planting period.

No more than 3-4 plants should be grown per square meter of land, regardless of whether it's in the open ground or a greenhouse. During the growing season, the plants are fed with organic or mineral fertilizers. The soil should be loosened, weeded, and watered regularly. This ensures a good harvest and prevents viral and fungal diseases, as well as pest infestations.

Adaptation to harmful factors

All "banana" varieties have excellent immunity. They tolerate harsh conditions, such as frost and high temperatures, well. This is why tomatoes can be grown in any region.

The variety is also resistant to tomato diseases. Tomatoes are almost immune to TMV and Alternaria wilt. However, late blight and cladosporiosis can attack the plants. The vegetable is moderately susceptible to other diseases.

To prevent dangerous diseases from attacking crops, prevention and treatment are necessary:

1. Cladosporiosis (brown spot) is caused by a fungus. The disease occurs in high humidity. Symptoms of Cladosporiosis include yellow spots on the upper leaves of the tomato plant. A gray coating appears on the underside of each leaf. Diseased leaves dry out, developing brown marks. Disease prevention involves proper agricultural practices and crop rotation, using biological products, garlic, and iodine solution. Once the disease has developed, copper-containing products can be used to treat it.
2. Late blight can develop after prolonged rainfall or sudden temperature changes. The main symptom is brown spots on foliage and tomatoes. To prevent the disease, it's important to properly shape the plants and remove side shoots during warm weather. A salt solution is also a good preventative measure. The disease can be treated with Fitosporin.

With proper preventative measures, viruses and harmful fungi won't threaten your tomato. Keep a close eye on the variety to identify and address any problems promptly.

Reviews

"I'm new to gardening. I have very little experience—only two years. So I choose relatively hardy varieties that don't require special care, but don't suffer from the harvest. Red Banana has exactly these qualities. The tomato's name also won me over. Short, early-ripening varieties are the ones that should be grown in garden beds." (Svetlana)

"I'll note that I was forced to constantly remove side shoots from other tomatoes because the side shoots kept growing back. With Banana, it's different. I only had to remove side shoots once. The bushes developed a perfect crown, all on their own. It included 3-4 branches that had no side shoots." (Tatiana)

A description of the Red Banana tomato variety and reviews from gardeners will help novice gardeners grow this crop in their gardens. Only the gardener can make a definitive assessment of the fruit's quality. To do this, they need to familiarize themselves with the variety's purpose and growing guidelines, as well as assess the local weather conditions.