Characteristics and description of the tomato "Velvet Dude"

Every year, it becomes increasingly difficult to impress gardeners. Visiting even the most ordinary seed stores, we see a vast variety of tomato varieties and hybrids. There's so much to choose from, it can be downright impossible to choose just the right one.

If you're looking for a variety that's both productive, unique, tasty, and easy to grow, we recommend the Velvet Pigeon tomato.

Description and characteristics of the Velvet Pigeon tomato

Unfortunately, there is no precise information about who developed this variety or when. The first reviews of this new variety from Russian gardeners appeared in 2014. The Velvet Pizhon tomato ripens early, with the first fruits harvested 85–100 days after germination.

This variety has excellent immunity to tomato diseases and withstands all the unpleasant surprises of the weather very well. In cities with moderate or warm climates, the Pigeon tomato is grown in open ground. In cooler cities, it is recommended to plant it in greenhouses.

Characteristics of the plant and fruits

The bush is determinate and standard, with the first cluster forming above the 5th or 6th leaf. The plant's height in both open and closed soil does not exceed 120 cm, typically reaching up to 80 cm. The potato-like leaves are covered with dense, smoky-blue pubescence.

The fruits are pinkish-red, round or flattened-round, and uniform in size. They weigh between 90 and 220 grams. The skin is pubescent, like a peach, and the velvety coating is difficult to remove, but it doesn't bother the skin at all and doesn't cause any discomfort when eaten. The flesh is tender and juicy, with no more than four seed chambers and few seeds. The skin is soft; if the fruit is overripe or overwatered, it may crack.

Use and yield

The Velvet Pigeon tomato has an unrivaled flavor: sweet with a hint of tartness, with a vibrant, tomato-fruity aroma. This variety is ideal for fresh eating, canning, pickling, freezing, and various culinary applications.

Each cluster produces no more than five fruits, with an average yield of up to 6 kilograms per bush. For a determinate tomato, this is excellent. Based on reviews from gardeners in different regions, it can be concluded that this variety produces equally well in a variety of growing conditions.

Advantages and disadvantages of the Velvet Pigeon tomato

Every vegetable grower dreams of finding a tomato variety that offers only the best qualities and meets all the important selection criteria. The Velvet Dandy is just such a tomato; it has no flaws and is sure to please even true fans of traditional varieties and hybrids. Its main advantages:

• Possibility of cultivation in all regions of Russia, in open and closed ground;
• good yield in any conditions;
• universal use of tomatoes, excellent taste and commercial qualities;
• seeds can be collected independently;
• disease resistance;
• the variety tolerates various weather changes well;
• If the fruits are picked slightly unripe, they will easily withstand transportation and will last up to 3 weeks.

The decorative qualities of this tomato plant are simply irresistible. The bush looks truly beautiful—the bright, peach-shaped tomatoes seem enveloped in silvery-blue foliage.

Growing seedlings and harvesting seeds

Sowing takes place from early March to the first half of April. Seedlings can be grown with or without transplanting. The soil should be prepared in advance, and all components are collected in the fall and stored in a cool place. The main components are:

• non-acidic peat (2 parts);
• river or washed coarse-grained sand (0.5 parts);
• turf soil (1 part);
• sifted wood ash (1 glass per bucket of mixture);
• humus or mature compost (1 part).

Garden soil should not be taken from areas where nightshade crops were grown last season. Add 10 grams of urea and potassium fertilizer, as well as 30 grams of superphosphate, to the resulting mixture. Seven to 10 days before planting, sift the prepared soil and bake it in the oven. Add a small amount of vermiculite, mix, and moisten.

Seeds also require pre-sowing preparation, especially if they were harvested by hand:

• The seeds are placed in a water-salt solution (one teaspoon of salt per cup of water), mixed thoroughly, and left for 15 minutes. Any seeds that float to the surface are discarded, and those that sink to the bottom are rinsed with clean water and dried.
• Now the seeds should be pickled in a 1% potassium permanganate solution. Place the seeds in a gauze bag and soak them in rose water for 20 minutes;
• The next step is nutrition. The seeds can be treated with special store-bought preparations or folk remedies (aloe or potato juice).
• The final step is germination. Line a saucer with a damp paper towel, then spread the seeds on the surface. Be careful not to let the towel dry out, but make sure the seeds aren't submerged in water.

Spread the sprouted seeds on the soil surface, cover with a thin layer of soil, and spray generously with water. Cover the box with plastic and place it in a warm place. When sprouts appear, remove the covering and transfer the seedlings to a warm, bright windowsill. When two true leaves have formed, transplant the seedlings into individual containers.

Water frequently and moderately; avoid over-watering or over-drying the soil at any stage of seedling growth. Fertilize tomatoes for the first time 14 days after transplanting, and then every 15–20 days. It's best to purchase a specialized fertilizer. On cloudy days, provide tomatoes with additional light. Keep the seedlings warm at all times, and harden them off two weeks before planting.

How to collect seeds correctly

Find the strongest vines and mark the most beautiful and largest tomatoes from the first bunches. It's best to pick them when they're still brown and ripe; it's best if they ripen on a windowsill rather than on the vine. Remove the seeds and juice, transfer them to a jar, cover with a napkin, and place in a dark, warm place to ferment.

As soon as a film appears on the surface of the contents, discard any mold and floating seeds, and rinse the remaining seeds thoroughly with water. You can dry the seeds in any convenient way, but store them only in paper or cloth bags.

Recommendations for planting and care

Velvet Pigeon tomatoes are generally planted from mid-May to the end of June. No more than four plants are planted per square meter. The plant is trained into two or three stems, and any remaining side shoots are removed. Lower leaves should be gradually trimmed off, while the upper leaves can be left alone, especially when grown outdoors.

Supports for tying the tomatoes should be installed before planting. The stakes or trellises should be strong and stable. Water once or twice a week, using warm water. The first fertilization is necessary 15 days after planting, with subsequent applications every 14–25 days. You can alternate between root and foliar feeding. For root feeding, use organic and mineral fertilizers, while for foliar feeding, use a boric acid solution (5 grams of powder per 5 liters of water).

Watering can be combined with fertilizing; the soil is moistened and fertilized. Spraying is done before or after sunset. During particularly hot periods, the soil dries out very quickly; to prevent water evaporation, the beds can be mulched. Weeding should be done frequently, as weeds attract pests.

The Velvet Pizhon tomato stands out among other "velvet" varieties. In a short period of time, it has become a favorite not only among collectors but also among ordinary gardeners.

Reviews

Gennady. I recently found information that Velvet Pizhon is a mid-season variety, but that's not true; it's an early variety. We've been growing it for three years now, and we harvest the first ripe fruits around mid-July. This tomato is disease-resistant; even neighboring bushes of other varieties have suffered from various ailments, while the Pizhon always stands strong and healthy. We enjoy eating the tomatoes fresh, preserving them for the winter in salads, dicing them, and making juice.

Vyacheslav. Velvet Pizhon is one of my favorite varieties. I recommend it to anyone who wants a good harvest of delicious tomatoes. I don't do any preventative spraying and haven't seen any signs of disease in two years. The care is standard and easy. I haven't noticed any pests either. I always plant flowers and strongly scented herbs near the tomatoes, and tansy and wormwood grow wild outside the fence.