Characteristics of the Big Ben tomato and its yield

Tomatoes

Recently, "foreign tomatoes" have become just as popular as domestic ones. The "Big Ben" tomato, also of Canadian origin, delights Russian gardeners with its flavor, yield, and resistance to many of the adverse conditions common to all nightshades.

Characteristics and description

Indeterminate variety. Tall. Bushes reach almost 2 meters in height. Mid-season. 115-130 days from the first shoots, you can see the first harvest of red, ribbed, and slightly flattened fruits with a pleasant aroma and sweet flavor with a typical "tomato tartness." The flesh is aromatic and grainy.

Ripe tomatoes have a soft, large heart shape. They typically weigh 680–700 g. They are suitable for canning, making juices and sauces, and fresh salads. They can be grown in greenhouses and open fields.

Features of cultivation

First, let's calculate the optimal date for sowing seeds for seedlings. To do this, we'll use the formula: (EXPECTED PLANTING DATE – 60 DAYS) – 5 DAYS.

In some regions of our country, it's impossible to plant tomatoes outdoors. Therefore, to make the process easier and create all the necessary conditions for a harvest, many people build greenhouses. This makes it easier to protect the plants from cold winds, precipitation, and sudden changes in weather conditions.

Indeterminate varieties typically grow in different directions or rapidly upward. This undoubtedly affects the quality and size of the fruit.

We grow in greenhouse conditions

Want larger fruits? Then follow these basic greenhouse rules:

Transplant the seedlings into the greenhouse on May 26–31 or June 1–6;
Maintain a distance of 45–70 cm between bushes;
To strengthen the plants, water them generously during the first week;
Once the seedlings are planted, begin removing side shoots. Leave stumps no larger than 2.5 cm to prevent additional shoots from growing.
When forming 2 stems, leave 2 shoots. Continue pinching out side shoots until the beginning of September;
Leave 3 to 6 inflorescences on the stem;
Remove all leaves up to the first cluster, then skip each leaf. Make sure the leaves don't touch the soil and that the flower stalks aren't covered;
Damaged and misshapen flowers should be removed;
In August, after the last flower cluster, pinch the tops of the bushes. Leave 2-3 leaves on the flower cluster to slow growth and allow the large fruits to ripen;
To ensure that the bushes stand upright despite the weight of the fruit, it is best to tie them to a trellis or peg;
Maintain a stable temperature of 24–28 degrees Celsius in the greenhouse. The higher the temperature, the less likely pollination is.
Spray with a solution made from 1 teaspoon of boric acid diluted in a bucket of plain water;
Water tomatoes in the evening, without pouring water on the bushes;
Remove weeds and hill up the bushes.

We grow it in an open area of soil

We choose a place where cucumbers, eggplants, zucchini, and carrots grew before – these are the best predecessors;
Dig the area thoroughly, adding organic and mineral fertilizers to the soil;
It is better not to add pure manure, otherwise green mass will grow;
3 parts humus to 1 part mineral fertilizer applied in spring is the best fertilizer for normal plant development;
50 cm x 70 cm is the optimal distance between bushes;

Cover the plantings from sudden frosts using any available means: jars, boxes, etc.
After the first couple of weeks, hill up;
Be sure to pinch out tall bushes;
In spring, you can water infrequently, and in summer, once every 2-3 days;
After planting, to repel harmful insects and pathogenic bacteria, spray with a cooled decoction of onion peel.

The Pros of Big Ben

High productivity of planting areas;
The tomato is resistant to seasonal diseases;
Long fruiting period;
Fruit flavor;
General purpose.

Reviews

Aksinya: The best thing our family loved was the juice recipe. I run it through a juicer, add sugar and salt to taste, pasteurize, and can it. Done! Everyone loved it. They grew well, and we weren't bothered by diseases, rot, or other tomato ailments. Try it, experiment, and you're sure to find your favorite recipe.

Maya: I liked the 'Big Ben' because of its plump, juicy flesh, but the changing climate probably affected the fruits: some were larger, others smaller. I tried to take good care of them: mulched the soil, added horse manure, and kept the weeds out. But one tomato was enough for a full salad. They weighed 550-650 grams each. Even the neighbors liked them and started planting and eating them too.