Characteristics and description of the Brazilian Giant tomato

The Brazilian Giant variety lives up to its name. This beauty produces fruits that reach almost one kilogram, but requires careful care. In many Russian regions (excluding the south), large-fruited tomatoes are grown primarily in greenhouses, and the results are quite good.

Description of the variety

Among the collectible tomatoes with giant fruits, the Brazilian Giant variety is unmissable. The name refers both to its origins—it was developed by Brazilian breeders—and to the size of its fruits.

The plant is tall, reaching two meters in height, and can reach even higher (up to 210-220 cm) when grown in a greenhouse. It is a very vigorous variety with good foliage. It is a mid-season tomato, with the first fruits harvested in 115-120 days.

It's recommended to grow it indoors; film or polycarbonate greenhouses are suitable. In open ground, this heat-loving crop will only yield a good harvest in southern regions, so it's best not to take any risks.

This variety requires regular and abundant watering, but avoid allowing the soil to dry out. This can affect the quality of the fruit, which will crack. This vigorous and tall plant requires training and support. Best results are achieved by growing the bush on a single stem, but leaving one side shoot for the second stem is acceptable. This will result in smaller fruit per cluster, but the overall yield per plant will increase.

Characteristics of fruits

Those who have grown the Brazilian Giant tomato note that they chose it specifically for its large fruits. With proper cultivation practices, it is possible to obtain very large fruits, up to 800-100 grams.

The tomatoes are round, slightly flattened, with a firm but thin skin. They are bright red in color, and the flesh is a deep raspberry when cut.

The fruits are fleshy and very juicy. The flavor is superb, a harmonious balance of sweetness and a hint of tartness, a fact that all gardeners agree on. The pulp is sugary and has a subtle aroma. These tomatoes are primarily used in salads, but the Brazilian Giant's fruits are also suitable for making juice, paste, and sauces.

This variety belongs to the beef tomato family, and as is well known, its fruits are special – tender, fleshy, and have high nutritional value.

Advantages and disadvantages of the Brazilian Giant variety

The main advantage of this variety is its large fruit, which is why gardeners grow it. It is ideal for growing indoors, as it evenly fills the entire greenhouse.

The following properties are also among the advantages of the variety:

• optimal ripening times for fruits (at technical maturity, tomatoes from the Velikan can be picked after 115 days);
• excellent taste of fruits;
• the ability to grow the variety even in regions with risky farming conditions (but only in greenhouses);
• disease resistance.

Seeds of this tomato are ordered from collectors; they are not available in stores. And since this is a cultivar, not a hybrid, you can always obtain your own seeds and grow the tomato from them if you wish.

Thanks to the juiciness of their fruit, the Brazilian Giant is perfect for a wide variety of culinary preparations. These tomatoes make excellent sauces, ketchups, juices, and dressings.

Disadvantages of the variety:

• the need for mandatory bush formation;
• pinching out stepsons;
• implementation of enhanced feeding;
• the fruits of this tomato may turn out slightly gnarled (if some agricultural practices were violated);
• Tomatoes may crack if watered irregularly.

Plant training is a technique used for most indeterminate varieties and hybrids, and gardeners should take this into account. Achieving the promised yields and large tomatoes is only possible with experience growing the crop, and with the time to prune and water regularly, rather than abandoning the tomato plants to their natural fate.

Give your tomatoes some attention, provide them with proper care, and your Brazilian Giant will truly be a giant.

Reviews of growing the Brazilian Giant tomato

Olga, Ryazan region

This was my first time buying seeds from a collector. I liked the description, especially the fact that the Brazilian Giant variety's fruits should have red skin and raspberry-colored flesh. I grew it in a polycarbonate greenhouse, training it to have two stems. But that was only the first year; in the second, based on experience, I left only one stem. The tomatoes averaged 700-750 grams and were delicious. However, there was no raspberry-colored flesh; both the outside and the inside were red.

There were a lot of gnarled tomatoes, but that didn't affect the taste. They bore fruit until almost the end of September, with three fruits per cluster. I had three bushes, and I picked 18 fruits from one, and 16 and 15 from the others. The variety is prone to cracking, but it's not a problem for me. I've been growing it for three years now, and I'm happy with this tomato.

Angelina, Vitebsk

I got the seeds of this tomato from a neighbor, who got them through a friend who collects different varieties. I grew them in a greenhouse and really liked the variety – both the taste and the size. This Brazilian giant requires a lot of watering, otherwise it will crack. My first tomatoes were like that, but then I quickly adjusted the schedule, and the subsequent bunches were all beautiful and large. Two tomatoes weighed about 800 grams, the rest were between 500 and 600 grams. The color is orange-red, with more red.

Growing Brazilian Giant Tomato

Indeterminate tomatoes require special care, but this is offset by excellent results. Unlike shorter varieties, indeterminate tomatoes produce higher yields and also have a longer fruiting period.

Growing seedlings

The seedlings should be approximately 60 days old when planted in shelters. Based on this timeframe, the time for sowing seeds for seedlings is calculated, usually beginning in March.

The seeds require preliminary preparation:

• disinfection (use garlic infusion, potassium permanganate);
• soaking in special growth stimulants (you can use aloe juice diluted in water for this, as well as ready-made compositions Epin, Energen, Zircon);
• germination.

Sow in prepared soil mixture—in shared boxes, containers, or individual cups. It's advisable to start with smaller containers to promote more uniform growth and proper root development, and then transplant (from shared boxes to individual cups) or transplant.

During the growing period, seedlings need to be fed twice.

For seedlings, it's best to use complex fertilizers or ready-made formulas for nightshades. Brazilian Giant should be planted in a greenhouse only after stable warm weather has set in, with the soil temperature at least 16ºC (10 cm deep).

Caring for tomatoes

Plant three seedlings per square meter to give the tomatoes plenty of space. Equip the greenhouse with trellis supports or install stakes near each plant for tying. Stake not only the stems but also the individual tomato clusters to prevent them from breaking under the weight of the tomatoes.

When planting, it is advisable to add fertilizer to the holes to provide the tomatoes with adequate nutrition for the first time.

From then on, water regularly, taking into account weather conditions and the condition of the plants. Tomatoes don't need frequent watering; twice a week is ideal (depending on the weather). If it's hot, water more frequently, but make sure the soil under the tomatoes is well-moistened and the humidity level in the greenhouse isn't exceeded.

Avoid overwatering tomato plants, as this can lead to disease and reduced yields. When growing large-fruited varieties, watering is especially important, and a drip irrigation system is the best option. This ensures even water flow to the roots, preventing drought and overwatering, and preventing cracking. These systems are also very convenient if gardeners only visit their plots on weekends and adjusting watering schedules is not feasible.

Indet tomatoes usually form their first flower cluster after 8-9 leaves, and the first fruits can be harvested after 115-120 days. It's important to note that the clusters of these tomatoes require shaping, and to ensure large tomatoes, no more than two fruits are left per cluster.

Bush formation

The best way to grow Brazilian Giant is to train the plant into a single trunk, removing all side branches and side shoots. Why do this?

1. Stepchildren take up a large amount of nutrients, which leads to a decrease in the number of flower clusters and a decrease in yield.
2. The lateral branches develop a large number of leaves, which not only "suck" nutrients but also create a dense crown. This impedes air circulation, increasing humidity in the greenhouse, and causing the tomatoes to become diseased.

If you want a large tomato, leave one or two flowers on the cluster. The lower leaves are also removed, but not all at once, but gradually. By the time the first flower cluster produces fruit, there should be no leaves at the bottom of the plant.

Trellis, special agronet, or regular stakes with fabric straps can be used for support. Using twine for tying is not recommended, as it can cause wounds on the tomato plant's branches and trunk (the rope cuts into the plant tissue).

Fertilizing large-fruited tomatoes

Experienced gardeners know that these varieties require not only proper training but also enhanced nutrition. Without fertilizing, which must be done at least 3-4 times during the season, large tomatoes will not be obtained, as the plant simply lacks the strength to produce giant fruits.

The following are used as fertilizers:

• mullein, bird droppings (must be diluted in water, observing the proportions, otherwise you can get a burn on the root system of tomatoes);
• complex fertilizers (nitrophoska);
• various ready-made compositions that are intended for feeding tomatoes during different periods of vegetation (KEMIRA, IDEAL, AGRICOLA);
• ash infusions;
• baker's yeast (dissolved in water, used no more than twice a summer);
• green herbal infusions (nettle, comfrey, dandelion);
• mineral fertilizers.

The first feeding should be done no earlier than 15-18 days after planting. Subsequent feedings should be done 10-12 days later, but the condition of the plants themselves should be taken into account. At the beginning of the growing season, tomatoes require nitrogen; during flowering and fruit formation, the nitrogen content is reduced, and the amount of potassium and phosphorus is increased.

It is not advisable to apply excessively large doses of nitrogen fertilizers, as this will cause the plants to become overweight and will result in vigorous growth of the above-ground vegetative mass to the detriment of the fruit.

The Brazilian giant is generally resistant to various diseases. However, for prevention, treating the plants with copper-containing preparations and Bordeaux mixture is a good idea. Gardeners typically use natural remedies for prevention, such as herbal infusions and garlic, which are both effective and non-toxic.

To obtain large fruits, it is recommended to leave a few clusters (for example, 3-5) on the stem and remove the rest. In August, the main stem is pinched, allowing the plant to devote all its energy and nutrition to the existing flower clusters.

Cleaning

The tomatoes are usually picked when they're technically ripe, allowing them to ripen further at home. However, this depends on the gardener, as some prefer to let their tomatoes ripen later, while others prefer to let them ripen directly on the vine. If the weather permits, this is fine; if it gets cool, it's better to pick the tomatoes and store them in crates or boxes to ripen.

The Brazilian Giant variety, despite being bred far from Russia, has successfully adapted to new conditions and, with proper care, is sure to yield a bountiful harvest.