Tomato Be Healthy: characteristics and description, variety yield

Standard tomatoes, including the Bud' Zdorov variety, are popular with gardeners. They require minimal care, are easy to grow, and thrive in open ground.

Description of the variety

This tomato variety was developed by the Aelita agricultural firm. The Bud' Zdorov tomato is a mid-early variety suitable for cultivation in all regions of Russia. It grows only 30-45 cm tall, making it a low-growing variety.

Thanks to its simple cultivation techniques, this variety is recommended for beginners, although experienced gardeners also readily plant it. This tomato doesn't require bush training or side shoot removal, which greatly simplifies care.

Ripening period is up to 110-115 days, fruits can be picked at technical ripeness and ripened at home.

The bush is robust and has medium foliage. During the fruiting season, trusses may need staking to prevent branches from breaking in gusts of wind. The Bud' Zdorov variety is typically grown in raised beds; it is also suitable for tunnels and greenhouses (as a second tier).

Characteristics of fruits

Standard varieties like the Bud' Zdorov tomato typically produce fruit evenly. The tomatoes are uniform, round, and have smooth, attractive skin. Each fruit weighs up to 80-90 grams, with clusters containing 5-6 tomatoes.

The flesh is dense and tasty. There are few seeds. It's eaten fresh, but many also note that this tomato variety is delicious pickled and preserved.

The fruits' size makes them suitable for whole-fruit canning. They retain their shape, don't crack, and retain a pleasant flavor when preserved.

Reviews of growing the Be Healthy tomato

Galina, Mozhaisk

I'm a beginner gardener, so I choose simpler tomato varieties. My favorites include Moskvich, Shchedrost, and Bu' Zdorov. I grow them in my garden, covering them with plastic at first, then removing them. I usually plant them in the second half of May, but I also monitor the weather.

The harvest is good; in a warm summer, many of the tomatoes turn red on the vines. But I mostly pick the tomatoes green, and they ripen at home. We don't eat the Bud' Zdorov svezhy variety; once they're ripe, I can them all. They're delicious with cucumbers, and I also make them marinated.

Evgeniya, St. Petersburg

This was my first year growing the Bud' Zdorov variety. It didn't turn red on the vine, but it's not unique; many of my tomatoes don't. My region's climate and weather certainly play a role. It has a rich, tomato-like flavor. I haven't tried it pickled, but this tomato is probably the best marinated. It's firm, delicious, and slightly tart.

It is resistant to diseases; I had late blight in my beds, and this variety was slightly affected, but overall, I was pleased with it.

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

Standard tomatoes are easy to grow, and this is one of their main advantages. It's also worth noting:

• optimal ripening time (the variety is suitable for regions with risky farming);
• friendly return of fruits;
• excellent taste;
• suitable for pickling and fresh consumption;
• the ability to do without shaping the bush or pinching out side shoots.

Lateral shoots appear late in these tomatoes, and their development is very slow, preventing them from robbing them of nutrients. Unlike indeterminate and hybrid varieties, side shoots in these varieties do not require removal, simplifying care and saving time. The Bud' Zdorov variety is quite resistant to most diseases, and with preventative measures, it is resistant to late blight. Also, judging by reviews, the tomato performs well in adverse weather conditions, does not drop fruit, and yields are not affected.

For beginning gardeners, tomato varieties like the Bud' Zdorov (Good Health) are a real find! They thrive, transplant well, and produce seedlings that don't stretch, making them strong and healthy. Another advantage is that you can harvest your own seeds, which isn't possible with hybrids.

Thanks to its compact size, the Bud' Zdorov tomato can be planted in densely packed beds, significantly saving space. Where 2-3 tall indet tomatoes are planted per square meter, 7-8 of these plants can be planted.

Flaws:

• small weight of tomatoes (a characteristic feature of most standard varieties);
• the sourness inherent in such varieties;
• Compared to tall tomatoes, the yield of the standard Bud' Zdorov variety will be lower, but it will also be much easier to care for.

Recommendations for growing the tomato variety Be Healthy

To ensure a good harvest, choose a sunny spot for your tomatoes in the fall, dig up the soil, and add the necessary fertilizer. It's best to practice crop rotation and avoid planting tomatoes after eggplant, bell peppers, or potatoes. If cucumbers, onions, or carrots were previously grown in the same bed, feel free to prepare it for tomatoes.

It's important to know the soil's acidity level, as tomatoes prefer neutral soil (pH 6.0-7.0). If the pH is higher, add sulfur or peat moss. To lower the acidity (which is what gardeners usually need), use lime or dolomite flour.

In autumn, you can add the following to the soil:

• rotted manure;
• peat;
• compost;
• bird droppings;
• potassium salt;
• superphosphate.

In spring, you can add wood ash and ammonium sulfate. The beds should be arranged north to south to ensure even sunlight exposure for the plants.

Growing seedlings

Seeds are sown in mid- to late March so that the seedlings are approximately 55 days old by the time they are planted in their permanent location. Be sure to soak the tomato seeds in potassium permanganate (approximately 15-20 minutes), rinse, and germinate.

If necessary, soaking the tomatoes in growth stimulants can improve germination, following the instructions strictly. Maintaining a stable temperature for tomatoes is crucial: 23ºC to 25ºC during the day and 18ºC to 20ºC at night.

Pricking out is done when the seedlings have two true leaves. Fertilize the tomatoes only after pricking out, approximately 10-12 days later, using a complex fertilizer.

Ten to fourteen days before, you can begin hardening off the plants by exposing them to fresh air. A balcony, veranda, or loggia is suitable. Hardening off begins with 15 to 20 minutes, gradually increasing the time to several hours.

Planting is only done when stable warm weather sets in. In many regions, this is mid- to late March (in the central part of the country), but in northern regions, as well as in Siberia and the Urals, tomatoes can be planted outdoors no earlier than early June.

The soil should warm to 14ºC, or even better, 16ºC. This variety is best planted in raised beds under arches covered with plastic or non-woven material.

Outdoor care

The Bud' Zdorov variety is planted densely, with up to 7-9 plants per square meter. It's recommended to immediately stake the berries (on the north side) to support the heavy clusters during fruit ripening.

After planting the tomatoes in the holes, you can mulch the soil. The mulch layer should be about 8-10 cm thick. Suitable materials include sawdust, straw, grass clippings, and compost.

For approximately 10-12 days, tomatoes are left undisturbed, without watering or fertilizing. This is the time for the plants to adapt to their new location, grow, and develop their root system. After 10 days, water the tomatoes, and you can also carefully hill them.

This variety does not require pinching or bush shaping, but the tomato does require fertilizing.

First feeding (approximately 16-18 days after planting): diluted mullein or bird droppings (1:10 and 1:20).

The second and subsequent feedings are carried out at intervals of 10-12 days, monitoring the condition of the plants. It is advisable to combine tomato feedings with watering. Phosphorus is added to tomatoes during the flowering period, and organic matter, ash, and potassium fertilizers are added during the fruiting period.

Fermented grass (commonly nettles and dandelions) and wood ash infusions are excellent fertilizers. A folk remedy recommended for feeding tomatoes is dried banana peel powder. This mixture contains high amounts of phosphorus and calcium, which tomatoes need during the fruiting period. The powder is incorporated into the soil around the plant.

Tomatoes are fertilized 4-5 times per season. Adherence to the recommended application rates for all fertilizers and compounds is essential.

Tomatoes should be watered infrequently but generously, taking weather conditions into account. Usually, watering once a week is sufficient (assuming there's rainfall); in dry summers, water 2-3 times a week, keeping the soil well-moistened.

The water should be warm, 22ºC (72ºF), and definitely settled. Even if you're getting water from a well, first collect it in barrels, let it settle, and warm up in the sun before watering. Avoid getting the leaves wet, as this can cause diseases. During rainy summers, inspect the plants regularly, removing any yellow or blackened leaves.

As a preventative measure against diseases, spraying with Bordeaux mixture, garlic infusion, onion peel, and also milk whey diluted in water is used.

Tomatoes are self-pollinating, so pollination is usually uncomplicated. However, high humidity and high temperatures (above 30ºC) can disrupt the process. Therefore, during the flowering period, gently shake the plants in the morning (around 10-11 a.m.) to promote pollination.

The fruits are picked when they reach technical maturity (for the Bud' Zdorov variety, the fruits turn light green). The tomatoes are then stored at home in baskets or boxes to ripen.