Characteristics and description of the tomato "Burraker's Favorites"

Surely, hunters of rare, collectible varieties have already savored the unrivaled taste of the "Burraker Favorites" tomato variety. Now it's the turn of those gardeners who also want to grow this unusual tomato variety, distinguished by its high yield, excellent flavor, and unique two-tone coloring. Meet the "Burraker Favorites"!

Characteristics of the variety

The Burracker's Favorite tomato was naturally bred by American scientists. The variety is named after the famous Burracker region—the picturesque foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. In the south, this tomato variety is grown in open fields. In the central part of Russia and Siberia, greenhouse cultivation is the preferred option.

The manufacturer claims the variety is mid-season, although experience among Russian gardeners suggests it's more of a mid-late variety, ripening 120 days after germination. The tomatoes reach biological maturity at 130-135 days.

Burraker's Favorites plants are indeterminate, meaning they grow continuously throughout the growing season. In open ground, the bushes reach heights of up to 1.5 meters, while in a greenhouse, they can exceed two meters. It is recommended to train the bushes into one or two trunks, tying the stems and fruit-laden branches to a sturdy support. The seedling planting pattern is three bushes per square meter. The bushes do not form a standard; regular side shoots are required. The trunk develops with 8-9 flower clusters, the first of which forms above the seventh leaf. Foliage is medium.

Each cluster produces 3-4 large, fleshy, weighty tomatoes, weighing between 300 and 600 grams. The tomatoes are round and slightly flattened.

The dense skin is resistant to cracking. When fully ripe, it has a bicolored color—golden yellow with jagged red stripes. This shade predominates in the flesh. The tomatoes are packed with a generous amount of sugary pulp. The flavor of Burraquer's favorites is excellent. They are very sweet, moderately watery, and have a small number of seeds. Tomatoes are primarily eaten fresh, as the juicy and sugary vegetables are simply irresistible. They are also used to make all kinds of sauces, tomato pastes, and juices. For canning, it's better to use other, smaller-fruited varieties.

In addition to its perfect taste and attractive appearance, the "Burraker Favorites" variety is also highly resistant to various tomato diseases. These tomato plants can easily withstand prolonged droughts, sudden cold snaps, weeks of rain, and lack of sun.

The variety also stands out for its high yield, which, however, varies greatly depending on growing conditions, fertilizing, and soil composition. On average, one square meter yields up to 10-11 kilograms of select tomatoes. However, this is far from the limit.

Advantages of the variety:

• large-fruited;
• tomatoes have a very pleasant taste with a fruity aftertaste;
• high resistance to diseases;
• tolerates bad weather well.

Disadvantages of the variety:

• requires constant tying to a support;
• bush formation and frequent pinching out of side shoots are necessary;
• Tall plants need to be fed frequently.

Features of cultivation

The cultivation techniques for the Burrakerskie Lyubimtsy tomato variety are quite traditional. Achieving a bountiful harvest begins with sowing small tomato seeds into seedlings. The seeds are sown in mid-March, taking into account the expected time for planting the tomatoes in their permanent location. It's important to remember that mature seedlings, capable of surviving transplantation without harm and quickly establishing themselves in their new environment, must be at least 65-70 days old. Planting younger seedlings runs the risk of the fragile, thin shoots failing to thrive in the new soil and being quickly frozen by the environment. Overgrown seedlings are also dangerous to plant – they will become diseased for a long time, stunting the growth of the bushes, and consequently, the harvest will be much later.

Before sowing, seeds must undergo a series of treatments to protect them from potential pests and improve germination. Seed treatment includes:

1. Soaking seeds in a manganese solution (then the seeds are washed and dried).
2. Treatment with a growth stimulator (if there are concerns about the quality of the seeds or their age).
3. Germination of seeds (seeds are placed in a damp cloth so that they germinate and the shoots appear in the ground a little faster).

A special soil is prepared for seedlings. The soil should consist of three components:

• peat – 2 parts;
• humus – 1 part;
• garden soil – 2 parts.

The soil mixture must be sterile. To achieve this, before planting, it is baked in an oven at 110-120 degrees Celsius and watered with a hot solution of potassium permanganate.

Soil is distributed among seedling containers, typically large seedling boxes. Seeds are sown in long rows spaced two centimeters apart. A 4-centimeter gap is left between rows. The seeds are planted 1 centimeter deep and covered with dry soil. After sowing, water (preferably using a spray bottle). Cover the seedling boxes with plastic or glass and place them in a sunny, warm spot. The first shoots will appear in 5-7 days.

Please note: sowing is done in moist soil.

The optimal conditions for seedling germination are:

1. The temperature is 23-25 ​​degrees Celsius during germination. It is then lowered to 18-20 degrees Celsius. After two weeks, the previous temperature is restored.
2. Lighting – at least 12-14 hours per day. If daylight hours are still short, seedlings need additional artificial lighting. Prolonged exposure to shade can cause excessive stretching and thinning of stems. Such seedlings will not produce good results in the future.
3. Humidity – ideally, keep the soil semi-moist, not allowing it to dry out too much. Creating a bog is also not recommended, as this will quickly encourage the growth of fungi. Regular ventilation is recommended, and watering should be done only with warm water from a spray bottle as the top layer of soil dries out.

Once the seedlings develop their first leaves, they are transplanted into individual containers. This will promote rapid growth of strong, healthy seedlings. A week after transplanting, the tomatoes are given their first feeding with a complex mineral fertilizer.

Planting in the ground

To make transplanting seedlings into the garden less painful, young plants should be prepared for the process—hardened off. Hardening off begins a couple of weeks before the big day. To do this, gradually lower the temperature in the room where the tomatoes are growing, bringing it back to the outdoor temperature. Every day, the seedlings are taken out to the veranda or balcony to acclimate the young shoots to the new environmental factors.

Tomatoes are planted in the greenhouse in early May. Prepare the soil for the beds in advance, adding a generous amount of humus or compost. Don't forget to add mineral components (such as superphosphate) to the soil. The holes for the seedlings are not too large, up to 25 centimeters in diameter and 15 centimeters deep. The distance between the holes is 50-60 centimeters. The distance between rows is 70 centimeters. It is recommended to plant no more than four plants per square meter. A staggered pattern is best for the beds. When planting, the seedlings are slightly buried to encourage additional root growth. After planting, do not water the bushes, leaving them undisturbed for 7-10 days.

If Burraker's favorites were planted in open ground, then until mid-June the plantings should be kept under temporary film cover.

Care

Burraker tomatoes are grown in Russia primarily in greenhouses, which create an ideal environment for the growth of strong, vigorous plants and the formation of numerous fruits. Caring for tall tomatoes in a greenhouse differs somewhat from caring for them in the open field. There are some nuances, and neglecting them can spoil the impression of the variety by producing poor-quality tomatoes.

Basic rules for caring for Burraker pets:

• When growing tomatoes in a greenhouse, it's essential to carefully monitor the temperature and humidity. A comfortable temperature is essential for proper plant development. Therefore, it's crucial to maintain a controlled temperature: 23-25°C during the day and 18-20°C at night. The optimal humidity is 55-65%.

High humidity is especially dangerous, as it can lead to the development of fungal diseases. This is the main drawback of growing vegetables in a greenhouse. However, optimal humidity can be achieved by regularly ventilating the beds. On hot days, the greenhouse doors and windows are opened to avoid excessively high temperatures, which can cause plants to shed their ovaries and their pollen to become sterile.

• During the first two weeks after planting tomatoes, avoid over-watering and fertilizing. Over-fertilizing can lead to over-fertilization, resulting in excessive foliage and elongated stems. This can delay flowering and fruit set. As a result, the harvest will be much later than expected.
• Tomatoes need to be watered infrequently but thoroughly. Water should be applied at the roots, avoiding contact with the stems and leaves. If the leaves are frequently wet, they will soon develop a harmful fungus that is impossible to eradicate. Wet leaves often rot, spoil, and turn yellow, which naturally impacts the overall health of the plant. Since moisture takes a long time to evaporate in a greenhouse, watering once a week is sufficient. You can determine when watering is needed by the soil moisture level—if it's already dry enough, it's time to water the plants.

The amount of watering should be increased during flowering and fruit formation.

Please note: for the first 7-9 days, tomato beds are not watered at all.

• Constantly moist soil quickly compacts, reducing its permeability. Water and air are poorly absorbed, stunting plant development. Excessively dry soil, which forms a crust on the surface, also leads to these consequences. This can be remedied by loosening the soil. This should be done after watering, using a tool (a hoe or a hoe) to break up any clumps of soil that form. Loosening immediately oxygenates the soil, and moisture quickly reaches the roots.
• To prevent the soil from drying out too often and to retain moisture for as long as possible, gardeners often resort to mulching. This method helps maintain the soil's moisture and temperature and prevents weed growth. Grass clippings or sawdust, which decompose and act as a natural fertilizer, can be used as mulch.
• Proper bush training can double yields. Burraker tomatoes are best trained with one or two stems. Training a single-stemmed bush is much easier, as all side shoots are removed, leaving only the central stem. When training a double-stemmed bush, one additional shoot is also left growing under the first flower cluster.

Side shoots should be removed regularly, breaking off 3-4 at a time, no more. Only shoots less than 5 centimeters long should be removed. The longer the side shoots, the more painful the removal process will be for the plant.

Side-children should be removed on a sunny day, in the morning, so that all the cut areas have time to dry by evening. Start with healthy bushes, then move on to less developed ones. This is done to prevent the spread of any potential disease from weak plants to stronger ones.

• Large, double flowers often appear on the first leaves, indicating that the plant is developing improperly. These flowers will subsequently produce poor-quality fruit. Furthermore, they hinder the plant's growth and development. Therefore, the flowers must be removed.
• Lower leaves, which block sunlight from reaching the soil, should also be removed. All damaged and yellowed leaves, as well as barren clusters, which serve no function but absorb the lion's share of the plant's nutrients, should also be removed. No more than 2-3 leaves should be removed per procedure. This procedure is performed once a week.

• The strong, sturdy bushes of Burraker's favorites require frequent feeding, adhering to the recommended fertilizing schedule. During the initial period, when the plant is rapidly growing and rapidly accumulating green mass, it requires a high dose of nitrogen, which is responsible for the lushness of the aboveground parts. Immediately after planting, the tomato beds are fertilized with mullein diluted with water or with Kemira Universal. During the period of abundant flowering and fruit formation, the plants are in dire need of mineral fertilizers containing potassium and phosphorus. During flowering, foliar feeding with boric acid is a good idea to prevent flower drop.

Fertilizing is combined with watering, since fertilizers falling on dry soil can cause the roots to “burn.”

To prevent late blight, bushes are treated with copper oxychloride or Bordeaux mixture.

• Tall varieties are usually grown to produce very large tomatoes. If this is your goal, remove excess flowers and ovaries. Yes, you'll produce fewer fruits, but they'll grow much larger, having benefited from the extra nutrition.

Fact: the fewer flowers on the brush, the larger the fruits will be.

• Burraker tomatoes require frequent staking. A trellis is best for this purpose. Stake not only the trunk but also the heavy branches. The bush should be wrapped around the support clockwise to prevent the stems from becoming bunched. When staking, keep in mind that the shoots are constantly growing, meaning they will become thicker. Therefore, avoid tying the branches tightly with rope.
• In open ground, tomatoes pollinate naturally. In a greenhouse, however, they require assistance. To do this, shake the branches with the blossoms and spray the air with water from a spray bottle.
• Pinching the tops of all the stems will help speed up the ripening of the mature fruits. This is done approximately 50 days before the final harvest. Then, gradually reduce watering and increase the dose of potassium fertilizer. In mid-September, the bushes are removed from the trellis and laid out on the ground.

Reviews

Alfia

"Burraker's Favorites" is a regular tomato in my garden. It boasts excellent flavor and a good yield. The fruits are yellow-red, colorful, beautiful, fleshy, and have few seeds. They are sweet, but we picked them unripe; I think the flavor deepened when they ripened (right on the vine).

The bushes grow very tall in the greenhouse—almost two meters. In the open ground, they're just over a meter tall. The bushes aren't very branched, so staking isn't a big deal. I trained the plants to have two trunks. Each bush produces a plethora of ovaries. They perform well both in open beds and in protected ground. Overall, this variety is a solid A.

Anastasia

One of my favorites. The tomatoes have a very unusual color. And their flavor is simply astounding—so juicy, sweet, practically sugary. Although, when overripe, they fall apart in salads. The vines are very strong. Each one bears 8-10 large tomatoes, weighing about 350 grams. However, the second flush of tomatoes is a bit smaller. They begin to bear fruit in mid-July and form fruit by the end of September. Our tomatoes don't keep very long, as the skins aren't very thick and the insides are very watery.

Daria

I planted this tomato variety two years in a row. I really liked it. It performs well even in our Siberian conditions. I grew it in a greenhouse, with the bushes 180 centimeters high. I tied it to a trellis and trained it into a single trunk. Each plant produces an average of 10 tomatoes. Mine is a mid-late variety; the first tomatoes only appeared in August. But this is understandable, as we don't get much sun here, so the growing season is very long for all crops. Fruiting is long and uneven. We picked the last fruits in October. The most valuable thing about this variety is its incredibly tasty tomatoes. I've never tasted anything like them before. These tomatoes will make any dish delicious. I will continue to plant this variety.

Lucia

Last year I tried planting this variety. The fruits are all large, weighing between 300 and 600 grams. They're very tasty, fleshy, and quite heavy. The plants are strong and vigorous, reaching a height of one and a half meters. I didn't fertilize them often, but apparently it was enough, as the harvest seemed good. The bushes weren't affected by any diseases, and no insects took hold. Overall, it's an easy-to-care-for, resilient variety. This year I planted the seeds again for seedlings.