Characteristics and description of the tomato "Ladyfingers"

Tomatoes with the elegant name "Ladyfingers" were developed long ago, but are still popular among gardeners. This tomato variety is worthy of attention and boasts numerous advantages that have made it so beloved by gardeners. Even if you haven't yet grown this tomato in your garden, you've probably at least heard of it.

The tomato received its beautiful name due to the unusual, compact and oblong shape of the fruits, which are neatly arranged on the branches of the bush in the form of small clusters, reminiscent of a lady's hand.

Growing areas

Any region of Russia is the best place to grow tomatoes. Ladyfingers are common throughout the Russian Federation. They are especially popular for cultivation in the Moscow, Yaroslavl, Pskov, Ryazan, and Vladimir regions, as well as in the Krasnodar Territory.

Ladyfingers thrive in full sun and therefore thrive in the west and south. Gardeners in the southern regions of the country have a particular advantage in growing this tomato variety—in these areas, it's permissible not to pinch off the side shoots at all, as in the southern climate, the variety can bear the full weight of the harvest on its own.

General description of the variety and its characteristics

The Damskie Fingers tomato was developed by breeders back in the 20th century. It has stood the test of time and is still a favorite among gardeners. This tomato variety thrives and produces equally good fruit both in a greenhouse and outdoors in the open ground. However, in a greenhouse, tomato plants can grow much taller and require additional attention and care, including staking. Nevertheless, the variety itself is extremely easy to grow.

When considering the positive and negative qualities of the Damskie Fingers tomato variety, it's best to first study the variety's basic characteristics and then identify the pros and cons based on those.

So, the characteristics of the variety:

• early-ripening variety – the first harvest can be collected already in June, and the period between the first tomato shoots and the full ripeness of the fruit is about 100-110 days;
• non-hybrid tomato variety;
• determinate variety;
• a small tomato bush - in open ground it grows up to 0.6 meters, and in a greenhouse it will grow twice as big;
• successfully tolerates both bad rainy weather and drought;
• It is surprising that the tomato does not particularly like wet soil - it is recommended to water it no more than 2-3 times a week;
• cold-resistant species;
• On average, you can get 6-8 fruits from one tomato brush;
• It is not necessary to propagate the plant by cuttings;
• the fruits are red, small and compact, slightly elongated, weighing up to 100 grams;
• the yield per bush is more than 1 kg, and in greenhouse conditions the figure increases by 2-5 times;
• tomatoes do not crack;
• the fruits ripen equally well both on the bushes and when picked unripe;
• can be easily transported over long distances;
• keeps well, especially in a cool place – up to 4 months;
• the taste is sweet, with a slight acidity;
• Tomatoes of this variety are fleshy, glossy, with a small number of seeds;
• The length of tomatoes is 5-10 cm.

Some of the disadvantages of this variety include the following:

• the variety is not suitable for making juices;
• requires a lot of sun and, accordingly, a truly large harvest can be achieved mainly in the southern regions of the country.

The basic order of growing tomatoes

The best time to sow seeds is around March 20th. There are two ways to sow seeds for seedlings:

1.           In a container for sprouting at home.
2.           Immediately into open ground.

In the second case, it's important to ensure the soil is warm at this time, approximately 21 degrees Celsius or higher. Otherwise, the seeds will die in the cold and won't germinate. Therefore, outdoor sowing is best done in warmer southern regions.

The Damskie dlya tomato variety thrives in neutral, oxygen-rich soil. The soil can be purchased at the store and must be treated with an additional antibacterial and antifungal agent.

Plant the seeds at a depth of 1 cm. As soon as the first seedlings sprout, water them regularly and loosen the soil to saturate it with oxygen. If the seedlings were grown indoors in special containers, they should be transplanted into the garden when the weather warms. Plant up to 8 tomato plants per square meter. Before planting, it is recommended to soak the soil with boiling water and fertilize it with mineral fertilizer.

Tomato diseases

The Damskie Fingers variety has moderate resistance to diseases and various pests. However, Damskie Fingers is particularly susceptible to mosaic.

This disease can spread both outdoors and in greenhouses. If one bush is infected, it must be immediately removed from the garden bed and burned to prevent infection of other plants.

Mosaic can be identified by changes in the color of tomato leaves, their shape (they curl and wrinkle), and the appearance of brown, brown, and yellow-orange spots on the fruit. The plant itself begins to look very sickly. This disease can lead to the loss of the entire crop.

Important! Never leave diseased plants or parts of them near healthy bushes. Mosaic bacteria can quickly reach them and infect them.

To avoid this problem, it's important to ensure the health and safety of your plants even before planting. Choose large, healthy tomato seeds. To prevent this, thoroughly treat them with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, then rinse off any remaining potassium under running water. Potassium diluted in water also works well for this purpose.

Moreover, this can protect mature plants. Once you've removed the diseased bush from the garden bed, the remaining plants should be treated with the above solutions using a spray bottle.

What dishes to use in

Small Ladyfingers tomatoes are very convenient and efficient for canning whole. Large quantities of them will fit tightly into any jar and can be used for preserving assorted vegetables.

In processed form, the "fingers" also proved themselves to be good and are perfect for preparing dressings for borscht, stews, tomato paste, as well as ketchups and sauces.

Fresh tomatoes are also very tasty and fleshy, making them suitable for salads. However, due to their fleshiness, they are not suitable for making tomato juice.

Reviews

Daria Igorevna, 31 years old, Astrakhan

I liked the variety; it's very good. I planted it in the garden. At first, the Damskie Fingers proved slow-witted, but then they quickly began to set ovaries and produce fruit. Incidentally, there were plenty of fruit, very tasty and fleshy.

Maria Rodionovna, 39 years old, Volgograd region

A very interesting and unusual tomato variety. I was lucky with the yield; maybe the soil was good. I harvested a lot of tomatoes last year. Damskie dłuchiki differ from the usual round tomatoes in taste and shelf life. They don't dent when cut. I didn't really like them fresh, but they're perfect for preserves and canning.