Tomato Sprut: variety description, reviews, photos

There are tomato bushes, and most varieties are represented by them. Medium, tall, even short. People regularly grow these bushes. But the Octopus tomato tree looks completely different. It also requires different growing conditions.

Characteristics of the variety

Those wishing to grow a real Sprut f1 tomato tree must first acquire a hydroponic system. It does not thrive in open ground, a vegetable garden, or a simple greenhouse. Hydroponics will ensure the tree is completely safe from various pests and diseases that often attack trees less than 1.5 years old. Yes, growing such a miracle—a real, tall, spreading tomato tree producing dozens of small, neat, bright red fruits—is a lot of work.

Anyone interested in growing this tomato variety should carefully study the care requirements, tree placement, look at photos, and preferably speak with experienced gardeners. Tomato trees, especially when mature, resemble fantastical plants. Tall and spreading, the tomatoes resemble red grapes.

The Octopus Cherry variety produces small, neat, red fruits. The bushes are genetically predisposed to rapid growth followed by branching. Therefore, the tree requires constant care, nutrition, and good lighting. Otherwise, Octopus tomatoes will not grow into a full-fledged, large tree.

What will be required?

Trees can't be grown in open ground, as they require a heated location year-round. Unfortunately, they're unlikely to survive the winter without protection. A spacious, tall location is suitable. polycarbonate greenhouse with heating installed, where it is warm, not hot.

Access to 5-6 hours of full sunlight is essential, otherwise the tomatoes will remain unripe.

The soil should have a pH level of 5.5, maximum 6.8, fertile, well-drained, and still rich in organic matter.

Due to careful attention to watering, many gardeners who care for this miracle tree note uneven water absorption by the tree, which then causes various problems, such as leaf fall or trunk cracking and rotting.

Those who have been growing Octopus for a long time and have planted it also recommend using proper seed boxes rather than small portable containers. First, choose a sunny spot in your garden. Then prepare the soil, loosen it, and then add compost and organic fertilizer. This is the future seedbed. To ensure the soil warms up better, cover it with regular plastic sheeting for 2-3 days.

Octopus plum f1 is considered to be more resistant to unpleasant rotting.

Tomato seeds The seeds will germinate in about 7-14 days if the outdoor temperature remains at 21 degrees Celsius. Make sure the soil remains moist, but excess moisture often leads to the rapid development of various diseases. Be careful, protect the seedlings from unexpected frosts, cold winds, and drafts. Inspect the seedlings frequently, identifying the beginnings of disease early on, as any infection can easily destroy immature plants.

Sprut tomatoes are truly unique. The appearance of the bushes, more like a tree, the arrangement of the fruits, and their shape. The tomatoes are beautiful, oval, and the tree is simply beautiful.

Care Features

Seedlings require generous watering during the first few days of the growing season (approximately 5 cm deep, every week during summer). Cover the soil with a layer of compost and mulch regularly for the four weeks after planting. The plants should be well established. Of course, growing any plant requires care and attention; it's not for nothing that a gardener's work is called "labor" and the harvest is "the fruits of labor."

If drought is expected, gather several flat stones and place them near each seedling. The stones act as natural water reservoirs, preventing evaporation into the atmosphere. Remember, the soil beneath a stone left in place for a long time will always be slightly damp. This measure will yield large, ripe fruits and an excellent harvest.

Is the tomato tree a myth?

Those who first saw the "Sprut Plum" tomato in various photographs or videos often asked if it was a myth. A large, tall, and spreading tree adorns the greenhouse, creating a completely unrealistic impression. Several thin stems are visible growing from below, while everything else, including the fruits and branches, is above, supported by a special metal structure. Is it possible to grow such beauty? Moreover, ripe tomatoes are clearly visible from below, forming clusters, just like grapes.

Most gardeners who grow tomato trees give positive reviews. It's true. The miracles of breeding. Of course, to see such a miracle in your own garden, you have to put in the effort.
Problems in growing

Rotting

Rot is considered one of the most common and annoying problems during the growing and ripening of tomatoes. It spreads more often in damp, humid weather, then quickly spreads throughout the plant, "eating" it. The plant begins to die, and the fruit becomes damaged. Symptoms are quite noticeable, and rot is easily identified by its characteristic brown spots. Rot is more common in tomatoes grown outdoors than in greenhouses. To prevent it, thoroughly spray your tree with a special solution at the beginning of summer. Inspect it periodically thereafter.

Most problems stem from improper, uneven watering. If dark spots are visible at the base of the fruit, it means the plant was grown indoors and was underwatered. The solution is regular, even watering, directed at the roots. However, watering amounts should also be monitored. Excess watering can have negative consequences.

Pests and insects

They attack every type of fruit or vegetable. These insects not only damage leaves and fruits but also often carry various infections. Therefore, apply insecticides as soon as you notice the slightest signs of pest infestation. Spraying is also necessary as a preventative measure. The most common pests are caterpillars, which are attracted to succulent leaves and tasty fruits. Controlling them is often long and arduous, especially for larger trees.

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Aphids are also a problem. To get rid of them, try sprinkling the affected leaves with cold water (this is often sufficient). You can also make a soap mixture of soap, cayenne pepper, and water. This is quite effective and repellent to insects. Apply the mixture to the leaves and twigs by hand.

The only way to combat caterpillars is to harvest them. You can plant dill next to the tomato plant to prevent them from reappearing. Carefully collect any existing ones. It's certainly unpleasant, but an experienced gardener no longer fears the insects.

Leaves

Sometimes the leaves on a bush turn yellow, even in summer. If just one leaf remains yellow, it's not a big deal, but more often the yellowing spreads quickly, like an infection. Carefully inspect all affected leaves. If the yellowing starts with older leaves and then spreads, it's possible it's not a virus eating them, but a magnesium deficiency. The problem isn't serious and won't harm the plant's vitality or health. To quickly resolve it, use a special fertilizer containing magnesium.

Leaves curling up—this could be a natural reaction, the plant's response to low temperatures, or the presence of aphids. If the cause is an insect, the aphid is usually inside a twisted cocoon, has gathered the leaf around itself, twisting it, and slowly eating it. Sometimes, there are no aphids nearby, but the leaves themselves appear damaged, and the pest's work is visible.

When strange mosaic patterns, sometimes stripes or bulging areas, appear on the leaves, the tomatoes may be suffering from a virus. Remove all damaged leaves; they are beyond repair. When removing, proceed carefully, avoiding contact with undamaged leaves or fruit. After the "operation," thoroughly disinfect tools and wash your hands with hot, soapy water, otherwise you may unwittingly transmit the infection. Unfortunately, plants can also become ill, even with cancer.

Tree diseases

Blogs by various greenhouse owners describe diseases and other problems they've encountered. This shared experience helps others. Forum members maintain regular contact, providing access to helpful tips and the opportunity to discuss harvests, fertilizing, and care. For example, in addition to harmful insects and strange leaf lesions, there are other tomato diseases. The most terrifying, a true scourge of gardeners, is late blight.

Myself late blight – a fungal disease that often attacks fruit. Its symptoms are immediately visible – brown spots appear on the plant's leaves or stems.

There are special insecticides against the disease, preventative treatment of the plant and regular inspections are required.

Harvesting

When should you harvest greenhouse tomatoes? As they ripen, of course. But gardeners have a little trick. To get more ripe tomatoes from a vine, start picking them as soon as they begin to redden (or even turn brown). They may seem unripe, but simply leaving them on a sunny windowsill for 1.5-2 weeks will ripen them easily. They'll taste and look like their vine-ripened counterparts.

A common sign of ripeness is the bright color and firmness of the fruit. The color of the Octopus gradually changes from a normal green to light pink, sometimes yellow. Other precise signs vary among varieties, but most are determined by the firmness of the fruit and the brightness of the color (no matter what the color). It's safest to store harvested tomatoes at room temperature, normal temperatures, or in a room. Low temperatures can easily cause spoilage.

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There's no need to remove side shoots from the Octopus, and don't touch the lateral shoots either, as you're aiming for a large, spreading tree. However, to ensure it grows tall and strong, feed it with mineral fertilizers containing ammonium nitrate, potassium nitrate, or simple superphosphate. The plant also requires copper sulfate, zinc and magnesium, and boric acid. Feed the prepared nutrient solution approximately every 5-7 days.