Tomato Firebird: variety characteristics, cultivation features, photo

The Zhar Ptitsa tomato is a Siberian-bred variety, one of many successful cold-hardy hybrids, distinguished by excellent yields and a pleasant flavor. Despite its hybrid origins, the orange fruits have excellent vitamin content and are recommended for dietary use due to their hypoallergenic properties and high beta-carotene content.

The Zhar Ptitsa tomato is another excellent example from the SeDeK agrofirm, which enjoys a deservedly high reputation not only in Russia but also abroad. This variety is listed in the Russian State Register and is recommended for cultivation under plastic covers and in greenhouses. It can be grown in southern regions and in open ground. Low-growing (maximum 90 cm), it requires staking and pinching, but with proper cultivation practices, it produces up to seven clusters, each bearing five to seven ripening fruits, sometimes weighing up to 250 g. The standard weight for tomatoes is 120-130 g.

Characteristics and description of the variety, yield

Farmers consistently praise the variety's commercial qualities and grow Zhar Ptitsa not only because the hybrid is resistant to almost all tomato diseases. Despite its relatively short stature, the bush grows spreading and vigorous, bearing glossy, golden-orange fruits on clusters. According to gardeners, the fruits harvested from the bush have excellent marketability.

Glossy, almost always flawless skin that resists cracking, a dominant color, and beneficial properties all speak in favor of this variety. The tomatoes ripen quite early (the variety is considered early-ripening). They are harvested almost simultaneously, separate easily from the stem, and, when picked at technical ripeness, have a pale green color.

Fact!A single cluster may contain both ripe and unripe fruits, which are also picked if long-term transportation or storage is required. Once fully ripe, the hybrid retains neither its flavor nor the nutritional value that makes it so sought after.

When growing tomatoes for profit, the yield is up to 95%, taking into account all costs. Tomatoes can be picked from the vine with the stems still attached, which reduces the amount of storage space needed for the product, but increases shelf life, preserves flavor, and maintains a fresh, attractive appearance for longer. This variety is primarily intended for fresh consumption, but the small fruits are also used for canning and pickling.

The variety has received a long list of positive reviews from domestic gardeners and those in neighboring countries. This led to its inclusion in the State Register of Tomato Varieties approved for cultivation in the Central Russian region, areas with unfavorable conditions for greenhouse and plastic shelter cultivation, and for open-ground planting in the south. The bush is formed into 1-2 stems; side shoots and some foliage should be removed to increase fruiting.

Domestic gardeners prefer a double-stemmed plant when growing in greenhouses, considering staking essential to keep the stems intact and prevent fruit from remaining on the ground. Seedlings mature quickly (55-60 days). In unprotected soil, the bush grows low but strong, spreading, with green foliage. It requires pinching and produces fruit for a long time.

The tomato is intended for fresh consumption, heat treatment and canning, and for the preparation of healing juice for the winter, used for dietary therapy.

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

The need for pinching, removing side shoots, and careful staking shouldn't be seen as a drawback of a particular tomato variety. This characteristic is common to almost all varieties with spreading branches and massive foliage, even those classified as determinate.

The Firebird has many more advantages than any hypothetical disadvantages:

• in the greenhouse there is always an excellent yield of up to 13.5 kg per square meter;
• does not require additional manipulations and is easy to care for;
• stress resistance, sensitivity to cold and rainy climates;
• like any hybrid, it is resistant to common tomato diseases;
• fruits not only for general use, but also for medicinal and dietary purposes;
• excellent shelf life;
• the ability to maintain marketable appearance and freshness during long-term transportation;
• the possibility of gradual harvesting: ripe tomatoes, together with fruits of technical ripeness;
• original taste and few seeds;
• absence of greenish spots and defects on the stalk;
• The variety is tolerant of scanty watering.

Features of growing and caring for the variety, timing of planting seedlings

If grown year-round in a greenhouse, the time for planting seedlings is determined by the fruiting of the previous plants. For open ground, seedlings should be planted 50-60 days in advance. The planting date can be determined by calculating climatic conditions and a lunar calendar specific to the growing region. The conditions applicable to all varietal tomatoes also apply to the orange-golden "Firebird."

Seedlings need to be pricked out if the seeds were planted in large containers. If the seeds were planted in individual containers (cups, plastic bags, or pots), pricking out can be avoided. Experts recommend moderate watering and root mulching to avoid excess moisture and conserve water in the soil. Seedlings need to be hardened off before planting; 5-6 plants per square meter are recommended.

The plant is not tall and produces fruit easily even when crowded. The tomatoes are harvested as they ripen, once they have turned yellow. If the fruits are intended for sale, they can be harvested even when they are technically ripe.

Interesting! For feeding, it's best to use folk remedies, as this variety is considered a dietary one. There are proven methods for accelerating crop growth, such as a 24-hour infusion of an aqueous solution of ash, iodine, and boric acid (a bottle of iodine, 10 g of boric acid, and about 1 kg of ash per 10 liters of warm water). This is one of the popular, highly effective folk growth stimulants.

Fertilize the Firebird variety according to the standard scheme:

• at the seedling stage - when the first leaves appear, to gain vegetative mass;
• by improving the holes when planting in the ground;
• during flowering and ovary formation;
• after collecting the first harvest from the bush.

For reference!The seed producer is the Russian company SeDeK, which enjoys a well-deserved reputation. They carefully monitor their products and release them in proprietary packaging. Each packet may contain a different number of seeds, and the quantity should be calculated based on the area where the tomatoes will be planted.

Reviews from gardeners:

Vladimir Petrovich, 46 years old. Leningrad region:

An excellent Russian variety. We can grow it whenever we want!! I'll plant it again this year.

Oksana, 32 years old. Ryazan:

The greenhouse produced quite a few tomatoes per square meter, but not a single plant withered, and the harvest was good. The tomatoes were delicious, everyone loved them.

Alexander, 39 years old. Suzdal:

I recommend it to anyone who appreciates good varieties. We don't advertise domestic varieties much, but "Zhar Ptitsa" requires little effort and produces a decent yield. It's also a popular choice, mostly for medicinal purposes.