Tomato Zhavoronok: variety characteristics, description, reviews, photos

The New Year's gardening season can be considered open. Gardeners are planting seedlings, especially the seeds of ultra-early tomatoes. The early-ripening, mid-sized hybrid Zhavoronok is one such variety.

The Zhavoronok tomato variety attracts many gardeners with its high yield. It is considered a hybrid crop and is a resilient and undemanding variety. Zhavoronok bushes do not exceed 80-85 centimeters and require staking and side-shooting. This hybrid is highly resistant to vegetable diseases and produces fruit at any temperature.

These are round, bright red fruits, slightly flattened at the base. They are very easy to transport, as they are not prone to cracking. They are used for fresh consumption, salads, and canning for the winter. Zhavoronok tomatoes are fleshy, sweet in flavor, and uniform in texture. They weigh no more than 120 grams.

A harvest of about 12 kilograms of tomatoes is collected from 1 square meter.

Features of cultivation

Seedlings are planted in the traditional manner for early-ripening tomatoes. The planting time is calculated approximately 60 days before planting outdoors. Experts recommend no more than five plants per square meter. This is because Zhavoronok bushes have a very spreading structure.

In the future, daily care for the tomato Lark consists of:

• abundant but reasonable watering;
• top dressing with complex mineral fertilizers;
• preventive measures of protection.

Why you should choose this hybrid

Breeders have long understood that hybrids are much more resilient to weather conditions and temperature fluctuations than their non-hybrid counterparts. Therefore, when creating a hybrid, they select the best qualities for the tomato. The Zhavoronok hybrid boasts the following qualities:

• its yield is significantly higher than that of early-ripening non-hybrid varieties, it exceeds them by 1.5-2 times;
• Due to the presence of heterosis, Lark is less prone to diseases and pest attacks;
• The fruits of the Zhavoronok tomato ripen evenly, which allows you to plan the harvest and further use;
• The hybrid is easily transported and can be stored for a long time when ripe.

Features of planting and caring for seedlings

Initially, provide maximum light and a temperature no higher than 16 degrees Celsius. No watering is necessary during this time, with the exception of watering before planting the seeds.

Once the stem has rooted and strengthened, increase the temperature to 25 degrees Celsius. Maintain maximum lighting. If necessary, add artificial light.

Water the Zhavoronok tomato only after the soil in the container has completely dried out. However, the seedlings should not be allowed to wilt. The best fertilizer for the Zhavoronok hybrid is a ready-made complex fertilizer, but in a weaker concentration. The feeding schedule should be adjusted to the appearance of the first leaves. The interval between subsequent feedings should not exceed two weeks.

Before planting outdoors, seedlings must be hardened off. This should be done two weeks before planting.

Growing the Zhavoronok tomato in open ground

To ensure optimal growing conditions, ensure an open, well-lit area and mulch the soil regularly.

Water the Zhavoronka in the morning. The water should be warm. This procedure is carried out weekly during the growing season until fruit set. Then, the watering period is increased to every two weeks. Naturally, weather conditions may affect the watering.

Fertilizing this variety is necessary several times per season; optimally, fertilizing is 3-4 times. Zhavoronok responds well to ready-made mineral fertilizers. Dilution and use instructions are provided on the store packaging.

Side-sonning is only performed if shoots appear below the first flower cluster. Otherwise, the Lark grows well without side-sonning.

Please note! The Zhavoronok hybrid is not suitable for cultivation in northern regions, as the fruit ripening period is very long.

Disease prevention

Hybrid seeds are pre-treated before sale, but don't neglect to soak them before planting. A weak solution of potassium permanganate is suitable for this purpose.

A good preventative measure against plant infestations is spraying with a garlic or nut solution. This procedure is performed when side shoots are forming. The solution is quite easy to prepare. Simply soak crushed nuts or garlic cloves in water overnight. Then strain the solution. It is ready for use. Spray the bushes once every two weeks.

Spraying the Zhavoronok tomato with a weak solution of boric acid will protect your plant not only from late blight, but also from most garden pests.

Dissolving regular baker's yeast in a bucket of water will create a plant disinfectant solution. It will also stimulate growth and yield.

An iodine solution will prevent the hybrid from being attacked by garden pests.

If your plant has been infected with late blight from diseased soil, treat it with diluted kefir or whey. In the future, pay attention to crop rotation and treat the soil at the end of the season to kill late blight.

The nuances of crop rotation

Under no circumstances should you plant tomatoes, especially early Lark, in beds previously occupied by cabbage, carrots, or beans. Avoid this if the bed was occupied by other nightshade crops last season.

Green manure is a term commonly used to describe green manures that can be used year-round between plantings of main vegetables. The most common green manure crops include oats, lupines, mouse peas, rapeseed, rye, mustard, and phacelia.

The choice of green manure is determined by the lack of microelements in the soil:

• Clover replaces nitrogen fertilizers;
• Lupine successfully compensates for the lack of phosphorus;
• Oat rye suppresses weed growth quite strongly.

Gardeners' reviews of the "Lark" variety

Elena, 42 years old. Kaluga:

I decided to grow Zhavoronok outdoors. We only visit the garden on weekends. Nothing stopped us from growing a wonderful harvest.

Boris, 54 years old. Crimea:

I hate messing with seedlings. Lark is my kind.

Oksana, 31 years old. Kazan:

I grew the seedlings as usual. But I was stingy when planting them in open ground. The Zhavoronok bushes looked like a solid field of tomatoes. But the harvest was still a pleasant surprise.

Nikolay, 56 years old. Samara:

I've been growing tomatoes for over twenty years. I prefer easy-to-grow, early-ripening varieties, including 'Zhavoronok.' I really like the fact that the tomatoes set fruit and ripen in any weather.