Characteristics and description of the tomato "Doctor Vitch"

Tomatoes

Many gardeners, sated with the flavors of domestic tomatoes, are looking to acquire rarer and more exotic varieties. One such variety is the old American heirloom variety "Dr. Witch." In its native land, it has proven itself to be a top performer: it produces huge, half-kilogram fruits, is virtually disease-free, and thrives in cool conditions.

In our country, these indicators are no worse.

Characteristics of the variety

The American tomato Dr. Wyche's is a rare variety for our country. It is characterized by vigorous growth, reaching 180-200 centimeters in height. The indentation features rare, simple, dark green foliage. It is adorned with dozens of clusters laden with enormous, fleshy fruits. Training the bush into 2-3 stems and staking it to a secure support are essential.

Dr. Wich is recommended for greenhouse cultivation. Fruit ripening occurs 110 days after the first shoots emerge.

The fruits are flattened, flattened, and irregularly shaped. They are very heavy, weighing up to 500 grams. The skin is smooth, shiny, and bright orange. The flesh is loose, oily, and very sweet due to its high sugar content. There are few seeds.

This variety is characterized by high yields. A single bush can yield up to 12 kilograms of delicious, high-quality tomatoes. These tomatoes are excellent for fresh consumption, but they also make excellent juices and tomato products.

Advantages of the variety

huge fruits;
high content of carotene;
long fruiting period;
rare, elite variety;
high-yielding.

Cons

the fruits do not have a long shelf life;
require constant tying and strong support, as the weight is very massive.

Features of cultivation

Growing this tomato variety is no different from other varieties. Sow the seeds in March so that the seedlings are approximately 55-60 days old by the time they're planted in their permanent location. The soil mixture for the seedlings should consist of garden soil, humus, and peat. Superphosphate, potassium sulfate, and urea are also added to this mixture.

Sow Doctor Vich in seedling boxes or directly into individual peat pots. When the seedlings have developed one or two leaves, they are transplanted into individual containers (they are pricked out). From this point on, intensive growth begins. The bushes grow upward at a rate of a couple of centimeters per day. By the time they are planted in the ground, the plants will reach a height of 30-40 centimeters.

Tip: Prepare a spacious container for each seedling. Instead of growing small tomatoes in 200-gram containers, plant fewer rootstocks in 10-liter pots. Focus on quality, not quantity.

During the seedling development period, regular fertilizing is necessary. The seedlings are first fed after transplanting. You can initially add organic matter (compost mixed with water). Then, after 10 days, the bushes are fed a second time with a mixture of urea, superphosphate, potassium sulfate, and water.

Planting in the ground

By the time the seedlings are transplanted into the greenhouse, each bush will have up to 10 true leaves and at least one flower cluster. Outdoors, it will be early May.

Prepare the soil for tomatoes in advance, preferably in the fall. Add humus, peat, or compost when digging. In the spring, dig the soil and level it, then make the beds.

Tall tomatoes require a lot of fertilizer to support their vigorous, branched growth, reaching nearly two meters. Therefore, even before planting, nitrogen fertilizers should be added, as well as minerals such as potassium and phosphorus. If the soil is too compact, river sand can be added to make the soil more porous.

Note: You can plant green manure (rye or mustard) in the tomato soil beforehand. Their remains will enrich the soil with nutrients.

Indents need to be planted correctly to ensure that the bushes don't shade each other and are well-ventilated. Therefore, leave approximately 40-50 centimeters between the holes. And 60-70 centimeters of soil between the rows.

Tip: It's best to plant tomatoes in a checkerboard pattern so they receive even light.

Care

Of course, caring for an indent tomato is much more challenging than, say, a medium-sized tomato. Its large vegetative mass and abundant harvest require intensive care. However, it's worth the effort to ultimately yield an excellent harvest of tomatoes rare in our country with such intelligent roots as Doctor Vich.

Growing Doctor Vich in a greenhouse is the most advantageous option. It takes up little space, grows healthier, and produces many times more fruit. Furthermore, the variety's tall bushes grow upward, keeping the area under them dry and the leaves off the ground, reducing the risk of fungal diseases. Rodents and insect pests also can't reach the tasty leaves, as they're high above the ground.

Watering

Water the bushes only at the roots to keep the leaves and stems dry. The water should be warm and preferably settled.

For Dr. Wich, regular watering is important. The less water reaches the roots, the smaller the fruits will be, and they will crack during ripening. To maintain the water balance, it's best to mulch the bed. Straw or dried grass mulch will retain moisture in the soil longer and prevent the roots from getting too warm.

Fact: The soil under the bushes should be constantly moderately moist, but not waterlogged, as fungal diseases develop quickly in such an environment.

If the plant was removed from its seedling container during transplantation, the rhizome was likely damaged. Therefore, frequent but moderate watering is especially important for such plants to help them recover more quickly to their new surroundings. If the roots were not disturbed during transport, one post-planting watering every few days is sufficient.

Important: Plants that received a lot of water during the growing season have well-developed roots that will easily tolerate dry, hot weather later.

The older the plants, the more water they require. Watering should be especially careful during flowering and fruit ripening.

Formation

Dr. Wich requires shaping, otherwise the bushes will grow into a single dense shrub and the yield will drop. This variety is best trained into two or three stems. To do this, remove all side shoots, leaving only the two lower ones, located above the top leaf. These will grow, acting as stems.

Please note: many novice gardeners often make the mistake of leaving all the flowers on, thinking this will result in more fruit. However, the more tomatoes ripen, the smaller they will be. Therefore, when growing indenta, consider whether you prioritize size or quantity.

In August, plant growth usually ceases. To ensure all the energy is expended on ripening the fruit, it's best to pinch off the top of the plant, thereby halting its growth.

Garter

Dr. Wich requires constant tying and additional supports, as the stems break off quite quickly from the weight of the branches on which 400-500-gram tomatoes are formed.

If you're using a trellis, it's best to plant the bushes closer to the edge of the bed, with the cross support placed in the center. A strong thread is stretched between the stakes, 30 centimeters above the ground. As the plant grows, add another layer, and so on.

Tip: When tying each bush, make sure the rope doesn't pinch the branches or stems. Otherwise, nutrients won't flow through them.

Top dressing

Like all other varieties, Dr. Witch tomatoes require fertilization at least three times per season. Organic infusions (mullein, chicken manure) and mineral fertilizers should be regularly applied.

The first feeding is done a couple of weeks after planting the seedlings in the garden bed, when the first flower clusters bloom. Superphosphate is added to the organic fertilizer.

Advice: it is better to use complex fertilizers, which can be purchased at the store.

During the formation of the first fruits, a second feeding with the same composition is carried out.

Plants are also fed a third time – during the first harvest (increasing the concentration of fertilizers).

If the bushes grow well but bloom poorly, this means that the plants are receiving too much nitrogen, so it should be avoided, giving preference to phosphorus-based compounds.

Advice: all fertilizing should be combined with watering and mulching.

Reviews

Mark

I planted them for the first time last season and absolutely loved them. I also planted three other rare varieties. The Doctor Wich tomatoes were the most prolific and largest. They ripened in July. The fruits appeared all at once, the ovaries, by the way, formed very large, and the entire bush bloomed beautifully. The tomatoes produced fruit right up until the frost. The fruits are delicious, huge and sweet. The only drawback for me was their poor shelf life: they quickly soured, so you need to eat them right away.

Galina

I tried planting this variety. I wasn't very happy with it. I don't like irregularly shaped tomatoes. Mine never turned out evenly smooth; the surface was kind of ribbed. But the quality of the tomatoes was quite decent. We picked a lot from the bush: each bunch had about 15 tomatoes—a beautiful sight, indeed.

Lyudmila

My daughter lives in America. They've been growing this variety there for many years. These tomatoes are very popular in the US, as they're a classic for them. They always have excellent harvests of the Doctor Witch variety. My daughter always mulches her tomato beds with straw or wood chips, so they rarely water. The flavor is truly amazing; I've tried them. Very juicy and crispy. They're great in sauces, lecho, and soups. However, when sliced, they don't look very appealing.