"A Basin of Tomatoes Every Morning". What kind of Belarusian variety "Zorka" is so praised
"They breed like rabbits," is how a Belarusian woman described the harvest of "Zorka" tomatoes. According to her, the bushes hardly received normal care: they endured heat and lack of water, encountered late blight, but continued to bear fruit. We tell you what kind of variety it is and what you can really expect from it.
"I fell for the advertisement and bought 'Zorka' tomato seeds. Belarusian selection, supposedly they don't get sick, don't need pinching, don't dry out — that's what was promised. So what can I say. They breed like bunnies — I no longer know which jars to put those tomatoes in. My relative, with whom I shared the seedlings, is also suffering — a basin of tomatoes every morning! The tomatoes are very tasty, genuine, no green core, just tomato flesh," wrote one of the gardeners on her Instagram.
Behind the emotional review stands a completely real Belarusian variety — and far from new. "Zorka" belongs to early-ripening tomatoes: about 103-105 days pass from the emergence of sprouts to the beginning of fruiting. It can be grown both in open ground and under cover.
The variety is determinate, which means that the growth of the bush is limited. According to the description, the plant is compact and reaches a height of 50-60 cm. This is convenient for small plots and low greenhouses, and caring for such a bush is easier than for tall tomatoes.
A small bush size does not mean a small harvest. "Zorka" is capable of forming many fruit clusters. How many kilograms can be harvested, of course, depends on the weather and care.
A compact bush does not mean that it can be completely forgotten. Determinate tomatoes also form side shoots, so depending on the growing method, "Zorka" may require pinching. And if many fruits are set — staking may be needed so that the branches do not lie on the ground under their weight.
Why You Can Love "Zorka"
The "Zorka" tomatoes themselves are about 80-100 grams, round-flattened, and intensely red when ripe.
They have one feature that the author of the post also noticed: a ripe tomato does not have a hard greenish part near the stem, which has to be cut out during processing.
The taste of "Zorka" in variety descriptions is rated at 4.8-5 points out of five. The fruits are meaty and juicy, with a balance of sweetness and tartness.
The size is also quite versatile: these are not giant tomatoes that have to be cut into several pieces, nor are they tiny cherry tomatoes. They can be eaten fresh, used for sauces and juice, and also canned whole. So the problem, "which jars to put them in," can indeed become relevant in the event of a good harvest.
What about Late Blight?
Here, one should treat advertising promises with more caution.
"Zorka" is indeed called relatively resistant to late blight. But one of the reasons for this is its early maturity. The variety can manage to form a significant part of the harvest before particularly favorable conditions for the mass development of late blight are created in the second half of summer.
Therefore, one should not expect miracles from it. Watering, feeding, disease protection, and normal growing conditions affect "Zorka" just like other tomatoes.
Seedlings are planted after the danger of frost has passed, in a sunny spot. Tomatoes love fertile, well-drained soil and do not like stagnant water. It is better to water at the root, without wetting the leaves.
At the same time, the compact bush and early ripening make "Zorka" a fairly convenient option for those who do not want to turn tomato cultivation into a separate full-time summer job.
The variety itself is not an F1 hybrid, but a true-to-type variety. For a gardener, this means another practical thing: you can harvest your own seeds from ripe fruits for the next season.
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Comments
Летом, ещё до созревания помидоров, проявляется альтернариоз на томатах и бахчевых культурах, тех же огурцах. От него хорошо помогает куркума, 20 гр. куркумы на 10 литров рабочего раствора, но ее нужно настаивать на водке или варить на слабом огне полчаса.
ЗУСІМ рэальны беларускі гатунак
Міхаіл Міхайлавіч Дабродзькін — кандыдат сельскагаспадарчых навук, дацэнт, загадчык кафедры, адзін з вядучых селекцыянераў акадэміі, распрацаваў і зарэгістраваў дзясяткі паспяховых беларускіх сартоў і гібрыдаў таматаў.
Аляксандр Пятровіч Дабродзькін — кандыдат сельскагаспадарчых навук, вядомы навуковец-даследчык, шмат гадоў прысвяціў селекцыі і насенняводству агароднінных культур у Горках.
Тамара Уладзіміраўна Ніканава — навуковец і вопытны аграном-селекцыянер акадэміі, якая непасрэдна працавала над скрыжаваннем і адборам перспектыўных ліній таматаў.