Tomato Golden Stream refers to ultra-ripe, undersized and productive varieties, which bears bright orange fruits. They fall in clusters from the top of the bush to the very ground, which reminds us of the “golden stream”. The variety is distinguished by excellent taste, resistance to adverse weather and many diseases, and therefore attracts the attention of most gardeners.
Tomato Seeds Golden Stream
Tomatoes Golden flow in a cut
Golden flowered tomatoes on a branch
Grade description
The Golden Stream is an ultra-early hybrid, which gives the first crop on 85-90 days after emergence. Thus, already 3 months after sowing the seeds, you can get a crop of bright orange tomatoes with excellent taste.
The variety was bred in Ukraine in the city of Kharkov by breeders of the Institute of Vegetable and Melon Growing. It is recommended for cultivation in personal subsidiary plots in open ground. Initially, the hybrid became popular in Moldova and Ukraine, and after some time it also attracted the attention of gardeners from Russia and has been holding leadership positions for more than a decade. To find out why this tomato is so attractive, we will take a closer look at its characteristics.
Bushes
An early ripe hybrid by the type of growth is determinant. Spreading bushes reach a height of 50-70 cm and stop growing after tying 5-7 brushes. From this moment, the plant no longer spends energy and nutrients on the set of its own green mass, completely switching to the formation and development of fruits. Thanks to this, the variety gives a very early and friendly harvest, without wasting energy on the excessive development of bushes and auxiliary garter.
The bushiness of the bushes is average, and the few leaves have a dark green color, a slight roughness and medium size. The first chain of brushes (branches) appears above the 6th leaf, and each of them gives an average of 6-8 tomatoes.
Fruit
The golden stream is an excellent decoration of the garden, because among the greenery of the beds, chains of amber-yellow tomatoes immediately attract attention. Their characteristics are as follows:
- The form. Plum fruits are aligned and may have an oval or ellipsoid shape.
- Weight. On average, each tomato weighs 65-70 g, but there are fruits weighing up to 80 g.
- Skin. Smooth, does not crack during fruit ripening and after heat treatment.
- Pulp. Juicy and dense with poorly defined cameras, which can be 4-6 pieces. The pulp contains about 4.5-5% sugar and an increased amount of carotene, which in the body is converted to B vitamins. The dry matter content in the juice is more than 6%.
- Taste. Tomatoes have a rich sweet taste.
Thick-skinned tomatoes easily transfer storage and transportation over long distances.
Feature table
The main characteristics of the plant can be found below:
Parameter | Description |
general description | Ultra-mature, determinant, undersized variety |
Ripening time | On average, the fruits ripen on day 90 after emergence. So, about 13 weeks after sowing the seeds, you can get a crop of yellow-orange fruits. |
Growing Features | The bushes are low - up to 70 cm, so they do not need to pinch and shape. As necessary, you can tie in the support. |
Productivity | With proper agricultural technology with 1 square. m beds from 8 to 10 kg of fruit can be collected, and from 1 ha - up to 35 tons. From one plant, you can get up to 2.5 kg of tomatoes. The yield of ripe fruits is about 95-100%. |
Resistance to diseases and pests | Hydride is early ripe, so it just does not have time to get late blight. It is not exposed to various diseases, even in conditions of temperature changes. The only thing the tomato is afraid of is the Colorado potato beetle, which can be fought with biological products. |
Appointment | The Golden Stream belongs to the varieties of universal use, therefore, it is consumed fresh and used for whole-fruit preservation, preparation of juice and fruit drinks. In addition, tomatoes are well stored and easily tolerate transportation. |
Tomatoes of this variety have an excellent appearance, good shelf life and high tolerance of physical influences, so they are often grown on an industrial scale for sale.
Agricultural technology
Summer residents rarely encounter problems when growing tomatoes of this variety, since the seeds mainly sprout, without exception, and the yield is 97-100%. However, to achieve such results, it is still worth considering a number of agrotechnical rules:
- The gold stream tolerates short-term adverse weather conditions, however, it needs constant heat, therefore it is recommended to cultivate it in a greenhouse or in an open area, but with additional protection.
- Tomato needs to be grown in seedlings, as described in the description of the variety. Sow seeds for seedlings 55-60 days before the intended planting in a permanent place. As a rule, this period falls on the end of March or the beginning of April. The sooner a transplant is made to a permanent place, the sooner you can take the first crop, but to protect the plant from possible frosts, you must definitely use portable film shelters.
- Transplant seedlings to a permanent place only after the soil has warmed up to at least + 14 ° C. The optimum temperature in the daytime is from + 24 ° C and above, and at night - not lower than + 15 ° C. Transplanting sprouts is based on up to 3 plants per 1 square. m. The optimal planting scheme for grown seedlings is 50x40 cm.
- When growing the Golden Stream in a greenhouse, it must be taken into account that air temperature must not be allowed to reach + 32 ° C and above. The fact is that the leaves will curl from the heat, and the flowers and ovaries will fall off. So, culture needs to ensure a harmonious temperature regime, and if necessary, ventilate the greenhouse.
- The plant does not need to be formed, but it should be tied to a vertical or horizontal trellis. It must be regularly and abundantly watered. During the growing season, it is advisable to feed the tomato 2-3 times, but do not use fresh manure, otherwise the plant will fatten - stepchildren will grow rapidly, very large leaves will appear, the stems will thicken, but the fruits themselves will not knot well and grow slowly.
The choice of seedlings for purchase
In order not to waste time growing seedlings, it can be purchased from a trusted gardener who specializes in this variety. The following recommendations should be considered:
- the best age of seedlings is 8-9 weeks;
- good specimens should have a height of 26-30 cm and 7-10 leaves of the correct characteristic form;
- optimal stem thickness - 0.6-0.8 mm;
- the tops should have a uniform green color, without any signs of dryness.
- the root system should be in a moist earthen coma, and the roots should not be broken and dry areas.
If the seedlings have leaves of an excessively bright color, which at the same time also sag on weak petioles, most likely, an excessive amount of growth stimulants were used in its cultivation. It is better to refuse such copies.
How to grow seedlings with your own hands?
Seeds for seedlings need to be sown 55-60 days before transplanting to a permanent place. As a rule, this period falls on the end of March - the beginning of April. In order to accurately calculate the favorable planting time in a particular region, it is necessary to determine when the soil warms up to + 14 ° C, the air temperature in the daytime reaches + 24 ° C and above, but not at night drops below + 15 ° С. From this date, you need to subtract 2 months to get an approximate period of sowing seeds for seedlings.
Of course, the sooner the planting work is completed, the sooner you can harvest. But how to grow strong seedlings, we will consider in stages.
Seed treatment
If you buy seeds in a package from a reliable manufacturer, you only need to germinate them without disinfecting them. Otherwise, planting material must be processed in the following order:
- Sort through seeds, removing damaged and ugly specimens. Remainder immerse in 5% salt solution for several minutes. Seeds that float to the surface are dummies and will not germinate, so they need to be discarded. Seeds that settle to the bottom should be used for further processing.
- Disinfect the selected planting material - soak in a 1% potassium permanganate solution, and after 15-20 minutes rinse with clean water. For seed disinfection, you can also use a 0.5% sodium bicarbonate solution (soak for 20-22 hours) or the drug Fitosporin-M, which also increases their germination.
- Washed in clear water seeds of a light golden hue to dry well. If moisture persists in them, then they will decay in the moist, moist earth.
For quick germination, the seeds can be further treated with a growth stimulator, such as HB-101, Epin, Novosil and copper solution.
Substrate preparation
It can be purchased at a garden store or prepared with your own hands according to one of these recipes:
- Mix in equal parts turf, peat and sand. Pour the composition with a solution prepared from 20 g of superphosphate, 10 g of potassium sulfate and 10 g of urea in 10 l of warm water.
- Mix 1/3 of the humus, peat and turf. For 10 l of the composition add 20 g of superphosphate and 2 cups of turf ash.
In any case, the soil must be decontaminated in the following order:
- Pour the substrate onto the baking sheet with a layer of 2-3 cm and pierce in the oven for 20 minutes at a temperature of + 190-200 ° C. Then warm for 3 minutes at maximum in a microwave oven.
- Pour the soil with a solution of potassium permanganate (1 tsp. With a slide of 10 l of boiling water). In this case, you can use plastic containers with a volume of 5-6 liters with holes at the bottom to drain excess fluid.
- A week before sowing the seeds, pour the substrate into the containers prepared for seedlings (wide box, containers) and leave for several days that it has settled down.
By the time of sowing, the substrate should be slightly moistened.
Sowing seeds
It is made in this order:
- On the surface of the soil, make holes 1 cm deep and 2-2.5 cm apart.
- Put seeds in prepared grooves and sprinkle with earth on top.
- Cover the crops with a film or cellophane to create a favorable microclimate. Transfer the containers to a bright and warm place (not lower than + 24 ° C). In this case, drafts should not be allowed, especially if seedlings are on the windowsill.
The film shelter needs to be opened every day for 5-7 minutes for fresh air to enter, and with the advent of the first shoots, it should be completely removed.
Care seedlings
In order for seedlings to grow strong, it is necessary to provide competent care for them, which consists in conducting such events:
- Watering. The plant is sensitive to soil moisture, so you need to ensure that it does not dry out. If a crust forms on the surface, it should be moistened with a spray bottle. Of course, it is also impossible to fill the soil. If this happened, the seedlings should be shifted to a place with a high temperature for quick drying of the earth. For example, it can be temporarily held near a battery or phytolamp.
- Pick. With the advent of 2-3 real leaves, dive seedlings, leaving the strongest seedlings.
- Hardening. Conduct 7-10 days before transplanting seedlings to a permanent place. For these purposes, seedlings need to be taken out to the balcony or to the street, gradually increasing the time of hardening, otherwise the seedlings may get burns and will not recover. When the weather is sunny and calm, the window in the room can be opened for 6-8 minutes. In any case, you need to remember that drafts are strictly contraindicated in the plant.
Seedlings can be planted in a permanent place at the age of 55-60 days. By this time, it should grow to 26-30 cm and acquire 10 leaves.
Site preparation
While the seedlings are growing, you need to do soil preparation. For tomato, you need to choose loose, light and highly fertile soils with a neutral reaction (pH in the range of 6.0-7.0). The best option is areas with light loamy or sandy loamy soil, where such crops previously grew:
- cucumbers
- all kinds of cabbage;
- corn;
- carrot;
- onion;
- beet;
- radish.
Bad predecessors of tomato are all representatives of legumes, pumpkin (except cucumber) and nightshade crops. After them, the tomato can be planted at least after 2-3 years.
You need to prepare a suitable site since the fall. To do this, you need to dig beds, remove weeds and fertilize, per 1 sq. m making 6 kg of humus and 50 g of superphosphate. If the pH is kept below 6.0, when digging, add slaked lime to the ground at the rate of 3 kg per 5 square meters. m
If the previous crops were fertilized with fresh manure, when preparing a site for tomato, it is necessary to add superphosphate and potassium chloride to the soil, and then conduct a deep digging.
In the spring, before transplanting seedlings into the ground, you need to add (per 1 sq. M):
- chicken or pigeon droppings (1 kg);
- sifted wood ash (1 kg);
- ammonium sulfate (25 g).
The plot should also be harrowed, and the furrows or holes should be fertilized with compost, ash or a garden mixture.
Planting seedlings in a permanent place
Seedlings are planted in a permanent place at 2 months of age after the threat of frost has passed. As a rule, this period falls on May 15-20. If the street is still cool, it is advisable to create a shelter - make a frame out of ordinary wire, which should be tightened with garden foil and covered with a thick cloth.
The gold stream refers to low-growing varieties, especially in need of heat, therefore, in the case of cloudy summers, the shelter can not be removed at all before harvesting.
Planting seedlings is carried out according to the following rules:
- The bushes should be arranged in 2 rows, and for each of them prepare a separate hole. To arrange the chest in a checkerboard pattern: the distance between the seedlings in the same row is 50 cm, and between the rows - 40 cm. Thus, the optimal planting scheme is 50x40 cm. Due to this arrangement, the bushes will be equally well lit and ventilated. In addition, the load on the soil will be uniform, so all plants will receive the necessary nutrients.
- Prepare wells at designated points 2-3 days before transplanting. Their depth should be such that they fit a seedling with a clod of earth. Moisten the wells with a solution of potassium permanganate (1 hour per 10 liters of boiling water), then pour warm water and cover with a film.
- Plant seedlings in moist soil. Seedlings must be carefully removed from the container and put in the holes. If they are too elongated, they can be planted in an inclined state. Do not deepen the roots so that the root neck remains above ground level. The fact is that at depth the earth can be cold, therefore it can destroy the underdeveloped root system of a tomato.
- After planting, seedlings are abundantly watered (under the root), sprinkled with dry earth and slightly compacted.
After planting, seedlings need to provide competent care. This is not a time-consuming process, since the Golden Stream belongs to low-growing varieties and does not require pinching.
Tomato Care
To obtain good yields, it is necessary to properly conduct all agricultural activities.
Watering and loosening
Watering should be plentiful and regular, which will help to avoid cracking the fruit. For the first time, seedlings need to be watered 14 days after planting in a permanent place, using well-maintained warm water. In the future, the earth needs to be moistened every 3 days, in the morning or in the evening. Pour water directly under the root.
On rainy days, you do not need to water the plant at all, since waterlogging of the soil can lead to decay of the stalk. At the same time, the beds should not be allowed to dry out.
To make the tomato less sick and develop better, add 2 pinches of wood ash to a bucket of water.
After watering, the soil needs to be loosened according to this scheme: in the first 3 weeks to a depth of 10 cm, and then 5-7 cm. The fact is that the roots will gradually develop, and excessively deep loosening of the soil can harm them. After this procedure, the bushes can be spudded to create a favorable microclimate for the roots.
Airing
The greenhouse climate must be constantly monitored to prevent excessive moisture and temperature rise. While it is cool outside, cover material cannot be removed. In the daytime, its edges need to be turned from the leeward side, and again tightly covered at night. The lash can be cleaned only when stable warm weather occurs.
Top dressing
In order for the tomato to grow and bear fruit normally, it must be fed at least 3 times:
- Make the first dressing 14-15 days after the seedlings are planted in the ground. The plant should be fertilized with ammonium nitrate (30 g per 20 l of water) at the rate of 0.5 l per bush.
- The second top dressing should be done when the ovaries are formed, using superphosphate (15 g) and potassium chloride (7 g) for this. To make fertilizer, along the beds, on the aisles, at a distance of 25 cm from the bushes, make trenches with a depth of 5 cm. Distribute the fertilizer evenly in them, and then sprinkle with moist soil.
To ensure better fruit setting, the plant should be sprayed with a 0.2% solution of boric acid (2 g per 10 l for processing 100 square meters of planting). In bad weather, spraying should be repeated after 2-3 days.
- The third top dressing should be carried out during the ripening period. You can use ammonium nitrate in the same way as for the first time. Another option is a rotted mullein. It should be filled with water at the rate of 5 kg per 25 liters of water and left for 2 days, and then add water (1:20). With a solution, water the bushes at the rate of 1 liter per copy.
When fertilizing tomato, an excess of nitrogen should not be allowed, since this will adversely affect the immunity of plants and increase the ripening period of the fruit.
Tying to the support
The bushes of the variety are low, but each of them should still be tied to an individual stand. Trellis can also be used for this purpose. Thanks to this manipulation, the plant will be able to more easily withstand the severity of the fruit during heavy bearing. So, the branches will not fall to the ground neither in the winds, nor in the rain.
If the branches lie on the ground, the plant may be affected by a fungal disease.
Breaking off leaves
To ensure good ventilation under the bush, the lower leaves must be carefully cut off. It should be borne in mind that during the period of plant growth, the leaf plate transfers the necessary nutrients to the fruits, so it should be cut off only in case of infection or yellowing. When the fruits on the first lower brush are fully poured, the leaves under it can be removed.
As the fruit ripens, the leaves need to be removed under each ripened brush, but no more than 2-3 pieces per week from one plant.
Protection against diseases and pests
The gold stream has good immunity, therefore it is practically not sick. However, the main threat to him is the Colorado potato beetle, which destroys the foliage and ovaries of the plant. So, when it appears, the bushes need to be treated with any insecticide, following the instructions for the drug. The most effective means recognized Bankol, Bombardir, Typhoon. In the case of a small number of pests, alternative methods can be used - spraying plants with infusion of ash and wormwood (against adult beetles) and pollination with birch ash (during flowering).
In order to prevent fungal and viral diseases, the plant needs to be watered and fed on time. It is equally important to disinfect seeds and soil before planting.
Harvesting and storage
The first amber-yellow tomatoes can already be harvested in late June - early July. Fruiting friendly and simultaneous. To increase the duration of the formation and ripening of the ovaries, the fruits should be removed in the stage of technical ripeness. Thanks to this, the bush will be freed from excess load - it will not spend its energy on ripening fruits, therefore it will direct them to the formation of new ovaries.
Many believe that unripe fruits are inferior in quality to those that ripen in the garden. This is an erroneous opinion, because unripe tomatoes in the sun quickly ripen, without losing their taste and marketability.
By the end of August, with a decrease in air temperature, metabolic processes in the bushes slow down, so they gradually die off. At this time, you need to collect all the tomatoes on the branches, otherwise they will deteriorate or die at low temperatures.
Harvested crops of any maturity can be stored on the floor of the greenhouse. Under it it is worth spreading garden film, and cover it with hay from above. The optimum air temperature is + 16 ... + 23 ° C, and humidity - 70-80%.
Pros and cons
Strengths of the Golden Stream looks like this:
- high productivity (up to 10 kg per 1 sq. m);
- ultra-early variety;
- stunted, therefore, does not require pinching and formation (bushes cease to grow up when they reach the optimal size);
- has a strong immunity to diseases and pests;
- tolerates temperature changes (fruiting even in adverse weather conditions);
- easily transfers storage and transportation over long distances.
The variety does not have special drawbacks, however, some gardeners note that it is often subjected to the invasion of Colorado beetles.
Golden Stream is a hybrid tomato variety that bears plum-like fruits of a golden yellow hue. They differ not only in their original appearance, but also in excellent taste. The variety tolerates temperature extremes, grows compactly and bears fruit together.