In order to get a rich harvest of tomatoes, it is necessary not only to take good care of the plants, but also to take a responsible approach to choosing the right variety. How to choose the right tomato seeds for sowing will be described in detail below.
Criteria for seed selection
There are a large number of criteria for choosing the highest quality tomato seed material. However, most of them are used mainly by agronomists with special knowledge. And a simple gardener, as a rule, only needs a few criteria to select good seeds.
Growing region
Probably one of the most important criteria for choosing tomato seeds is the region in which you are going to grow them. At the time of purchase, carefully study the information on the package, it should indicate in which region a particular variety can be cultivated.
Tomatoes are heat-loving crops, so they need a lot of light and heat. However, thanks to breeders, many varieties have come into being that grow well in cooler regions. At the same time, in terms of yield, they are not inferior to those varieties that are grown in areas with a warm and mild climate.
This criterion is especially important if you are going to grow tomatoes in open ground.
appointment
Another important criterion is the appointment of tomatoes. The fact is that tomatoes can be grown, for example, for further processing (juice production or conservation), for pickling or for making salads.
According to the purpose of tomatoes, the following categories are distinguished:
- Salad. As a rule, salad varieties include those varieties whose fruits are quite large, while their flesh is juicy, fragrant and fleshy.
- For conservation. The fruits of these varieties are either small or medium in size with very firm flesh and skin, and few seeds.
- Universal. These varieties of tomatoes are juicy and very tasty. They can be used both for salting, preservation and juicing, as well as for salads.
- For storage. This category includes varieties of late ripening, which have not very large, but dense fruits, characterized by good keeping quality.
Place of planting
All varieties of tomatoes are divided into those that can be grown in open ground (in the garden), and those that grow well only in closed ground (greenhouse). As a rule, this information must be indicated on the packaging.
Varieties intended for growing in greenhouse conditions need better care, as well as additional treatments. With proper care, you can harvest a richer harvest from such tomatoes than from bushes grown in the garden.
However, fruits from greenhouse bushes are inferior in taste to those that grow in open ground.
And tomatoes grown in the garden do not need special care.
Personal preferences
Also, varieties are distinguished by the shape, color, size and taste of the fruit. Which variety to prefer in this case, each gardener must decide for himself. There are a large number of forms of tomatoes, but the most popular are round ones, as well as in the form of plums.
They can be painted in a variety of colors from bright red to green. The fruits of some varieties are very large (up to 0,8 kilograms), and there are also small tomatoes (about 50 grams).
In addition, all varieties are divided according to the height of the bush into low and high.
- Tall tomatoes in height can reach about 200 centimeters (sometimes higher). They need extra care and special supports need to be installed for them. Often, vigorous varieties are grown in a greenhouse, thanks to which it is possible to save usable area and at the same time get a good harvest.
- Varieties with low bushes are best grown in open ground, as they are much easier to care for, and they do not need to install supports. However, undersized bushes grow much less fruit than vigorous ones.
Even when choosing seed material, be sure to pay attention to the packaging, it must be protected and it must contain all the necessary information (description of the variety, growing conditions, etc.).
The fact is that recently a lot of fakes have appeared on sale, when buying which you not only lose money, but also risk being left without a crop. That is why seeds are recommended to be purchased in specialized stores with a good reputation.
What are the best tomato seeds
As a rule, experienced gardeners already have their favorite varieties that have been tested by time. But what about those who take only the first steps in growing tomatoes?
Experts recommend that they choose those varieties that are most popular with summer residents. At the same time, you can grow several varieties at once, and at the end of the season decide which one is right for you.
Below will be listed those varieties of tomatoes that many gardeners and experts consider the best.
The best varieties for open ground
When choosing seeds for outdoor cultivation, you should consider where exactly you will grow them.
If this happens in mid-latitudes or in regions with a colder climate, then preference should be given to the most frost-resistant early ripening varieties that are resistant to a variety of harmful insects and diseases.
Popular varieties:
- Raspberry ringing F1;
- Watercolor;
- Moravian miracle;
- Koenigsberg gold;
- Visible-invisible;
- supermodel;
- Alsou;
- Taimyr;
- Snowdrop;
- Yamal;
- Stolypin;
- Pudovik;
- F1 Big Beef;
- Three fat men;
- Altai yellow;
- Orange;
- Siberian trump;
- Sweet heart F1;
- Appetizing;
- Dwarf;
- Aphrodite;
- Don Juan;
- Golden stream and others.
The best varieties for greenhouses
Variety of tomatoes Major F1
If you choose tomato seeds for growing in greenhouse conditions, then first of all you need to consider the characteristics of the greenhouse itself.
You can grow there both varietal and hybrid tomatoes, which are adapted for growing at a high level of humidity, in warmth, and also with poor ventilation. Another important factor is high resistance to diseases.
Most often, gardeners in their greenhouses grow vigorous, productive varieties that bear fruit much longer than undersized ones. Fruits in this case can be of various sizes, colors and shapes.
The best varieties:
- Honey Moon F1;
- Pink Clair F1;
- Supernova F1;
- Happiness Russian F1;
- Scarlet Mustang;
- Major F1;
- Openwork;
- Mercury;
- Doll Masha;
- Octopus F1;
- De Barao;
- Buffalo heart;
- Southern tan;
- honey drop;
- Madeira F1;
- Lollipop;
- Mikado pink and others.
The best varieties for the Moscow region and the middle lane
Variety of tomatoes Sanka
When choosing tomato seeds for cultivation in mid-latitudes and in the Moscow region, in addition to personal preferences, it should be borne in mind that varieties must withstand sudden temperature changes during the day and night, as well as high humidity, which can reach up to 75-80%.
It should also be noted that in these regions the growing season is relatively short.
The most popular varieties are:
- Sanka;
- Anyuta;
- Cheerful gnome;
- Schelkovsky;
- Iceberg;
- Demidov;
- Phytous;
- Danko;
- Paradisaic delight;
- bull’s heart;
- Winter cherry;
- honey drop;
- Ildi and others.
The best varieties for the Urals
Variety of tomatoes Alsou
In the Urals, tomatoes are most often grown in greenhouses. Thanks to maintaining optimal humidity and air temperature, gardeners manage to get a good crop of tomatoes.
If a variety is chosen for growing in the garden, then it is recommended to prefer early-ripening or early-ripening varieties that are highly resistant to various diseases.
The best varieties:
- Lelya;
- Titanic F1;
- Kostroma F1;
- Wonderful lady;
- Samara F1;
- Alsou;
- Berdsky;
- Gina;
- King of Siberia;
- Alpha;
- Aurora F1;
- Scarlet candles;
- Golden queen;
- Nejdan and others.
The best varieties for Siberia
When choosing the best tomato seeds for Siberia, you need to take into account that the summer here is quite short, and the weather is changeable (either hot and drought, or prolonged rains and coolness). That is why it is recommended to grow under such conditions varieties that are resistant to sudden changes in temperature and various diseases, which are characterized by high yields even in adverse conditions.
It is also better to choose early-ripening or early-ripening varieties that form the crop quickly and amicably.
The best varieties include:
- small egg;
- May early;
- Ultraearly;
- Generator;
- Countryman;
- Demidov;
- White filling;
- Visible-invisible;
- Oak;
- Honey saved;
- Gina;
- Rocket;
- Sweet bunch;
- naughty;
- Sevryuga and others.
The best varieties for the Leningrad region
Tomato variety Mishka in the north
When choosing tomato seeds for cultivation in the Leningrad region, attention should be paid to the fact that the climate here is characterized by high humidity of the air and soil, as well as a relatively small number of sunny days. Summer here is cool and short.
In this regard, gardeners are trying to grow tomatoes here that are highly resistant to diseases, the development of which is associated with high humidity, and they must also form a large number of ovaries at low air temperatures.
Also, in suitable varieties, the fruits should ripen quickly and have the ability to accumulate sugar with a small amount of light and heat.
The best varieties:
- ground;
- Gribovsky 1180;
- White filling 241;
- Severenok;
- Black Prince;
- Flash;
- Fighter;
- Bear in the north;
- Baltic;
- northern beauty;
- Fox and others.
The best yielding and undersized varieties
Variety of tomatoes Aztec
Low-growing tomato varieties are good because instead of actively building up green mass, they form a large number of fruits.
In addition, compact bushes are often grown not only in the garden, but also in small greenhouses, as well as greenhouses.
And it is also very easy to care for low bushes, since they do not need stepsoning, and they also do not need a garter to a support.
The best varieties:
- Aztec;
- Balcony miracle;
- Betalux;
- Bonsai;
- Lady fingers;
- Orange princess;
- Mascot;
- Duckling;
- Watercolor;
- Guarantee;
- golden stream;
- Aurora F1;
- Dubrava and others.
The best seed companies
In Russia, there are many companies that are engaged in the production of seeds. According to most gardeners, the following companies are the best of them:
- Aelita. This company, engaged in the production of seeds, is one of the oldest. Her “experience” has more than two decades. She has a very wide range, while all the seeds are of high quality.
- Gavrish. This company has also been on the market for a relatively long time (more than 20 years), and today its products are very popular among gardeners and gardeners. She is especially pleased with the stable appearance of new zoned hybrids and tomato varieties.
- Russian Garden – NK. This brand also produces quality products and has a wide range. Today it is quite popular among gardeners.
- SeDek. This company can also be attributed to the “old-timers”, it was founded in 1995. According to numerous reviews of summer residents, the seeds of this brand are of high quality and have good germination.
Still quite popular companies producing seeds are the following: Article, Plasma Seeds, Poisk, Aquarelle, Biotechnics and Sortsemovoshch (Seed House).
What tomato seeds are better to buy according to the reviews of gardeners
Rinat
“This year, Kumir became my favorite tomato variety, it is very tasty, productive and medium-sized. Sowed for seedlings on March 20, and the first tomato ripened on June 20, while it bore fruit for a very long time. The most successful cherry variety was Black Cherry, it is fruitful and insanely tasty, my children adore it.
I also liked the Black Cluster tomato, it is very sweet. For the first time this year, I planted the Loto variety, it pleased me with its fleshy fruits, which are good both for salads and fresh. ”
Natalya Blekher, Kaluga region
“In the greenhouse, a yellow tomato variety “Pepper” gave a good harvest. And on the beds, the undersized varieties “Dubok” and “Rocket” grew well and gave a good harvest. I liked the first ones the most, the bushes grew very strong. She planted seedlings under a very tiny film, but she quickly started to grow and got stronger.
The “Apple of Russia” variety also showed itself well, but there was practically no rain that summer.”
Tsvetik-semitsvetik, Izhevsk
“And that year I grew tomatoes with the funny names Khokhloma and Chukhloma. Tomatoes are very tasty, some of them are orange and others are red. I made juice from them, so it turned out just fine. The most delicious were orange tomatoes “Chukhloma”. The harvest of both these varieties was good.
Khokhloma has elongated tomatoes up to 10 centimeters in length. In Chukhloma, they are shorter, but larger in diameter. Their only drawback is that the bushes are very high, about 2,5 meters.
Margosha, Tyumen
“Every year I plant a Bull’s Heart tomato on my plot, and my neighbors in the plot do the same. I am very satisfied with the result. Tomatoes are fleshy, large and very tasty. I recommend them to everyone for boarding.”
Review of tomato seeds, the best varieties – part 1 – video
Review of tomato seeds, the best varieties – part 2 – video
If you take the choice of tomato seeds with all responsibility, then you will be able to get a good harvest in any region. And it does not matter at all how long your summer is, and how brightly the sun shines. The main thing is to choose the right variety and provide the bushes with good care.
