Growing tomatoes at home is a very painstaking task, but the result will be a wonderful juicy crop. Tomato Dubrava has its own characteristics that must be studied before proceeding with the planting of seedlings. All the subtleties of this topic will be discussed in this article.

Grade description

Dubrava variety tomatoes are domestic tomatoes bred in Russia. This species is distinguished by its short stature and early maturity, which attracts a large number of farmers, making this tomato one of the most common.

Did you know? Today, there are more than 10,000 varieties of tomatoes.

The main characteristics of the variety:

• refers to precocious (grows within 90 days from the moment of landing in open ground);
• has high productivity indicators (with proper care, the bush gives up to 3 kg of juicy large fruits);
• tolerates tangible temperature fluctuations;
• bushes of Dubrava do not require herding;
• due to its short stature, Dubrava does not need a garter;
• has good immunity to diseases and pests.

Advantages and disadvantages

• This variety has a lot of positive qualities:
• short stature (the bush takes up little space);
• high productivity;
• excellent immunity;
• universality of the grown fruits (suitable for almost any purpose).

• Among the disadvantages of the variety can be distinguished:
• This tomato is not suitable for preservation.

Self-growing seedlings

Growing this tomato at home is not very different from seedlings of other varieties of domestic tomatoes. However, some points must be paid attention.

Optimum timing for sowing

Due to the early maturity of this variety, the optimum time for planting (using seedlings) is the period from the beginning to mid-spring (March-April). Thus, by mid-summer it will be possible to harvest a plentiful crop.

The soil

Tomato Dubrava is relatively unpretentious to the ground. However, for higher quality fruits, it is necessary to use special soil (pre-disinfected and filtered) or prepare the soil for seedlings on their own, using the "grandmother" methods.

Methods for disinfecting soil at home:

1. The amount of soil required for seedlings must be completely frozen and then completely thawed. Repeat 2-3 times.
2. The required amount of soil can be steamed in a water bath for 1.5–2 hours.
3. Heat in the oven to at least 90 degrees and leave for half an hour or an hour.
4. Pour a little boiling water.

Using these methods, the soil will be sufficiently treated for harmful and unnecessary microorganisms, which will allow the seeds to be safe.

Capacity for growing

As a container for growing, you can use any separate dishes (boxes, cups, peat tablets, etc.). Today in the shops for flora there is a huge variety of suitable pots that are made of the highest quality polyvinyl chloride.

And this option is the most optimal, since such dishes do not contain harmful or toxic substances, and also has the most suitable sizes for uniform formation of the root system of the future bush.

Seed preparation

Preparing seeds for planting is a very important stage in the process of growing tomatoes. It consists of two or three stages.So:

1. Selection. At this stage, it is necessary to carefully sort through all the seeds and select the best, excluding too small or damaged seeds.
2. Disinfection. At this stage, it is necessary to disinfect the seeds, which will allow them to quickly begin to grow and develop. To do this, briefly place them in a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
3. Quenching (not necessary). This stage is carried out if the spring region is cold in the planting region. To harden the seed, it is necessary to place it alternately (for 12 hours) in moist gauze with grains in a warm or a cold place. Repeat the procedure 2-3 times.

Sowing seeds

Sowing seeds of the Dubrava variety is similar to planting other tomatoes. So, the optimal landing depth is 1–1.5 cm (approximately). In the case of growing in special cups, where the seeds are planted separately, you can make the corresponding grooves (depth to the base of the nail).

If a box is used as a container, for uniform disembarkation it is necessary:

• fill the prepared container 2/3 with soil;
• pour out the seeds in a checkerboard pattern;
• add a centimeter layer of soil on top.

To avoid unnecessarily deepening the seeds into the soil, immediately after planting, it is not advisable to water them.

Seedling Care

The first week (before the first shoots), boxes or individual glasses must be kept in a home greenhouse (under the film).It is worth paying attention to:

• the ground must be constantly moist;
• regularly need to be aired to avoid the appearance of fungus on the ground.

The seedlings should be in a bright and warm place, that is, on the windowsill, but the windows should be tightly closed to prevent drafts.

It is recommended to install additional lighting and maintain daylight hours up to 14-16 hours a day. On the 14-16th day, you can add natural fertilizers to the soil (humus, compost or manure).

As soon as the sprouts-neighbors have 2 leaves, they must be very carefully planted in separate containers.

Seedling hardening

Hardening seedlings is an important stage, since it will depend on it how well the bush takes root in the fresh air. In order to properly prepare future bushes for the environment outside the home, it is necessary 10-14 days before transplanting seedlings to begin "acquaintance" with the external environment.

For this, daily seedlings must be taken out onto the street (or left near an open window), gradually increasing the period of such a “meeting”. It’s worth starting with 15 minutes a day and adding at least another 15 minutes daily.

Planting seedlings in a permanent place

Before planting seedlings in open ground, you must wait for the moment when the ground warms up enough after winter. Usually this moment occurs when the air temperature stably holds at least 10 degrees. Only by this period can you safely plant tomatoes without fear for their health.The planting scheme of Dubrava is standard, as for most tomato crops:

• 40-50 cm between rows;
• 30–40 cm between shrubs.

Thus, there should be about 3–4 shrubs per meter per meter. For planting the most suitable is the sunny side of the site. Also, before planting, the earth must be carefully fertilized with organic fertilizers.

Outdoor Care

The abundance of the crop will depend on the correct care in the open ground, so you must strictly follow all the recommendations for growing tomatoes. Variety Dubrava requires standard care, so for experienced gardeners to grow this species is not difficult.

Watering

Tomatoes are quite demanding on watering: they do not like dry land, but they do not tolerate excess moisture. Watering shrubs is necessary as the soil dries (the frequency also depends on the amount of rainfall in the region).

Basically, you need to water the culture once every few days. Water should not be cold (optimum - room temperature). It is also important to pay attention that you need to pour the liquid directly onto the soil, in no case watering the stem and foliage.

Top dressing

The first feeding is necessary no earlier than 25 days after the germination of tomatoes. Organic fertilizers (both purchased and composted) can be used as fertilizers.

Important! It is necessary to pay attention to the fact that if there are not enough sunny days, you need to give more potassium.

The total number of top dressings during the growing season should not exceed 2-3.

Stepson

A feature of the Dubrava variety is that it does not need pinching. The fact is that the bush is small in itself, and it is not inclined to branch strongly. Therefore, having planted these tomatoes in the garden, the farmer can be sure that the crop will be excellent even without picking extra sprouts.

But remove dried leaves and stems without fail. Not only the appearance of seedlings, but also the health status of the bushes will depend on this.

Soil care

Weeding weeds is a mandatory daily procedure, which is carried out along with loosening the soil and watering.

After each watering, it is necessary to thoroughly dig the soil for even distribution of moisture, and also so that the soil does not crack and harden (hard “like stone” soil cannot provide the bush with all the nutrients it needs).

For additional protection against drying out, you can mulch tomatoes with needles, hay or peat. This will ensure good moisture retention in the ground, however, modern drip irrigation is the most rational way to provide moisture to the bush.

Bush tying

The second pleasant moment for summer residents is that the undersized Dubrava variety does not require a garter.

Since the branches are relatively low, the large fruit will not break or refract them.

Preventative treatment

Tomato varieties Dubrava is very stable, with high immunity, so there is no special need for prevention.

But in the season of a large number of rains, a tomato can get late blight, therefore, in the case of a large amount of rainfall, it is necessary to treat the bushes several times (every 2-3 days) with Fitosporin, Trichopolum or a solution of wood ash.

Important! When pests appear, it is necessary to treat the bushes with concentrated soapy water, and if this does not work, then only resort to chemical insecticides.

Harvesting

Dubrava belongs to the early ripening varieties of tomatoes. With proper care, the first crop can be harvested as early as 90–95 days after the first seedlings appear. Each bush gives a large number of juicy large fruits. So, with 10 bushes you can get up to 30 kg of ripe tasty tomatoes.

Dubrava is in great demand among farmers who grow tomatoes for wholesale, due to the rapid ripening and a large volume of delicious fruits.

So, Dubrava tomatoes are in great demand in Russia, since the bushes of this crop do not require special care, while demonstrating excellent performance indicators. The only negative is that the fruit is too large for conservation, so most often it is consumed fresh.