How to choose the best tomato varieties for growing in Belarus

Tomatoes of various breeds are grown in Belarus, but regionalized varieties, which take into account the climate and typical temperatures, have the highest yields. Gardeners traditionally use Dutch seeds and the developments of domestic and Russian breeders. Let's look at the best tomato varieties for growing in Belarus, their care requirements and recommendations, and reviews from gardeners.

Peculiarities of tomato cultivation in Belarus

The main challenge in growing tomatoes in Belarus is the short, cool summers with heavy rainfall and cold snaps. Early-ripening hybrids with a short growing season are selected for planting. Greenhouse varieties are in high demand among gardeners, as they produce a more reliable and consistent harvest than outdoor varieties, which often lack warmth and time to ripen.

Late-ripening varieties are also grown in greenhouses, providing tomatoes until the end of summer. The best indeterminate varieties produce larger yields (up to 35-40 kilograms) and are grown in closed, heated greenhouses.Semi-determinate tomatoes If planted under film cover, you can expect a yield of up to 15-20 kilograms per square meter.

In Belarus, at the end of July, when there is heavy rainfall, many plants, including tomatoes, are at increased risk of late blight.

Treatment with a systemic fungicide is recommended at the end of June, and then again 10 days later. Until the end of fruiting, contact treatments are applied 2-3 more times, with 10-day intervals.

Tomato varieties best suited for planting

Many excellent varieties have been developed for planting in Belarus, taking into account the country's main agroclimatic regions (there are four best). Gardeners often grow non-regional varieties that thrive and produce consistently high yields.

When choosing tomato varieties, also consider how they are used – some hybrids are not very good for canning and are used only for salads.

Tomatoes for greenhouses

Greenhouse cultivation is the leading method in Belarus, so there are many good varieties.

Start

The bush grows up to 180 centimeters and requires support. Small tomatoes (50 grams) have a sweet taste and are used in canning and pickling. The yield is up to 15 kilograms per square meter.

Early 83

They are characterized by rapid ripening – 95 days. Plant 7-9 plants per square meter, yielding up to 8 kilograms. The tomatoes can be used in any way, maintaining their shape and excellent flavor.

Mandarin duck

Beautiful, uniform fruits with a wonderful flavor ripen together. They yield up to 9 kilograms per square meter. They store well and do not crack.

White filling

Medium-sized tomatoes with thin skin and juicy flesh. They are also used to make juice and paste. They weigh 80-140 grams. The bushes are low and do not require pinching.

Baby F1

Ripens in 94-113 days from uniform germination. Fruit quality is good—sweet, up to 65 grams in size. They ripen uniformly, yielding up to 10 kilograms per square meter.

A determinate plant, up to half a meter tall. Grown in spring greenhouses. Not resistant to gray mold and septoria leaf spot.

Verlioka Plus F1

This hybrid with limited bush growth yields up to 9 kilograms of tomatoes per square meter, with fruits reaching 140 grams. It is resistant to fungal diseases, and tomatoes are ready in 105 days from germination. The flesh is juicy, and the seeds are few and located in four chambers.

Verlioka F1

An early-ripening hybrid that stores well and tolerates transportation. Tomatoes ripen indoors when picked green, preserving their flavor and aroma. They are not prone to cracking when overwatered. The bush grows up to one and a half meters, with 3-5 tomatoes per cluster. Each plant yields 4-5 kilograms.

Red Arrow

A popular hybrid that grows well even in Siberia, yielding up to 27 kilograms per square meter. The fruits ripen evenly, are bright and firm. They can be stored for up to a month, but are difficult to transport. They weigh 70-130 grams. The seeds are small and unnoticeable when eaten. They don't require pinching, grow in garden beds and greenhouses, and are disease-resistant.

A woman's gift

The bush produces up to 30 tomatoes weighing approximately 200 grams. The tomatoes are juicy and sweet, with thin skin, and a pinkish-red color. They are used fresh and for making juice and sauces. Due to the large size of the fruits and the spreading habit, they require a larger planting area.

Tomatoes for open ground

When planting tomatoes outdoors, it's especially important to choose the right variety that's suited to the local agro-climatic conditions. Varieties bred by Belarusian breeders have shown the best results.

Many of them are already several decades old, they are reliable, unpretentious, and have a sweet taste, juiciness, and aroma.

Profitable

The delicious red fruits ripen evenly, and the bush yields its entire crop before late blight sets in, making it a favorite among Belarusian gardeners. The low bush requires no staking or pinching. The fruits weigh 70-90 grams.

Rose

A well-known Belarusian variety with juicy, sweet tomatoes. If picked late, the tomatoes do not overripe and retain their flavor and firmness. Harvesting is possible in 7-10 days. One-time pinching is required. Suitable for canning and fresh eating. Plant up to 4-5 plants per square meter; the yield is 10-12 kilograms.

Muscovite

Small tomatoes (50 grams) grow on low bushes and have a rounded shape. The flesh is firm and very sweet. By planting 8-9 bushes per square meter, you can harvest up to 5 kilograms of tomatoes per season. They ripen during a short warm period; the complete cycle from germination to harvest takes 100 days.

Excellent 176

A wonderful variety with thin, dense skin that resists cracking. Sweet and fragrant tomatoes with juicy flesh reach 100 grams in weight and ripen in 110 days. The bushes grow up to 60 centimeters, with 3-4 fruits per cluster. They yield 10 kilograms of tomatoes per square meter.

Victory

A trusty old variety developed in Belarus. Loved by gardeners for its consistent yield and high resistance to all weather conditions. The tomatoes ripen well when picked early, do not crack, and have a long shelf life. Fruits weigh up to 100 grams. They are used for preserves and fresh. The taste is excellent.

Morning

This Moldovan-bred variety is a favorite among Belarusian gardeners. The fruits are sweet and fragrant, weigh up to 100 grams, and do not spoil during transportation. They are eaten fresh.

The most productive tomatoes

High-yielding tomato varieties are especially popular among gardeners. They allow you to grow the desired quantity of fruit even in a small plot, without the extra effort of planting a large number of seedlings.

Stick

This tomato variety yields up to 30 kilograms per square meter. The bush has a distinctive appearance—no side shoots, and the leaves are arranged in clusters. The tomatoes ripen on a columnar stem. They require secure, repeated staking. The tomatoes are excellent quality—sweet, long-lasting, and delicious fresh and in preserves.

Budenovka

The fruits are pinkish-red in color, have a slightly tart flavor, and weigh up to 250 grams. These tomatoes have a long shelf life and do not spoil during transportation. They are suitable for a variety of uses, including freezing.

Mushroom basket

Tomatoes of this variety have a unique ribbed shape and weigh up to 300 grams. They grow on a strong, thick stem up to one and a half meters tall. Under unfavorable conditions, they may lack pulp and juiciness, leaving them somewhat hollow. They require pinching and staking.

When to plant tomatoes in Belarus?

Tomatoes require a long growth period, so they are planted from seedlings. It takes 5-8 weeks to obtain seedlings. Inexperienced gardeners are better off purchasing ready-made seedlings from greenhouses, as it takes skill and experience to produce high-quality, healthy seedlings.

Seed sowing dates for Belarus:

• for open planting – beginning of April;
• for heated greenhouses – 20.02-10.03;
• for covered greenhouses – 10.03-30.03.

Determinate varieties grow in 5-6 weeks, indeterminate varieties in 7-8. Bushes with unlimited growth are ready for planting when the first cluster is about to bloom. The best time to transplant seedlings to the ground is late May-June. Seedlings should be transplanted into greenhouses as soon as the planting material is ready. When planting outdoors, the timing must be adjusted depending on the weather.

Important: the planting dates for each variety are indicated on the seed packaging, and you should follow them.

Growing and care

Before planting, seedlings are prepared for less comfortable conditions by regularly taking them outside and leaving them for several hours.

In open ground

To ensure full growth and protection from cold snaps, use double rows with a south-north orientation and increased spacing between plants (up to 0.7 meters). This offers the following advantages:

• constant illumination from all sides and ventilation, protection from late blight;
• tying 2 rows to one support;
• It is easy to cover with a general film during frosts.

In Belarus, it's especially important not to plant tomatoes too close together; instead of increasing yield, this will lead to the development of fungal diseases. Timely pruning and pinching will prevent the bush from becoming dense and will expose the fruit to sunlight.

Avoid overusing nitrogen fertilizers when planting, as they encourage excessive foliar growth. To prevent weed growth and reduce the need for tilling, mulch tomatoes with organic matter.

Tip: When planting outdoors, it's important to wait until the potential cold snap has passed before planting. Stop watering when the tomatoes have reached their normal size and are beginning to ripen.

In greenhouse conditions

Growing tomatoes in greenhouses is a reliable way to get a good harvest of your favorite varieties. Tomatoes are planted as seedlings; for heated greenhouses, it's convenient to sow tomatoes directly into their permanent location. Seeds for greenhouse use are prepared as for seedlings. Planting from seeds makes gardening easier, protects the plants from stress during transplantation, and increases survival.

In greenhouses, it's important to maintain the required temperature and prevent condensation on the walls, which can cause late blight. In warm weather, ventilation is essential. Mulching helps protect the soil from drying out and weed growth. Supplemental pollination with products like Zavyaz is also recommended in greenhouses.

Reviews from experienced summer residents

Experienced gardeners share their secrets for growing tomatoes in Belarus.

Svetlana.

"We live in Vitebsk, where summers are often cold. I've fallen in love with the Verlioka hybrid, which produces a consistent harvest. I plant my own seedlings in an unheated greenhouse at the end of May. I care for them as usual: water them regularly and remove excess shoots. We harvest tomatoes until the end of summer, yielding up to 8 kilograms per bush."

Nikolay.

"Every year I plant 5-6 varieties so I can have tomatoes all summer long. Low-growing tomatoes are no problem, but taller ones require staking. Some tomatoes are grown in a greenhouse (Krasnaya Strela, Malyshok), and most are planted in the ground (Peremoga, Budenovka). I plant 2-3 permanent varieties and rotate the others."

Antonina.

"I love versatile varieties—they're tasty and can be preserved. I really like Bely Naliv and Moskvich. This season, I'm trying to use fresh hybrids that weren't available before."

Tomato yield depends on many factors, the most important of which is choosing the right variety for the region. Despite the difficulties of growing heat-loving tomatoes in Belarus, experienced gardeners achieve not only high yields but also excellent taste. In season, they enjoy juicy, sweet tomatoes from their own gardens, and in winter, they enjoy equally delicious tomato preserves.