Description of the Iceberg tomato, characteristics and growing guidelines, reviews

Many gardeners are looking for crops that can be planted outdoors even in challenging weather conditions. One such variety is the Iceberg tomato, pictured below. These tasty and attractive tomatoes produce a good harvest when planted outdoors, provided you use high-quality seedlings.

Landing rules

This variety is typically planted exclusively in the ground and from seedlings, so preparations for the summer season should be made in advance. To do this, prepare containers in the spring in which the first shoots will emerge, and later, full-grown plants will emerge.

Iceberg tomatoes are not prone to disease, but preventative measures are still a good idea. Therefore, containers should be disinfected, seeds should be washed in a mild solution of potassium permanganate, and special soil should be used for seedlings. A universal potting soil can be used for the Iceberg variety. If you decide to mix it yourself, use equal parts sand and peat moss.

Growing healthy and high-quality seedlings requires moisture and warmth, so it is best to cover the containers with the substrate and seeds with film.

Once the seedlings are ready for planting, they can be transplanted to their permanent location. Given the Iceberg variety's low-growing, compact habit, up to seven plants can be planted per square meter. However, they must be trained to ensure a good harvest.

Next, all that's left to do is water the plants thoroughly. Iceberg tomatoes also thrive on fertilizer, so it should be applied regularly, ideally twice a month until the first ripe fruits appear.

Description of the variety

The most important characteristic for many gardeners is the speed of tomato ripening. The fruits are ready for consumption quite early, so they can be used for salads or preserves as early as the first half of summer. The Iceberg variety is versatile and suitable for any application.

Another important characteristic of this variety of tomato is that they don't require side shoots. For maximum yield, they can be removed, but this isn't essential. According to the description, the bushes are small, never growing more than 80 cm tall. However, the branches are very strong and capable of supporting clusters of fruit, which can be numerous.

A distinctive feature of this variety is its resistance to low temperatures. They can be grown outdoors in central Russia, but gardeners in the Urals and Siberia also produce good yields. Even in areas with short and relatively cool summers, Iceberg lettuce can produce a good harvest.

The bushes can be planted closely together, as they are quite compact. If you plant six bushes per square meter, you'll get about 20 kg of fruit per season. This is excellent for low-growing plants.

Susceptibility to diseases

Iceberg tomatoes are considered hardy and can withstand a variety of weather conditions, but they can be susceptible to disease. In this case, plants are most often affected by late blight, septoria, macrosporiosis and blossom-end rot. Often, the disease becomes impossible to cure, so the entire bush must be removed. This must be done quickly to prevent the disease from spreading to other plants.

Iceberg tomatoes are also susceptible to pests. These tomatoes are susceptible to wireworms, whiteflies, root-knot nematodes, mole crickets, and cutworms. However, with proper care and timely watering, pest problems should be avoided. For prevention, you can use special treatments to prevent diseases or insects.

Fertilizing is also essential for this variety. You can tell if the plant is lacking nutrients by changes in stem color, yellowing leaves, and poor fruit development. For these tomatoes, it's best to use a general-purpose fertilizer.

Reviews of this tomato variety are mostly positive.