Ballada Tomato Characteristics: Care Guidelines and Reviews

Determinate varieties have recently become increasingly popular among gardeners. One such variety is the Ballada tomato. These tomatoes boast many positive qualities, including excellent color and delicious flavor. Furthermore, the Ballada variety is very easy to grow, as the bushes are compact yet produce a large number of good-quality fruits.

Characteristics of Ballada tomatoes

This variety's characteristics indicate it's an excellent choice for outdoor planting. However, Ballada has also performed well in greenhouses, both plastic and film.

From planting to the first harvest, it typically takes 120 days. The tomatoes are deep red, round, and slightly flattened. They are medium in size, but some grow up to 180 g.

Ballada doesn't tolerate cold very well. Therefore, if tomatoes are grown in the central or northern parts of the country, it's best to provide them with shelter in late summer. In the south, the fruits of this variety have time to fully ripen before the onset of sustained cold weather.

Description of tomatoes

Many gardeners believe that dwarf tomato varieties yield less than tall tomato plants. However, Ballada proves this theory wrong. Despite the fact that the plant takes up little space when fully grown, it produces a large number of large fruits.

Description of the variety:

• Uniformly colored tomatoes, red, without a characteristic spot near the stem.
• The skin of a ripe fruit is very soft and pleasant.
• Tomatoes tolerate transportation well.

The flesh of Ballada tomatoes is juicy and richly colored. These fruits are excellent for various types of preserves. They are very aromatic, making them a wonderful addition to salads. They have a slightly sweet, yet tart flavor.

The bushes are very easy to plant, as they have a medium-blooming growth habit. The Ballada variety grows no more than 60 cm tall, so many bushes don't even need staking. Despite the plant's compact size, a single bush, when grown properly, can yield up to 9 kg of ripe tomatoes.

The first cluster forms above the sixth leaf. Five tomatoes grow at a time. The bush has few leaves, so the plant doesn't require any special training.

It should be taken into account that when growing such tomatoes in a greenhouse, they may be taller than in open ground. The stems eventually lie on the ground, so they need to be tied up. You can use non-woven material to cover the soil. If this happens outdoors, you can lay down straw or sawdust. This will help keep the fruit clean while ripening and prevent it from rotting.

Care instructions and reviews

For determinate varieties, the growing guidelines are the same as for standard varieties. Seedlings are planted in mid-March and pricked out when they have two true leaves. Planting in their permanent location is recommended in May. Up to nine bushes can be planted per square meter.

Water Ballada tomatoes in the morning. Apply up to 5 liters of water under each plant. Spraying can be used to speed up fruit set. Nitrogen fertilizer should also be applied. This procedure is performed before flowering. Fertilizing is recommended throughout the entire growing season until harvest.

Tomato Reviews

Irina, Kursk: "This year I tried the Ballada variety for the first time. I never thought such low-growing bushes could be so productive."

Alexander, Volgograd: "A very good variety. It's disease-resistant, lasts a very long time, and most importantly, produces a lot of fruit. The tomatoes turned out to be medium-sized, very tasty, and without tough skin."

Elizaveta, Taganrog: "A neighbor recommended the Ballada variety. Last year, she harvested 5 kg per bush, even though the plants were small. Now, we've got up to 7 kg from each. The harvest is excellent, used for making tomato juice, salads, and canning. The tomatoes are beautiful, so they look great in jars."