Description of the Ladyfingers tomato variety, cultivation and care features

The Damskie Fingers tomato is a century-old staple of Russian gardens. However, it was only registered in the State Register in 2006. This early-ripening variety is common throughout the Russian Federation and the CIS. The elongated shape of the fruit inspired its unusual name. Over the course of its cultivation, the crop has been subdivided into three types:

• cylindrical;
• pear-shaped;
• small-fruited (Syzran).

Each tomato variety forms clusters of several fruits, which ripen in June but remain on the bush until autumn. A special feature of Damskie Tomatoes is that they don't require pinching, as they naturally have no more than two stems.

Description of the variety

Early tomatoes are classified as determinate.

Detailed characteristics depend on the variety:

• Pear-shaped. Plants grown outdoors are short, reaching up to 60 cm; in greenhouses, the bushes grow twice as tall. The dark, emerald-hued trunk has medium foliage. The clusters form simple inflorescences with up to eight fruits, each 10 cm long and weighing 50–70 g. The oval shape, widening toward the bottom, gives the tomatoes a pear-like appearance. Beneath the shiny, smooth, bright-red skin lies delicious, aromatic, dense flesh. There is very little liquid or seeds.
• Cylindrical. The description is similar to the pear-shaped type, with a difference in shape: the smooth, oblong fruits resemble cucumbers.
• Small-fruited (Syzran). Indeterminate bushes, 1.5–2 meters tall, form two stems. Side shoots should be removed. Multiple-fruited clusters produce 30 ovaries. Dark red, oval Syzran tomatoes, 3–4 cm long, weigh 30–40 g and have a very sweet flavor.

Tomatoes of the Damskie Fingers variety are distinguished by their high content of starch and vitamins and low calorie content.

The yield of tomatoes of this variety reaches 10 kg of fruit per square meter.

Growing

Damskie Fingers tomatoes are grown from seedlings. The seeds are sown two months before planting in their permanent location. Before sowing, the seeds are disinfected with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, rinsed with water, and dried. The seeds are planted 1 cm deep in the soil, spaced 2 cm apart. The distance between rows is 3 cm. The boxes are covered with plastic and placed in a warm, bright room.

Once the sprouts emerge, remove the cover and lower the temperature to 16 degrees Celsius, then raise it again to 22 degrees Celsius. Once two or three leaves have formed, transplant the seedlings into separate containers. Regular watering is essential throughout the growing season.

The timing of planting seedlings varies depending on the climatic conditions of the region.

Planting pattern: double-row method with a 40–50 cm spacing between rows. No more than 8 plants are placed per square meter.

Care Features

There's no need to pinch or tie up Ladyfingers, even if the bush reaches over a meter in height. The tomatoes ripen perfectly lying on the ground.

Weed control involves removing large weeds; small weeds will be beneficial by protecting the fruit from the hot sun.

Watering of the Damskie Fingers tomato variety is recommended 2-3 times a week.

Advantages and disadvantages

Lady fingers have remained in demand for a whole century, having a number of advantages:

• Cold hardiness. Tomatoes remain on the vine until frost sets in.
• Ripening evenly. They don't fall off, they hold tightly to the branches, and they don't crack at the stem.
• Unpretentiousness. Precipitation and weather conditions do not have a negative impact on tomatoes.
• Obtaining your own seeds. The variety is not a hybrid.
• Durability and transportability make Damskie Fingers popular among amateur gardeners, farmers, and agricultural managers.
• Resistance to nightshade diseases.
• Versatility of use. Canned tomatoes remain whole and do not fall apart.

Disadvantages of culture:

• need for good lighting;
• high yields are typical for regions with favorable climatic conditions;
• the impossibility of preparing tomato juice.

Pests and diseases

The Damskie Fingers tomato variety has been noted for its resistance to diseases and pests both in open ground and greenhouses. Common ailments include:

• Mosaic. Caused by fungi and bacteria and transmitted by aphids, it causes yellow or brown spots to appear on leaves and whitish spots on fruit. No known cure has been found.
• Phytophthora. This fungus attacks plants during rainy weather. Symptoms include brown spots on fruits and leaves. Special preparations are used to prevent and control the disease.

Weeds protect tomatoes from the development of late blight.

• Root rot, or blackleg, affects the lower part of the bush. It most often appears on seedlings. To prevent this, disinfect the soil and treat the seeds with fungicides.
• Brown spot. A fungal disease that occurs in high humidity. It causes light yellow spots to appear on the plant. Spraying with fungicides can help.
• May beetle. They gnaw at the roots, causing the plant to wither. The larvae are removed by digging the soil. Insecticides and other pesticides are mixed into the grain mixture and added to the soil.

Aphids, cutworms, spider mites, and whiteflies are treated with a specific product by spraying the bushes.

Harvesting and storage

The Damskie Fingers tomato variety is harvested in June and July. The stems of healthy, undamaged tomatoes are removed for storage. The boxes, stacked no more than three layers deep, are placed in a dry, ventilated area with a temperature of 3–5°C (37–41°F). Tomatoes picked from the vine before they are fully ripe preserve best. It is recommended to separate the layers of tomatoes with paper. If stored correctly, the tomatoes will keep until the New Year.

Do not wash the fruits before storing them!

Growing Ladyfingers is popular due to its multi-purpose use:

• They are used to prepare fresh salads for the winter;
• preserve whole fruits;
• roll up lecho, ketchup, tomato paste;
• dried.

Easy to care for, even beginners will enjoy growing the Damskie Fingers variety. With simple cultivation techniques, a bountiful tomato harvest is guaranteed.

Gardeners' reviews

Reviews from those who planted the Damskie Fingers tomato variety:

Irina:

"I'm a beginner gardener. I planted ladyfingers in open ground, and they kept slowing down. I was almost upset, but then they started blooming! I liked the ones in their own juices best."

Zarina:

"We recently moved to the Volga region and didn't have time to install a greenhouse. They recommended planting Damskie Fingers directly in the beds. I wasn't disappointed. The tomatoes are delicious and good for canning. However, it's still better to plant them under cover or take preventative measures—the rains brought late blight."

Michael:

"My mother planted this variety, and I've been doing it for fifteen years now. Why change when the harvest is stable, and the pickling and salads are excellent? The kids eat them straight from the bush all the time."