The Monomakh's Cap tomato is a true gem for garden beds and tables. One square meter of plants can yield up to fourteen kilograms of fruit, and some tomatoes can reach 1.5 kg. However, the most common weight of a single tomato ranges between 600 and 1000 grams. The juicy, fleshy fruits make excellent salads and preserves.
Description of the variety
Shapka Monomakh is an indeterminate tomato variety that appeared on shelves in 2003 thanks to the efforts of Russian breeders. It takes 90-110 days from transplanting seedlings into open ground until the first ripe fruits appear, making Shapka Monomakh a mid-season tomato variety. It thrives outdoors in the central Russian climate and is also adapted to greenhouses, where it produces abundant harvests.
Description of the Monomakh's Cap: a vigorous bush that can reach 1.5 meters in height, with thick stems; dark green soft foliage; the inflorescence is a simple raceme.
Fruit characteristics:
- Ripe tomatoes are bright crimson in color.
- The tomatoes are round, slightly flattened on the sides, and slightly ribbed.
- Large, many fruits weigh 500–600 grams.
- The dry matter content ranges from 4–6%.
Large fruits with excellent flavor. Shapka Monomakh tomatoes are cold-resistant and transport well, making them popular among farmers and gardeners.
Growing
Every gardener knows how to grow seedlings from seeds and plant them in the ground. This tomato variety has its own characteristics that should be taken into account when growing.
- Avoid planting seedlings in acidic soil or soil with an imbalanced alkalinity. Young plants will develop poorly and will not bear fruit.
- To form tomatoes, it is necessary to trim the branches, forming 2-3 ovaries.
- Because of the thin and delicate skin, cracks and seams may begin to appear on the fruit. To prevent this, follow the recommended watering guidelines and avoid overwatering the beds.
- The most suitable climate for growing tomatoes is the European part of Russia.
- To avoid the risk of blossom-end rot when growing tomatoes in a greenhouse, it is recommended to add potassium nitrate as a fertilizer.
Care Features
Plants should be planted in the ground before flowers appear, that is, 40–45 days after the seeds germinate. This should be done with two stems to increase the yield. Tomatoes should be pinched immediately after they reach a meter in height. If this is not done in time, all the plant's energy will be devoted to growth rather than fruit formation.
Important! The first flower of the Shapka Monomakh tomato is double, so it must be plucked.
After planting, follow the usual care, including regular watering, weeding, pest control, and fertilizing. Both chemical and organic fertilizers can be used. Wood ash or compost can be used, and potassium and phosphorus compounds can be used as minerals.
Staking the bushes is necessary to prevent branches from breaking under the weight of the tomatoes. Growing tomatoes in greenhouses requires regular ventilation.
To obtain large fruits, pick the small flowers on the clusters, leaving no more than three. For additional pollination, shake the plant, followed by watering.
Advantages and disadvantages
The Shapka Monomakh variety has a number of advantages that make it so popular among gardeners. These include:
- Large fleshy fruits.
- Excellent taste, sugary texture.
- Tomatoes are immune to late blight and some types of viral diseases.
- High yield per square meter.
- Resistant to temperature changes and able to withstand drought.
- Ripe fruits are stored for a long time and do not spoil during transportation.
- The harvest ripens on all bushes at the same time.
Among the disadvantages of this variety are its heavy fruits, which often break branches. The thin skin of the tomatoes cracks when humidity fluctuates.
Pests and diseases
Although the Shapka Monomakh variety is resistant to some diseases, the problem of pests remains unresolved. Wireworms and click beetles are the most common pests.
If you're a fan of natural products, you can try collecting the parasites yourself. Vegetable bait can also be placed in the soil. After a few days, remove it and burn all the parasites.
The third option is to use the chemical Baduzin. Spray the tomato plants with it 2-3 days before watering. Preventative spraying can be done every two weeks.
Harvesting and storage
If you follow all the recommendations for growing tomatoes, you can harvest them as early as 90 days after planting. Because of their thick skin, the fruits won't bruise or turn to mush if stored in wooden crates. However, don't expect a long shelf life here—high humidity and hot climates can cause rotting, especially if one of the fruits is damaged. It's much better to eat ripe tomatoes immediately or juice them and preserve them for the winter.
Gardeners' reviews
The Shapka Monomakh variety rarely receives negative reviews. It is respected by gardeners and farmers for its high yield and ease of cultivation.
Elena K., Tver: "I've been growing this variety for over five years, and I've never harvested less than 10 boxes of tomatoes per 100 square meters! I sell some of them, but I can most of them. However, the large tomato caps don't allow for whole tomatoes to fit in a jar. For this, I cut them into large pieces and can them. Or I simply preserve juice and vegetable salads using other vegetables from my garden."
Nikolay V., Rostov-on-Don: "I liked this variety because it's so easy to grow. I always buy seedlings around the end of May, and by mid-July I have fresh, home-grown tomatoes. To ensure a good harvest, I weed the beds every two weeks, make sure the branches are tied up, and water them every evening. The key is to avoid overwatering, as this can cause the skins to crack and the tomatoes to look less appealing."
Sergey D., Saratov: "I live in the city and only get to my dacha on weekends, but I still crave homegrown fruits and vegetables. A neighbor recommended planting Shapka Monomakh tomatoes, saying the tomatoes are large and require almost no effort. So I took the plunge. I bought an automatic irrigation system, planted the seedlings, and the results were astonishing! Over 15 cans of juice from 20 square meters of garden! That's not counting the boxes I used for salads and for giving to relatives."
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I grow this variety exclusively for salads. The tomatoes have a distinct aroma and flavor. The fruits grow large and juicy. I fertilize the seedlings withBioGrow", I don't use anything else.