Experienced gardeners or beginners in this business will probably be interested in learning about the unusual, but very prolific tomato tree (octopus), which also produces very good harvests. Most of us are used to being expected to have a more bushy form, but this tree-shaped plant is a reality these days. In this article we will talk in detail about this “phenomenon”, and also pay attention to the issues of growing it at home.
What is this?
In natural conditions different kinds tamarillo (another name for a tomato tree) are tree-like bushes or entire trees, often reaching a height of 5 m. Their crown in diameter is about 50 m², and on one brush there are 5-6 tomatoes, the weight of which often reaches 150 g. Leaves plants have oval shape, and when flowering, white-pink flowers are noticeable on the branches. 
As for the fruits, they can have different colors: from orange to deep red. The pulp is very juicy and slightly sweet in taste. According to rough estimates, such a plant can bear fruit for about 15 years, and fruiting begins already in the second year after planting.
The harvest from the tomato tree is great for preparing dressings, sauces, as well as preparing vegetable cocktails or all sorts of things. That is, no matter how you use tomatoes, by growing this variety at home, you will provide yourself with an excellent source of vitamins.
If you have previously had to grow nightshade crops (, others), then you will cope with this task adequately and will not have any difficulty for you. The only thing that is needed for the most abundant harvest is a sufficient amount of space for the tree to grow and proper care for it, which we will talk about later.
Did you know? A lot of time has passed since tomatoes appeared on the tables of Europeans (they were brought to Europe in the 16th century), but not everyone knows that these fruits for a long time not used in cooking. At the initial stages of acquaintance with the culture, gardeners considered it poisonous plant and were grown only as a “curiosity” brought from overseas countries. The recipe for the first European dish with tomatoes dates back to 1692.
Growing conditions
Considering the unusual nature of the tomato tree and its size, it is easy to assume that such a plant will need a fairly spacious greenhouse and relatively specific planting conditions and further care. Let's look at this issue more carefully. 
Greenhouse dimensions
Octopus cultivation is carried out in absolutely any form.(although you can plant it in open ground), but the main condition is that they must always be in a heated room and illuminated. Of course, given the maximum possible size of a tomato tree, it should not be less than 50 m² in diameter, and to accommodate such a giant plant you will also need a fairly spacious container: from 1 to 2 m² (for example, an old bathroom).
Also, do not forget to prepare a lid of the appropriate size, which in the future will be able to protect the nutritional components in summer time. 
As additional equipment, it would not be superfluous to have another small bath, which will serve as a cooking place. nutrient solutions for wood.
Of course, in the absence required area this plant can also be grown in ordinary greenhouses, but in this case we can only talk about seasonal production of fruits from a tall bush (the yield is in the range of 10 kg per bush). For comparison, from a tomato tree with unlimited growth, you can harvest up to 1500 kg, however, it will take up to 1.5 years to grow it.
Lighting
Fertility of the grown plant in in this case depends entirely on optimal temperatures and lighting, not only when sowing seeds, but also during fruit formation. To comply with this requirement, they are equipped with artificial light sources ( fluorescent lamps), so that at all stages of tomato development their daylight hours are at least 12 hours. 
It should be noted that no less an important condition There is also an optimal temperature regime, which in summer should be within +24...+25 °C, and with the arrival of winter it should drop no lower than +19°C.
Soil preparation
The ideal substrate for a tomato tree requires the presence of the same components that are used when growing ordinary tomatoes, and the main condition in this case is the high nutritional value and breathability of the soil for the octopus, and it does not matter whether it is grown in open ground or in a greenhouse environment. In addition, be sure to use special liquid fertilizers and do not forget to periodically loosen the soil with a rake. For soil after planting a tree, it is better to use expanded clay.
Landing
Planting an octopus can be divided into several stages: first, the seeds are sown and cared for, and then the grown seedlings are planted in or in another place prepared for them. 
Tomato tree seeds can be planted at any time of the year, but most experienced gardeners It is advised to do this at the end of winter or in the first days of spring. To begin with, all planting material placed in the refrigerator for 12 hours, and after this time is distributed in a container prepared for seedlings ( good option will wooden box, height about 15-20 cm).
Each seed must be buried in loosened soil to a depth of at least 1.5 cm, after which the seedlings are watered and covered with film. As soon as the octopus tomatoes sprout, they must be planted in separate pots, in which they will grow until they go to their permanent “place of residence.”
Seedling care
Caring for seedlings includes correct execution and regular fertilization. young plants as the soil dries (about twice every 7 days), and this should only be done through a tray.
As for fertilizing, as in the case of watering, their frequency should not be less than several times a week, always using complex formulations. When growing seedlings in winter time, the application of liquid is reduced to once a week, and it is better to stop feeding altogether. 
Of course, at this time we should not forget about temperature conditions in a room with seedlings (not lower than +20...+25°C) and sufficient lighting, which is provided daily with fluorescent lamps for 12-15 hours.
Did you know? The weight of the fruits of most tomato varieties does not exceed 1 kg, but a resident of Minnesota (USA) was able to get into the Guinness Book of Records thanks to the tomato he grew, which weighed 3800 g.
Planting tomatoes
If sowing seeds for seedlings was carried out in January or early February, then by about mid-April your seedlings will be ready for transplanting into. Usually at this time the temperature in such a room is stably kept at +20...+25°C, which is quite enough for the further growth and development of the tomato tree. It is better to raise the land for planting 0.5 m above the ground and border it sand-lime brick, thanks to which they can warm up well. 
From the harvested seedlings, only the strongest seedlings are selected, since they are the ones with high level vitality. Planting is carried out in pre-prepared holes, 10-15 cm deep, and to form an additional number of root shoots, break off the two lower rows of leaves and bury the seedling in the remaining leaf plates.
When preparing the holes, it is necessary to add a handful of ash and a small part of Azofoska to each such hole, and it is also good if the tomato tree was added to the location in the fall (laid at a level of 20-25 cm deep). Until the temperature in the greenhouse stabilizes (until serious fluctuations between daytime and nighttime values disappear), it is better to cover the transplanted seedlings, fixed to them. 
Care and cultivation of adult bushes
tomato tree, like other varieties of this crop, is not difficult to grow at home, the main thing is to provide the plant proper care. Transplanting the future giant into a greenhouse is only half the battle, and the second half consists of knowing some of the nuances of its watering, further and other agrotechnical measures.
So, compositions are also ideal as fertilizers, and the latter must contain boric acid, magnesium, potassium, zinc, copper, ammonium nitrate and simple. This fertilizer should be applied to the soil at least once a week. As a preventive measure for various tomato diseases, a special solution containing 1 bottle should be dissolved in 10 liters of water. Once a week you can fertilize with an aqueous solution of herbal infusion.
Do not forget that in the first year after planting, your tomato tree should not bear fruit, otherwise in the future you will not be able to get a properly formed plant. Also, you should not shoot the tree, leaving the shoots intact and unharmed.
Of course, for the normal growth and development of such a giant, it requires a fairly large amount of water, which means that starting from the month of May, watering should be quite plentiful, and in sunny weather- daily.
Cyphomandra is a shrubby tree belonging to the nightshade family. Otherwise it is called tomato or tammarillo. Attracts with its tart taste.
Description of the variety
The fruits have a red-orange hue and a hard peel that is unsuitable for food. Black varieties are available. The pulp itself is very juicy. The leaves reach 35 cm in length and have a pointed five-pointed shape. In Russia, tammarillo is most often planted in greenhouse conditions or in tubs.
Color and taste depend on the variety. Red and purple fruits are similar in taste, the rest have sweet taste. They grow in clusters. There are up to 15 pieces on each of them.
Growing Digital Mandra
Growing a tomato tree in open ground is possible through seed and cuttings. The methods for growing the Cyfomandra tomato tree differ from each other, but do not pose any difficulties even for novice gardeners.
The seed method involves proper preparation seeds They are removed from the pulp, thoroughly washed, dried and stored in the refrigerator in the vegetable compartment for a day.
Ready seeds are planted in the ground at a distance of 60 cm from each other. With this method, the first shoots will appear in a week. The temperature in the room where the seedlings are located must be at least 28 °C. The best time to prepare seedlings is mid-February.
The cutting method involves rooting the cuttings. The most suitable annual or biennial plants. To do this, take water and an earthen substrate, where they are placed. The signal for planting is the appearance of a bulge and the formation of callus.
Another method of propagation is to collect shoots with three buds. They are placed in a glass container with soil, watered and covered with transparent material.
Sprouts are planted in open ground in May, at which time their length should be 1 meter.
Key Features
Before sowing a tree in open ground, the soil is dug up with. Secondary fertilizer is given from mineral mixtures. The difference in days between feeding should be at least two weeks.
For a tree to bear fruit well, the soil must be loose. Therefore, constant drainage is necessary. It must be done with great care so as not to affect the rhizomes.
The plant loves water, so it should be regular, but not abundant. If there is too much water, it will die.
A prerequisite for caring for Digitalis is that it will protect the earth from possible cold weather and improve its composition.
Fertilizing is suitable and the more often the better. It should be added only at the root. Every two weeks, mineral and organic fertilizers. A mixture of infusions of grass, ash and manure will also be an excellent recharge. To do this, take 2 kg of grass, 1.5 kg of manure and 300 grams of ash per bucket of water. The mixture is infused in a warm place for 48 hours.
When planting it in the ground, you should take care of support. It is advisable to take longer sticks, at least two meters.
Bad sheets must be constantly removed to allow air to flow into others. This procedure should be started after the first appearance of the color of the fruit.
The tomato tree needs constant light. In its absence, there will be much fewer ovaries or there may be none at all. In addition, it does not tolerate cold weather; the temperature must be at least 15°
If a tree is moved from open ground to home conditions, it is necessary to cut off the tops. Its residual height should be no more than 20 cm.
Planting and caring for the Cyfomandra tomato tree
When planting Cyphomandra in tubs or boxes, you should use sheet foam. This will protect useful material from overheating. You can purchase the item in specialized stores in the city.
Some varieties are grown on. This method protects the soil from disease and drying out. The solution is made in the warm season at a temperature of at least 25 °C for open ground and at least 17 °C at home for greenhouse cultivation.
For a hydroponic solution, the following components are mixed (numbers are in grams):
- ammonium nitrate (200);
- magnesium (300);
- potassium (500);
- boric acid (0.3);
- manganese sulfate (0.2);
- superphosphate (550);
- lemon iron (0.9).
Everything is mixed and when added to the soil, 1 liter of this mixture is diluted with 100 liters of water.
The process of tree formation lasts about a year. During this period, fruiting should not be allowed, otherwise it will decrease in subsequent years. The lifespan of the bush is about 7 years.
Productivity depends on the selected variety. On average, one bush produces about 10 kg of fruit.
Caring for Cyphomandra is no different from caring for any tomatoes. For those who have already planted them, it will not be difficult to grow this variety, and novice gardeners will easily understand the technology of growing it.
VIDEO: how to grow a tomato tree at home?
You can learn more about growing the Cyphomandra tomato tree at home from this video:
Everyone knows that a tomato grows on a bush, and not everyone believes that there is also a tomato tree - tsifomandra or tamarillo. Despite the fact that it is exotic for European countries plant, a person who knows how to grow nightshade crops (tomato, pepper, etc.) can easily cope with this task.
Growing a tomato tree at home
Despite the fact that Cyphomandra is a tree, it should be planted in a wide, shallow tub with a tray, since the plant has a superficial root system. Cultivation should be carried out on a well-lit and insulated balcony or on a southern windowsill.
In order to get a fruit-bearing tomato tree, you should familiarize yourself with the recommendations on how to grow it at home:
- The soil. Digitomandra requires light, fertile soil. Upper layer it is necessary to mulch with moss or expanded clay.
- Landing. You can plant seeds throughout the year, but it is better to do it in the spring. First, the planting material should be kept in the refrigerator for 12 hours, and only then buried 1.5 cm into the ground. Water and cover with film. After the seedlings sprout, they should be planted in separate pots.
- Watering and fertilizing. Watering should be done as it dries (approximately 2 times a week), only through a tray. Fertilizing is carried out once every 2 weeks with complex fertilizers. In winter, watering should be reduced (once a week), and fertilizing should be stopped altogether.
- Transfer. Every year you should transfer the plant into a pot slightly larger in diameter than it was.
- Reproduction. It is carried out both by seeds and cuttings with 2-3 internodes. In the second case, the tsifomandra begins to bear fruit already in the first year.
Varieties of tomato tree
The varieties of this tree differ from each other mainly 
appearance and the taste of its fruits. The following are especially popular among gardeners.
Tomato tree or tomato-tree Octopus F1 is a hybrid variety of raceme tomatoes bred several years ago, which has aroused great interest among farmers, gardeners and summer residents who like various innovations and wonders. Unusual plant is indeterminate, i.e. having no growth restrictions, a hybrid with good developed ability to intensive shoot formation. Its height can reach 4 meters or even more, and its crown area can be 40-50 square meters. meters. The annual harvest of Sprut F1 is simply fantastic - about 14 thousand tomatoes, the total weight of which is 1.5 tons.
The miracle tomato got its name for a reason - the tomato tree, like an octopus, entwines itself with the entire frame of the greenhouse built for it. The main features of this variety of tomatoes are enormous growth energy, power, productivity and disease resistance. It is genetically endowed with a powerful root system and a well-developed surface leaf apparatus.
The brush of the hybrid Sprut F1 is laid after two or three leaves. Each of them produces 5-6 fruits with an average weight of 100-160 grams. Tomatoes are round in shape, fleshy, juicy, with excellent taste.
The growth process of a tomato tree lasts on average 1-1.5 years, therefore, in the climatic conditions of Russia, productive cultivation is possible only in year-round heated and illuminated greenhouses. The first 7-8 months need to focus on the formation of the tree, not allowing it to bear fruit. There is no need to carry out pinching in the crown - all shoots should bloom and produce a harvest. Further, when the crown has already formed, a period of fruit formation and active fruiting begins.
Tomatoes of the Sprut F1 variety can be planted in both professional and amateur greenhouses. When grown in a regular greenhouse for three summer months beginner gardenercan get a fairly tall plant that will bear about 10 kg of fruit per season. But the intense mineral nutrition in addition with maximum favorable conditions(enough heat and light) will allow you to grow a huge tree with good yield.
When growing a tomato tree in a professional greenhouse, you should abandon soil and soil - potential breeding grounds and reservoirs of pests and diseases. Despite the good disease resistance of Octopus F1, unfavorable factors, which can harm the plant, it is advisable to exclude. For this indeterminate tomato, the hydroponic method is best suited, i.e. method of growing without soil on an artificial nutrient medium. It will provide good air permeability to the roots of the plant, which will prevent the entry of too much large quantity moisture and drying out. The tree will receive nutrition and moisture in doses. Glass wool cubes can be used as a substratum (solid soil substitute). For the full development of Octopus F1 Special attention should be given fertilizing with mineral salts.
It is also permissible to grow a tomato tree in open ground, but in this case the height and yield of the plant will be much more modest.
The tomato tree Sprut F1 is a miracle of selection that absolutely anyone can grow if desired. A little patience, enthusiasm and love for your work - and your greenhouse will be decorated with a luxurious plant, and your table will be decorated with juicy and tasty tomatoes.
Tomatoes are grown by most gardeners. In addition to many varieties, hybrids are very popular. One of the recently bred hybrid tomatoes is the tomato tree Sprut f1. The plant immediately attracted the interest of both amateur gardeners and farmers. Interesting feature This racemose tomato is an unlimited growth of the bush. Every gardener can grow a full-fledged tomato tree. You can plant the plant in a greenhouse, open ground, balconies or apartment. To do this, it’s worth getting to know the hybrid better and learning the features of its agricultural technology.
The Sprut F1 hybrid is a mid-early hybrid and begins to bear fruit 115-120 days after germination. The bush of the plant is very powerful, which is why the crop began to be called a tomato tree. Root system It has developed, abundant green mass, small dark green leaves. The tomato tree Sprut F1 grows up to 400 cm in height with sufficient sunlight and heat and intensive mineral nutrition.
The fruits are collected in clusters of 5 to 8 pieces. The ripening of tomatoes united in a cluster is uniform. This allows them to be cut together with the petiole, which is valuable for industrial cultivation, as it makes the appearance of the product more attractive. The productivity of the hybrid Sprut F1 is high. When grown in a greenhouse that is not provided with year-round heating, up to 10 kg of excellent quality tomatoes are obtained from 1 m2. In a greenhouse, the plant bears fruit for a long time and over the entire period of its life produces a harvest of up to 14,000 tomatoes, the total weight of which reaches 1.5 tons. All fruits are close to each other in weight and size, regardless of whether they grew at the top of the bush or at the bottom branches. The average weight of the fruit is 100 g. Their shape is smooth and round. The color is bright red. They taste sweet, with a slight pleasant sourness. The pulp is tender and juicy. At proper storage Tomatoes cut in bunches do not spoil for 3-4 months. Consumers rate the quality of the fruit as high.
A unique feature of the hybrid is its ability to quickly entwine with its shoots the supports or arch of a greenhouse, forming a dense dense mass that rises above the stem and looks like a full-fledged crown, strewn with beautiful bunches of tomatoes. In 18 months, the plant is able to form a crown with an area of 50 m2 with a diameter of 6 m.
The stem of the bush gradually becomes woody and turns into a full-fledged trunk. Due to the lack of growth restrictions, the tomato continuously produces young shoots.
Octopus F1 is resistant to major tomato diseases and pests.
If you want a plant to form a tree and produce the maximum yield, it needs to be provided with greenhouse conditions, where and in winter period will be supported heat. In this case, the hybrid grows as a perennial. In open ground, a tomato grows only up to 2-2.5 m and bears fruit before the onset of frost, from which it dies.
The characteristics and description of the tomato are so attractive that almost all gardeners try to grow this miracle on their plot.
Advantages and disadvantages
All plants have their pros and cons. Hybrid Octopus also has strong and weaknesses. The positive features of culture are:
- high taste qualities of fruits;
- unpretentiousness;
- the versatility of tomatoes;
- resistance to diseases;
- early onset of fruiting;
- beautiful fruit shape;
- duration of the fruiting period.
Disadvantages include the requirement for frequent feeding and particularly abundant watering. If the soil begins to dry out or reduces its nutritional value, then the Sprut f1 tomatoes will very quickly stop forming ovaries and begin to wither.
Agrotechnics of cultivation and care
Growing the Octopus tomato requires strict adherence to the rules of agricultural technology. If they are violated, it is impossible to obtain a high yield, and the plant will not make the proper impression, and will not live up to its name - a tomato tree. In industrial cultivation, the crop grows hydroponically. But this method is not applicable for home cultivation in your garden or apartment due to its complexity, so it is not of interest to amateurs. Hydroponic growing technology is used in industrial crop cultivation.
In the greenhouse
In a greenhouse, if it is not heated, the fruiting period will be longer than in open ground, but still the plant will not be able to fully develop and produce 14,000 fruits. This greenhouse cultivation the hybrid is seasonal, but it, even though the bush does not reach its peak, is justified due to high yield culture.
In order for the plant to have high-quality support, strong, tall stakes are driven in near each bush, to which the shoots are tied as they develop. If the greenhouse is not high, then you can tie it directly to the roof crossbars, from which a crown will begin to form, albeit a small one.
The Octopus tomato tree is planted on permanent place only when the threat that the temperature in the greenhouse will drop below +15 o C has completely passed. In a normal spring in the Middle Zone, such conditions are observed in mid-May.
Before planting the seedlings, the soil is dug up to a depth of 1 spade and then the holes are prepared. Planting is carried out according to the 70x70 cm pattern. Pour 2 handfuls into each hole wood ash and pour in 1 cup of rotted solution chicken manure. After this, the seedlings are carefully removed from the pots and planted, being careful not to damage them. earthen lump on the roots.
After filling the hole and compacting the soil around the tomato stem, the plant needs to be watered well. The water should not be cold; it is better if it has stood in a barrel and warmed up in the sun. Next, the soil must be mulched to prevent it from drying out too quickly and forming a hard crust that will interfere with the normal respiration of the crop.
Watering is carried out as necessary, but at least once every 3 days. During hot periods, it is necessary to water the plants early in the morning or late in the evening. This will prevent the soil from becoming too dry, and the tomato will not get burned. The abundance of water for the plant is very important.
Bushes grow efficiently only if they are provided with proper care.
In the open ground
It is not necessary to grow a tomato tree in a greenhouse; you can cultivate the plant by planting tomatoes in open ground. In this case, seeds for seedlings are planted quite early, from about mid-February, if it is planned to plant seedlings in the garden bed rather than adult plants; or from the beginning of December, if it is possible to keep large plants in the house, and plant them in open ground already big bushes. For high-quality plant growth, it is necessary to provide tomatoes with additional lighting. It is more convenient to use phytolamps for this. They will stimulate the growth of bushes and prevent them from stretching.
Plant seedlings after the threat of frost has passed. In order for adventitious roots to develop more actively, the main root is pinched a little. Optimal scheme planting crops 40x60x140. At the same time, the bush will develop as fully as possible. You should only choose areas with good lighting for planting, since the plant is very demanding of the sun.
Step-sonning should not be carried out. This applies to any type of tomato tree cultivation. The more shoots it produces, the more abundant the fruiting will be. During seasonal cultivation, this is especially important, as it allows you to get quite a lot of fruits even in a short time.
When grown in open ground under conditions Middle zone, which are not comfortable for the hybrid and significantly weaken it, there is a risk of the tomato being affected by diseases and pests, despite its resistance to them. Because of this, it is recommended that for preventive purposes carry out timely processing of bushes. You should only choose products that are intended for vegetable crops.
It is important not to leave the wilting leaves that appear at the bottom of the bush on the plant. They only contribute to its weakening and the appearance of pests.
At home
A number of amateurs know how to grow tomato trees in apartment conditions. This situation has its own peculiarities of growing crops. Requires very nutritious loose soil, which can be purchased at gardening stores. The first time, picking is carried out in the phase of 3 true leaves, and after that - once every 3 months as the plant outgrows the pot.
The seeds of the Octopus tomato tree germinate for a long time - up to 20 days, and throughout initial stage development of culture is not characterized by rapid growth. The root system of bushes with home growing a superficial one is formed, and therefore it is necessary to select wide and not very deep containers for them.
When grown indoors, fruiting begins quite late - only a year after germination. Have a bountiful harvest It’s not possible to get it, but regularly picking fresh fruits for salad is quite possible. Application nutrients Due to the limited area of land, it is necessary to be especially active.
Fertilizer application
Fertilizers are applied at the root. For this purpose, complex mineral and organic compounds are used. You can also use a solution bird droppings. Feeding is carried out at least once a month. It is good if, before planting seedlings, the holes under them are filled with very nutritious soil. Tomato Octopus f1, when grown in open ground, needs feeding no less than in a greenhouse.
Use of fruits
The Octopus tomato belongs to the universal category. Its fruits have proven themselves excellent for fresh consumption, as well as pickled and salted. They make excellent sweet sauces and adjika. In order for tomatoes to be of high quality, all recommendations must be followed when growing the crop.
