My Low-Maintenance Tomato Obsession: Long-Lasting Siberian Hotabych

My Low-Maintenance Tomato Obsession: Long-Lasting Siberian Hotabych

I'm a total tomato enthusiast, and I'm always on the lookout for new varieties to try. This season, I was lucky enough to get my hands on the Siberian Hotabych from the Tomatoes by Nata collection, and let me tell you, it's been a game-changer.

As a seasoned gardener, I've tried my fair share of tomato varieties, but this one has truly impressed me. Its unique characteristics, combined with its ease of care, make it an ideal choice for anyone looking to grow delicious and long-lasting tomatoes.

Main Info:

I scored this beauty from a collector through the VKontakte group, and I'm so glad I did. The price was a steal – I think I paid either 20 or 30 rubles, but I'm not entirely sure.

Here are the basics: it's an indeterminate, high-growing variety that's perfect for greenhouses where it can be tied up. It's got a medium-ripe maturity, which means it takes a bit longer to ripen, but trust me, it's worth the wait.

Seeding and Transplanting:

I sowed all my tomatoes in early March, following my trusty formula: 'Peppers are planted on February 23, Tomatoes are planted on March 8.' But this year, I started sowing a bit later – around March 20 – and it worked out perfectly. I used store-bought soil in a container, gently pressed the surface to prevent the seeds from sinking, and watered it with room-temperature water. Then, I placed the seeds, covered them with a thin layer of peat, and watered the soil again with a spray bottle. I covered everything with a plastic bag and put it on the windowsill.

I sowed two seeds, and both germinated, but a bit later than the other tomatoes in the same pot. During the seedling stage, it already showed its high-growing nature and quickly formed its two real leaves, after which it was transplanted into a separate 500ml container. At the time of seedling, there was only one fertilization, and that was it for the entire care routine – I watered it as soon as the soil started to dry out.

Care for the Tomato:

We only planted this variety in the greenhouse, and didn't transplant it into open soil due to its high growth. The planting took place in mid-May, and the spring was lovely and warm. However, this year, I sowed tomatoes without thinking it through, in large quantities, so the planting in the greenhouse was very dense. I was in the hospital twice, so I couldn't take proper care of all the tomatoes. I only pruned them occasionally and tied them up late.

I have to say, one tomato plant of mine grew into three stalks, while another grew into two, but it didn't require a lot of pruning. It bloomed in June, produced fruit in mid-July, and the fruits ripened in August. This variety is definitely not early-ripening, but it does give fruit for a long time - we were able to harvest them until October.

On the clusters, there were 3-5, sometimes 6, tomatoes. As the season went on, there were fewer fruits. All the tomatoes were medium-sized, elongated, and slightly rounded, they really looked like little lanterns. There weren't a lot of leaves on the plant, which is why the Hot Tobych tomatoes stood out in the greenhouse with their unique shape.

We watered them as the soil dried out, didn't fertilize, but when we first planted them, we added some compost and ash to the hole. The plant didn't crack from overwatering and I didn't notice any diseases. In the greenhouse, some of the tomatoes were affected by blossom end rot, but I don't recall any rotten tips.

When it reached the top of the greenhouse, the plant naturally stopped growing because it was trying to grow further.

Main Characteristics and Taste:

As for the taste, it's pretty standard – it's got a typical tomato acidity, it's juicy, and slightly aromatic. I wouldn't have even remembered this variety if it weren't for its beautiful elongated shape and small amount of leaves on the stalks. Maybe I wouldn't have had much to say about it at all. But it really impressed me with its excellent shelf life towards the end of the season.

These tomatoes have been hanging around for months – I washed them in November, dried them, and stuck them in the veggie drawer of my fridge. And guess what? Two of them are still there. We harvested them in October before the frost and left them to ripen at room temperature. Before the really cold weather set in, I kept them on the balcony. Since they were already ripe, they've lost their flavor, so I add them to soups or stews or blend them in a sauce.

The tomato is a two-chambered variety with a moderate seed count. The thick walls are what keep it fresh for so long. These meaty tomatoes are perfect for dehydrating, drying, or canning.

I've been using these tomatoes for salads and cooking, and in the summer, I add them to just about every dish. I haven't eaten them on their own since they're not particularly flavorful.

These tomatoes haven't required any special care, so I'm definitely planting them again this year. I'm impressed that they're still fresh after months, and they even survived the first light frosts. They've been on the balcony for ages, and they haven't turned brown.

Verdict:

I highly recommend this variety – it's a solid 5 stars in my book.

Let's Recap the Pros:

100% germination rateThey don't turn brown in the coldThey stay fresh until New Year'sThey're moderately meaty with thick walls, making them perfect for dehydrating.