Every new season, gardeners and vegetable growers face the dilemma of choosing the right tomato variety – one that boasts excellent taste, high yields, and is undemanding to care for. The Wonder of the World tomato is precisely that variety, meeting all the requirements and wishes of gardeners. Let's examine the characteristics of the variety, its cultivation specifics, advantages and disadvantages, and feedback from farmers.
Table of contents
Characteristics and Description of the Variety
Wonder of the World is an amazing and unique tomato variety that appeared in 2002 and has already won the hearts of many gardeners, hobbyists, and farmers across Europe. Key varietal characteristics: indeterminate, high-yielding, and mid-season.
From planting the seedlings to the appearance of fruits of varietal maturity, 100-110 days pass. The plant is large, with a sturdy stem and long branches. The fruits resemble lemons in both color and shape, distinguished by a sweet taste with a slight hint of acidity.
For your information. The average weight of one fruit is about 70-100 g.
This tomato has a number of distinctive features:
- original fruit color;
- high productivity;
- resistance to a number of diseases;
- drought tolerance.
The tomatoes are dense, the flesh is meaty and also yellow in color.
How to Grow Seedlings
Since these tomatoes are a mid-season variety, they should be sown for seedlings in the third decade of March. Before sowing, it is advisable to treat the seeds in a light pink solution of potassium permanganate. Additional treatment of the seeds with a potassium humate solution also shows good results.
As soon as the seeds sprout, they need to be planted to prevent the roots from overgrowing. The seeds are sown in the traditional way in a suitable container (pots, disposable plastic cups pre-filled with fertile soil).
For your information. Peat pots are the most optimal and convenient solution, which greatly simplifies the process.
For the soil, humus, garden soil, or sand with the addition of a potassium-phosphorus fertilizer are suitable. The main care for the seedlings is light, regular watering as the soil dries out, and periodic turning of the stems. Water for irrigation should be settled and warm. The air temperature should be about 18 degrees Celsius at night and 22 degrees during the day.
How to Grow Tomatoes
Tomatoes are planted in the first decade of June. To prevent the seedlings from wilting and subsequently stunting in growth, they should be planted in the garden bed immediately after removal from the cups or greenhouse. The optimal distance between bushes is 1 m.
For planting, make holes 50 cm in diameter and at least 40 cm deep. Add a mixture of humus and the excavated top layer of soil, along with a bit of complex fertilizer, to the holes. Then water thoroughly, and sprinkle the hole itself with dry soil on top. Ensure staking of the stem and branches with clusters, as the bush grows powerful and spreading.
In addition to high-quality staking of the stems and each cluster, regular pinching and removal of leaves after fruit formation below the cluster are necessary. After planting, mulch the soil around the bushes with a layer of wilted cut grass or straw 10 cm thick.
Mandatory list of tomato care activities:
- hilling;
- soil loosening;
- feeding and watering;
- bush formation and timely control of diseases and pests.
The first hilling of tomatoes is done 9-11 days after planting the seedlings. The next hilling is carried out 2-3 weeks after the first. Be sure to water the plant before starting work to improve and accelerate the emergence of new roots.
The soil in the tomato rows needs weeding, loosening, and weed removal approximately every 1-2 weeks.
Throughout the summer, tomatoes are periodically fed with mineral and organic fertilizers.
Important! Fertilizer is especially necessary during weak flowering of the bushes.
Feed tomatoes with nitrogen supplements or a mixture of phosphorus, copper, and boron. Be extremely careful with nitrogen, as its excess can destroy the plant.
The Wonder of the World tomato is considered a drought-tolerant variety, but one should not forget about timely weekly watering, especially in dry and hot summers. It is better to water tomatoes in the afternoon, with 0.7-0.9 liters of warm water per plant. Avoid abundant watering and excessive moisture.
The tomato has strong immunity, so it rarely gets sick. The plant is susceptible to the tobacco mosaic virus and brown spots. It is important to recognize diseases and take necessary measures in a timely manner. For example, tobacco mosaic is eliminated by removing all infected leaves and treating the cuts with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Brown spots are treated with a product like "Folicur".
The main pests of the Wonder of the World tomato variety are the common mole cricket, spider mite, and greenhouse whitefly. A pepper solution treatment can help against the mole cricket. In spring, it is necessary to remove egg clutches, and in autumn, place manure piles to trap them.
Spider mites are removed from the leaves with a soapy solution. To combat the greenhouse whitefly, a product like "Spruzit AF" is used.
Nuances of Growing in Open Ground and in a Greenhouse
When growing tomatoes of this variety, plant care is minimal. However, it is necessary to consider the impressive height of the plants and timely staking, forming the bush, and pinching to prevent excessive growth and heavy fruit load.
This type of tomato prefers to grow in greenhouses, as it is afraid of wind. If this is not possible, choose a site in open ground that is maximally protected from wind and drafts. In the case of a greenhouse, tomato seeds can be planted at any convenient time. When planting tomatoes in open ground, wait for the soil to warm up to 15-18°C.
For your information. Wonder of the World is not a hybrid plant species, so seed material can be saved for the next year.
Harvesting and Use of the Crop
The harvest begins approximately 3 months after germination. This time usually falls in August - September. Fruits should be collected regularly to avoid creating extra, already enormous, load on the plant's shoots.
For your information. Regular harvesting accelerates the ripening of the remaining tomatoes.
Even if the fruit is still firm but looks ripe and fully colored by external signs, it needs to be picked. Before the upcoming frosts, tomatoes are picked semi-ripe and left at room temperature until fully ripened.
For storage, tomatoes are placed in plastic or wooden boxes in 2-3 layers. Each layer is lined with parchment paper. Tomatoes retain their marketability without refrigeration for 2-3 weeks, provided the harvest is in a dry, cool, and ventilated room.
The yield of this variety breaks all records - up to 12 kg per bush! The photo clearly shows the yield of the tomato. Ripe fruits are distinguished by their high content of trace elements and vitamins. This variety is excellent for salads and pickling. It makes excellent juice.
Advantages and Disadvantages
The main advantages of the Wonder of the World tomatoes are the beautiful and attractive appearance of the plant, wonderful taste, marketability of the fruits, drought tolerance, resistance to most common diseases, high yield, and long storage life.
The disadvantages include rather labor-intensive care requiring certain skills.
Farmers' Reviews
Sophie, France: "The yield is indeed very high, I harvest more than 50 fruits from one cluster. During flowering, the bushes are completely yellow from the multitude of flowers. The taste is excellent, moderately sweet".
Anna, Poland: "I am absolutely delighted with the new variety, this tomato is just a wonder! Advantages: yield, fleshiness, sugary taste, not damaged by diseases. Disadvantages: requires multiple staking during the ripening process".
Thomas, Germany: "I love small, fleshy tomatoes that are convenient for canning. This type fully meets all my requirements and expectations. The tomatoes are very convenient to preserve in jars and salt. Very beautiful fruits. The yield will please every gardener!"
Conclusion
If all recommendations for cultivation and care are followed, this tomato variety will delight the gardener with a abundant, healthy, high-quality, and delicious harvest. The Wonder of the World tomato will surprise you not only with its appearance but also with its wonderful taste. This variety looks beautiful in preserves and as a decoration for any holiday table.