Quick Summary of Sprut Slivka F1 (Octopus Plum F1)
- 🌍 Origin: A highly popular commercial F1 hybrid from Russia. It is part of the famous “Sprut” (Octopus) series of hybrids, which were aggressively marketed as being able to grow into massive “tomato trees” under hydroponic commercial conditions.
- 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate and exceptionally vigorous. Even under normal garden conditions (not hydroponics), it easily reaches 2-2.2m (6.5-7.2 ft) and requires strong staking and pruning. It recovers very well from Late Blight.
- 🍅 Fruit Characteristics & Colors: The original is bright red, but there are also Pink (Malinovaya), Orange, and Chocolate versions. The fruits are classic plum/paste shapes, weighing 30-40g (1-1.4 oz), growing in dense clusters of 8-12 fruits.
- 👅 Flavor & Usage: Known for a balanced, sweet-and-sour taste. The skin is dense, and the tomatoes absolutely do not crack on the vine. This makes them the ultimate variety for whole-fruit canning and pickling. They also have an incredible shelf life (up to 1.5 months indoors).
A very productive hybrid. The fruits are all the exact same size. My yield was much higher than stated on the packet. Ideal for canning in jars. I pruned the suckers up to the first flower truss. Grew it outdoors (open ground) and in the greenhouse. Did excellent in both places.
(From the seed packet description):
Mid-early (100-105 days) hybrid for protected ground (greenhouses). Classified as a cluster tomato, distinguished by its power and strong growth. In greenhouses with intensive mineral feeding, sufficient heat, and light, it can be grown as a massive tomato tree. Under normal growing conditions, this plant reaches a height of 2-2.2m (6.5-7.2 ft). Requires tying and pruning. Fruits are oval, bright red, weighing 30-40g (1-1.4 oz), firm, sweet, gathered in beautiful clusters of 8-10 pieces. Yield is 8-10 kg/m2. Value of the hybrid: resistance to Verticillium wilt, Tobacco Mosaic Virus, heat resistance, abundant and prolonged fruiting, fruits do not crack on the bush, retain commercial quality under normal storage conditions for up to 1.5 months, and transport well. Recommended for fresh use, excellent for canning and pickling.
I will add “Sprut-Slivka Malinovaya F1” (Octopus Plum Pink F1) — an excellent tomato.
I used the same agricultural techniques as for the red plum. The taste is excellent, balanced — the flesh is sweet, and the gel around the seeds has a slight tartness. High yield, sets fruit in any weather conditions.
Differences from the red plum: the truss is smaller (10-12 fruits), the shape is rounder with a little nose/beak, and it is slightly less firm.
An excellent tomato, I will definitely plant it every year. Sown on March 10, planted out on June 3, first harvest on July 21.
It’s already reached the greenhouse roof, the wall height is 2.2m (7.2 ft).
At first, I pruned the suckers, then I stopped. It blooms and forms trusses very intensively. Next year I will allow more suckers to grow on the bush.
Sprut-Slivka Orange (Octopus Plum Orange)
1. Grown using EM-technology (Effective Microorganisms) in a barrel.
2. Grown in the ground.
The color is amazing, bright orange, the taste is pronounced sweet-and-sour, firm, juicy. They practically never crack on the bush.
Sprut-Slivka Chocolate (Octopus Plum Chocolate)
It was the smallest seedling, planted it out later than all the others, just wherever I could find space (so it didn’t show its full potential). It’s the largest of the plums, the taste is sweet with a slight tartness.
My conclusion on the plums: the sweetest (and most tender) is the Pink one (peeled and canned in their own juice + a little tomato juice + salt, they are simply awesome). Then comes Red, Orange, and Chocolate. Yield-wise, they are all on par (I got a 10-liter bucket per bush when grown “in a barrel”, much less when grown in normal ground). Size-wise (largest to smallest): Chocolate, Red, Pink, Orange.
They get infected with Late Blight later than all others, and recover very well after treatment.
This is all Sprut (Octopus) in the greenhouse.
EvgeniaM said:
I will add “Sprut-Slivka Malinovaya F1” (Pink) — an excellent tomato…
What are the specific agricultural requirements? I want to plant 2 plums: pink and chocolate. I grew the American Black Plum Heirloom, I got exhausted from harvesting them all and the taste is incredible. I’m thinking whether to plant those again or experiment with our local Russian plums…
On 01/12/2020 at 3:06 PM, Mgration said:
What are the specific agricultural requirements? I want to plant 2 plums…
I described the agrotechniques in my diary thread. I will just add a note about the Chocolate one. I decided to give it up. It sets fruit perfectly, the taste is good, but it drops from the vine at the slightest touch to the bush—whether it’s ripe or green.
Sprut Slivka pleases me, as always, but my new favorite now is Mops F1.
