19-year-old Vadym Havrylenko from Sloboda village in northern Ukraine cultivates nearly 300 varieties of tomatoes. He has been passionate about growing vegetables since the age of 10 and began researching tomato genetics in 8th grade.
This season, he planted over 75 varieties. He grows determinate, semi-determinate, indeterminate, dwarf, and trailing types in various shapes and colors, from tiny cherry tomatoes to giant fruits weighing over 1kg.
The average yield per plant is 3–5.5 kg. Most plants produce around 4.5 kg. Total harvest: up to 1 ton.
Vadym spends his student stipend on seeds, fertilizer, and materials. He doesn't aim to grow thousands of plants, his focus is on purity and diversity of varieties.
He studies agronomy at the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences. During the pandemic, he balanced school lessons with gardening, Zoom classes in the morning, transplanting and weeding in the afternoon. Self-taught techniques now support his formal education.
Nicknamed the "Tomato Tycoon", Vadym is proud of his work. Vadym believes the north of Ukraine has big farming potential. The region has good soil, enough rain and warm weather. He thinks the Chernihiv region could become a vegetable center in the future, especially tomatoes and other nightshades.
He believes people should follow their passions, whether it's IT, law, medicine, or agriculture. For him, tomatoes are more than a crop; they're a way of life.
Source: suspilne.media
