Pink elephant - features of the variety of large tomatoes with reviews

Many gardeners grow pink tomatoes in their beds. They are in many ways superior to traditional red varieties in their taste. Tomatoes have a sugary, fleshy flesh, sweet and aromatic. All these qualities are possessed by the pink elephant variety.

Description

Even from the name it is clear that this variety belongs to pink tomatoes and has very large fruits. These are mid-early tomatoes, fully ripen in 110-115 days. One tomato weighs from 300 to 700 grams, usually no more than 7-8 fruits ripen on one bush. The height of an adult plant reaches 1.5-1.7 meters.

The fruit has a flattened, rounded shape, dense, glossy, dark pink skin when ripe, which does not crack. Average yield - 3-4 kg of tomatoes from one bush. The Pink Elephant has a sweet taste with a slight sourness. Delicious salads, juices, sauces are obtained from the fruits, tomatoes are suitable for drying. For pickling in jars, the size is not used due to its large.

A powerful bush requires a lot of space due to the large number of side shoots, a thick stem and large leaves similar to potato. poorly pollinated in greenhouses and greenhouses... In the open field, barren flowers are rare. Buds usually appear above the seventh leaf and follow two later.

The variety is quite resistant to late blight and fusarium, pests are also not interested in the Pink Elephant. The fruits withstand transportation well and are well stored. Due to their considerable size, they are unlikely to be grown by farmers in large quantities, since they may not find a sale.

Growing tomato

The Pink Elephant variety is planted on seedlings, taking into account climatic conditions and following the instructions on a pack of seeds. This usually happens in March, the seeds and soil must be prepared in advance. To obtain seedlings, it is preferable to purchase soil in a specialized store; it is also recommended to buy special containers there. Such soil has usually already been treated for parasites and diseases.

The planting material (if it was collected from the site) is pre-soaked in a solution of potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate) for disinfection. In addition, empty ones float, full-fledged ones sink to the bottom of the solution, and they are taken for planting, rinsing with clean water.

Seeds are planted in the ground, 1 cm of soil is carefully poured on top, sprayed with warm water from a spray bottle. The container is placed in a room with a temperature of up to 26 ° C and covered. After 7-10 days, when the first shoots hatch, the container is opened and placed in a bright, sunny, but cooler place (+ 20-22). When two true leaves grow on the stalk, the seedlings dive, seating them in separate ones, you can peat pots.

At the same time, the first feeding with a special complex of minerals is performed. Depending on the permanent place of growing the plants, the seedlings are transferred as they grow into a greenhouse under a film, into a greenhouse or into open ground. The timing of such a landing varies. For example, tomato seedlings are moved into open ground, starting from the weather, at the beginning of June, and into the greenhouse - it is possible already in May.

Advice
Because of the massive bushes, experienced vegetable growers advise 1 m² plant no more than two plants and carefully pinch the resulting side shoots so that only one, maximum two stems remain.

Care features

To achieve a significant harvest from a pink elephant, you will have to carefully comply with agrotechnical requirements. Although there are not many procedures, they should not be forgotten.

The main directions of caring for these tomatoes:

1. Stealing. If you leave more than two stems, then the plant will not support the load of fruits.
2. Pruning. It is necessary to tear off no more than two leaves from the bottom every few days to prevent fungal infection without disrupting the process of photosynthesis. The inflorescences are also removed, leaving only a few pieces at each level.
3. Fixation. Plants must be tied up well, reliably, including fruit clusters.
4. Top dressing. Fertilizers are often needed by the Pink Elephant, you can use both complex fertilizers and separately - potassium, phosphorus.
5. Moisturizing. Tomatoes of this variety love abundant, frequent watering. To retain moisture, the soil under the bushes is mulched with straw or plant residues.
6. Pollination. To prevent pollen from clumping in the greenhouse, you need to ventilate it and prevent high levels of humidity. To attract bees to the greenhouse, you should organize sweet-smelling baits and leave the door open for a while.
7. Protection. Before the start of the formation of fruits, plants are treated against the main diseases and pests of tomatoes for prevention.

Variety reviews

Most of the reviews about the Pink Elephant, if systematized, boil down to the following:

1. The variety is suitable for those gardeners who love giant vegetables. It is possible to grow tomatoes weighing 1 kg.
2. The germination of seeds, both purchased and collected independently, is excellent, especially those that were collected 2 seasons ago.
3. The pink elephant loves fertile soil, sunny locations and abundant watering.
4. Tomatoes of this variety are juicy, sugary, aromatic, very tasty.
5. Many vegetable growers have been growing them in their beds for over five years.
6. The Pink Elephant variety has practically no drawbacks, except for a large number of side shoots (it is necessary to constantly pinch), some also consider it not sufficiently resistant to phytophthora.

Basically, gardeners in reviews recommend a variety for cultivation and are happy to exchange its seeds or distribute them to neighbors in the area.

Of course, the pink elephant tomato variety cannot be used for canning as a whole and is rarely grown for sale in large quantities. But this tomato is quite capable of delighting summer residents with a view, size, taste, and surprising neighbors. Its name corresponds to its qualities and characteristics. In addition, it is easy to store, and when transported over any distance, this tomato, if it has not been damaged before, remains just as tasty and attractive. Store tomatoes in dry boxes in a cool, dark place.