Delicious lettuce tomato with a sweet honey flavor - the Pink Elephant tomato and its other benefits

Tomato Pink Elephant is a real handsome man. Tomatoes got an interesting name because of their size and color. This is an excellent variety for salads, with a balanced taste - sweet and sour. Ideal fresh - the pulp is tender and soft. Included in the top 50 best varieties of tomatoes in Russia. Let's get to know him in more detail.

Description of the variety

Tomato "Pink Elephant" - a semi-determinant type of tomato, created by Russian scientists in the late 90s of the last century and was originally intended for cultivation in greenhouse conditions. Nevertheless, many gardeners manage to harvest good crops by growing it in the open field.

Distinctive features

Ideal for salads... But lovers of sweet and thick juices use these tomatoes for their production. Among its relatives, it is considered a delicacy, therefore, it is inappropriate to make juices, pastes, lecho from it. It is also important to remember that ripe fruits are not stored for a long time.

Fruit characteristics and yield

Fruits of the "Pink Elephant" variety have a slightly flattened shape of bright pink color... The average weight of a tomato is 300 g, some of them reach 1000 g. Fruits are dense, fleshy, with few seeds and thin skin. Up to 8 kg of crop can be harvested from one 1 m². It will be possible to try them within 110 days after seed germination.

Reference. Gardeners note an average yield in comparison with other tomatoes, but choose "Pink Elephant" for its taste and presentable presentation, which makes it possible to successfully use the fruit for commercial purposes.

The photo will tell more than eloquently about this variety:

How to grow seedlings

Another feature of the "Pink Elephant" is growing only by seedlings regardless of climatic conditions.

Seed preparation

The step-by-step steps for preparing seeds for planting are:

1. At the beginning of March, it is necessary to start preparing seeds for seedlings, so that they can be sown in the second half of the month. In warm regions, seeds begin to be prepared earlier, respectively, and plant too. To begin with, treat the material purchased or prepared from the last harvest in a solution of potassium permanganate for about 30 minutes. We throw out the floating seeds, they will not sprout.
2. After processing with potassium permanganate, rinse them under running water.
3. Dry the resulting seeds.
4. In order for the harvest to succeed, feeding should start with seeds. Before sowing, we treat the seeds with growth stimulants, for example, such as Immunocytophyte, Agat-25K, or a natural stimulant - aloe.
5. Germination of seeds, in turn, consists of the following stages:
   • pour water into a shallow plate, place cheesecloth or other cotton material;
   • put seeds;
   • cover with the same material;
   • watch when the seeds break through.

Capacity and soil

For planting germinated seeds, it is recommended to prepare:

• thin plastic containers with lids;
• deep containers with a pallet and drainage.

Use a commercial soil recommended for sowing peppers and tomatoes., or you can mix the soil in which the seedlings will be planted with ash, humus and sand (ratio 2: 1: 1: 1).

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Sowing

After preparing the planting material, containers and soil, we begin to sow seeds.

For this one should:

• irrigate the soil with water;
• make shallow paths;
• plant seeds no deeper than 2 cm;
• irrigate the soil carefully;
• cover the plantings with cellophane or a transparent container lid;
• place them where it is light and warm - about 25 ° C;
• after the seeds sprout, the covers or film should be removed and the plantings should be moved to a cool place with a temperature of about 21 ° C.

Growing and care

Proper care is required to obtain quality seedlings:

• regular watering - monitor the condition of the soil, avoid drought or overflow;
• good illumination - up to 10-12 hours a day, if there is not enough natural light, use lamps or lamps;
• after the appearance of the first pair of leaves, a pick is carried out;
• at the stage of picking, carry out the first soil supplementary feeding with the mineral complex "Nitroammofoska".

How to grow tomatoes

After the seedlings have grown and are ready to be transplanted into the ground, it is recommended to harden them.... We carry out hardening in stages: first, a few minutes a day (from 10 minutes), and then gradually increase the hardening time to 12 hours.

Thereafter move on to planting plants.

Landing

Before planting seedlings, the soil must be well fertilized with organic matter and a mineral complex. - such as "Krepysh", "Nitroammofoska" or "Kemira Lux". It is recommended to dig up the soil with a large amount of humus and ash, supply it with complex fertilizer and superphosphate, and then cover it with foil for 7 days. So the earth will be warmed up and saturated with vitamins.

Reference. In early June, seedlings are planted in open ground, in the second decade of May - in greenhouses or hotbeds, in the 20th of April, the seedlings are planted by owners of heated greenhouses.

How exactly to plant the plants? Plant 1-2 bushes per 1 m². We make a large hole, plant a sprout, fill it with wood ash on top... If you plant more, then the plants will not have enough light and space.

Care

After planting seedlings, the next important stage comes - proper care:

• watering once a week at the rate of 0.5 buckets per 1 bush;
• after watering, you need to ventilate the room where the tomatoes grow;
• it is important to constantly loosen the soil, but you should not immediately huddle;
• it is imperative to remove stepchildren, otherwise the bush may not withstand the load. It is recommended to leave no more than two stems. We remove the stepchildren throughout the entire development of the plant in the early morning, after watering;
• you need to remove extra flower ovaries, leaving no more than four flowers;
• be sure to tie each bush, otherwise it will break under the weight of the crop. When tying, we use two wires for better stability;
• since this variety gives large fruits, the plants need to be fertilized often and abundantly (3-4 times per season). After flowering, phosphorus, nitrogen, potassium are well suited, during the growing season - mineral complexes and organic fertilizers.

By following these simple rules, you will be rewarded with a plentiful and tasty harvest..

Features of cultivation and possible difficulties

The cultivation procedure is similar to the usual for most tomatoes, but there are some peculiarities:

• watering tomatoes is recommended only with warm water;
• after watering, it is imperative to loosen the ground, to prevent the formation of a crust on the ground;
• shaping and pinching the bush are required;
• after fruit formation, inspect the bushes daily to avoid stress on the stem with branches and fruits, due to which it can break.

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Diseases and pests

"Pink Elephant" is resistant to tomato diseases... However, it is 100% immune from them, like any other variety, including from late blight (the appearance of dark spots on leaves and fruits). If you find signs of this disease, start treatment immediately.

It takes place in 2 stages:

1. We fertilize the soil with potassium to avoid re-infection.
2. We treat tomatoes with fungicides containing copper. They will heal the plants.

Plus, tomatoes aren't immune to insect pests.... To prevent their appearance, experienced farmers are advised to plant between the rows of plants, the smell of which repels pests.

If they still start, do the following:

• when aphids appear, we treat the plants with a solution of soap and water;
• if slugs are wound up, we collect them manually, after which we process the plantings with a solution of ammonia and water;
• when a spider mite, whitefly appears - we carry out the treatment with a decoction of celandine, onion peel or chamomile.

To avoid the appearance of insects or late blight, use preventive measures - this way you can avoid additional problems.

The nuances of growing in open ground and in a greenhouse

Tomato variety "Pink Elephant" is more suitable for growing in a greenhouse... But some gardeners also grow it in the open field. Let's note some of the nuances of growing:

• If you decide to grow tomatoes in a greenhouse, remember that pollination is difficult under these conditions. Be sure to ventilate your greenhouses, otherwise the pollen will clump. Some gardeners do manual pollination;
• when growing outdoors, the planting must be covered with a film. Pollination in this case occurs naturally.

Harvesting and application of the crop

The fruits of the "Pink Elephant" are used mainly fresh.... They are also used for the preparation of canned preparations - lecho, juices, pastes.

The harvest does not last long... Tomatoes are folded into boxes and stored in a dry, dark place. It is important that the tomatoes themselves are also dry.

Reference. Ripe fruits are removed from the bush in the early morning. Gardeners note that if you remove green or brown fruits, then after ripening on the windowsill, they will not lose their taste.

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

Like any the variety "Pink Elephant" has both advantages and disadvantages... Let's consider them in more detail.

The advantages of the variety include:

• large fruit sizes;
• original and rich taste;
• high productivity;
• disease resistance;
• high content of useful amino acids;
• the ability to prepare seeds for next year from the resulting crop.

disadvantages:

• tomatoes spoil quickly;
• after temperature changes, the fruits crack;
• tomatoes are not resistant to fungal infections;
• the temperature regime of cultivation must be strictly observed;
• necessarily the formation of a bush.

Farmers reviews

Consider some reviews of summer residents and gardeners about growing the "Pink Elephant".

Tatyana: «Pink Elephant "is one of my favorite tomato varieties. It is moderately juicy, fleshy and sweet, tomatoes grow large. Just a few bushes are enough for our small family. "

Igor: “I have been planting the Pink Elephant tomato for the third year. Amazing taste, high yield. But the skin is thin. For sale, I think it is not suitable. "

Vasiliy: “We didn't manage to get a good harvest. The taste is insipid. The bushes got sick. The treatment did not help. I probably won't plant any more ".

Conclusion

Now you know everything about the features of the Pink Elephant tomato and the intricacies of its cultivation. Large, sweet tomatoes will decorate your table from the end of June. By following the simple recommendations for preparing seeds, growing seedlings and caring for plants in the ground, you will certainly get a good harvest.