You will not surprise anyone with a variety of new colors of vegetables. Tomato Black Prince managed to combine the unusual almost black color of the fruit, amazing sweetish taste and ease of growing the crop.
Characteristic of the variety
This variety is not a novelty on the tomato market, it was bred in China, permission to grow it on the territory of the Federation was received back in 2000. The tomato is intended for cultivation in moderate climatic conditions – the territory of the Federation and neighboring countries. But not so long ago a hybrid (F1) was bred, so before buying this tomato, you should carefully study the description of the variety on the package. Seeds of the original variety can be used for sowing, although it is advisable to skip the next season, but hybrid ones can disappoint with the result.
The height of the tomato bush itself is on average about 1,5 m, but being an indeterminate plant, it can reach 2 meters. When all the fruits are formed, the top should be pinched (broken off) so that all the juices and nutrients of the bush go not to growth, but to the development of the tomato. The trunk is strong, forms simple brushes, the leaves are ordinary, light green in color. The first ovaries with an abundant number of stalks are formed above the 9th leaf, following every 3 leaves. Usually 5-6 flowers are left on the ovary so that the tomatoes are larger in size.
Resistance to diseases is above average, and resistance to late blight is high. This variety of tomato is mid-season, about 115 days pass from the appearance of the first sprouts to ripe tomatoes. It is a self-pollinating plant.
Tomato fruits are fleshy and juicy. The skin is thin, but has a dense structure, the color changes from bottom to top, from pale red to purple, and even black. The average weight of tomatoes is 100-400 gr., with proper care of the crop, Black Prince tomatoes reach a weight of more than 500 gr. The average weight of ripe tomatoes from a bush is 4 kg. Due to the large size and tenderness of the structure, it does not tolerate transportation and long-term storage. This variety is recommended to be consumed fresh for salads or after heat treatment in hot dishes, as a dressing. Tomatoes Black Prince are considered dessert, their sweetness will satisfy the taste of even a child. For canning, this variety is undesirable, as it can lose its integrity, but it is quite suitable for tomato paste, adjika or ketchup, especially since it does not lose its properties even after heat treatment. Juice is not recommended because of the high content of solids.
Growing tomato Black Prince
You can breed the variety in open ground, under a film or in greenhouses for an early harvest. It takes about 10 days from sowing to the first sprouts, but they quickly catch up with the growth of cultures that sprouted earlier. Tomato seeds are sown in the first decade of March in wide pallets, in fertile, loose soil at a distance of 2 × 2 cm, to a depth of no more than 2 cm. It is necessary to preheat the soil in the oven to destroy harmful microbes and living creatures. After watering, cover with glass or cling film for a greenhouse effect, after the appearance of sprouts, you can remove it. The temperature must not fall below 25°C.
As soon as 2 true leaves appear, it is necessary to pick a tomato – transplant the plants into separate cups. Experienced gardeners recommend diving several times, until the final transplant to a permanent place, each time increasing the volume of the container. Tomatoes are transplanted into open ground in mid-May, in separate holes, in which phosphorus fertilizer is placed in advance and cultivation continues.
This tomato variety loves moisture, it should be watered abundantly under the root or drip irrigation should be used. During the entire cultivation of tomatoes, it is necessary to loosen the ground frequently, and fertilize approximately every 10 days. Lateral processes stepchild so that the bush goes into one stem. Due to the height of the plant, the Black Prince tomato variety requires fastening, it is also necessary to support branches with fruits so that they do not break.
The level of disease resistance is slightly above average, but prevention is better than cure or even losing the entire crop. Initially, for general immunity from diseases, the seeds themselves can be disinfected. For an adult plant, the following prophylaxis is suitable:
- a solution of copper sulfate to get rid of late blight;
- potassium permanganate from tobacco mosaic;
- from brown spotting, it is necessary to pour ash under each bush.
Tomato Black Prince is unpretentious in cultivation, and large juicy fruits with an unusual color will be a highlight on the table of any housewife.
