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It is interesting for producers who are also breeders to work with serial tomatoes, since they often have similar genetic roots, but at the same time they may differ in a number of traits that are interesting for different gardeners. On the other hand, the passion of many people for collecting makes them, having acquired any one tomato from a whole series, want to try all the others. Especially if the experience of growing the first variety was successful.
And this is more than justified in relation to the group of tomatoes, united by the fact that the word “elephant” appears in the name of the variety. All tomato “elephants” are quite unpretentious in their care, but they differ in a variety of colors, tastes and sizes of fruits and plants themselves.
This article will focus on a tomato called the Orange Elephant, which, according to its characteristics, is the smallest representative of this tomato family. Other “elephants”, such as the Pink Elephant or the Raspberry Elephant, are more suitable for their name in terms of the size of the fruits and bushes.
Variety description
The Orange Elephant tomato, like most of its counterparts from this series of tomatoes, was obtained by the breeders of the Gavrish agricultural company. It is sold in bags of the Bogatyr series. In 2011, this tomato was included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements of Our Country. It was recommended for cultivation in all regions of Our Country in film or polycarbonate greenhouses.
Of course, in the southern regions of Our Country, you can try to grow it in the open field. This condition is primarily due to the fact that this tomato has a rather early ripening period. Tomatoes ripen approximately 100-110 days after the emergence of full seedlings. Therefore, in order to get a really early tomato crop, it is advisable to plant seedlings in the ground as early as possible, no later than May.
For southern regions with warm and sometimes hot springs, this is quite acceptable. But in the middle lane and in Siberia in May, tomato seedlings can only be planted in greenhouses, in extreme cases under film shelters. But the first ripe fruits when planting in a greenhouse can be obtained already at the end of June – in July.
Tomato Orange elephant belongs to the determinant type, which means it is limited in growth. And, indeed, its height in open ground does not exceed 60-70 cm. When cultivated in a greenhouse, a bush can reach a height of 100 cm. Although, according to gardeners in some areas with a warm climate, the Orange Elephant tomato reached a height of 1,6 meters.
Since the Orange Elephant tomato is determinant, it does not need pinching. But the garter to the stakes will never be superfluous, because without it, bushes with ripening tomatoes can simply collapse to the ground. The leaves on the bushes are medium in size, dark green in color, traditional for tomatoes.
The description of the variety will be incomplete without such a characteristic as yield, but here the Orange Elephant was not up to par. On average, from one bush you can get from two to three kilograms of tomatoes. And from one square meter of plantings, you can thus get up to 7-8 kg of fruit.
The variety is quite resistant to adverse weather conditions, especially well tolerates heat, including abnormal. It sets fruits well in these conditions, therefore it is suitable for growing gardeners from the southern regions. Fruits are not subject to cracking. As for disease resistance, it is at an average level, on a par with most tomato varieties.
Fruit Characteristics
Tomatoes of the Orange Elephant variety are distinguished by the following characteristics:
- The shape of the fruit is traditionally round, but slightly flattened both above and below. At the base of the peduncle, ribbing is observed.
- At the stage of technical maturity, the fruits are green in color, when ripe they become bright orange.
- The skin is quite dense, smooth, the surface of the tomato is elastic.
- The pulp is tender, juicy, its color is soft orange. Tomatoes contain a large amount of beta-carotene, which prevents the aging process, and also has a beneficial effect on vision, immunity and skin regeneration processes.
- Manufacturers claim that the average weight of tomatoes is 200-250 grams. Perhaps such fruits can be achieved if the number of fruits in the hands is normalized. According to gardeners, the average weight of tomatoes is only 130-170 grams.
- The taste of tomatoes is rated as excellent. The fruits have a rich, sweet taste and pleasant aroma.
- The number of seed nests is average – from three to four.
- The fruits are best used for making salads and original color tomato juice. They are not very suitable for canning for the winter, except for the preparation of sauces, squash caviar and similar dishes.
- Of the entire family of elephants, it is the Orange Elephant that is best kept and endures transportation.
- It ripens well in room conditions, without losing taste.
- The fruiting period is long – tomatoes can set fruits and ripen for several months.
Advantages and disadvantages
Like most vegetables, the Orange Elephant variety has advantages that gardeners who choose this tomato for growing appreciate:
- Fruiting for a long period.
- Good preservation of fruits and transportability, unlike other tomato “elephants”.
- Original color and excellent fruit taste.
- Increased usefulness of tomatoes, due to the content of various additional elements and vitamins.
- Disease resistance.
- Unpretentiousness in cultivation.
Relative disadvantages include:
- Not the largest fruit sizes, compared to other tomato “elephants”.
- Not as high yield as other comrades in the series.
Peculiarities of growing
Since the Orange Elephant tomato is recommended to be grown in greenhouses in most regions, seeds can also be sown for seedlings starting in March. If there is a desire to experiment, gardeners in the southern regions can try to sow this tomato in April in the soil of an unheated greenhouse, in order to later transplant it into open ground or leave it to grow under a roof all summer.
Under such conditions, seedlings will increase the maximum number of roots and be able to quickly grow after planting.
When sowing seeds in fertile soil, fertilizing is not required before planting tomatoes in a permanent place. It is necessary to plant seedlings, keeping a sufficient distance between plants (at least 30-40 cm), even if at first it seems that they are planted too far apart.
It is very desirable to tie the seedlings of the Orange Elephant to the stakes immediately upon planting and mulch with straw or rotted sawdust. If everything is done correctly, in the future care will be reduced to watering once a week, top dressing twice a month and harvesting.
Testimonials from truck drivers
Reviews of gardeners about the Orange Elephant tomato are mixed, but generally positive.
Conclusion
Among tomatoes with an exotic fruit color, the Orange Elephant stands out, first of all, for its unpretentiousness. Therefore, novice gardeners who are afraid, due to their inexperience, to take on exotic varieties of tomatoes, can be advised to start with this particular variety.
