Tomato Pink elephant: characteristics and description of the variety

Probably, not a single garden and not a single greenhouse can do without pink varieties of tomatoes. It is pink tomatoes that are considered the most delicious: the fruits have sugary pulp, a very rich aroma and a sweet honey taste with a slight sourness. These are salad varieties that are best eaten fresh. One of these tomatoes is the Pink Elephant variety, and, according to many gardeners, it is also considered the best.

A description of the Pink Elephant tomato variety, photos and reviews of gardeners about this tomato can be found in this article. Here is a detailed description of the Pink Elephant tomato, it is told about how to plant it, and how best to care for it.

Variety description

Already by the name of this tomato, it becomes clear that its fruits are large and painted in a pink hue. This tomato was bred in Our Country, so it is perfect for growing in local climatic conditions. You can plant a Pink Elephant tomato both in the ground and in a greenhouse or in a greenhouse. The culture is precisely varietal, not hybrid, therefore it reproduces well by seeds.

A more detailed description and description of the Pink Elephant tomato variety:

• tomato belongs to varieties with medium early ripening – the crop can be harvested 112 days after germination;
• bushes of determinant type, grow up to 120-170 cm in height;
• many lateral shoots are formed on the plants, so the tomato must be regularly pinched;
• the elephant bush is quite powerful, takes up a lot of space, has large leaves and thick shoots;
• leaves are large, saturated green, their type is potato;
• flower clusters begin above the seventh leaf, then alternate through each pair of leaves;
• the shape of pink fruits is flat-round, slightly flattened;
• the mass of tomatoes is large – from 300 to 1000 grams;
• on each bush can ripen from five to eight fruits;
• unripe tomatoes have a dark green spot near the stalk, ripe tomatoes of a rich raspberry-coral color;
• the peel of the fruit is shiny, very dense, not prone to cracking;
• the pulp of the Pink Elephant tomato is sugary, sweet-sour, juicy;
• fruits tolerate transportation well, do not deteriorate during storage;
• tomatoes of the Pink Elephant variety are resistant to major “tomato” infections, such as late blight, fusarium, alternariosis;
• not interested in tomato and pests – they rarely attack the bushes of this variety;
• the yield of the variety is average – from each bush you can remove from three to four kilograms of tomatoes;
• given the size of the bush, it is recommended to plant no more than two plants per square meter.

The large fleshy fruits of the Pink Elephant are great for making fresh salads, juices, sauces and purees. These tomatoes are very tasty fresh, besides, their pulp contains a lot of vitamins and microelements useful for the body. It is quite possible to use the crop of this variety for the preparation of canned salads or other dishes, but in general it will not work to pickle the tomatoes – they are too large.

About growing tomatoes

This is not to say that Pink Elephant tomatoes are too capricious or too demanding, but, like all large-fruited tomatoes, they need some care.

But the variety is perfect for private households and country gardens: the neighbors will definitely envy the truly “elephant” size of the crop.

Given the experience of other gardeners, reading their reviews with photos, you can make some algorithm of actions when growing the Pink Elephant variety:

1. When buying seeds, be sure to read the instructions on the bag. They usually indicate the timing of planting and the most important stages of caring for tomatoes.
2. Pink Elephant is recommended to be planted on seedlings along with the rest of the early ripe tomatoes – that is, in March. The specific date for sowing seeds should depend on the climate in the region and the method of growing tomatoes (greenhouse or soil).

   

3. For seedlings, it is convenient to use special containers with airtight lids. The soil can be taken purchased, intended for tomatoes and bell peppers.
4. Seeds are first soaked in a weak solution of manganese. For planting, take only those that settle on the bottom of the container with the solution. These seeds must be washed under running water and planted in the ground.
5. From above, the tomato seeds are sprinkled with a centimeter layer of dry earth and the soil is irrigated with a spray gun so as not to violate the integrity of the plantings. The container is covered with a lid and sent to a very warm place (about 24-26 degrees).

   

6. After a week, the tomato seedlings should germinate, then the lid is removed, and the container is placed in a cooler (20-22 degrees) and bright place.
7. Tomatoes need to be watered often, but only when the seedlings have enough sunlight. If there is little sun, reduce watering or use artificial lighting.
8. When a couple of real leaves grow in pink tomatoes, they swoop down – they are seated in separate containers. At the same stage, the first top dressing is performed. It is convenient to use the mineral complex dissolved in water.

   

9. It is recommended to transfer tomatoes to a permanent place at such a time: at the end of April – they ate the greenhouse is heated, in mid-May – under a film or in a regular greenhouse, in early June – when planting on a garden bed.

   

10. Planting scheme – no more than two bushes per square meter. A pink-fruited Elephant needs a lot of air and light; nutrition from the soil may also not be enough with a denser planting of bushes. Before planting, a lot of organic matter and mineral fertilizers must be applied to the soil.

About proper care

Pink Elephant tomato is not a variety that will delight with abundant harvests. Best case scenario from one bush, the gardener will remove 8-9 fruits, but at the same time the total mass of the crop will be 3-4 kilograms. To achieve such results, you have to work hard.

You need to care for the Pink Elephant tomato as follows:

1. Due to a certain habit, the bushes form into one or two stems – the plant simply cannot withstand more ovaries and shoots.
2. The gardener must remove the rest of the stepchildren at the entire stage of development of tomatoes. It is better to do this in the morning, on the eve of abundantly watering the beds.
3. It is necessary to tie up the bushes of the Elephant. It is even better to use two wires, for greater reliability. They tie up not only the stem and shoots, but also the fruit brushes themselves, because the mass of the lower ones can reach 1,5 kg.
4. You need to feed the Pink Elephant generously and often, otherwise he will not “pull out” such a mass of tomatoes. In the first half of vegetative development, both organic and mineral supplements are used. After flowering, it is recommended to use only mineral complexes or individual substances. Tomato responds especially well to potassium, nitrogen, phosphorus.
5. It is necessary to normalize not only shoots, but also the number of flowers. On the first two brushes of the Elephant, it is recommended to leave 3-4 inflorescences each, the third brush is also thinned out, leaving 4-6 flowers. The flowers are cut off in the bud stage until they open.

   

6. The lower leaves of massive bushes also need to be cut off. Every week, one or two leaves are torn off. More leaves can not be removed, as the photosynthesis of plants will be disturbed. If the leaves are not touched at all, the risk of infection of the tomato with fungal infections will increase significantly.

   

7. Water the Elephant abundantly and often, using warm water for this. So that moisture evaporates less, the ground is covered with straw, sawdust or plucked grass.
8. To prevent infection of tomatoes, preventive treatment of bushes from the most common diseases and pests is carried out. Disinfection must be completed before the fruit formation period.

   

You can store the harvested crop for several weeks. To do this, the tomatoes are laid out in clean, dry boxes and placed in a cool, dark place. If necessary, the crop can be transported to any distance – the fruits perfectly retain their shape and taste.

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Conclusion

The description given here indicates that the Pink Elephant is not a tomato for everyone. These tomatoes are not suitable for whole canning, nor are they the best choice for commercial cultivation. But the variety is great for private gardens and summer cottages, because among the tomatoes there are a few that turn out to be tastier and larger than the Elephant. True, in order to grow a good crop of this pink tomato, the owner will have to work hard.