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The Pink Leader tomato is one of the most early maturing varieties, which is very popular among summer residents and gardeners throughout Our Country. It is characterized by high yield, juicy and sweet fruits, good resistance to adverse weather conditions.
Description of tomato Pink Leader
Tomato Pink leader is an early ripening, productive, determinant variety. It was developed by domestic specialists. The agricultural firm “Sedek” acted as the originator. The variety was included in the State Register of the Federation in 2008 and recommended for cultivation in open ground, film shelters and subsidiary farms throughout Our Country. Tomato Pink leader can be grown both in seedlings and in seedlings.
The pubescent branches of the tomato are decorated with large green foliage, the inflorescences of the plant are simple, the flowers are small, yellowish in color, the stalks are articulated. The first ovaries are formed after the appearance of 6 – 7 permanent leaves. Up to 5 tomatoes ripen on each brush with ovaries. The fruit ripening period for this variety is 86 – 90 days after germination.
As the photos and reviews show, the Pink Leader tomato is a low-growing variety: a standard bush with a powerful main stem is very compact in nature, does not need to be shaped and pinched. The height of the bush reaches no more than 50 cm.
The compact root system of the plant allows you to grow the Pink Leader tomato in a container on a loggia, balcony or in a multi-tiered garden bed, which is both a decorative element and a space for growing various vegetables.
Description of fruits
Ripe fruits of the Pink Leader tomato variety are red, with a raspberry-pink hue, unripe fruits are light green in color. One tomato weighs from 150 to 170 g. The fruits are medium in size, their shape is round, the skin is slightly ribbed, the pulp is medium density, juicy and fleshy.
The fruits of the Pink Leader variety are characterized by a high sugar content in their composition, so they taste pleasant and sweet, without the bright sourness characteristic of tomato culture. The acidity of the fruit is about 0,50 mg, the composition includes:
- dry matter: 5,5 – 6%;
- sugar: 3 – 3,5%;
- vitamin C: 17 – 18 mg.
Pink leader tomato fruits are ideal for fresh consumption and for salads. From tomatoes of this variety, a very tasty freshly squeezed juice is obtained, they are also used to make homemade ketchup and tomato paste. However, the variety is not suitable for preservation, since the thin peel cracks in the process, and the entire contents of the tomato flows into the jar. Fruits have average transportability and keeping quality.
Characteristics of tomato Pink leader
Tomato Pink Leader is an extremely early ripening variety, its fruits begin to ripen 86 – 90 days after the first shoots. Thanks to this, the variety can be grown in all climatic zones, the Pink Leader is especially popular in the regions of the middle zone, in the Urals and Siberia, where the summer season is not too long and rather cool. However, even in such adverse conditions, the fruits have time to ripen before the onset of serious cold weather. Tomato fruiting lasts from late June to early September.
The variety is very resistant to weather fluctuations, has high frost resistance for this crop. The Pink Leader is characterized by resistance to late blight, as well as many diseases caused by fungi and bacteria.
The culture is considered one of the most productive varieties of low-growing tomatoes. From 1 sq. m in open ground, up to 10 kg of juicy fruits are obtained, in a greenhouse – up to 12 kg, and from one tomato bush Pink Leader you can get 3-4 kg of tomatoes. This is really rare for such small plants.
Yield is mainly affected by soil fertility. It should be airy, have a structure that simultaneously allows it to retain moisture and pass it freely. Experienced gardeners advise not to save on organic additives when preparing the soil. The addition of rotted manure, compost or peat to the composition of the soil will have a good effect on the crop.
Advantages and disadvantages
Gardeners distinguish the following advantages of the Pink Leader tomato variety:
- resistance to many diseases, including late blight;
- survivability of the variety in adverse climatic conditions;
- high yield, not characteristic of undersized tomatoes;
- excellent nutritional properties, as well as a pleasant, sweetish taste of tomatoes;
- the presence in the fruit of vitamins C, PP, group B, as well as lycopene, which is responsible for a healthy heart and blood vessels;
- short fruit ripening time, after about 90 days it will be possible to harvest the first crop;
- the compactness of the bush, due to which the plant does not need a garter and pinching;
- suitable for growing both in greenhouse and outdoor conditions;
- the crop can be grown even on a loggia or balcony, since the plant has a compact root system and feels comfortable even in a container.
Disadvantages, unlike advantages, the variety has not so many:
- fruits of medium size;
- thin skin;
- the impossibility of conservation.
Growing rules
Growing a tomato Pink leader is not difficult. Its bushes do not take up much space, so this variety is suitable for planting even in small summer cottages. Below in the article are the rules of planting and care, adhering to which you can easily achieve a high yield.
Planting seeds for seedlings
Seeds of the Pink Leader variety are sown for seedlings at the end of March or in April, this largely depends on the climate and the region in which it is planned to grow tomatoes.
First of all, you need to prepare containers for planting. It can be the most diverse, but it is best to use special containers with a lid: if necessary, this will create a greenhouse effect for plants.
Material for planting is bought in specialized stores or made independently. For tomato seedlings, the Pink Leader is perfect for universal soil, consisting of sand and peat, taken in equal proportions.
During sowing, the seeds should not be lowered too deep into the soil. The depth of the holes should be no more than 1,5 – 2 cm. After sowing the seeds, the future seedlings must be watered and covered with polyethylene film, left in this position until the first shoots hatch. After that, the film must be removed, and the pots placed on the windowsill, in a well-lit place.
After the appearance of 2 – 3 true leaves, the seedlings dive into separate pots. During the growing period at home, seedlings are fed with complex mineral fertilizers 2 times. 2 weeks before planting, watering gradually begins to be reduced, tomato seedlings are hardened, taking them out into fresh air for several hours.
Seedling transplant
The Rose Leader tomato seedlings are transplanted to a site protected from the wind, well lit and warmed by the sun’s rays. Tomato Pink Leader loves nutritious, loose, moisture-intensive soil. The beds have been prepared since autumn, digging and enriching the land with fertilizers.
Planting seedlings in open ground is carried out in May, when the air warms up and becomes warm enough. The site is dug up, loosened, all weeds are removed and planting is started according to the 50×40 cm scheme. Per 1 sq. m fits about 8 bushes of tomatoes of this variety.
Transfer algorithm:
- Prepare the holes for planting, spill them with warm water.
- Carefully remove the seedlings from the container and place in the prepared holes, deepening to the cotyledon leaves.
- Sprinkle with soil mixture, compact slightly.
Aftercare
Variety Pink leader does not need special further care. To get a good harvest, it is important:
- Monitor soil moisture throughout the entire period of crop maturation. Dried soil causes shredding of fruits, can provoke crop loss and death of plants.
- Loosen the soil after watering: this can enrich it with oxygen and prevent the appearance of a dried crust on the soil surface.
- Perform regular weeding, getting rid of all weed plants.
- Do not forget about top dressing with complex mineral fertilizers.
- Timely get rid of the lower leaves, which are the cause of the formation of stagnant air in the near-earth zone, which, in turn, leads to the development of various diseases.
- Take preventive measures aimed at preventing damage to the plant by diseases and pests.
Conclusion
The Pink Leader tomato is unpretentious in care and can grow in any climate, so even novice gardeners can handle its cultivation. Delicious, fast-ripening, pink fruits will delight with their appearance until early September.
