Tomato "pink elephant": characteristics and description of the variety, photos and reviews

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Most summer residents and gardeners, choosing suitable crops for growing on their site, carefully study different varieties. It is not surprising that the Pink Elephant tomato variety, the characteristics and description of which will be presented in the review, may be of interest to many. Large fruits with great taste, together with the versatility of the culture, make it a good choice for the gardener. Therefore, it will be very useful to tell about it in more detail.

Description of the bush

First of all, it is worth giving the characteristics and description of the pink elephant tomato. One of the most important indicators is the speed of maturation. Experts usually classify it as a mid-season variety - after planting, it takes about 115 days for the first ripe fruits to be harvested. A very good indicator that allows you to enjoy fresh tomatoes already in mid-late July, if you use seedlings.

The height of the Pink Elephant tomato bush is quite large - up to one and a half meters. Of course, this requiresadditional care when grown in greenhouses. But we will return to this issue a little later. The leaves are similar to potato leaves, so a novice summer resident may well confuse them.

Despite the significant size of the fruits, the latter grow in clusters - up to 6-8 tomatoes each. The yield is very good - on average, you can get 4 kilograms from a bush, but there is evidence that with good care this figure increases to 6 kilograms.

A little about fruits

Giving a characterization and description of the "Pink Elephant" tomato variety, it is impossible not to tell about the fruits. After all, it is for their sake that any summer resident works on the ground, spending his free time, which could be spent with great comfort.

The variety got its name not by chance. The fruits on it are really large - mostly 250-350 grams each. However, if you provide them with good care, enough moisture and heat, and also grow them on fertile soil, then the weight of the first fruits can be several times more - up to 800-1000 grams! A really serious indicator that allows you to brag to your friends and neighbors.

The fruits are round in shape, slightly flattened. At the top are smooth, but near the stalk there is a slight ribbing. The fruits have a glossy appetizing skin of rich pink or even crimson color. However, sometimes pale green spots remain near the base, which can slightly spoil the first impression.

The taste is just great. The pulp is fleshy, there are few seeds. On the break of the fruit, sugar content is clearly visible. Tomatoes taste saturated, slightlysweetish. True, some may be disappointed by the lack of sourness, which is present in most varieties of tomatoes.

The skin, although thin, is quite dense, sometimes even tough. Which is not surprising - it would not have been possible to prevent the appearance of cracks on such large fruits with a softer one.

In general, the taste of tomatoes of this variety differs from the standard ones. To some connoisseurs, they seem a little dry and cloying. If you prefer more juicy and sour tomatoes, then this variety is clearly not bred for you.

Key features

Studying the description and reviews of the "pink elephant" tomato variety, the photo of which is attached to the article, one can first of all single out several important advantages that attract many summer residents. Let's talk about them briefly.

Of course, first of all it is the size. Even 250-300 grams is a very good indicator for tomatoes. But these are quite average fruits for this variety. If you make an effort, you can get much more impressive results - up to a kilogram! Of course, at any fair or just among the neighbors, it will be pleasant for any sophisticated summer resident to boast of the same harvest.

The yield is also quite good - up to 6 kilograms, and on average - about 4. A very good indicator, especially considering that most early ripe tomatoes bring about 2-5 kilograms per bush.

Most diseases bypass this variety. Many summer residents who planted the "pink elephant" tomato, reviews and photos of the fruits are often placed onforums, especially emphasizing this fact. But even the most experienced summer residents can be left without a crop if the beds are affected by some kind of disease.

Versatility can be called a serious advantage. That is, it is possible to grow this culture in different conditions. Someone chooses a greenhouse, while other people simply grow seedlings, after which they plant them in open ground. If you live in a mild climate, for example, in the Krasnodar Territory, which is famous for its long summer, then the seeds can be planted directly on the beds and be sure that you will soon get a rich harvest.

Taste qualities, although a little specific, but still most people like it, so they can be called a plus.

Finally, despite the impressive size, the fruits are stored for quite a long time - up to 2-3 weeks in a cool room, and sometimes more. A dense skin provides easy transportation over long distances. This will be a particularly important plus for summer residents who, after harvesting, are in a hurry to take it to the city. Of course, for this it is better to choose medium-sized fruits, and not the largest ones - it will be harder to bring them, as there is a risk that they will burst or choke from shaking under their own weight.

Are there any disadvantages?

Of course, any plant that has advantages has certain disadvantages. Giving a description and characteristics of the Pink Elephant tomato variety, it is important to list not only the first, but also the last.

The disadvantages include, first of all, exactingness to a constant temperature. These tomatoesthey do not tolerate drops quite well - because of this, productivity may decrease and even flowers may fall off. Therefore, it is worth planting them in the ground either in greenhouses, or when the weather is finally set. It would be useful to keep a large piece of film in reserve, so that in case of frost you can close the beds.

Also, the variety definitely needs abundant watering. Without it, you should not even count on a good harvest. If it doesn't rain 2-3 times a week, be prepared to water the beds yourself - otherwise the fruits will not reach their maximum size.

This - the large size of the fruit - is the reason why the variety does not grow well on poor soils. To grow a large number of large tomatoes, the plant needs an abundance of nutrients and trace elements. If the soil is not fertile enough, you need to apply appropriate fertilizers - compost, peat or mineral.

So only you can decide whether to grow this variety in the country or whether it makes sense to give preference to other options.

Seed preparation

To get a rich harvest, experts recommend subjecting the seeds of "Pink Elephant" tomato seeds to appropriate preparation. The work is simple and does not take much time.

It is necessary to prepare a solution of potassium permanganate - barely pinkish, a few grains per glass of warm water - and pour seeds over it. After that, it is desirable to stir the liquid and leave for half an hour. Such a simple procedure will allow you to awaken the seeds for growth (due to moisture), disinfect from possible infections and weed outhe althy from empty - the latter float to the surface. So don't skip this step.

Growing seedlings

The next step is growing seedlings of the Pink Elephant tomato variety, the photo and description of which are given in the article.

The best choice of substrate would be black earth mixed with sand. Ordinary earth mixed with compost and sand will do.

It is not necessary to deepen the seeds - 1-1.5 centimeters is enough. After that, the earth is abundantly watered and placed in a warm, preferably shaded place. It will not be superfluous to close the container with glass on top to create a certain microclimate.

After a few days, the seeds will sprout. After that, you can remove the glass, and put the box on a sunny windowsill - the main thing is that they do not dry out due to too intense lighting, so moisten the ground regularly.

Ground landing

Seedlings are planted outdoors after the threat of the last frost has passed. The distance between the beds should be about 50 centimeters, and between the holes - at least 40, so that the bushes do not interfere with each other. The earth is well moistened, the seedlings are carefully removed from the container (if they are grown in separate cups, everything is further simplified) and planted in prepared holes.

In the early days, it will be useful to shade young seedlings - until the root system develops sufficiently, takes root, the sun can harm the plants.

By the way, for the development of roots, you can immediately afterplanting (or immediately before it), water the beds with a solution of phosphate fertilizers - they have a positive effect on root growth.

Plant care

In general, caring for the "pink elephant" is not much different from caring for other tomatoes. But there are a few key points.

Since the bushes reach a height of one and a half meters, they do not need to be cut in the beds. But in the greenhouse it makes sense to cut off the top at a height of about one meter. Then the plant will go to the sides, not up.

Of course, we must not forget about tying. One and a half meter bushes must be tied up in a timely manner - preferably twice a season. Otherwise, they may well break under the weight of the fruit.

Don't forget to fertilize. If tomatoes and other nightshades are grown in the same place for more than a year, then this is a must. You can use complex mineral fertilizers or organic - compost, mullein, green slurry. The latter, of course, are safer, but they do not act as quickly.

Possible diseases and parasites

Compiling the characteristics and description of the "Pink Elephant" tomato variety, it is definitely worth mentioning the aspect so unpleasant for any summer resident.

In general, disease resistance in this variety is very high - they are almost never found. But no one is safe from parasites. The standard treatment procedure is to use insecticides. But if you grow certain crops in a garden with tomatoes, for example, mint, celeryor parsley, their pungent smell will scare away many pests. It is worth remembering this in order to use fewer poisons, getting an environmentally friendly crop.

Using fruits

The range of application of fruits is quite wide. Of course, first of all, they can be eaten fresh - although their taste is not quite standard, it is still very refined. They go great in salads and lecho. The ketchup turns out just amazing - you do not have to boil the chopped pulp for a long time, getting rid of excess water.

But tomato juice from "pink elephant" tomatoes will not work - the fruits contain too little moisture. Yes, and using tomatoes for canning - in jars or barrels - will not work. They are too large, which makes it impossible to pack them tightly in a container, and this leads to an inefficient use of volume.

Therefore, it is worthwhile to approach the choice of raw materials for blanks very seriously and responsibly, so as not to regret an unsuccessful decision later.

Reviews

Summer residents leave rather conflicting reviews about this variety. Some like the yield, disease resistance, large fruits and taste. And to others, the taste, on the contrary, seems fresh. Also, some note the importance of timely garter and regular pruning in the greenhouse - otherwise, the bushes shade other crops, reducing their yield.

But in general, most summer residents are satisfied. If they do not refuse other varieties in favor of the "pink elephant", then they nevertheless agree to single outseveral beds under it to get large, tasty, fleshy fruits in the fall.

Conclusion

This concludes our article. Now you know a detailed description of the Pink Elephant tomato variety: reviews and photos, advantages and disadvantages. So, if necessary, easily decide whether it is the best choice for you.