Characteristics of the black elephant tomato
Among the many varieties of tomatoes grown in domestic climatic conditions, high-yielding varieties are the most popular. These include the Black Elephant tomato.
Characteristics of the black elephant tomato
The characteristics of this variety deserve special attention. With proper care, from 1 sq. m you can get up to 9 kg of vegetables. The weight of each fruit can reach 350 g.
Description of the variety
Description of the tomato Black elephant has a lot in common with the characteristics of its closest relatives: Pink, Orange and Sugar elephants. However, there are a number of features that distinguish the "black" variety. This is partly about the fruit. They are large, ribbed, slightly flattened downward, with a clearly visible dark spot at the peduncle. Special attention should be paid to the color of the vegetable: the fruits of the plant are green or red-brown.
The leaves of the plant are dark green, "potato". The number of shoots is large (requires shaping).
The variety is early maturing. The fruits ripen in just 110-115 days from planting. At harvest, the Black Elephant bush reaches about 1.6 m in height.
Advantages and disadvantages
The most significant advantages of the variety, according to the description, are:
- the meatiness of the fruit;
- disease resistance;
- the taste of vegetables;
- wide range of applications.
This annual crop also has its drawbacks. So, Black Elephant tomatoes need frequent watering. Without constant feeding, the bush dries quickly. The disadvantages of the variety also include sensitivity to climatic conditions and the type of fertilizer.
The fruits of this variety are best consumed fresh.
Growing seedlings
When planting seeds for seedlings, it is important to go through a number of stages:
- Soak the seeds in potassium permanganate. This procedure allows you to remove "empty" seeds (they float up) and leave only healthy planting material capable of germination.
- Moisten the soil before sowing.
- Cover with plastic and put small pots or cups of seeds in a warm place. Such greenhouse conditions stimulate germination.
- As soon as sprouts appear, remove the film, and put the containers in a cool, well-lit place for several days.
While the seeds are germinating in the greenhouse, polyethylene is removed from the pot once a day, giving the soil access to oxygen. Also, gardeners recommend periodically removing condensation droplets that form on the inside of the film.
It is important not to let the soil dry out. Water for irrigation should not be cold. Before pecking the shoots, it is sprayed onto the ground.
As soon as 2-3 leaves appear on the seedlings, they dive. It is better to do this in a container with peat. You should not rush to land in open ground. Young seedlings are very demanding on climatic conditions, they need gradual hardening, therefore, after diving, the seedlings are taken out to the balcony or outside for 1-2 hours a day. Already in April, it can be planted in a greenhouse, but they do not start planting in open ground until the first days of June.
Features of agricultural technology
Planting of seedlings in a heifer is carried out in the spring, in April-May. It is best to plant 2 bushes per 1 sq.m, but if the formation of plants is carried out in 1 stem, it is permissible to plant 3 bushes. The black elephant is characterized by high growth rates, so its stems are tied to reliable supports. When fruits appear on the bush, they are also tied up.
Feeding is best done during the flowering period. For this, nitrogen fertilization is used. When the first ovaries appear, add:
- organic fertilizers;
- magnesium sulfate;
- superphosphate.
It is important to carry out preventive measures against diseases and pests. For these purposes, potassium permanganate and copper sulfate are best suited.
When growing in a greenhouse, it is important that the plants receive clean air, therefore, the greenhouses should be ventilated once every 2-3 days. During this period, it is important to systematically loosen the soil so that oxygen gets to the tomato root system faster. It is also permissible to transplant the bushes into open ground, taking care of the fertility of the soil on the site in advance. It is worth doing this only if the weather is warm, dry, sunny. Seedlings are irrigated with warm, settled water. Tomatoes love moisture, but cannot tolerate excess moisture. Frequent watering kills plants.
Conclusion
The black elephant has an exotic appearance and good fertility qualities.
Before growing, you should study all the features of caring for such tomatoes in advance. The plant is capricious and requires help in garter, molding, pinching, and feeding.
Black Elephant Tomatoes are known for their gigantic size and unusual color.