Content
Among the variety of dark-fruited tomato varieties, the Black Buffalo tomato is especially loved by gardeners for its taste and ease of care. In addition to the fact that black varieties of tomatoes are considered one of the most useful, they also serve as decoration for the site due to the rich color of the leaves and fruits. This article describes in detail the Black Buffalo tomato variety, its appearance, characteristics, planting rules and subsequent care.
Detailed description of the variety
The Black Bison tomato was bred by domestic breeders specifically for growing in greenhouses, so it can bear fruit all year round. The Bison variety, bred by American specialists, was taken as a basis and was maximally adapted to our climatic zones of Russia. Therefore, this variety feels good in open ground under favorable climatic conditions.
The Black Bison tomato belongs to the medium-grade, indeterminant (tall) and large-fruited varieties. The height of an adult bush reaches 1.7 - 1.8 m, in rare cases - 2.3 m. Young leaves have a light green color, which acquires a darker tone as the plant grows. The leaves themselves are elongated and velvety. The stems are short, well developed and knotty.
Bright yellow inflorescences begin to form above the seventh leaf and then form every two leaves. 110 - 115 days after sowing the seeds, you can already harvest the first harvest.
Description of fruits
The fruits are very large, slightly ribbed, fleshy, slightly flattened, with juicy, low-seeded pulp. The skin of tomatoes is thin and tender, purple-violet in color, and has a tendency to crack. The average weight of one tomato is 300 g, but some reach a weight of 500 - 550 g. The taste of Black Bison is bright, slightly sweet, with a pronounced fruity aftertaste.
Ripe fruits are used both raw for preparing salads and processed into tomato juice (especially large ones), various sauces and dressings. This variety is not suitable for pickling or canning, since the skin does not withstand heat treatment and pressure.
It is thanks to anthocyanins that the Black Buffalo tomato has such an unusual coloring of the skin and pulp of the fruit.
Characteristics of tomato Black bison
The Black Bison variety is characterized by high productivity and, with proper care, one bush per season produces up to 5-6 kg of fruit (up to 25 kg per sq.m.). To increase productivity, Black Buffalo tomatoes are given fertilizing, and the plant also needs to be provided with regular watering. In addition, to improve productivity, it is recommended to form a bush into two trunks, regularly removing stepsons and lower leaves.
In heated greenhouses, the Black Bison bears fruit all year round; in open ground, the fruiting period occurs at the end of the last month of summer.On average, the growing season of the crop is 165 - 175 days.
The fruits can be transported, but they are prone to cracking and have low shelf life.
The variety has good immunity to many diseases common among the nightshade family, but is prone to brown rot. Tolerates drought well and is light-loving.
Advantages and disadvantages
The Black Bison tomato is loved by gardeners because it is easy to care for and has high gastronomic qualities. The advantages of the variety include:
- high taste properties;
- large fruit;
- disease resistance;
- productivity;
- high seed germination;
- drought resistance;
- fruiting all year round.
However, this variety also has some disadvantages:
- tendency to cracking;
- poor keeping quality;
- lighting requirements.
Another feature of the Black Buffalo tomato, which can be classified as a disadvantage, is its long ripening period. On average, this indicator is 15 - 20 days longer compared to other hybrid varieties.
It is important to provide the plant with good lighting, otherwise it will produce too long shoots and the fruits will become smaller.
Growing rules
The germination of seeds and the future harvest of the Black Bison tomato directly depend on the correct selection of seed, soil preparation and compliance with the rules for further care of seedlings.
Sowing seeds for seedlings
To increase germination, only healthy seeds, without visual defects and mold, are selected for sowing. One method of checking quality is to put them in a container of salted water (1 tablespoon of salt per glass of water). Seeds that float to the surface are discarded.
Boxes for sowing seeds must be disinfected with steam or a solution of potassium permanganate. After this, they are filled with a special substrate with an acidity of 6.2-6.8 pH, which you can buy or prepare yourself from peat, drained garden soil with the addition of compost (ratio 2:1:1).
In the substrate, grooves 1.5 cm deep are made at a distance of 5 cm from each other and seeds are planted at intervals of 7 - 10 cm, after which they are carefully sprinkled with soil and watered. Then the boxes are covered with film and put in a warm place. On the 7th – 8th day sprouts appear: the boxes are moved to a lighted place.
As soon as the seedlings have 3 true leaves, they need to be picked and fed with mineral fertilizers.
Transplanting seedlings
Transplantation of seedlings begins on the 70th - 75th day in open ground or on the 60th day when grown in a greenhouse.
Under the conditions of cultivating the Black Bison tomato in open ground, soil preparation is carried out in the autumn. The soil is dug up to a depth of 8 - 12 cm and organic fertilizers are applied. A week before planting, in the spring, mineral fertilizers are applied, and two days later the soil is disinfected with a solution of potassium permanganate. Seedlings should be planted in the evening or during the day, in cloudy weather.
Before planting in open ground, it is advisable to harden off young plants. To do this, the boxes are taken outside for two weeks (at a temperature not lower than 15 oC), every day increasing the duration of stay in the fresh air.
When grown in greenhouse conditions, seedlings can be immediately transplanted to a permanent location.
Since this variety is tall, the seedlings are planted at a distance of at least 50 cm from each other, ideally no more than 4 plants per 1 square meter. m.At the same time, so that each plant has enough light, they are usually planted in a checkerboard pattern.
Tomato care
Further care after transplanting the seedlings to a permanent place consists of watering, fertilizing, gartering and removing stepsons.
Plants should be watered sparingly until ovaries form. During the period of filling and ripening of fruits, it is necessary to water abundantly - the yield depends on this.
It is also important to cut off the stepsons in time so that the plant does not waste energy on them. In addition, removing stepsons and lower leaves prevents the occurrence of fungal infections.
Since the Black Bison variety has a very powerful bush, it is necessary to tie not only the main shoot, but also the side branches to a vertical or horizontal support. The brushes are also tied up so that the shoots do not break under the weight of their fruit.
This tomato variety loves nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus fertilizers. By the appearance of the plant you can tell which element it is missing:
- a lack of potassium is indicated by curled leaves covered with brown-yellow spots;
- with a lack of nitrogen, the bush slows down its growth and loses its leaves;
- a bluish stem with gray leaves indicates a lack of phosphorus.
The first fertilizing is carried out with nitrophoska on the 20th day after planting the seedlings in the ground (1 tbsp per bucket of water). The second time is fed after 10 days with potassium sulfate (1 teaspoon per bucket of water).
It is necessary to apply organic fertilizers to the Black Bison tomato throughout the season once every 2 - 3 weeks, alternating with watering.
Conclusion
With proper care, the Black Bison tomato can delight you with a stable, high yield throughout the year in a heated greenhouse. The variety does not require special care, so it can be easily grown by beginning gardeners.And the taste and undoubted health benefits of this unusual vegetable have made it very popular among tomato lovers.
