Content
The Pink Leader tomato is one of the earliest ripening varieties, which is very popular among summer residents and gardeners throughout Russia. It is characterized by high yield, juicy and sweet fruits, and good resistance to adverse weather conditions.
Description of tomato Pink Leader
Tomato Pink Leader is an early ripening, productive, determinate variety. It was developed by domestic specialists. The originator was the Sedek agricultural company. The variety was included in the State Register of the Russian Federation in 2008 and is recommended for cultivation in open ground, film shelters and subsidiary farms throughout Russia. The Pink Leader tomato can be grown either in seedlings or without 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, and the stalks are articulated. The first ovaries are formed after the appearance of 6 - 7 permanent leaves. Up to 5 tomatoes ripen on each cluster with ovaries. The fruit ripening period for this variety is 86 - 90 days after germination.
As 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 and does not require shaping or pinching. 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 tint, while unripe fruits are light green. One tomato weighs from 150 to 170 g. The fruits are medium in size, their shape is round, the skin is slightly ribbed, the flesh is medium dense, 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 sweetish, 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 making salads. This variety of tomatoes produces very tasty freshly squeezed juice; they are also used to make homemade ketchup and tomato paste. However, the variety is not suitable for canning, since the thin peel cracks during the process, and the entire contents of the tomato leak into the jar. The fruits have average indicators of transportability and keeping quality.
Characteristics of tomato Pink Leader
The Pink Leader tomato 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; Pink Leader is especially popular in the regions of the middle zone, the Urals and Siberia, where the summer season is not too long and quite cool. However, even in such unfavorable conditions, the fruits manage 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 and 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 crop is considered one of the most productive varieties of low-growing tomatoes. From 1 sq. m in open ground you can get up to 10 kg of juicy fruits, in a greenhouse - up to 12 kg, and from one Pink Leader tomato bush you can get 3 - 4 kg of tomatoes. This is truly rare for such small plants.
Productivity is mainly affected by soil fertility. It must be airy, have a structure that simultaneously allows it to retain moisture and let it pass freely. Experienced gardeners advise not to skimp on organic additives when preparing the soil. Adding rotted manure, compost or peat to the soil will have a good effect on the harvest.
Advantages and disadvantages
Gardeners highlight the following advantages of the Pink Leader tomato variety:
- resistance to many diseases, including late blight;
- survivability of the variety in unfavorable climatic conditions;
- high yield, not typical for low-growing tomatoes;
- excellent nutritional properties, as well as a pleasant, sweetish taste of tomatoes;
- the presence of vitamins C, PP, group B in the fruit, as well as lycopene, which is responsible for a healthy heart and blood vessels;
- short period of fruit ripening, after about 90 days it will be possible to harvest the first harvest;
- compactness of the bush, thanks to which the plant does not need staking 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.
The variety does not have many disadvantages, unlike advantages:
- medium-sized fruits;
- thin skin;
- impossibility of conservation.
Growing rules
Growing a Pink Leader tomato is not difficult. Its bushes do not take up much space, so this variety is suitable for planting even in small summer cottages. Below, the article presents planting and care rules, following 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 region in which it is planned to grow tomatoes.
First of all, you need to prepare the container for planting. It can be very diverse, but it is best to use special containers with a lid: if necessary, this will create a greenhouse effect for the plants.
Material for planting is purchased in specialized stores or made independently.For Pink Leader tomato seedlings, a universal soil consisting of sand and peat taken in equal proportions is perfect.
When sowing, seeds should not be placed 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 this, the film must be removed and the pots placed on the windowsill in a well-lit place.
After 2 - 3 true leaves appear, the seedlings are planted in separate pots. During growth 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 off by taking them out into the fresh air for several hours.
Transplanting seedlings
Transplant the Pink Leader tomato seedlings to an area protected from the wind, well lit and warmed by sunlight. The Pink Leader tomato loves nutritious, loose, moisture-absorbing soil. The beds have been prepared since the fall, digging up and enriching the soil with fertilizers.
Seedlings are planted in open ground in May, when the air warms up and becomes warm enough. The area is dug up, loosened, everything is removed weeds and begin planting according to the 50x40 cm scheme. Per 1 sq. m fits about 8 tomato bushes of this variety.
Transplant algorithm:
- Prepare holes for planting by pouring warm water over them.
- Carefully remove the seedlings from the container and place them in the prepared holes, deepening them down to the cotyledon leaves.
- Sprinkle with soil mixture and compact lightly.
Aftercare
The Pink Leader variety does not require special further care. To get a good harvest, it is important:
- Monitor soil moisture throughout the entire period of crop ripening. Dry soil causes fruit to shrink and can cause crop loss and plant death.
- Loosen the soil after watering: this can enrich it with oxygen and prevent the appearance of a dried crust on the soil surface.
- Carry out regular weeding, getting rid of all weeds.
- Do not forget about fertilizing with complex mineral fertilizers.
- Timely get rid of the lower leaves, which cause 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 plant damage by diseases and pests.
Conclusion
The Pink Leader tomato is easy to care for and can grow in any climate, so even novice gardeners can cope with its cultivation. Delicious, quickly ripening, pink fruits will delight you with their appearance until the beginning of September.
I have been planting the Pink Leader tomato for 5 years now. I am very pleased with this variety. They always produce a harvest and are very tasty.