Characteristics of Black Pearl tomatoes
Every year breeders create new varieties of tomatoes that have excellent taste, ripen quickly, and give a good harvest, and the Black Pearl tomato is no exception. Today, black tomatoes are no longer perceived as something exotic, as there are many different types of seeds on the market.
Characteristics of Black Pearl tomatoes
Characteristic
The vegetable of this varietal variety can be grown both in open areas and in greenhouses under a film. Also, the plant can be used in the process of landscaping a personal plot. Some growers call this variety the Black Pearl. One of the suppliers of seed material is the Gavrish company.
Description of the variety
The tomato is determinate, characterized by unlimited growth, not a hybrid, it must be planted on the site using a garter to a high support. As a support, you can use:
- pergola;
- metal carcass.
- roofs of ancillary structures;
- high fence.
The Black Pearl tomato is a medium early variety. Plants are often used when an orchard is being planted, since the tall growth allows you to create a composition of floral and vegetable elements.
Description of the bush
The tomato of this variety is cultivated as a tall plant. A feature of dark varieties is their rather intensive growth with the constant formation of new branches. The bush grows in height up to one and a half meters.
The plant has a central strong stem, branches with dark green leaves grow from it in the process of development. With proper care, bunches with dark cocktail fruits form on the brushes over time. From six to twelve tomatoes ripen on one brush.
Description of fruits
The vegetable of this variety is characterized by a high content of various vitamins, lycopene, and antioxidant substances. Fruit characteristics:
- rounded shape;
- rich gustatory palette;
- tender pulp;
- each fruit has an average weight of about thirty grams;
- dark brown or black, with a pink tint.
The color of tomatoes depends on the ambient temperature, the higher the temperature, the blacker the fruit becomes. The dark rich color is given by the anthocyanin substance, which has a positive effect on the functioning of the human immune system, which makes the vegetable especially valuable. In cooking, the fruits are used for canning, they can be salted, and can also be added fresh to salads.
Growing seedlings
Tomatoes need proper care
The plant of this variety is grown, like most nightshade crops, in seedlings. Regardless of where the seedlings will be planted, on a plot or under a film, proper care should be organized at the initial stage.
Planting seeds
You can sow tomato seeds already in March or April. To do this, it is necessary to prepare the soil, having previously disinfected it.Next, the soil should be poured into a container, tamped a little and sowed seeds to a depth of one or two centimeters.
After sowing, the soil must be watered with a small amount of water. Then the container should be covered with cellophane or glass, this will keep moisture and the first sprouts will hatch in a short time.
Sprout care
After the first shoots appear, it is necessary to remove glass or cellophane from the containers. Further, the sprouts should be placed on the windowsill on the south side, so that there is access to sunlight.
Recommendations for the care of sprouts:
- In order to avoid damage or death of young shoots, in the room where there are boxes with seedlings, you should take care of comfortable conditions for the shoots. Temperature and humidity should be at the same level.
- After the first true leaves appear, the stabbing process should begin. To do this, it is necessary to periodically take the containers to the balcony.
- In the process of hardening, it is necessary to organize proper watering without overflowing or overdrying the ground.
Pinning will allow young shoots, after planting in an open area or under a film, to quickly adapt to new conditions. If the seedlings start to slow down their growth, this may mean that they do not have enough light. To do this, you should take care of additional lighting using fluorescent lamps.
Transplanting
You need to dive seedlings in the phase of two or three true leaves, 2 months after sowing the seeds.
Experienced vegetable growers do not recommend watering the seedlings for two days before planting; it is necessary to water them immediately after they are planted. In the greenhouse, planting is carried out in April-May, and in open ground - in early summer. Planting scheme: 40x60 cm. After the tomato seedlings are planted, it is necessary to carry out pinching for better growth of the bush. You should also tie the plants in several places on the central stem.
Fertilizer
The first feeding is carried out after two weeks after transplanting. During this time, the sprouts have already matured enough, and their root system has recovered, and began to develop intensively.
Fertilizing solution:
- 0.5 liters of wood ash;
- 1 kg of manure;
- 0.5 kg of sand, you can also take peat.
In the process of preparing the feeding mixture, it must be remembered that there may be traces of pests in the manure. It is necessary to inspect humus well and prevent the ingress of pest eggs, which can subsequently damage the plant.
Watering
Plants should not be watered abundantly.
Watering should be frequent, but not plentiful. The fruits of this tomato variety are prone to cracking, and the plant itself can be affected by late blight.
Watering tomatoes must be directly at the root. It is also worth remembering that watering should be carried out in the morning or evening. Watering during the day in hot weather can cause damage to the fruit after the moisture evaporates.
Diseases
This variety is susceptible to various diseases, especially late blight.
This disease appears as spots on the leaves, the foliage becomes black or brown with dry edges. Over time, the leaves curl and fall off, which negatively affects the development of the nightshade culture and the further ripening of tomatoes. If the spread of infection is not stopped in a timely manner, then late blight will affect other tomato bushes.
If, when leaving, the sprouts were oversaturated with moisture or it was rainy outside for a long time, the tomatoes are affected by gray rot. This disease affects both the stems of the plant and the fruits themselves.
Prophylaxis
To avoid the appearance of fungal diseases on tomato bushes every time after the rain has passed, it is necessary to spray. To do this, you can use the following tools:
- trichodermine solution;
- mix equal amounts of clean water and kefir;
- garlic infusion;
- milk serum.
But the description and characteristics say that such funds will help not only prevent the appearance of the fungus, but also stop its development at the initial stage. As a preventive measure, it is also recommended to get rid of affected fruits or leaves in a timely manner.
Conclusion
In the process of growing tomatoes of the Black Pearl variety, it is necessary to take into account the peculiarities of agricultural technology, as well as observe the rules for caring for plants. This will result in a good harvest of tasty and healthy tomatoes.