Tomato Raspberry Elephant

Giant tomatoes of raspberry and pink color are considered one of the most delicious, so every gardener tries to grow this kind on his site. The most popular among summer residents and farmers is the mid-season tomato variety Raspberry Elephant, which grows well in film greenhouses in all regions of the country.

The Raspberry Elephant Tomato is the result of the successful work of a group of breeders of the agricultural firm "Gavrish" (Kapustina, Gladkov, Gavrish, Redichkina). A mid-season tomato variety was bred in 2009, and 2 years later (in 2011) it joined the ranks of breeding achievements of the State Register of the Russian Federation. The nightshade crop is recommended for cultivation in light film greenhouses in all climatic zones of the country. In the southern regions, tomatoes are grown outdoors.

The Raspberry Elephant Tomato is a determinate tall plant that grows to a height of 200 cm and above. The bush is characterized by moderate foliage of green foliage, strong shoots and a strong central stem with a light edge, a developed root system and a simple type of inflorescence with an articulation. Up to 7-8 fruit clusters with 6 berries in each are formed on the bush.

During cultivation, it is recommended to form a bush in 1 or 2 stems, tie it to powerful supports or installed trellises, and also pinch it in a timely manner. The main purpose of the tomato variety is salad, that is, the use of fresh vegetables, however, it is also suitable for processing into juices, ketchups and mashed potatoes.

The Raspberry Elephant Tomatoes belong to the large-fruited category. The average weight of a tomato is 150-200 grams, but often they grow up to 300-500 g. The shape of the berries is round, slightly flattened, with a weakly pronounced ribbing. In a state of full ripeness, the tomato evenly turns into a deep pink, sometimes bright crimson color. In an unripe form, tomatoes are endowed with a light green color.

The peel of the berries is very thin, almost imperceptible, with a slight gloss on the surface. It is the thin peel that does not sufficiently protect tomatoes during transportation and does not allow them to be stored for a long time - it is better to immediately process tomatoes into juices and pastes. Tomatoes are prone to cracking.

Tomatoes have a very harmonious taste. Their flesh is fleshy, not very dense, juicy, slightly sugary. The taste is dominated by sweetness without pronounced sourness. The aroma of tomatoes is weak, with fruity notes. There are few seeds in the pulp and there is no wateriness. The advantage of the fruit is the rich chemical composition of the pulp, which makes it possible to use tomatoes in dietary nutrition.

The variety is mid-season. Less than 4 months (113-117 days) pass from the moment of full germination to the ripening of the first tomatoes. The fruits ripen at the same time. The active phase of fruiting occurs in July-August.

The crop has high yields. If you follow the simplest rules of agricultural technology, you can remove up to 6.5 kg of tomatoes from 1 m2. It is noteworthy that the yield is the same in the garden and in the greenhouse.

Sowing seed for seedlings is carried out in March. The seeds are pre-sorted and disinfected. The greenhouse effect, which can be easily achieved using glass or polyethylene, will help accelerate the germination of seedlings. Seedlings appear in 5-7 days. At the stage of the appearance of 3 real leaves, a dive is carried out (seating in separate cups). Before transplanting to a permanent place, it is worth subjecting the bushes to hardening, exposing them to fresh air.

It is recommended to transplant seedlings into a greenhouse or a garden bed (only in the southern strip) in late May - early June, when the temperature stabilizes and the soil warms up enough.

When planting bushes in a garden bed or in a greenhouse, do not forget about the density and pattern. The 40x60 cm scheme is considered correct for planting. It is recommended to place 2 bushes per 1 m2, since excessive thickening of the plants can lead to a significant decrease in the mass of berries.

The plant should be grown in loose, fertile and breathable soil. The main condition for healthy growing of tomatoes is compliance with agrotechnical conditions: regular irrigation with settled water, loosening and mulching of the soil, adding organic and mineral substances, forming and tying bushes, removing unnecessary stepchildren, ventilating the greenhouse, preventing the invasion of harmful insects and tomato diseases.

The variety has high disease resistance, but the plant is sometimes exposed to apical rot. Timely spraying with fungicides will help prevent diseases of the bushes. Adding lime flour to the soil will help protect against top rot.

Tomato pests are not particularly attractive. In case of an insect invasion, you can use insecticides. If you do not control the level of humidity in the greenhouse, then the plants are exposed to phytophthora.

Resilience to stress is one of the benefits of culture. The tomato firmly tolerates prolonged heat, but does not perceive sharp temperature fluctuations well. In addition, the variety is endowed with low frost resistance, but is not at all susceptible to lack of light / sun.

Tomato grows in different regions of the country - Central, Middle Volga, West Siberian, North, Far Eastern. In addition, the plant grows and bears fruit in some regions of Ukraine and Moldova.

As practice shows, the Raspberry Elephant tomatoes are grown by gardeners and small farms, and the variety is not very suitable for an industrial scale, since it does not have a long shelf life and is not transportable. The culture is characterized as unpretentious and yielding abundant harvests. In addition, tomatoes are famous for their excellent taste and juiciness. Of the shortcomings, gardeners note poor protection against weather fluctuations, demanding watering according to a special regime, as well as a tendency to cracking.