Any gardener wants to find the most productive and “tasty” variety of tomatoes. The Sugar Elephant Tomato combines all these qualities. With minimal care effort, you can get a rich harvest.
Description of the Sugar Elephant tomato
Tomatoes of this variety were created in 2009. It is included in the state register as a tomato intended for cultivation in open ground in the southern and central regions, and in greenhouse conditions when grown in northern latitudes.
In addition to the Sugar Elephant variety, several more “elephants” have been bred.Basically, their characteristics are quite similar. Tomatoes most often differ in the shade of ripe fruits.
Sugar Elephant tomatoes are interdeterminate; the height of the bush is not limited. The main stem can grow from 1.5 to 1.8 meters. A garter to the support and constant removal of side shoots are necessary. To obtain the most abundant harvest, the plant is formed into 1 or 2 stems.
The variety is mid-season. It takes up to 115 days from sowing the seeds into the soil until the red fruits appear on the beds.
The leaves of the plant are of normal shape. Sometimes there are varieties with leaves that are more shaped like potato tops. Reviews from some gardeners indicate that the different shapes of the leaves depend on the seed manufacturer.
One of the main advantages of the Sugar Elephant tomato is its immunity to almost all tomato diseases. The exception is blossom end rot. Its occurrence can be avoided if potassium fertilizers are applied to the soil in a timely manner.
Characteristics of tomato fruits
If the description of the bush itself is practically no different from many other varieties of the “Elephant” series, then the characteristics of the fruit will be completely different.
Characteristics and description of the variety and fruits:
- Dessert variety;
- The taste of ripe fruits is sweet, without sourness;
- The weight of one ripe vegetable can reach from 200 to 600 grams. With regular application of mineral and organic fertilizers, the weight of tomatoes can be increased to 800 grams.
- More than 4 kg of tomatoes can be harvested from one bush;
- The shape of tomatoes is oval, slightly flattened at the top and bottom;
- The skin is thin, glossy;
- Universal use in cooking;
- After harvesting, the fruits are not stored for a long time. They must be consumed or processed immediately;
- You can prepare tomato juices and lecho from overripe tomatoes;
- During transportation, fruits may crack.
Advantages and disadvantages of the Sugar Elephant tomato variety
Reviews for this variety are mostly positive. There are practically no significant shortcomings that would negatively affect the amount of harvest.
Description of advantages:
- Large fruit;
- Stable fruiting throughout the season;
- Disease resistance;
- Tomatoes ripen early;
- Dessert appointment;
- The fruits are sweet, fleshy, intended to be eaten fresh in their entirety.
Description of disadvantages:
- Side shoots will have to be removed throughout the growing season;
- Seedlings are demanding on soil composition;
- Not suitable for whole salting;
- Susceptible to blossom end rot disease.
Growing and caring for Sugar Elephant tomatoes
Caring for tomatoes in open ground is quite simple. It is necessary to follow the minimum list of care recommendations in order to get a rich harvest. First of all, once a week, the soil where tomatoes grow needs to be loosened. This will allow the root system to be saturated with oxygen.
It is also important to prevent weeds from growing in the beds. If the plot is neglected, the plants will begin to grow poorly, since all the nutrients will be “taken” by the weeds.
To increase productivity, it is important to collect tomatoes from bushes as often as possible. This promotes the active development of stems and foliage, as well as the formation of more ovaries. The more often the harvest occurs, the larger and tastier the fruits will be.
You can also make a “warm” garden bed in your summer cottage. To do this, you need boxes and boards up to 50 cm high. Dig a hole, then lay branches, straw and old leaves on the bottom.Place compost on top and cover with soil. Water the soil with warm water and cover with a cloth.
Before planting the seedlings, the film can be removed, water the bed again with warm water and plant the seedlings. Thanks to this method, seedlings grow faster. The main thing to remember is that the soil in such a bed can only be watered with warm water.
Do not forget that mineral and organic fertilizers should be applied regularly. A week after planting the seedlings in open ground, you should start feeding them. In 10 liters of warm water you need to dilute 1 kg of mullein and 1.5 tablespoons of nitrophoska. Mix the solution thoroughly and pour it over the seedlings at the root.
After the first cluster of flowers blooms, it is recommended to apply a second fertilizer. In 10 liters of warm water, you need to dilute 500 grams of bird droppings, 20 grams of superphosphate and 10 grams of potassium sulfate. You need to pour half a liter of fertilizer under one bush.
Next, you can apply fertilizing based on the appearance of the bushes. If they grow poorly, then fertilization should be continued.
