The Mikado pink tomato is the most famous variety of the Mikado tomato series. Any variety in this series is characterized by large, juicy fruits. It is for the size of Mikado tomatoes that vegetable growers value them.
Color variety
In almost any store specializing in seeds, you can find the entire line of Mikado tomatoes. All tomatoes are large-fruited, and the main difference is color.
As a result of the work of breeders, tomatoes of different colors were obtained:
- pink;
- yellow;
- red;
- black.
The most unusual of this series is the Mikado black tomato.Aronia species are obtained through conventional breeding work, which has been carried out for many years. The material for crossing are varieties with red fruits and certain types of wild tomatoes.
Black color is a sign of increased sweetness. The fruits weigh 250 - 300 g. All Mikado tomatoes have common parameters of yield, growth pattern, weight, and ripening period.
Pink
Pink Mikado is an early ripening plant. It takes 90 days for the fruit to ripen. Tomato bush of indeterminate type. In a greenhouse it grows up to 2.5 meters. Form a bush into one stem. The description of the variety contains recommendations for planting. The required density when planting is specified - 3 plants per 1 m².
The photo of Pink Mikado is impressive. The weight of the first fruits can reach up to 600 g, the average weight of fruits collected from one bush is 300 g. Due to the dense skin and pulp, pink fruits can be stored for a long time and not be damaged during transportation.
Yellow
Mikado golden tomato is a mid-season plant. The fruits ripen after germination in 120 days. The bushes are tall, indeterminate type. The description contains recommendations on growing conditions.
Mikado Golden must be grown in greenhouses. This species is resistant to weather changes. The flat-round, yellow fruits are used in salads or juiced. Their weight is remarkable - 500 g.
In stores you can find Mikado yellow tomato seeds. The color of the fruit and the main characteristics of the golden and yellow Mikado are the same, but in terms of ripening the yellow one ripens later. Refers to late-ripening plants (140 days).
Red
Mikado red is a mid-early variety. The harvest begins after 110 days. The plant is standard.Bushes with leaves resembling potato leaves grow slightly higher than 1 m.
There are no restrictions for growing in soil. Summer residents receive good harvests both in greenhouses and in the garden. Ripe fruits are typically dark burgundy in color. The tomatoes are round, slightly flattened, with shallow folds visible around the perimeter. The taste is sweet due to the high percentage of sugar.
Vegetable growers about Mikado
Anyone who planted Mikado will certainly agree with the opinion of amateur vegetable growers. Their feedback may influence the choice of variety.
Sergey, 52 years old, Ekaterinburg:
“After reading the reviews, I decided to plant Mikado today. I bought a red one from the Gavrish company. I was pleased with the variety, but due to prolonged rains, many tomatoes rotted.”
Vera, 34 years old, Moscow:
“The characteristics and description of the Mikado variety correspond to the actual ones. I have been growing red Mikados for several years now. I'm happy with everything: the yield, the taste of the tomatoes. There are no complaints about the germination of seeds and the quality of seedlings. The seedlings always turn out strong.”
Lyudmila, 67 years old, Voronezh:
“I have been growing Mikado tomatoes for several years now. I sell tomatoes at the market, there is always a demand. In the spring I sell seedlings, which also sell out quickly.”
Growing Tips
Each tomato variety has its own characteristics of care and planting. It is not so easy for a beginner to grow a good harvest of Mikado tomatoes. According to reviews from experienced gardeners, agricultural technology for tomatoes of this type is complex.
The general care regimen includes standard activities:
- Watering.
- Removing stepchildren.
- Timely feeding.
- Fighting diseases.
Landing rules
Choose a place for a tomato garden away from buildings and fences. Shade during the day has a bad effect on the taste of fruits and the rate of plant development. Mikado grows best in light soils.Loamy and sandy loam soils are recommended.
All Mikado varieties are tall, so the holes should be placed at intervals of 50 cm. The stakes for the garter should be high, at least 2 m high. The main nutrition in the form of organic matter (compost, humus) and mineral fertilizers is added during digging. When planting, you can sprinkle 1 - 2 handfuls of ash into the hole. If there is not enough space on the ridge, the bushes are planted in a checkerboard pattern.
Watering rules
Before watering, check the soil moisture. The top layer (5 cm) must be dry. Always water generously. Surface watering harms tomato bushes.
There should be no stagnation of moisture - this can lead to an outbreak of late blight or provoke root rot. The greenhouse needs to be ventilated and the soil loosened after each watering. Beginners should know that tomato bushes do not need to be watered at the leaves, only at the roots.
How to remove stepsons
Remove the stepsons with clean hands, without using scissors. Those stepsons whose size exceeds 3 cm are removed. The optimal size of a stepson for removal is 5 cm. It is better to leave the stump 1 - 1.5 cm, which will delay the formation of a new stepson.
For Mikado tomatoes, all leaves below the first flower cluster must be removed. This can be done with scissors. On the day of pruning the leaves, do not water the tomatoes.
Feeding correctly
Mikado tomatoes require fertilizer during the summer. In the first half of summer it can be organic:
- chicken droppings;
- mullein;
- grass.
Based on them, you can prepare infusions and water the bushes. When preparing chicken infusion, take 1 part manure and 12 parts water. If liquid fertilizer is prepared from mullein, then take 8 parts of water for 1 part of mullein. The grass is fermented by eye.
In the first half of summer, fertilizers containing nitrogen can stimulate growth.. It is convenient to use ammonium nitrate or urea. They are not used in the second half of summer. The nitrogen they contain can cause excessive growth of branches and shoots and delay the ripening of fruits.
In the second half of summer, active fruit formation occurs. At this time, plants do not need nitrogen, but phosphorus and potassium: one of the phosphorus-potassium fertilizers is applied at the root.
The scheme to follow:
- Feed for the first time 2 weeks after transplanting into the ground;
- the second time - after 14 days;
- the third is when the fruits begin to form.
Disease prevention and control
To prevent fungal infections, use Bordeaux mixture. The seedlings are treated with it a week before transplanting into the ground. In cool and damp weather you can do without chemicals. Spray the tomato bushes with a solution of milk (1 part), water (10 parts), iodine (2 - 3 drops).
When the first signs of late blight appear, it is better to switch from traditional methods to modern methods. Their basis is fungicides. Phytosporin has found use among summer residents: it is safe for people and fights fungal infections well.
Fungal spores multiply at a high rate in moist environments. This needs to be remembered by those who grow tomatoes in a greenhouse. You can reduce the percentage of air humidity in a greenhouse by regular ventilation and mulch from dry grass.
In summer you may need hot red peppers. Slugs and mole crickets - the main enemies of tomato plantings - do not like it. Pepper scattered around the bushes repels pests.
Conclusion
All varieties from the Mikado series are invariably in demand, despite the low yield. This is explained simply: the taste of the fruit is wonderful, which determines the choice and long-term popularity of Mikado tomatoes.
