The Pink Flamingo tomato differs from other varieties in its very sweet taste and large fruits.
Description of the Pink Flamingo tomato is an indeterminate variety that grows even when the fruits ripen. Because of this, the bushes can reach a height of up to 1.5 - 2 m. In addition to indeterminate varieties, there are determinate varieties, which are characterized by the fact that when fruit sets, the stem stops growing.A bush of a determinate variety is usually low-growing: it is easier to care for and does not need to be tied up.
What the bushes and fruits of the variety look like
Description of the tomato variety: Pink Flamingo bushes have carved leaves and a fragile stem. This is a mid-ripening variety, the fruits ripen 110 days after sprouts appear, but if favorable conditions have been created for the growth of tomatoes, they can ripen after 90 days. Seedlings are planted both in the greenhouse and on the plot.
Characteristics of vegetables: first, larger fruits are formed, then they become smaller, that is, the first tomatoes weigh up to 450 g, and then those appear whose weight is 100 - 200 g.
Description of the fruit: the shape resembles a plum, they have medium density. Ripe fruits are light or dark pink. The color depends on the conditions in which they were grown. Taste very sweet and juicy - much sweeter than other varieties. Although there is the same sweet variety called Vintage Wine, the fruits of which, when ripe, become striped, red in color with yellowish stripes.
The fruits of Pink Flamingo differ from other varieties in that they do not have a green spot near the stalk. They have the most delicate pulp and few seeds. Tomatoes are eaten fresh, put in salads, and canned food. Due to the dim pink color of the juice, the paste is made quite rarely.
Advantages and disadvantages
The Pink Flamingo has many advantages:
- Has large fruits.
- Productivity is average. You can remove 4 - 7 kg of fruit from 1 m², and with careful care - up to 10 kg.
- Has immunity to a variety of diseases, bacteria and fungi. But do not neglect preventive measures against diseases and pests.
- Pink Flamingo tolerates drought or increased stress well, does not get sick or wither.Because of this, seedlings can be planted in different regions, even in areas of risky farming.
- The fruits can be collected unripe - they will ripen perfectly in a warm room.
- If stored properly, vegetables can be stored for up to 2 months.
- It is good to transport over long distances, since the skin of the fruit is strong and dense.
But still, the variety also has disadvantages:
- Not suitable for industrial cultivation as it produces average yields.
- The seeds have a high germination rate of only 6 years - this is quite short compared to other varieties.
- The variety still requires careful care.
- The fruits crack if they are stored for a very long time.
Care instructions
If you get a small harvest of tomatoes, then the main reason for this is improper care of the bushes, since certain varieties of tomatoes need not only to be planted and watered. It is required to carefully care for tomatoes, follow all agrotechnical practices, and create the best conditions for the crop in order to get an excellent harvest as a result.
Requirements for soil and place of planting seedlings
Pink Flamingo prefers fertile soil with plenty of fertilizer applied. Choose a sunny area. Plant the seedlings in the place where legumes or cabbage previously grew in the soil.
To grow seedlings in the future, in the fall, scatter 4 kg of humus or compost per 1 m² of land and dig up to the depth of a shovel. Remove all weeds and roots. In the spring, scatter 80 g of superphosphate and 20 g of potassium chloride per 1 m², and dig up the ground again.
Experienced gardeners advise planting tomatoes in the area where green manure previously grew: white mustard, phacelia, Shrovetide radish, lupine, vetch, alfalfa.
Try sowing these crops in early spring, before placing the seedlings in the ground. Then plant it next to green manure for tomato seedlings. From time to time, mow the green manure and place it under the bushes as mulch. But each type of green manure can be planted in one place for no more than 1 - 2 years, and then sow another type.
Sowing seeds
Before sowing, harden the seeds and treat them by placing them in a solution of potassium permanganate so that the grown bushes do not start to hurt. Afterwards, rinse the seeds thoroughly in plain clean water.
Sow the seeds in early April or late March. They cannot be sown later than April 10. Scatter the seeds over the surface of the soil and lightly dust with soil. After watering, cover the boxes with polyethylene film. Place in a warm place where the air temperature is +25 °C. When you see the first shoots, remove the film. Next, you can lower the air temperature a little. Water the seedlings regularly.
After sprouts with 2 leaves appear, the seedlings dive. Any containers are suitable for seedlings: plastic cups, plastic bottles with the top cut off, boxes. But you need to make holes in them for drainage.
Transplanting seedlings to the site
When the crop is 2 months old, it is transplanted to the site. To plant this variety, holes are dug, keeping a distance of 40 cm between them, and a distance of 70 cm is made between the rows. Seedlings are planted in the holes.
Further care of seedlings
In open ground or in a greenhouse, seedlings need to be fertilized 2–3 times per season. Complex mineral fertilizers and organic matter are used as fertilizing.
The first time is fed 2 weeks after planting the seedlings. It is better to use mullein or a solution of chicken manure.Pour 50–60 g of ammophos (or superphosphate) and another 250–300 g of wood ash into a bucket of organic solution. A bucket of fertilizer is enough for 15–20 bushes. Fertilize after deep watering, and after fertilizing, water the plants again.
Water the bushes with warm, settled water. Do this at a time when the sun has not yet risen or has already set.
Since this is an indeterminate variety, tie up the bushes and constantly pluck off the shoots. When the bush has 5-6 clusters, pinch the top of the main stem.
What gardeners say about Pink Flamingo tomatoes
The following are reviews from those who grew this variety on their plots.
Oleg, 44 years old, Tula:
“I planted the variety on my plot. After harvesting, I discovered that Pink Flamingo tomatoes have their own disadvantage: the fruits can crack. True, if you cut them into salads or put them chopped in pickling, it’s not noticeable. I advise you to carefully inspect the tomatoes before transporting them. The bushes can withstand drought, but are still picky about air temperature. Tomatoes really last quite a long time, about 2 months. Next spring I will plant this variety again.”
Alena, 64 years old, Voronezh:
“I have been growing the Pink Flamingo variety for 5 years. Tomatoes require very fertile soil, so you have to select the best site. In winter I tried growing it in a heated greenhouse and reaped a pretty good harvest. There are also more worries with sowing green manure. But it is necessary to mow green manure crops very often so that their seeds cannot ripen. My kids love tomatoes because of their sweet taste. We eat them fresh and put them in jars.”
The Pink Flamingo tomato variety is quite demanding to care for.The bushes need to be fed, watered, and preventative measures taken to prevent the occurrence of diseases and pests, but, according to reviews from those who grew the variety, they really like large, sweet fruits.
