Description of the early-ripening tomato Pink Spam and cultivation techniques for the hybrid

When choosing the Pink Spam F1 tomato for planting, a vegetable grower notes that the hybrid produces pink fruits and is quite large. The tomatoes belong to the beefsteak variety, so the variety's advantages extend beyond these qualities.

General characteristics of the plant

The bush is indeterminate, with unlimited growth and a long-lasting harvest. The Pink Spam hybrid is based on the well-known Bull's Heart variety. From it, the plant inherited both its strong stems and its tendency to overgrow. But unlike its predecessor, Pink Spam tomatoes ripen in record time. Fruiting begins 90-100 days after sowing.

Hybrid tomatoes grow in greenhouses and open ground. They tolerate sudden temperature changes well and are resistant to cold snaps. Reviews from those who have already planted the Pink Spam tomato indicate that its yield does not decrease during unfavorable seasons, but its flavor suffers from insufficient heat.

The plant forms bushes up to 1.5 meters tall. To increase yield, it is recommended to train them into 2-3 trunks and tie them to a trellis. This will allow the grower to obtain more high-quality fruits, which can be harvested even when unripe. For tomatoes grown outdoors, artificial stem growth is recommended. About one month before the end of the season, the tops of the tomato plants should be pinched to allow the newly formed ovaries to grow and reach technical maturity.

The variety's yield is average. A single bush can yield approximately 5-6 kg of marketable fruit. However, this hybrid's distinctive features include early maturity and flavor, and other tomato varieties are suitable for growing early vegetables.

Disease resistance is important for Pink Spam tomatoes because they can bear fruit until autumn. Gardeners should be aware that Bull's Heart tomatoes inherited low resistance to late blight. However, this variety has genetic immunity to cladosporiosis and verticillium wilt, which is valuable for greenhouse cultivation.

Fruit characteristics

The Pink Spam tomato variety bears fruit on simple trusses, each producing 4-5 fairly large tomatoes. The average fruit weight ranges from 200-350 g. Larger tomatoes can also grow on the lower tiers: each bush produces a harvest of tomatoes weighing up to 400-500 g. The berries are heart-shaped.

The skin is firm but not rough. It reliably protects the ovaries from cracking during growth and ripening. The fruits do not have excellent shelf life, but they can retain their marketable appearance for several days even when stored outside the refrigerator. Pink Spam tomatoes are quite transportable, and when unripe, they can withstand very long transport, ripening within 3-5 days.

At biological maturity, tomatoes are raspberry-pink in color. Berries ripening in open ground sometimes retain greenish spots on the shoulders. At technical maturity, the fruit is pale green, with a dark spot at the base.

The flesh is well-colored, pink, with no light spot in the center. The texture is tender, buttery, and very juicy. The fruit's structure is typical of beefsteak tomatoes: the seed chambers are small, almost seedless, and located near the outer wall of the berry. The core is solid and fleshy. The characteristics and description of the variety highlight the excellent taste of these hybrid tomatoes. The high sugar content makes them sweet without a pronounced tartness.

Sweet and early varieties are ideal for salads. Their structure allows Pink Spam to be used for more than just salads. Beefsteak tomatoes look great sliced, their large slices make a great base for gourmet appetizers, and can enhance any sandwich or hamburger. These tomatoes are perfect for gazpacho and similar dishes, and make a good ingredient in Italian sauces or soup dressings.

Tomatoes can be preserved for future use. Children love the unusual color of processed tomato products (juice or sauce). Pink tomatoes are low in acid, so they and products made from them are recommended for inclusion in baby food and dietary nutrition.

Agricultural technology of the variety

Early Pink Spam tomato. Sow seeds for seedlings approximately two months before planting in the beds. Use a commercially available soil or a mixture of equal parts humus, soil, and sand. For every 10 kg of homemade soil mix, add 2 tablespoons of ground eggshells or chalk. Place the soil in containers and soak it in a hot solution of potassium permanganate (dark pink). Sow immediately after the seeds have cooled.

Spread the seeds over the soil and cover them with a thin layer of dry sand or previously stored soil. Tomato seeds are small, so plant them no more than 0.5 cm deep. Cover the boxes with glass or plastic to retain moisture. Leave small openings for air circulation.

The boxes should be placed in a very warm place (near a radiator or heater) so that the soil temperature is maintained at +25°C. Under these conditions, tomatoes sprout in 4-5 days.

Once the seedlings emerge, remove the plastic wrap from the box. Leave the plants in a warm place for a few days, but provide them with plenty of light. Later, you can move the seedlings to a cooler room or place them closer to the windows.

When 2-3 leaves appear, transplant the tomatoes into individual pots or a large container, using a 10x10 cm pattern. No additional fertilizer is needed. Young plants require regular watering: the soil should not dry out to a depth of more than 1 cm.

When seedlings are ready to be transplanted into the beds, their stems may become elongated. These plants can be planted in a trench, laying the stems horizontally and leaving only the top 3-4 leaves exposed. The distance between the tops of the stems should be at least 40 cm. Leave 70 cm between rows.