Tomato "Black Prince": description of the variety and subtleties of cultivation

Tomato "Black Prince" is a very popular variety.Possessing an unusual brown color, excellent taste and being unpretentious in cultivation, he earned great popularity among Russian summer residents and owners of household plots.

Among the wide variety of tomato varieties, the Black Prince is considered one of the most popular species. The plant belongs to the indeterminate type, which means the absence of a final point of growth, in connection with which the height of the bushes can reach two meters. To avoid this, the stem is subjected to the removal of the top, after which all nutrients are spent not on the growth of the bush, but solely on the development of the fruit.

Plants are characterized by resistant bristly stem and medium-sized, light-green, wrinkled leaves, not covered with pubescence. The rhizome is quite strong and reaches a width of 40–50 cm, which is why the recommended distance when planting bushes is at least 60 cm.

An important characteristic of the variety is the type of inflorescence, which has many flowers and needs to remove excess ovaries. The first inflorescence is formed after the ninth leaf, and all subsequent ones appear with an interval of three leaves. Judging by the reviews of experienced gardeners, the best option is the inflorescence of 8 flowers. It is this amount of fruits that ensures the large size of each of them and has a positive effect on yield. According to the degree of fruit ripening, the Black Prince tomato is a middle-ripening variety, and it takes 110–115 days from seed germination to first harvest.

The fruits of tomato have a rounded, slightly flattened form from below and above, they are distinguished by multi-ridge. The diameter of an average tomato is 7 cm, and the weight can vary from 100 g to 0.5 kg. The peel and flesh of ripe tomatoes have a maroon color, and the flesh contains some enlightenment. The unusual coloring of the fruits is due to the content of the coloring matter in them - anthocyanin, which appeared there due to the interbreeding of wild-growing tomatoes with red fruits.

"Black Prince" is considered the sweetest variety among all tomatoes and is distinguished by fleshy fruits with a high content of dry substances. Tomatoes do not tolerate long-term transportation and storage, due to their origin. The fact is that this type of tomato was developed by Chinese specialists with the help of genetic engineering, but due to the full compatibility of genes from different cultures it is quite suitable for lovers of healthy food and does not have a detrimental effect on human health. The Black Prince variety has an F1 hybrid, which inexperienced gardeners often confuse with the original. The main difference between them is the productivity of seeds.

The advantages of the variety include unusual color, ripening, high yield, simple cultivation, unpretentiousness and excellent taste. The disadvantage is the impossibility of long storage and transportation. The disadvantages include the unsuitability of tomatoes for canning, which is why the “Black Prince” is considered a salad variety. Fruits can be used to make adzhika and ketchup, but they are not suitable for making tomato juice. This is due to the high content of solids, because of which the consistency is too thick and atypical for juices.

Black Prince tomatoes contain many antioxidants that prevent the development of malignant tumors and have a beneficial effect on the condition of blood vessels.

Tomatoes have a moderate effect on stabilizing blood pressure, which is explained by a decrease in blood cholesterol levels. In addition, the regular use of this variety helps to improve potency in men.

Tomatoes "Black Prince" are considered a high-yielding variety, thanks to which they deserved great popularity among summer residents. Collectability from one square meter can reach 8 kg. If the planting rules are followed and the necessary care is taken, each plant is capable of producing 4–4.5 kg of fruits. The average weight of a single tomato is 250–300 g, which is optimal for use and convenient for cooking size.

Tomato seeds "Black Prince" should be purchased only in specialized stores. This is due to the presence of a hybrid variety, and is associated with the risk of mixing up the plants. It should be remembered that the seeds collected from hybrid fruits will not give offspring and are not used for cultivation. And also when choosing seeds you need to pay attention to the year of harvest. Thus, seeds one year old germinate much worse than two and three year olds. Therefore, for good germination and timely maturation of the crop should take into account this moment.

Before planting, the seeds should be washed with a weak solution of potassium permanganate and soaked with growth stimulant. Cooked earth should also be disinfected by heating it in an oven. After antibacterial treatment, the preheated soil is placed in wide tanks and the planting process begins. To do this, small indentations are made in the ground at a distance of 2 cm from each other, where the seeds are placed. Then the soil is watered with warm water and covered with thin glass or film, which will help to maintain the necessary moisture and the rapid germination of seeds.

When the first shoots appear, the film is removed and the intensity of irrigation increases. After 3–4 full leaves appear on the stems, you can begin picking the plants. To do this, each shoot should be planted in a separate container. "Black Prince" is a rather thermophilic plant, so the temperature in the room should be within +25 degrees. To grow tomatoes "Black Prince" can be both in the greenhouse and in the open way.

When choosing a place for seedlings in the open field should be aware of its self-pollination. Therefore, such a plot should be formed at a distance of at least one and a half meters from other cultures. After the place for planting a crop has been chosen, it is possible to start planting young plants in open ground. This usually occurs at the end of May and depends on the climate of the area, as well as the likelihood of night frosts on the soil.

In order for young plants to take root, around them you need to expand the cut grass. This will help to preserve moisture in the soil on a hot day and ensure quick adaptation of the seedlings. Before planting, pour a liter of water into each freshly prepared well and pour 100 g of wood ash. In exhausted or barren soils, the addition of 50 g of ammonium nitrate is recommended. After preparing the holes, you can start planting seedlings.

The young plant should be placed in the middle of the hole, straighten the root system and sprinkle it with earth. If the stem is too long, it is placed horizontally in the hole in the direction from south to north, leaving a 10 cm high tip above the ground. Then, gently sprinkle a little earth around the stem of the young shoots and cover the roots. After the roots are hidden, you need to pour the remaining soil and tamp it.Further, it is recommended to tear off the lower leaves and water the plant abundantly under the root.

Growing tomatoes "Black Prince" will not cause difficulties, even for novice summer residents. The only condition for obtaining a good harvest is timely abundant watering and regular feeding of plants, which is recommended to be made once every 10 days. In the process of caring for tomatoes, periodic soil swelling is necessary, which will ensure free access of air to the root system and will facilitate the removal of excess moisture.

At the initial stage of growth, the lateral processes should be removed and a single stem should be formed, which, due to its great height, requires the installation of a support and tying up. Removal of stepsons should be carried out with a knife or scissors.

Breaking the side processes is prohibited. This is due to the fact that when manual cutting off wounds on the stem can be large, which is likely to lead to plant infection and the development of diseases. After the extra shoots have been removed, you need to spray the plant with sour milk or kefir. This will help to avoid infection and will contribute to the rapid tightening of damaged areas.

Tomato "Black Prince" is a moisture-loving plant, and therefore requires regular and abundant watering. Moisturizing can be done in two ways: by the drip method and by the strait under the root. In no case should the soil be dried around the roots of the tomato - this can lead to loss of leaves, drying of the stem and the death of the plant.

Watering is recommended to perform in the morning or evening hours, and in case of cloudy weather - during the day. Due to the risk of leaf burn, watering the plant during periods of high solar activity is prohibited.

According to the method of applying dressing are root and foliar. The former are applied to the soil under the plant root immediately after watering, and the latter are sprayed onto the leaf plates using a spray bottle. Works on processing plants should be carried out in cloudy weather or in the evening. Experts recommend not to get hung up on one of the methods, and apply the technique of alternation. According to its composition, top dressing is divided into mineral and organic.

Of the mineral preparations, “Gumat”, “Ideal” and “Emerald” are very popular. These drugs are quite effective, have wide availability, balanced composition and low cost. Of the organic dressings, the most common is a mixture of manure and water, taken in a ratio of 1:20. This composition can be used 24 hours after preparation. It is recommended to start top dressing as soon as the plants bloom.

Tomato "Black Prince" is considered to be quite resistant variety to the occurrence of diseases. One of the few pathologies to which the plant is sometimes exposed is late blight. The disease has a fungal nature and is manifested in a change in the color of the leaf cover. In case of infection of a plant with this disease, the damaged leaves should be removed and the bush should be sprayed with a solution of copper sulfate prepared at the rate of 1 g / l. The most weakened plants may be subject to brown spot. This pathology is easily treated and quickly passes, if immediately after the discovery of the ailment, sprinkle the roots with wood ash.

Tomatoes "Black Prince" are very popular. They are unpretentious in the care and give a rich harvest, and due to the rich sugar taste and unusual color are a worthy decoration of the holiday table.

In the next video you will find an overview of the best varieties of black tomatoes, including the "Black Prince".