Interesting appearance and pleasant taste for connoisseurs of unusual varieties - “Black Pear” tomato
Among the variety of tomatoes with unusual berry colors, it is the black ones that are of particular interest to gardeners. The first tomatoes with such an exotic shade were bred in the mid-20th century by Chilean breeders by crossing cultivated and wild varieties.
Having developed black-fruited tomatoes, breeders did not stop working on them. They began to experiment with shape, which led to the creation of the Black Pear tomato. This variety has excellent taste and an interesting appearance and shape. Read on to learn how to grow it on your own property.
General description of black pear
The Black Pear variety has been present in horticultural markets for a long time and has already gained popularity among gardeners. This crop has not yet been included in the state register.
The seeds of the variety are produced by many Russian companies. Among them are “Flora”, “Gavrish”, “Russian vegetable garden”.
Distinctive features
The main feature of the Black Pear tomato is the exotic color of the fruit. They are dark brown, almost brown. Reddish, yellow and dark green spots may be present.
The shape of the tomatoes is also unusual - pear-shaped, with pronounced ribbing. Thanks to this, they resemble small bright pears.
The dark color of the fruit is due to the anthocyanin content in them. This substance has a pronounced antitoxic effect.Therefore, the inclusion of Black Pear in the diet has a beneficial effect on the condition of blood vessels, heart, hair and skin. The variety is also rich in carotene and vitamins.
Black pear has a pleasant sweet taste. The more sun the tomatoes receive, the more pronounced their sweetness. If you grow this variety in the shade, the tomatoes will turn out tasteless.
Important. A negative feature of the variety is its capriciousness regarding the composition of the soil. Such tomatoes especially do not like soils with high acidity. This applies to all black tomatoes.
Main characteristics
The characteristics of the Black Pear are attractive to experienced gardeners. This variety is grown both for oneself and for sale.
Description of the Black Pear tomato:
| Parameter | Indicators |
| Bush type | Indeterminate variety. The tomato reaches a height of 1.9 m. The stems are powerful, with an average amount of foliage. Stepchildren are formed in large numbers. The leaves are dark green, similar to potato leaves. Size is medium. The inflorescences are simple. The first appears in the axil of the 9th or 10th leaf, the next - every 1-2 leaves. |
| Growing method | Heat-loving variety. In northern regions and areas with a temperate climate, planting is possible only in greenhouses. In the south of our country, tomatoes are grown in unprotected soil. |
| Productivity | Average. With proper agricultural technology, 5 kg of fruits are obtained from one bush. For 1 sq. m place no more than 3 plants. |
| Fruit | Average. The weight of one berry reaches 50-80 g. There are specimens weighing 100 g. The outside of the tomatoes is dark brown with brown spots. Sometimes pink, olive and yellowish areas are present. The inside of the tomatoes is brown, the seed chambers are darker. There may be small green spots near the base. The fruits are very sweet, with virtually no sourness.The shape is pear-shaped, with moderate ribbing. Inside there are 2 seed chambers with a small content of seeds. The variety is rich in vitamins and nutrients. |
| Transportability | Average. The skin is thin but durable. Transportation over long distances is possible. These berries can be stored for up to 3 weeks. |
| Ripening time | Mid-season tomatoes. From the moment the seeds are sown until the fruits ripen, 150 days pass. Fruiting continues until the first frost. |
| Disease resistance | Resistant to major tomato diseases: fusarium, late blight, different types of rot. |
How to grow quality seedlings
The Black Pear tomato is grown in our country only by seedlings. Seeds are sown two months before planting tomatoes in a permanent place.
Since only in the south of our country is it possible to grow tomatoes in open ground, seeds for seedlings in all regions are sown in the second half of March. Before sowing, it is recommended to familiarize yourself with the lunar calendar.
Working with seeds
Changing Black pears need to be sorted out, removing all damaged and darkened specimens. After this, the planting material is soaked in a saline solution. To prepare it, stir 1 tsp in a glass of water. salt.
Most manufacturers treat seeds in the factory with a disinfectant solution. This should be indicated on the packaging. The pickled planting material is painted orange or light green.
If the seeds are not pickled, this is done at home. To do this, they are treated with a solution of potassium permanganate (1 g per 100 ml), soda solution (100 ml of water and 0.5 tsp of soda), aloe (juice and water in equal proportions).
After this, seed germination is stimulated. You can do this in several ways:
- aloe juice;
- "Epinom";
- water with honey.
Selection of soil and containers
Light and nutritious soil is suitable for tomatoes. Suitable formulations are sold in gardening stores.
Prepare soil mixtures for growing tomatoes yourself. To prepare the soil, take soil from the garden or greenhouse and add peat and humus in equal proportions. To make the composition lighter, it is mixed with sand, crushed coconut substrate or sawdust.
The finished soil is watered with a solution of potassium permanganate or calcined in the oven. They do the same with purchased land.
When growing seedlings in the most popular way, the seeds are sown in one spacious shallow container with a volume of at least 300 ml. Use special boxes and trays or improvised means.
Plastic and peat pots are sold in stores. Gardeners often use disposable cups or cut-off bottles. In homemade containers, drainage holes must be made.
The containers also need to be treated. The easiest way is to soak them for half an hour in a solution of potassium permanganate.
Note! Black pear seeds have a high price. Therefore, it is advisable to plant them in peat tablets.
Sowing seeds in the usual way and in peat tablets
When sowing seeds in the usual way, the soil is watered abundantly in advance. Then grooves 1 cm deep are made in it. A distance of 2-3 cm is left between the grooves.
The seeds are placed in grooves at a distance of 1.5-2 cm from each other and sprinkled with soil on top.
The containers with seeds are covered with film and placed in a warm place. The warmer the room, the faster the seeds will germinate.
When growing seedlings in peat tablets, picking is not necessary. Plants are planted in open ground without removing them from the bag.
How to sow seeds in peat tablets:
- The tablets are placed in a container with the open side down and poured with boiling water.
- After all the water has been absorbed and the tablets have swollen a little, the liquid is added. After absorbing all the water, remove it from the container.
- Place a seed in a peat substrate and deepen it with a toothpick.
- All tablets with seeds are placed in one container, which is covered with film and placed in a warm place.
Seedling care
Black pear seedlings need proper and timely care. In this case, the plants will grow healthy and strong.
Rules for growing seedlings:
- Before germination, the seeds should be covered with a film that will provide them with optimal moisture. After the shoots appear, carry out regular two-hour ventilation. After a week, the film is removed.
- The seedlings are watered as the soil dries. It is important to ensure that water does not get on the greenery of the plant. For irrigation, use only warm, settled liquid.
- After seed germination, the seedlings are moved to a well-lit place.
- Plants are planted in separate containers after the first true leaves appear. For better formation of the root system, it is recommended to pinch the central root. It is important to understand that this procedure will slow down the growth of tomatoes by at least 7 days.
- Tomatoes are fed three times a season. To do this, they use different means: “Krepysh”, vermicompost, “Zdraven” and other fertilizers for seedlings. For one plant, take half the portion indicated on the package.
- Two weeks before planting in a permanent place, the seedlings begin to harden. To do this, the tomatoes are taken out into the fresh air, gradually increasing the time spent outside.
Growing mature plants
Black pear is planted in a permanent place in May. Depending on the region, tomatoes are grown in a greenhouse or in open ground.
Three days before planting in a permanent place, the tomatoes are watered and fed with fertilizers containing phosphorus. They help to form a powerful root system.
Landing
The soil for tomatoes is prepared in the fall: they dig it up, clear it of weeds and apply fertilizers (mullein, humus, dry lime).
Tomatoes should not be planted in beds where nightshades previously grew. The best predecessors for this crop are legumes, cabbage and carrots. Potatoes should not be planted next to tomatoes.
In the spring the soil is dug up. All plant roots are removed and organic fertilizers are applied again,
Holes 25 cm deep are dug in rows, placing them in a checkerboard pattern. For 1 sq. m plant 3-4 plants.
Ash or long-acting granular fertilizers are added to the holes. Then the tomatoes are placed there along with a lump of earth, water is poured in and covered with soil.
Care
Black pear needs shaping. The plant is left with 1 or 2 stems. The more stems, the later the fruits will ripen, but the more of them there will be. With a large number of stems, the berries will be small.
Stepping is carried out regularly. Remove all lower leaves. Damaged and yellowed greens are also removed. This procedure is carried out on cloudy days.
The black pear is tied to a support. Trellis or wooden pegs 1.8 m high are used as it.
Water the tomatoes as the soil dries out. Depending on the outside temperature, the frequency of watering varies from 1 to 3. The soil is moistened during the day or in the evening. On the days of pinching, the plants are not watered.
They contribute 4 per season feeding, alternating organic and mineral fertilizers.Spray the bushes with boron products 2 times. They accelerate the formation of ovaries.
Features of growing black pear
Exotic varieties of tomatoes are mostly demanding to care for. Black pear is no exception.
Consider important nuances when growing:
- Black pear is a variety sensitive to soil acidity. Therefore, before planting, you must check the acidity level with litmus paper. To lower the indicators, use dry lime, chalk, and ash.
- With an excess of fertilizers, the tomato begins to fatten - it forms a lush green mass, but does not bear fruit.. To avoid this problem, it is important to monitor the condition of the plant. If the bushes look healthy, fertilize only twice during the summer.
- Despite the fact that tomatoes are self-pollinating culture, For the appearance of ovaries, the bushes are shaken regularly.
Diseases and pests
Black pear is resistant to most tomato diseases. She is not afraid of late blight, rot and fusarium. Despite this, tomato needs preventive measures.
It is important to disinfect the soil and tomato seeds. Garden tools and pots with which plants interact are treated with a disinfecting solution. This is the very first and most important step in prevention.
Compliance with watering rules and stepsons – another step in disease prevention. After all, it is in waterlogged and overdried soil that fungal and viral pathogens actively develop.
Twice a season, beds with tomatoes are sprayed with Fitosporin. Sometimes it is replaced with a solution of potassium permanganate.
To prevent pest damage, the bushes are sprayed with infusion of celandine. If aphids appear, wash them off with soapy water. Large beetles are collected by hand.
How to grow Black Pear in protected and open ground
The black pear tomato is grown in protected soil in most regions of our country. In such conditions, it is important to maintain optimal humidity. This is done by ventilating the room and opening the windows daily.
In the south of Russia, Black Pear is also planted in open ground. For planting, choose the sunniest area of the garden.
For the first two weeks, tomatoes are covered with film, which protects them from night frosts. On cold days it is used constantly.
Mulching the soil is another important condition for growing tomatoes in open ground. Straw, hay and burlap are used to cover the beds.
Harvesting and application
The first fruits of the Black Pear are harvested at the end of July. The ripeness of the fruit is judged by the brown color of the skin.
Tomatoes are picked using a knife or by hand. It is important to leave the stalk, which will increase the shelf life of the crop. Unripe fruits are not harvested; when ripened on a windowsill, their taste deteriorates.
In gastronomic terms, the tomato is universal, but most often it is consumed fresh. Some gardeners preserve it and process it into tomato products.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
Benefits of Black Pear:
- unusual color and shape of the fruit;
- immunity to most tomato diseases;
- excellent taste;
- high content of nutrients and anthocyanin.
Disadvantages of the variety:
- the need for stepsoning and formation;
- increased demands on soil acidity.
Farmer reviews
Reviews about Black Pear are mostly positive. Gardeners note the wonderful taste of this variety and good yield.
Marina Ogurtsova, Tver: “I planted the Black Pear tomato for the first time.Tomatoes are shaped like a pear, but rather brown rather than black. The taste is sweet. I grew tomatoes in a greenhouse. I didn’t encounter any particular difficulties in care.”
Inga Dmitrova, Sochi: “I’ve been growing Black Pear tomatoes for two years now. I like the wonderful taste of berries. I use it for fresh consumption. From the bush, which I form into 2 stems, I managed to collect 4 kg of harvest.”
Conclusion
The Black Pear tomato is a black-fruited variety. Its fruits have a beautiful brown color and pear shape. They taste sweet. Growing these tomatoes is not difficult. It is important to follow all care rules and monitor the acidity of the soil.