Disease-resistant and easy-to-care tomato “Pink Stella”: reviews, photos and secrets of getting a bountiful harvest
The variety of pink tomatoes is so great that you are often at a loss as to which one to choose. The Pink Stella variety definitely stands out from many others due to the taste of its fruit. Ripe raspberry-colored vegetables are saturated with vitamins B and C. A small percentage of acidity allows the fruits to be used for baby and dietary nutrition. Small compact bushes will decorate any summer cottage. The culture is so easy to care for that it is recommended even for novice gardeners.
This article presents photos and descriptions, characteristics and reviews about the Pink Stella variety.
Characteristics and description of the variety
The tomato variety Pink Stella was bred by Altai breeders and is intended for breeding in warm regions, but is successfully grown in areas with temperate and cold climates. It takes root equally well both in greenhouse conditions and in open beds.
Distinctive features
Type determinant, standard, compact, height 50-60 cm. The foliage is medium, the leaves are elongated, dark green. One cluster bears 6-7 fruits; clusters are formed frequently, every other leaf.
Mid-early variety, from the moment of sowing the seeds until full ripening, 105-110 days pass.
Productivity is excellent, up to 3 kg of fruits are collected from 1 seedling, provided that 3 plants are planted per 1 sq. m.
Cultural immunity includes high resistance to most insect pests and diseases characteristic of the nightshade family.
Low growing bushes It doesn’t require pinching, but you can’t do without a garter: the fruit-bearing branches can’t support the weight of ripe vegetables.
Fruit characteristics
The average weight of one tomato is 170-180 g, pepper-shaped, elongated, pink-raspberry color. The taste is pronounced, sweet-dessert with barely noticeable sourness, the flesh is juicy. The peel is thin but dense, cracking in dry weather with a lack of moisture. There are 4 seed chambers, few seeds.
The purpose of tomatoes is universal: They are used fresh and for winter preparations. Suitable for processing into tomato products. Ripe tomatoes make excellent juices, not only canned, but also freshly squeezed.
The photo shows Pink Stella tomatoes.
How to grow seedlings
Seeds for seedlings begin to be sown 2 months before planting in the ground.. The seed material is collected independently, since the variety is not a hybrid, which means that the varietal advantages are preserved in the next generation.
Seed preparation
The seeds are laid out on the table and carefully examined for visible damage. Suitable specimens must be light-colored and free of distortion. They are then immersed in a saline solution for 10 minutes. This is how they check whether the grains are empty or not. Those that have floated to the surface are not suitable for landing. Afterwards, the grains are disinfected in a weak solution of pinkish potassium permanganate for 20 minutes. Then rinse with running water and dry.
To improve germination the seeds are soaked in a growth stimulator for 12 hours.
Reference. In addition to specialized drugs, melt water or aloe juice are used as growth stimulants.
Container and soil
The soil is prepared from turf soil, peat and humus in a ratio of 2:2:1. All components are thoroughly mixed and the resulting mixture is disinfected by heating in the oven for 15 minutes at a temperature of 50°C. Another way is to spill the soil with a hot solution of potassium permanganate.
After the soil has cooled, it is laid out in planting containers, having previously made small drainage holes at the bottom where excess moisture will drain.
Planted in a common wooden box or individual containers. Plastic cups and peat pots are the most common and convenient way to propagate seedlings, because when planted in a separate container, seedlings grow and develop better. In addition, plastic containers are lightweight, which does not cause difficulties when transporting planting containers to a summer cottage.
Reference. Disinfected soil is the key to healthy and strong immunity of seedlings.
Sowing
Seeds are sown in grooves 1 cm deep at a distance of 1-2 cm from each other.. Sprinkle the soil on top, level it and lightly moisten it with warm, settled water. Then the containers are covered with film or glass to create a greenhouse effect and left in a warm room at a temperature of 23-24°C. The film is periodically removed for ventilation and the top layer of soil is moistened as necessary.
Growing and care
1 week after sowing, the appearance of the first shoots is noticeable. The film is removed and the containers are placed on the windowsill, but not in direct sunlight. The duration of daylight should be at least 14 hours, so there is a need for additional lighting with fluorescent lamps.
Reference. Direct exposure to sunlight can cause burns to young plants.
Water as the top layer of soil dries out along the edge of the nursery with warm, settled water using a shallow watering can. After watering, the soil is loosened superficially, without touching the young roots.
Room temperature during the seedling period maintained at 22°C, and the night temperature should not fall below 16°C.
No need to water abundantly, since the sprouts will begin to stretch, which is undesirable in the initial period. To ensure that the seedlings grow straight, they are periodically turned to the window in different directions.
About other varieties of pink tomatoes:
A variety with amazing taste - Raspberry Giant tomato
Early ripe tomatoes for juices, salads and canning “Fatima”
Mid-season variety with fruits, like from the picture - “Major” tomato
After 2-3 true leaves appear, the seedlings dive, seating in separate containers. After picking, the seedlings intensively grow their root system, which has a beneficial effect on plant growth.
2 weeks before planting in the ground, seedlings begin to harden, taking it outside during the day for 1 hour at a temperature of 17-18°C. Gradually, the time spent outdoors is increased to 12-14 hours. Simultaneously with daytime hardening, the night temperature in the room is reduced to 13°C.
How to grow tomatoes
After 55-60 days, the seedlings are ready for planting in the ground. Seedlings are planted in open beds 2 weeks later than in greenhouse conditions. By the time of transplantation, the soil should be warmed to 16-17°C.
Landing
Before planting tomatoes, the soil is treated with copper sulfate at the rate of 1 tablespoon per 1 bucket of water for the prevention of fungal diseases. Then the soil is dug up with the application of mineral fertilizers.
Planting scheme: 40 cm is the distance between seedlings, 60 cm is left between rows. For 1 sq.m place 3 plants. Planted in holes 20 cm deep, at the bottom of which a little wood ash is first placed. After transplantation, the holes are compacted, watered with warm, settled water and the young bushes are left to adapt to the new conditions for 9-10 days. During this period, the plants are not watered or fed.
Further care
Regular watering is established no more than 2 times a week. The best time for watering is evening or early morning. Water with warm water, under the root, without getting on the leaves. Sprinkling is not recommended, since in addition to sunburn, plants can develop blossom-end rot. On dry days, the amount of watering is increased. The crop also consumes more moisture during fruit formation.
Reference. Sprinkling is a method of irrigation in which water, often with the help of special devices, is sprinkled in the form of rain over the soil surface and plants.
After watering, the ground is loosened, removing weeds with roots.. Loosening saturates the root system with oxygen and disrupts the usual habitat of many pests living in the ground.
Hilling, like loosening, promotes better oxygen penetration and strengthens the rhizomes, resulting in the formation of a strong stem. Hilling is carried out no more than 3 times during the season. This is quite enough to form a full-fledged stem.
Throughout the growing season, the crop is fed 4 times.:
- The first fertilizing is applied 3 weeks after transplantation. Fertilizers - “Ideal” and “Nitrophoska”. 1 tbsp. l. dissolve in 1 bucket of water and pour 0.5 liters under the bush.
- During flowering, apply a second fertilizing with Signor Tomato fertilizer at the rate of 1 tbsp. l. for 1 bucket of water.For each seedling, 1 liter of solution is used.
- The third feeding is applied 10-12 days after the second. Fertilize with “Ideal” and “Nitrophoska” in the same proportions as the first time.
- Fertilize with superphosphate for the fourth time. The solution is prepared from 1 tbsp. l., diluted in 1 bucket of water. For 1 sq. m consume 10 liters of solution.
Features of care and possible difficulties
Low-growing bushes do not require pinching. They are formed into 3 or 4 stems, all other shoots are removed. The plant does not throw out side shoots in the future, so they are not pruned. Large leaves that block the penetration of sunlight are cut off. Also remove those branches that have stopped bearing fruit.
For gartering, a wooden or metal support is installed next to each bush when transplanting., to which the stem is fixed. Immediately after transplanting, tie the stem so that it grows evenly. In the future, fruit-bearing branches are also fixed to the support, since they cannot support the weight of ripe vegetables.
Diseases and pests
The culture is characterized by strong immunity to tobacco mosaic virus and late blight. But it is susceptible to attacks by the Colorado potato beetle, which cause irreparable harm to plants. In addition, females lay eggs on the back of the leaves, which cannot be noticed unless the leaves are turned over when inspecting the plants. Colorado potato beetle larvae are no less dangerous than adult individuals.
To scare away this pest, mustard bushes are planted next to the tomatoes.. Their pungent smell irritates many insects, and they try not to approach such beds. If the insect managed to reproduce in large numbers, use the drug “Prestige”. Otherwise, all the leaves will be eaten and the crop will die.
Attention! The most effective preventive method is regular inspection of seedlings for changes due to disease or the presence of insect pests. It is always easier to prevent any problem than to deal with it later.
The nuances of breeding in open ground and in a greenhouse
The culture is intended for cultivation in open ground and in greenhouse conditions. The height of greenhouse plants is practically no different from street plants; they are just as low and compact. Temperature changes do not affect the quantitative indicator, since the tomato is adapted to lower temperatures.
The crop is demanding on lighting, starting from the seedling period. With a lack of light, young plants stretch out, and later in shaded places ripening occurs later, and small fruits are formed.
Moderate watering is necessary to prevent cracking of ripe vegetables. If the plant is not watered for a long time in dry weather, and then immediately watered abundantly, an excess of moisture will negatively affect the taste and quality of the tomatoes.
Ideal predecessors of tomatoes – winter or legumes, carrots, cabbage, cucumbers. Crop rotation rules strongly recommend not to plant tomatoes in the place where crops from the nightshade family previously grew. They pull most of the nutrients from the soil, so the tomato will experience a constant lack of beneficial microelements in depleted soil.
Harvesting and application
Harvest begins in late July - early August and thanks to long fruiting it continues until the first frost. Ripening is not smooth; the last tomatoes are picked green.They ripen well at home, while in the garden beds at this time the risk of fungal diseases increases.
The purpose of tomatoes is universal: they are used to prepare a variety of dishes, from simple summer salads to hot and vegetable dishes. Ripe vegetables make excellent freshly squeezed and canned juices, where the characteristic sourness of tomatoes appears. Also, tomatoes do not lose their taste in barrel pickling, marinades and processed tomato products: ketchups, pastes, lecho, adjika.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
The variety has many positive characteristics:
- low growing bushes;
- ease of care;
- adaptation to any weather conditions;
- does not require pinching;
- persistent immunity to diseases;
- excellent yield;
- excellent taste of fruits;
- long fruiting;
- versatility in cooking;
- long storage;
- long transportations.
The negative aspects include obligatory garter and constant moderate watering, otherwise the peel of vegetables will crack.
Read also:
Farmer reviews
A few reviews from gardenerswho prefer this crop to other varieties of tomato.
Natalya, Magnitogorsk: “My favorite variety. I have been planting it for many years and will never give up. Unpretentious and disease-free, not afraid of bad weather, always produces abundant fruit. It is universal in cooking, the fruits are beautiful and tasty. I recommend it to everyone".
Vladimir, Samara: “I saw the tomato for the first time in photographs and was impressed by its short growth and excellent yield.I grew it in open ground and collected almost a bucket of delicious vegetables from 1 seedling. I especially liked the canned food and fresh salads.”.
Conclusion
The Pink Stella tomato is an excellent option for those who are planning to grow a tomato crop on their own plot for the first time. It calmly tolerates agrotechnical errors, giving magnificent pepper-shaped fruits. The variety is distinguished by its stable immunity to many diseases, so gardeners do not waste time saving the harvest. In a word, this variety is for those who want to remember the summer season with pleasant chores rather than exhausting work.