If you are an experimental gardener, then you probably noticed varieties of black tomatoes. Let's analyze one of the most unusual and high-yielding - Indigo Rose tomato. Description of the variety, photo, features of planting and care, reviews of gardeners - more.
Purple (dark) tomatoes
The selection of dark-skinned tomatoes dates back to the 1960s. Bulgarian scientists crossed wild tomato varieties from Chile and the Galapagos Islands with local dark varieties (Black Prince). However, in those days, the newly bred varieties were not widely used.
In our days, when researchers have determined that the blue or purple color of such tomatoes is a sign of a high content of natural antioxidants anthicyanins in the vegetable, purple varieties are gaining more and more popularity. Indigo Rose tomato (reviews, you will see a photo of it below) is the darkest of them. In addition to it, the following blue tomatoes are also popular:
- Initial color.
- Blue Gold.
- Blueberries.
- Dance with the Smurfs.
- Dark galaxy.
- Red coal.
- Stripes of the past.
- P20 Blue.
- Blob.
- Blue-green zebra.
- Wild cherry.
- Amethyst.
- Amethyst Cream Cherry.
- Blue chocolate.
- Fiery Blue.
- Cherry Blueberries.
- Blue beauty.
- A real gem.
In addition to excellent taste, dark fruits have the following beneficial properties:
- Reduce the risk of vascular disease.
- Combating the formation of cancer cells.
- Strengthening the walls of blood vessels.
- Improve visual acuity.
Many botanists believe that the first tomatoes brought to Europe were of this shade. They explain this by the fact that in the homeland of the plant, in South America, most wild varieties of tomatoes have purple fruits.
Description of the variety Indigo Rose
Tomato Indigo Rose ("Indigo Rose") is a mid-season universal variety. The fruits are suitable for both fresh consumption and canning. Tomatoes are sweet, fleshy, dense, smooth, dark purple in color, weighing up to 60 g. The best time to harvest is when the color of the fruit is poured to a rich dark shade, it will become soft to the touch. Since the Indigo Rose tomato does not taste too sweet, it has a pleasant tart flavor, it is good for salads and frying.
Vegetative period from germination to maturity: 75 days. Bush of medium size - up to 1 meter high. The plant is disease-resistant and high-yielding, open type of pollination, suitable forplanting both in greenhouses and in beds.
Black tomatoes were bred in Oregon (USA), in the laboratory of Professor D. Myers. According to the scientist himself, Indigo Rose is the first improved tomato variety containing anthocyanin. Since this is the darkest type of tomato, then, accordingly, the level of antioxidant in it is the highest. It turned out as a result of crossing purple tomatoes with the usual red varieties. It is believed that the antioxidant contained in Indigo Rose helps in the fight against obesity, diabetes, in general, improves human well-being.
Features of cultivation and care
Indigo Rose Tomato is quite an unpretentious plant, but the gardener needs to take note of some points:
- After the soaked seeds swell, it is necessary to keep them in a strong solution of potassium permanganate for up to half an hour, then they are washed and dried.
- Tomatoes are planted in a soft warm substrate at a distance of 10 cm from each other in grooves up to 1 cm deep. They are covered with earth sifted through a sieve.
- First watering - from a spray bottle, then you can use a regular watering can. Watering frequency - daily until sprouts appear.
- As the seedlings grow, sprinkle the substrate between the rows two or three times, remove weak and painful shoots.
- Indigo Rose should be fed if the seedlings are not yet strong enough by the day of transplantation.
- Landing is done when there is no threat of frost on the soil. row spacing- from 70 to 100 cm, depending on the size of the bushes. In one row, plants are planted every 30-50 cm.
- Try to protect tomatoes from high and low temperatures, timely water, fertilize, remove stepchildren. Remember to mulch the soil around the roots with needles or wood chips.
Indigo Rose Tomato: reviews
Among the benefits of the plant, gardeners note:
- bush power;
- yield - up to 15 tomatoes per brush;
- fruit juiciness;
- unusual colors;
- tastes good.
Describe the Indigo Rose tomato in a completely different way reviews of the disappointed:
- Water vegetables.
- Long ripening.
- Tall bush - inconvenient for care.
- Small tomatoes.
Indigo Rose variety is a novelty for Russian gardeners. However, a high-yielding and powerful plant with unusual black fruits rich in beneficial antioxidants has already become a successful experiment for many.
