Characteristics of the Pink Bugay tomato and reviews of its yield

Just as every soldier dreams of becoming a general, gardeners also strive to grow large tomatoes. Today, this opportunity is available not only to residents of the southern regions, but also to those living in the central part of the country, the European North, and Siberia.

Thanks to breeders, numerous large-fruited tomato varieties have been developed that thrive even in areas where summers aren't particularly warm or long. Among these varieties is the Pink Bugay, a tomato developed by breeders at the Siberian Garden company.

Description of the variety

The package description briefly but accurately describes this tomato as a mighty Siberian, and this is indeed the case. The variety is distinguished by its vigorous plant, fruit, and growth, while boasting a harmonious flavor.

It was developed in Siberia specifically for cultivation in areas with challenging climates. It has only been commercially available for a few years, but has already established a strong reputation.

It's worth noting that large-fruited tomato varieties are preferable to hybrids if you're aiming for a large tomato. This is possible with hybrids, but they are typically genetically determined, and even with specially shaped flower clusters, it's unlikely that you'll get tomatoes that are too large. This is not the case with Bugai varieties, and with proper greenhouse care and flower plucking, you can harvest tomatoes weighing up to 1,000 grams.

Bugay is a mid-season variety (up to 115 days) in terms of ripening time. In regions with short summers, it is recommended to grow it under cover, always tying and shaping the bush. The plant is tall, reaching 180-190 cm. In open ground, the bushes will be shorter, but the yield will be correspondingly high. It is common practice to train the plant into a single stem, although some gardeners leave two stems. Side shoots are always removed.

Because this variety of tomato is large, it requires good, regular watering and ample fertilizing. Bugai tomatoes are grown from seedlings; it's best to sow the seeds directly into individual containers to avoid transplanting.

Description of fruits

The variety is prized for its large fruits and excellent flavor. Considering that Bugay is a mid-season tomato, its growing popularity is understandable.

The tomatoes are round, sometimes slightly flattened. The fruits are very firm and fleshy, with bright pink skin. They have very few chambers, as well as seeds, and the flesh is sweet and flecked with "dew." The flavor is pleasant, richly tomato-like.

As mentioned above, the average fruit weighs 500-600 grams. Record-breaking fruits of 900-1000 grams can be achieved by plucking excess flowers from the cluster. The largest fruits usually grow on the first few clusters, followed by more uniform, smaller tomatoes.

Bugai tomatoes are used fresh; they're suitable for processing into pastes and juices, and they're also great for lecho. For canning, it's best to use sliced ​​tomatoes; this variety is also good for tomato sauces, made in their own juice.

Reviews of growing the Bugai variety

Regina, Leningrad Oblast

I was given a few Bugai seedlings to try. I didn't have room in the greenhouse, so I planted them in the ground and covered them with lutrasil. The tomatoes were large, about 400 grams each, but there weren't many on the plant. I think it was because they were growing in my garden bed. I collected my own seeds and sowed them the second year. I grew them in the greenhouse, but I wasn't particularly impressed with the variety. Of course, if you're looking for large tomatoes, Bugai might be suitable. But since the plant produces few fruits, it's not a good choice for me. To the credit of the variety and its creators, it tastes very good!

Daria, Balashikha

I bought Bugay, using Sibsad seeds. It's an indeterminate variety, vigorous, but doesn't have many leaves, and it's well-ventilated. I trained it into two stems, and the clusters formed very well. The tomatoes are large, perfectly shaped, and beautifully colored—pearlescent pink, almost translucent. When broken, they're sweet, juicy, and very tasty. But I want to say right away that this variety requires good nutrition, especially potassium and phosphorus. I grew the plants in two greenhouses, and in the second one, the Bugay was slightly underfed. That's why the tomatoes had a small spot near the stem, and I also had some with veins. I picked them both ripe and green, and they ripened perfectly. We ate them fresh; I didn't jar them.

Advantages and disadvantages of the Bugai variety

Tomatoes from Siberian breeders are renowned for their ease of cultivation and high yields. Bred for cultivation in challenging conditions, they produce very good results with proper care.

Advantages of the Pink Bugay tomato:

• large fruits;
• mid-season;
• very pleasant taste;
• resistance to temperature changes;
• resistance to many diseases;
• Good yield – up to 3.5-4 kg from one bush.

Pink tomatoes have excellent flavor. This is due to their higher sugar content and antioxidant levels. Pink tomatoes have a brighter, richer flavor than red varieties, and they're also very healthy. An added bonus: one large tomato is enough for a salad for the whole family.

This tomato is currently marketed as a new product, and is expensive in specialty stores. When purchasing, pay attention to the variety name and description, as there is another tomato called Bugay, but only with red fruits.

Disadvantages of the variety:

• the need to tie up and shape tomato bushes;
• enhanced feeding, without which it is impossible to get large fruits.

When we described the Bugai Rozovii variety as easy to grow, we didn't mean it required little care. Expecting a good harvest requires following all recommendations and certain agricultural practices. These are generally standard, very simple, and, when implemented, produce good results.

Some recommendations for growing the variety

Large-fruited Bugai is grown from seedlings; otherwise, in the short summer, its fruits won't have time to form. Seeds are usually sown in March, with all necessary materials prepared in advance:

• seeds;
• containers for seedlings;
• soil.

Nutrient-rich soil can be made at home or purchased in stores—in this case, the gardener makes the choice. Peat mixtures require the addition of turf or leaf mold and loosening agents.

Vigorous and robust Bugai plants require large containers to ensure a good harvest. Therefore, you can sow the seeds first in large containers or small cups, then transplant or transplant them into individual, larger pots later.

Today, many gardeners grow seedlings directly in individual cups, avoiding transplanting. They add soil to the containers as the tomatoes grow, and also use the transshipment method, transplanting the tomatoes into larger containers.

During the growing period of tomatoes at home, approximately two additional feedings are done, using ready-made fertilizers or complex compositions (for example, nitrophoska).

Plants are planted in the greenhouse strictly according to the scheme: no more than 2-3 plants per square meter.

To get large fruits, you need to follow a number of rules:

1. The bushes require training, which involves leaving one or two stems and removing the rest. Indeterminate varieties are characterized by vigorous growth and a large number of side shoots, and if these are not removed, the bush will become dense and the fruit will be small.
2. Side shoots are removed regularly until the lateral shoots in the axils exceed 5-6 cm. The side shoot is not completely removed, leaving a stump up to 1.5 cm long. In this case, new side shoots will not appear in this location.
3. Regulate the number of flower clusters on one plant, leaving no more than 3-4 clusters on the stem.
4. In August, the bush is pinched, but two leaves must be left above the last flower cluster.
5. To obtain large tomatoes, only a limited number of flowers are left in each cluster, removing the rest. The standard technique is to leave two or three tomatoes on the first clusters of the bush, and no more than four on subsequent clusters.
6. Plants are tied up using stakes or trellises. It's best to use wide cotton ribbons instead of ropes, which can cut the stems.

Intensive vegetative growth is a sign that you may have overfed your tomatoes with nitrogen. Reduce nitrogen fertilizer application and provide phosphorus supplements (superphosphate extract foliar sprays are a good option).

Fertilizing is essential for large, productive tomatoes like Bugai. However, it's important to apply any fertilizers (organic and mineral) according to the recommended application rates to ensure the tomatoes receive a balanced diet. Before fruit set, organic fertilizers are very beneficial: mullein and bird droppings, diluted with water. The ratio for mullein is 1:10, and for bird droppings, 1:20.

Herbal infusions are used as natural potassium fertilizers (potassium is essential for tomatoes during the formation and ripening of their fruit). Nettle is the best "lunch," as it contains large amounts of nitrogen, iron, and potassium. But other herbs, such as dandelion and comfrey, are also suitable.

From the moment of fruit formation, preference is given to potassium and phosphorus in fertilizers.

Spraying tomatoes with the following compounds is very effective:

• iodine and water (4 drops per 10 liters);
• ash infusion (for five liters take 6-8 glasses of sifted wood ash, leave for two days);
• boric acid solution (10 grams of substance per five liters of water).

Mineral supplements used during this period include potassium fertilizers, and nitrophoska can also be used. During mass fruiting, it's very beneficial to feed large-fruited Bugai tomatoes with humate, or you can use a superphosphate infusion. These fertilizers accelerate fruit formation, improve the taste of tomatoes, and help them ripen faster.

Bugai fruits are harvested both green and while they're still fully ripe on the vine. If you plan to harvest seeds from the plants, select the most beautiful fruit that meets all the stated characteristics and leave it on the vine until it's fully ripe. Since each tomato may contain only a few seeds, it's best to leave several fruits on the vine.

Bugai ripens well at home. They are not suitable for storage, so it is recommended to process them immediately as they ripen or use them for food.