Description of the De Barao Pink tomato, variety yield, and reviews

The first month of spring is the perfect time to think about which tomato varieties to plant as seedlings. When choosing a variety, consider the local climate and whether the tomatoes will be grown outdoors or in a greenhouse.

It is also important to learn about the characteristics of ripe fruits, their purpose, taste, and ripening time.

One of the varieties popular with gardeners is the pink 'De Barao.' Let's take a closer look at its distinctive features and how to grow it properly.

Features of the variety

Tomatoes are versatile. They can be used in any salad, first course, side dishes, vegetable stews, casseroles, and more. Pink "De Barao" tomatoes are especially delicious when fresh. You can feel their subtle, delicate flavor blossoming.

To preserve tomatoes for the winter, they are preserved whole: pickled and salted.

Tomatoes are used to make juice, which is consumed immediately or pasteurized and canned. However, these tomatoes are rarely used for juices and sauces.

Description of the bush

The bush is indeterminate and has a long fruiting period (new ovaries are formed during growth, forming clusters of fruits). Typically, up to six clusters form on a bush, each containing up to 10 tomatoes. The first inflorescence forms above the 9th to 11th leaf, with subsequent clusters appearing every three leaves. Tomatoes hang on the bushes in beautiful, neat bunches. The bushes have medium foliage.

The bush can reach two meters in height. Such tall plants require a sturdy support, to which the stem is tied as it grows.

This variety is shade-tolerant. While other tomato varieties quickly wither in low light, the pink 'De Barao' will bloom and fruit successfully in the shade of a garden tree, a tall hedge, etc. This shade tolerance is a definite plus for gardeners whose plots are located in less favorable climates with few sunny days during the summer.

The first harvest is 110-125 days after seed germination. A minimum of 5.4-5.8 kg of tomatoes can be harvested from one square meter. If growing conditions are optimal, with timely fertilization and proper agricultural practices, the yield will range from 7-10.0 kg/m³.

Tomatoes have a fleshy, sweet-and-sour flavor. They have an elongated oval shape. The fruit has a pointed "nose" on the underside. The skin is firm and shiny, pink or light red in color, and may have green spots. The fruit contains two chambers containing a small number of seeds. The average fruit weight is 60 grams, with a maximum of 80 grams.

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

Growing seedlings: step-by-step instructions

When should I plant seeds for seedlings? This can be done from early March. However, if you're growing tomatoes outdoors, it's best to wait until early April. Don't rush into planting seedlings in February, as there's a risk that the plants will freeze during nighttime temperatures.

Step 1: Germinating seeds on toilet paper.

Before starting work, you need to prepare:

• non-foil laminate backing, 2 mm thick;
• good quality toilet paper, preferably two- or three-ply;
• syringe;
• the drug "Epin";
• warm water – 0.5 – 1 l;
• sharp knife;
• rubber bands or tape.

Laminate underlayment is sold in rolls. Cut a strip 14-16 cm wide from this roll. The easiest way is to measure the desired width from the edge of the roll, mark it with a marker, and then cut it with a knife without unrolling the roll first.

The cut ribbon should be placed on the table. It's advisable to cover the table with oilcloth or use a large tray to work on.

The edge of the backing tape must be aligned with the edge of the toilet paper roll, and then both must be rolled out to the edge of the table or slightly less.

Dilute Epin in water. Use 2-3 drops per 0.5 liter. Mix the solution well and draw it into a syringe.

The solution must be poured evenly from the syringe onto the toilet paper so that it is well saturated.

Now you can begin laying out the seeds. It's recommended to pick them up one at a time with tweezers or a wet toothpick and place them on the paper, 5 cm from the short edge of the substrate, 1.5 cm from the top, and leaving 1-3 cm between each seed.

Once all the seeds have been planted, all that remains is to cut off the excess substrate and then roll the tape into a tight roll, which can be secured with a rubber band or tape.

The rolls should be covered with cling film, a garbage bag, or other similar material, then the box (or glass) should be stored in a warm place for three days. During this period, the seeds do not require light.

After three days, check how well the tomatoes are sprouting. Remove the plastic wrap and unroll the rolls one by one on the table. If the seeds have sprouted and green loops are visible, you can move on to the next step.

Step 2. Growing seedlings in rolls.

There's no need to remove the sprouted seeds from the toilet paper. Instead, use a spoon or shovel to add a two-centimeter layer of loose soil directly onto the toilet paper.

It's okay if the sprouted seeds are covered with soil. For convenience, it's best to add soil and roll the roll at the same time.

Once the entire "snail" is filled with soil, rolled up and secured with a rubber band, it needs to be placed vertically, and more soil added on top so that it covers all the turns of the roll.

It's best to place the roll in a box with a layer of sawdust at the bottom. This material absorbs and retains moisture well, providing comfortable conditions for seedling growth.

The box should be sealed again with a plastic bag and stored in a warm place. You can open the box when green shoots emerge from the soil. After this, the seedlings should be moved to a bright location, such as a windowsill or a seedling rack.

Step 3. It is advisable to water the seedlings with a syringe, without washing away the soil.

Step 4. Picking seedlings.

You can transplant seedlings into any containers—cups, toilet paper rolls, or boxes. However, the most convenient way is to transplant seedlings into plastic "diapers." Plastic food-grade bags are ideal for this purpose.

You can pick out seedlings when the plants have 2-4 true leaves.

The procedure for diving from the "snail" to the "diapers" is extremely simple:

• the roll with seedlings is placed on the table, the fixing rubber band or adhesive tape is removed;
• The edge of the roll is unfolded. It is enough to bend back the edge by 15-20 cm;
• the first package is spread out on the table;
• The first sprout is removed from the "snail" with a spatula, along with a lump of soil, being careful not to damage the root system. The sprout is transferred to a spread-out bag;
• the sprout is covered with one or two tablespoons of soil so that it covers the root and stem right up to the cotyledon leaves;
• The bottom of the bag is folded under, then the edges are twisted around the root with soil. The edges can be secured with a piece of tape.

The seedlings in “diapers” are placed in fruit boxes close to each other.

Step 5. Hardening off seedlings.

Once the transplanted seedlings have strengthened sufficiently, they can be moved into a polycarbonate greenhouse and covered with a covering material. If this isn't possible, the seedlings can be hardened off on a balcony or window by opening the window briefly at first, then increasing the ventilation time to 2-3 hours.

After hardening, seedlings become stronger, less demanding, and develop “immunity” to sudden changes in air temperature during the summer.

Transplanting seedlings into a greenhouse

Tall 'De Barao' bushes are shade-tolerant, but avoid overshading the plants, as this will impact their growth rate and yield. Ideally, 90 to 120 cm of space should be left between adjacent bushes.

It's best to prepare the beds in advance by digging the soil and adding compost. To help warm the soil, cover the bed with black plastic 3-5 days before planting.

Planting of seedlings is carried out when the air warms up to +20… +22°C during the day, and at night to at least +15°C.

Only two holes are made per square meter of the garden bed. It's recommended to add a tablespoon of ash to each hole. Place the seedling vertically in the hole, without tucking the roots, then cover with soil and water generously around the stem.

The stakes for tying the bushes are driven in at the same time as planting the seedlings. Delaying this step can damage the root system, which is highly undesirable for the plants.

Caring for mature tomatoes in a greenhouse

Pink tomatoes enjoy generous watering. However, avoid overwatering the soil; it's important to prevent standing water in the beds.

De Barao tomatoes are known for their strong branching. To maximize yield per plant, pinching out side shoots and training the plants into two stems is essential.

During the fruit set period, you can remove the lower leaves of the plants. This will ensure better ventilation and good fruit growth.

Fertilizing tomatoes is done in the following order:

• The first fertilizer is adding ash to the hole when planting seedlings. Ash contains enough macro- and microelements necessary for active plant growth;
• Two weeks after planting the seedlings in the garden bed, apply a second fertilizer using "green tea." The fertilizer is made from nettles, plantain, garden weeds, and mullein. Place up to 5 kg of grass in a 50-liter barrel, add a glass of liquid mullein, and fill with water. The fertilizer will "infuse" for several days. Stir it before use. Pour 2 liters of "green tea" under each plant.
• The third feeding is recommended during the flowering period. Pour 1 liter of fertilizer under each bush, consisting of liquid mullein (0.5 liters), bird droppings (0.5 liters), and potassium sulfate (1 tablespoon). This fertilizer can be replaced with nitrophoska, mixing 1 tablespoon of powder in a bucket of water. The consumption of the prepared solution is 1 liter per bush;
• The fourth feeding occurs during fruit set. A working solution is prepared from wood ash (2 liters per 10 liters of water) and boric acid (10 g). Let the mixture sit for 24 hours before use. The solution consumption is 1 liter per bush.
• The final, fifth feeding is necessary to help tomatoes ripen faster and achieve a more intense flavor. During the period of active ripening, the bushes are watered with a solution of superphosphate and liquid sodium humate (2 and 1 tablespoon of fertilizer, respectively, per 10-liter bucket of water).

Disease prevention

• To prevent the occurrence of late blight, it is necessary to frequently ventilate the greenhouse.
• Spraying plants with a solution of wood ash will help against blossom-end rot.
• To prevent thrips and aphids from colonizing the leaves, it is worth treating the bushes with the preparation "Zubr".

Harvesting and storage

The fruits can be picked from the bush when unripe and stored indoors to ripen.

It is convenient to store tomatoes in plastic fruit crates, laying the fruits in three layers and placing paper between them.

Reviews

Lily, city of Pyatigorsk
Before sowing, I treat the seeds with potassium permanganate and then germinate them. The seedlings are strong and healthy. The tomatoes on the vines grow dense and very tasty.

Fedor, Bataysk city
I grow 'De Barao' in a greenhouse. It's easier to tie them to trellises here, and I get a larger harvest than when grown outdoors. I sow the seeds for seedlings in mid-March. I use phytolamps to provide supplemental lighting for the seedlings.

Nikita, Pavlograd city
I didn't like this variety. It takes too much effort to grow. Just pinching out the side shoots is a big deal, and you have to constantly tie them up. I'm not prepared to spend too much time at the dacha; this variety isn't for me. The tomatoes taste good, of course, but I won't be growing them next year.