Characteristics and description of the tomato "Mikado Pink"

This tomato variety has a pleasant flavor and is suitable for growing in gardens almost anywhere. Its yield, advantages and disadvantages, and ripening speed are impressive and pleasing.

General characteristics

This tomato is indeterminate. The bushes can reach 2.5 meters in height, so they need to be supported and tied. This variety is early, with the fruit ready to harvest after just three months. Other Mikado varieties take longer to ripen, taking 3.5 to four months.

Tomatoes reach large sizes, weighing up to 600 grams. They store well thanks to the firmness of their flesh and skin.

Pink Mikado is delicious, but it's best eaten fresh. The flavor can't be preserved by processing. These tomatoes are used in salads, sauces, soup dressings, and are also used to make juices and tomato paste.

The fruits are pink. Their shape is somewhat reminiscent of a crown, which is why this variety is also called the imperial variety.

What harvest can be obtained?

The variety has an excellent yield. With proper cultivation and favorable weather, you can harvest over forty tomatoes per bush. The comfortable temperature for Pink Mikado is 20 degrees Celsius or higher. Temperatures below 16 degrees Celsius (59 degrees Fahrenheit) reduce the yield potential.

What does Mikado Pink look like?

Strengths and weaknesses of the variety

The advantages of these tomatoes include:

• early maturity;
• high productivity;
• excellent taste;
• long-term storage capability;
• beautiful appearance.

Among the disadvantages, gardeners note:

• loss of taste during processing;
• demanding in care;
• need for fertilizers;
• poor heat tolerance.

Which regions are suitable for Mikado?

This variety is not suited to the climate of Siberia and the Far North. It grows successfully in other regions. In the northern regions, greenhouses are used, while in the south, they are planted in open ground. Ideal locations for these tomatoes include Astrakhan, Voronezh, Crimea, Kuban, and Belgorod. These regions produce the highest yields.

Disease resistance

The plant is resistant to various diseases and pests. However, tomato plants can sometimes be affected by phoma. To prevent the disease from progressing, it's necessary to immediately remove all affected parts of the plant and treat the bushes with special products.

Mole crickets and slugs can disturb the gardener's peace by attacking the Mikado. To prevent this, periodically loosen the soil and add special soil conditioners or a little red pepper.

When and how to grow seedlings

Seeds for future seedlings are sown in late February or early March. Their germination is checked beforehand, and the soil is disinfected with a potassium permanganate solution. Seedlings emerge within a week and grow well in adequate light and at temperatures ranging from 16 to 22 degrees Celsius. For better root growth, the plants are pricked out after 2-3 leaves appear.

Features of cultivation and care

This variety requires special attention and care. For planting, prepare holes approximately 50 x 50 cm, adding ash, humus, and phosphorus. A few days after planting, loosen the soil around the seedlings. Repeat this process twice more during the ripening period. The bushes require hilling and regular weeding. Watering should be infrequent but generous. The plants require support and tying. The bush is formed from a single stem; lower leaves and side shoots should be trimmed to ensure all the sap is used for fruit formation.

How to preserve tomatoes until winter

For long-term storage, pick the tomatoes unripe, when they're still light green or yellow. First, sort out any spoiled or damaged tomatoes to prevent them from spoiling the rest. Store tomatoes in boxes, lining the bottom with wood shavings. Keep the room sunny and dry, with good air circulation.

Reviews

Natalia Yezhova, Primorsk:

I really like this variety. It has great flavor and a high yield. I keep 2-3 stems; the buds are excellent and the fruits are large. They store well. I use them fresh and make juice.

Oleg Malykh, Crimea:

It's a good variety; I plant it every year, but the fruits keep cracking. I've tried different watering methods, but the problem persists.

Olga Burenkova, Moscow region:

I've been growing Mikado for about 15 years. It's actually early, the earliest ripening of all the varieties we plant. We've even harvested tomatoes that weighed 900 grams. The average weight is 300-500 grams. The flavor and aroma are classic. So, these are the most traditional tomatoes.

Alexander Volokhin, Perm:

My neighbors at the dacha recommended planting these tomatoes, and I've been planting them in the greenhouse every year since. I'm delighted with the taste and yield. They're pest-resistant. The seeds germinate, and the seedlings always grow strong. I treat my whole family to them—they love them!