The King of Kings tomato is distinguished by its unpretentious cultivation and excellent productivity in any soil. This hybrid is drought-resistant, but requires high humidity when germinating seed material. Variety type – indeterminate, medium late.
Tomato seeds "King of Kings"
One fruit can weigh from 800 to 1000 grams
Tomato variety "King of Kings"
Description of the tomato variety King of Kings
The culture belongs to indeterminate hybrids, its growth is not limited, varies between 1.5-1.8 m, after which it is controlled through the formation procedure. According to photos and reviews, King of Kings tomatoes have branching, strong stems covered with fluff. Shoots need support.
The leaf blades are medium-sized with a wrinkled surface covered with a network of veins. Most often the shade of the leaves is light green, less often a bright green shade. The inflorescences are simple. Future fruits are formed above the ninth node, all subsequent ovaries are placed every three leaf blades. It is recommended to leave no more than 5 ovaries on one shoot. The period from seed germination to harvesting ripe tomatoes is 100-110 days.
Important! The description and characteristics of the King of Kings tomato variety indicate that the crop requires a large amount of light and heat, so it is preferable to grow tomatoes in the southern regions. Their cultivation in countries with cold climates is possible only in greenhouse conditions.
Characteristics
Looking through the description, it becomes clear that all these descriptions have one thing in common - the tomatoes should be large-fruited. But everyone has their own vision of the “king” further.
Description of the variety
“Biotechnics” guarantees excellent taste, fleshiness and red color of fully ripened tomatoes, as well as excellent keeping quality until November, which is quite possible for a late tomato.
The tomatoes are fleshy, with excellent taste. The variety is recommended as a salad variety, as well as for use in processing.
The variety presents itself as a well-leafed vegetative form up to 150 cm high. The tomato fruits are heart-shaped and weigh about 400 g.
The company guarantees that the tomatoes have excellent taste with a pleasant sweetness and a high solid content of pink-raspberry color.
King London tomatoes are large and tasty tomatoes that many home garden owners prefer to plant. The plants are easy to grow, and their fruits can be stored fresh for a long time.
The King London tomato variety was bred by Altai breeders; the advantages of the variety are its large, aromatic fruits. They are resistant to cracking and have a thin skin; this tomato is in demand both among summer residents and in the table tomato market. The fruits of this variety are suitable for preparing delicious tomato juice at home for the winter.
The King London tomato variety has a mid-early ripening period with a growing season of 100-110 days from planting. In terms of size, the plant is tall and characterized by continuous growth; by the time the first fruits appear, it can reach a height of about 130-150 cm. The plant has a strong stem.
Usually grown in one or two stems. The foliage of the plant is average and, as a rule, forms simple clusters of 4-5 fruits. The leaf of the plant has a decorative appearance and resembles potato leaves, which gives it a pleasant appearance on the site. The first inflorescences are visible after the appearance of the ninth leaf.
- From this you will get mid-early tomatoes. The bush claims a height of no more than 150 cm. The tomato fruit is in the range of 200-250 g, pepper-shaped with a slightly elongated tip, the so-called “spout”. By sowing seeds from this packer, you will receive red, fleshy tomatoes with smooth skin and dense, aromatic, tasty pulp for salad purposes and processing into tomato products;
- By choosing a “King of London” tomato, you will become the owner of a medium-late tomato. The manufacturer promises the height of the plant form to be up to 200 cm, but only with good care.
The weight of the fruit will be in the range of 150-300, but also 700 g, as if it were possible to achieve. The shape is rounded-pyramidal, although professional breeders don’t even know about this shape of tomatoes.
Tomatoes have a flat-round shape. The size is not very good. Colour: Dark green before ripening, then orange or brilliant red. Inside a tomato there are from 7 to 13 seed chambers. The leaves are medium sized and green. The value of the fruit is about 80-110 grams. The skin is smooth with barely noticeable ribs. Has 6-8 according to the rules of located nests.
From the moment the seedlings are planted in the ground until the harvest, 100-110 days pass. It bears fruit in large quantities within two months. Productivity ranges from 2.5 to 6.5 kilograms per square meter.
Used fresh. Used for making juices, tomato paste and ketchup.
The characteristic features of cultivated plants of this class include:
- Resistance to a number of known diseases, such as verticillium, tobacco mosaic virus and gray spot;
- Quite a low probability of damage by insects and parasites;
- Tomatoes of this variety can be stored for a long time (up to 30 days or more);
- At the same time, they are well preserved both on the bushes and after harvesting (in warehouse conditions);
- Tomato fruits are distinguished by increased pulp density and have a strong and durable skin, which allows them to be used during harvesting work;
- They have an almost ideal shape and are practically devoid of ribbing;
- The yield of marketable fruits per bush for these hybrids reaches 92%.
Growing tomatoes King of the market
The listed advantages of this type of tomato crop allow them to be used not only for personal purposes, but also to send part of the harvest for sale. This is facilitated by a volume-stable commercial output, the value of which depends little on the growing region and soil conditions.
Taste qualities of tomatoes King of Kings
The shape of the tomatoes is rounded and slightly flattened on top and bottom. The tomato has weak ribbing and red skin. According to photos and reviews, the weight of one King of Kings tomato can reach from 300 g to 1 kg.
In a ripe tomato, the green edging around the stalk disappears. If you do not harvest on time, the tomato becomes overripe and its skin often bursts. The fruit pulp has a dense structure: the tomato is not watery and has few seeds. The taste of the tomato is sweet, with a slight sourness.
The harvested crop is able to retain its properties and appearance for 40 days, which allows the variety to be used for long-term transportation.
Tomatoes are suitable for making salads, pastas and juices. The whole tomato cannot be placed in a canning jar, so it is cut into slices and added to lecho or other dishes that require chopping ingredients.
Reviews from gardeners who planted
Alexander:
“I’ve been growing Kings for the 2nd year now, and I noticed that the hybrid is sensitive to grass feeding. Last year I simply mulched the beds with stinging nettle, so my bushes were surprisingly strong, and the fruits turned out to be massive. This season, the nettles began to be poured with warm water and infused, and then watered the plants. The result turned out even better than the first time.”
Varya:
“I want to say that the phrase “tomatoes love moderate watering” is not entirely appropriate for the King of Kings hybrid. I grow real trees up to 2 meters, and this is thanks to good soil moisture. Yes, you shouldn’t water it every day, but if the soil in the garden bed begins to crack, the plant should be given a good drink. And the next day, be sure to loosen the soil to allow the roots to breathe.”
Olga:
“When I read the advertisement for this variety, I didn’t believe that it was possible to grow 1 kg of tomato fruits. But I took the risk of trying and I don’t regret it. I had only 5 bushes, which I, so to speak, cherished. Each of them produced fruits of varying sizes, but none of the tomatoes weighed less than half a kilogram. And several pieces even exceeded the advertised weight. So I'm very happy with the Kings. It’s a pity that you’ll have to order new seeds every year.”
Pros and cons of the King of Kings tomato variety
Like any crop, a tomato hybrid has its advantages and weaknesses.
Positive traits:
- large fetal weight;
- decent tasting qualities;
- keeping quality and transportability;
- high level of fruiting;
- immunity to diseases.
The disadvantages of the variety include:
- the need to create climatic conditions for cultivation (limiting the possibility of cultivating tomatoes in open ground in regions with short summers and cold climates);
- impossibility of marinating in its entirety.
It is impossible to independently obtain seed from ripened fruits: the hybrid is considered complex, so new seeds must be purchased every year.
Optimal growing conditions
The King of Kings variety is unpretentious to growing conditions: for rapid growth and abundant fruiting, the plant requires a sunny area. It is preferable to cultivate tomatoes in slightly acidic soil. In soils with moderate acidity, the plant can survive, but will bear fruit worse.
Important! King of Kings tomatoes are drought-resistant, but require careful soil moisture during seed germination.
It is possible to grow tomatoes in open ground if the region has long and hot summers. Gardeners cultivate tomatoes in a greenhouse, making up for the lack of heat and light through lamps and heaters.
Growing
Cultivation of King of Kings tomatoes, according to reviews and photos, is carried out using seedlings. Productivity is influenced by compliance with planting and care rules.
Growing seedlings
The optimal time for the procedure is from mid-April to the first weeks of March. Transplantation into open ground is carried out 70 days after planting the seeds for seedlings.
It is recommended to purchase seed material from trusted suppliers. Before planting, it is necessary to check the expiration date of the seeds and process them.
Samples that have defects, strange shapes or colors are unsuitable for sowing. To check the germination of the seed, you need to dissolve a teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water and put future tomatoes in it. Seeds suitable for planting will remain at the bottom after 10 minutes, hollow samples will float to the surface of the water.
As a disinfection procedure, seed material is immersed in a 0.05% chlorhexidine solution for 30 minutes, then washed with water and dried thoroughly.
A day before planting, it is recommended to place the seeds in a solution with a growth stimulator and prepare the containers. Containers must be clean, dry, and have ventilation holes.
Rules for planting tomato seeds:
- distribute a drainage layer (small stones or expanded clay) along the bottom of the container;
- pour soil into the container and thoroughly moisten it;
- sow seeds in grooves 1 cm deep, maintaining a distance between rows of 3 cm;
- lightly sprinkle the planting material with soil, moisten the soil with a spray bottle;
- Cover the box with plantings with glass or film, move the containers to a sunny and warm place.
After the emergence of shoots and 2-3 leaves, the King of Kings tomatoes need to be transplanted into separate containers.
Caring for seedlings involves timely loosening and watering, providing a sufficient amount of sunlight. It is recommended to regularly ventilate the room where the containers are located.
Landing rules
Transplantation into open ground is carried out when the soil has warmed up to + 15 °C. 10-14 days before the procedure, it is recommended to harden the plants: take containers with tomatoes outside on sunny days, gradually increasing the time they spend in the fresh air.
Before planting, the soil is dug up and beds are formed. It is possible to place no more than 3 bushes per 1 m2. The distance between seedlings should be 40 cm, and the row spacing should be 0.5 m.
Before planting, the plant is moistened abundantly, after which it is carefully removed from the pot so that the root system remains intact, and moved into the hole, covered with earth, and watered.
Watering and fertilizing
Moistening the soil is carried out as necessary: warm water is poured onto the soil in the morning or evening hours so that moisture does not fall on the leaf blades and does not erode the root system.
The first fertilizing is carried out immediately after planting, adding fertilizers with phosphorus to the soil. During the period of flowering and formation of ovaries, it is necessary to provide the tomatoes with nitrogen, and during the period of fruit ripening with fertilizers containing potassium.
Pinching and tying
Tall tomatoes King of Kings need pinching. The first procedure is carried out when the bush reaches 6 cm in height: the lower shoots are removed. During the entire growing period, it is recommended to carry out 3 prunings. During the procedure, you should also pinch the tops of the plant so that the bush slows down its growth and directs its forces to ripening the fruits.
Immediately after transplanting the crop into open ground or as the variety grows, it is necessary to tie it up. This avoids damage to tomatoes from gusts of wind and provides support for branches with fruits. Wooden or metal stakes, mesh and other available devices are used as support.
Formation
For King of Kings tomatoes, forming 1 or 2 stems is a mandatory procedure. The first brush is placed above the 9th leaf, the rest every 3 leaf plates.
Formation is carried out gradually as the bush grows. If the procedure is neglected, the branches bend to the ground under the weight of the fruit and break.
Protection from diseases and pests
King of Kings tomatoes are highly resistant to diseases that affect tomatoes. The pest that attacks the variety is the whitefly. It is capable of completely destroying all plantings within a short period of time.
The butterfly is small in size (up to 3 mm), drinks juice from the leaf plates and branches of the plant, which turn pale and then lose color as the pest is active. Without treatment, the tomato dies.
The first inspection of King of Kings tomatoes is recommended 10-12 days after transfer to open ground. If it is detected, it is important to treat all bushes with special preparations: Mospilan or Actellik.
Care
After germination, 2 months must pass before the seedlings can be planted in a garden bed or greenhouse. Plant only in warm soil, warmed to +16-18 °C.
Watering
The frequency of watering depends on the size of the bush and the number of fruits. The taller and more powerful the plant, the more water it requires. You can tell that the soil needs moisture by the fact that the soil around the tomato is cracking. The earthen clod should not be allowed to dry out completely.
After watering, when the water is well absorbed into the soil and the plants are saturated with moisture, it is recommended to loosen the soil to ensure air access to the root system.
Stepson and garter
To obtain a rich harvest, the plant needs tying and pinching. The formation of a bush is carried out in 1-2 stems, so excess tips need to be pinched. Over time, new stepsons appear on the bushes, which will have to be removed 2-3 times during the growing season.
Why do you need to tie up tomatoes?
Tied tomatoes receive more natural light, air circulates well between the bushes, which prevents the plants from getting sick. Another advantage of growing on a trellis: the plants do not break under the weight of their fruits.
Tying methods:
- to a wire frame;
- to a horizontal trellis;
- it is possible to make a fence from wire;
- installing pegs next to tomatoes;
- to the grid.
Vegetable growers recommend tying them to a trellis. This method will protect the fruits from damage and will support the plants during their rapid growth.
Fertilizer and feeding
The King of Kings responds well to fertilization. Before planting, it is necessary to take into account crop rotation. Phosphorus and potassium fertilizers must be added to each hole.
During the entire growing season, plants need to be fertilized with organic matter. You can use infused chicken manure, diluted in water, or mullein. An extract from mineral fertilizers will not hurt.
Growing a variety in a greenhouse
The variety is recommended to be grown indoors, especially if the climatic conditions are not warm enough. The large-fruited hybrid is very demanding on temperature conditions and does not tolerate daytime and nighttime temperature changes, so it is better not to risk the harvest and grow it in film greenhouses.
