Peculiarities of the American colon tomato variety “Stick”
In Eurasian countries, including Russia, tomatoes are loved by a large number of people.But to achieve a decent harvest of these vegetables is impossible, if you do not take into account the fundamental characteristics of a particular variety and its cultivation. Most recently, tomato cultivar "Stick" began to enter the gardeners. Our article is dedicated to him.
Special features
Despite the seemingly unusual name, in fact, this variety was bred in the USA in the 1950s. But the awareness of domestic gardeners about him precisely for this reason is extremely small. Palka tomatoes pretend to be one of the most original and interesting plants today. The name given to them is not accidental: the fruits are formed directly on the main stem. There are no side shoots and even foliage in their surroundings.
In various regions of the world, the same variety can be found under the name of a terry or curly-headed tomato. The plant rarely has more than three stems. The height of any of them reaches a maximum of 120 cm. The total number of leaves is small, they are extremely small and are distinguished by a rigid, as if corrugated surface. Foliage is collected in a bun.
Inflorescences at "Stick" of simple type, on each of them about 6 berries form. Celled tomatoes are able to form 5 brushes per stem. Productivity is not bad, if the standards of agrotechnics are observed, one bush produces approximately 1.5 kg of fruits. Berries are always elastic, with a dense soft part. Taste ordinary for tomatoes, only periodically found a sour tint.
The fruits that have just appeared are green with a light shimmer. Reaching maturity, they become 100% red. The peel is quite strong, the mass of one tomato varies from 0.05 to 0.1 kg. Even excessively ripe berries do not fall off and are not covered by cracks, but are stably held on the hands. The main field of application is homemade canned food, although tomato salads from this variety are rated positively.
Advantages and disadvantages
The variety "Stick" reaches maturity approximately in 3.5-4 months after sowing. "Exotic" appearance of the plant distinguishes it from other varieties. The exception of side shoots and the minimum number of leaves significantly simplifies maintenance. Tomatoes can be cultivated both in the open garden and in greenhouses. Place of growth has virtually no effect on the resulting collection.
Although a single plant is not record-breakingly productive, the normal density of landing makes it possible to gather from 1 square meter. m as much as 30 kg of fruit (in a favorable season). Judging by the reviews, the storage and transportation of tomatoes does not cause any particular difficulties. Susceptibility to common diseases solanaceous crops in this variety is small. A direct origin of the variety (without hybridization) allows you to get your own seeds and grow them.
The only weak point is the need for multiple garters to prevent the unstable stem from breaking.
Seed preparation
Characteristics of the variety will be obviously incomplete, if not to mention this procedure, which helps to save significantly when breeding this crop. Seeds are obtained only from ripe tomatoes, which are normal for the plant form. It is best to collect them from the second hand, focusing on the fruits that below contain a kind of notch. The plucked vegetable is washed with warm water and potassium permanganate added, this cuts off the spread of disease. For about 5 days, the tomatoes should be left in a warm, darkened room.
The softened berry should be cut into pieces with a disinfected knife. The flesh together with the seeds is squeezed into a clean glass. Cotton is put on top and left in the dark again. When it takes about 48 hours, fermentation will begin, and the seeds will settle to the bottom. Waiting for this moment, it is impossible to pour in water, because it will kill the germ.
After waiting for fermentation, fill the glass with warm water and gently rinse the contents. Work is completed when the liquid does not become completely transparent in appearance.The resulting seeds are laid out on cotton fabric, and when it absorbs excess moisture, laid out on paper in one layer. The final moment of drying - when the seeds become loose, they should immediately be put into paper bags.
How to grow?
It is not so important whether the seeds are self-made or purchased in a store. The main thing is to comply with the basic principles of agrotechnology: like all mid-season varieties, this tomato requires the preparation of seedlings. Sowing takes place approximately 2 months before the intended transfer to the ground. If you delay with this, there is a risk that the fruit in the current season can not wait. The optimal time for sowing seeds is the first March decade.
For work with seedlings capacity of any kind will be useful. The choice of soil in the store or cooking it on your own is a matter of personal choice. Before sowing, the seeds are specially treated using a pink solution of potassium permanganate or boric acid at a concentration of 1%. On the ground prepare furrows with a pitch between them of 30 mm. Lay out the seeds need to be 10-15 mm, the depth of introduction - 1 cm.
After this, the containers are covered with film and moved to where the temperature will be maintained from 22 to 25 degrees. Waiting for germination, you should immediately remove the film. The pick is done as soon as curly leaves appear, combined in a pair of bunches. The final stage of seedling preparation is exposure to a well-lit window sill. There it should be deployed as often as possible so that all sides are lit evenly.
The decisive stage of cultivation imposes the following requirements:
- planting in greenhouses - in the last days of May, as soon as the risk of frost disappears;
- the soil should be loose and thoroughly fertilized;
- instead of mineral fertilizers it is allowed to use only wood ash, compost or humus;
- putting tomatoes in one stem implies a step between bushes of 0.15 m, and two or three stems - the distance should be increased to 0.25-0.3 m;
- plants should not be buried in order not to force the development of roots instead of the above-ground part;
- transplantation should be carried out in the evening, then the tomatoes just take root.
Caring for rooted plants is not too complicated. The works are the same as with other varieties: you need to water and loosen the tomatoes, remove the weeds.
Periodically, tomatoes are fed, treated to prevent the occurrence of diseases and attacks of pests. Judging by the reviews, the seedlings are strong and resistant to negative phenomena. Pre-fertilizer before sowing is made with a mixture of peat and compost, to which potassium and phosphorus are added (4 kg and 0.05 kg per 1 sq. M, respectively).
The recommended inter-row spacing is 0.4 m. Subsequent feeding is done with a combination of sodium, potassium and phosphorus (12 g of these microelements in equal shares are applied to 1 m2 of land). Greenhouse planting gives good results when using a uniform combination of humus with sod.
Additional feeding is carried out at least twice during the vegetative period. Attempts to grow the "Stick" immediately in the garden will lead nowhere, the plants will simply wither and die out in an unusual environment. Watering tomatoes must be abundant every 48 hours.
In the event of mosaic damage, remove the diseased plants immediately, always with a coma. The problem area immediately treated with potassium permanganate. The only reliable preventive measure is the use of carefully tested seed or the disinfection of seeds obtained from a dubious source. Even in the disinfected area it is better not to plant tomatoes again in the next 3 or 4 years. Before the start of the season, greenhouse soil is steamed for about 90 minutes at the boiling point of water, and all tools are rubbed with alcohol before work.
In the next video, see the review about the colonic American variety of tomatoes "Stick".
