Tomato Stick

Tomatoes were grown in antiquity, already in the eighth century, our ancestors feasted on these fruits of the sun. And every year the interest in tomatoes does not disappear, but only grows. In confirmation of my words, I will say the following: every year breeders bring out more and more new varieties and hybrids, and they disperse around the globe. Moreover, many of the varieties are considered truly exotic and very interesting. For example, the Palka tomato, which originates from the United States. Despite the fact that it was brought out in the last century, it enjoys immense popularity to this day. But Russians know little about the Palka tomato variety, so we would like to tell you more about it.

Tomato Stick: variety description and characteristics

Tomato Stick: photo of the variety

Many gardeners want to surprise their neighbors and friends with unusual varieties of vegetables, if you belong to this category of people, then the Palka tomato is perfect for you. This is a very amazing culture that will truly amaze you with its strange structure of the bush. The name of this variety shocks many people, but when you see the plant live, you will be truly surprised. Imagine the following picture: a thin stick with red tomatoes on it, and no leaves or shoots. Were you amazed? For sure, yes. And rest assured, your neighbors and friends will be just as surprised.

If we talk about the structure of the bush, then the main vertical stick, namely the stem, has the shape of a column. Moreover, there are no more than 3 such shoots. The stick tomato variety is considered semi-determinate, its height is more than 1 meter. Tomato has no side shoots, which is why the variety got such a name. Leaves, for example, are not completely absent, but their number is very small, usually they are collected in bunches, very small, so they are practically invisible, the tomato inflorescences form simple ones, in each of them up to 6 fruits are formed. Each branch grows up to 5 brushes. If you follow the rules of agricultural technology, take good care of the plants, then from one bush you will collect more than a kilogram of ripe and aromatic Palka tomatoes. Tomatoes are ordinary round in shape, quite elastic, and the flesh is dense and fleshy. The tomatoes are sweet to taste, with a slight sourness. When the fruits are ripe, they turn bright red. By weight, the tomatoes of the Palka variety are small, still, such a stick will not withstand too large fruits. But tomatoes do not crack and do not fall off even when they are overripe. Very often, excellent salads are prepared from such tomatoes, but they are simply ideal for conservation. Palka tomatoes go perfectly through the narrow neck of any jar.

Advantages and disadvantages of the stick tomato variety

Tomato Stick: photo of the variety

Each variety has its pros and cons, which we will tell you about. The advantages of the tomato stick are the following:

• The plant is striking in its unpretentiousness, it is very convenient to care for this variety due to the lack of side shoots. It is grown both in open ground and in greenhouses.
• The variety is mid-season, the fruits begin to ripen in about three and a half months from the moment of planting the seeds.
• The yield of tomatoes Stick is consistently high. In addition, the plants can be planted very tightly to each other, because, as we have already noted, lateral shoots are absent in tomatoes. Up to 30 kg of ripe tomatoes are harvested from one square meter.
• Stick tomatoes are quite tasty, sweet and aromatic.They store well, so they can be transported over long distances.
• Plants are resistant to many diseases and pests, so they practically do not inconvenience their owners.
• It should also be noted that this variety of Palka tomato is non-hybrid, so you can collect seeds yourself and not buy them every time in the store.

However, in addition to its many advantages, this variety has its own disadvantages. Gardeners, who have been growing this culture for more than one year, note that the stem of the plants is fragile, so it is simply necessary to tie up the plant, otherwise it will simply break. As you understand, this is the only drawback of the stick tomato variety. Remember that tomatoes contain a lot of serotonin, the hormone of happiness, so you should definitely include them in your diet.

How to prepare stick tomato seeds

Stick tomatoes: photo of the variety

As you remember, the Palka tomato variety is non-hybrid, so you can easily prepare seeds for the next season yourself. This is also considered an important advantage of the variety, since good seeds of Palka tomatoes in stores are not cheap, and their quality does not always correspond to the declared one, so it is much easier to take care of the planting material in advance by preparing seeds from your site in time. Do not be alarmed, this variety will not lose its characteristics, and Palk's own tomato seeds will not lose their germination over the next five years. In order to select seed material, you first need to pick the ripe fruits that will match the shape and description of the variety as much as possible.

It is best to pluck the Palka tomatoes from the second brush, since these are female tomatoes, there will be a depression on them below. After that, the fruits should be well washed with warm water, with the addition of potassium permanganate. This is done in order to immediately get rid of possible pathogens of various diseases. Then the ripe fruits should be left for 5 days in a warm and dark room in order for them to ripen even better. When the tomato skin becomes softer, you should cut the vegetable and squeeze the pulp along with the seeds into any clean container, then cover it with a cotton cloth and leave in a dark place. Water cannot be added there, as the seeds may die. After about 2 days, the pulp will begin to ferment, which means the seeds can be washed. Pour warm water into a glass and rinse it, repeat the procedure until the water is completely clear. Then the seeds can be laid out on a cloth so that the excess moisture is gone.

When the stick tomato seeds are dry, they can be spread out on white paper to dry them completely. After that, leave them for a week, when the seeds begin to crumble, you can put them in paper bags, and do not forget to mark these same bags, otherwise you may simply confuse the varieties. Store the planting material in a dark and dry place until next spring.

How to Grow and Care for Stick Tomatoes

Tomatoes Stick: photo of the variety

If you follow the rules of agricultural technology, then you can get a rich yield of the Stick tomato. As you remember, this unusual tomato variety is mid-season, so you need to grow it only through seedlings. Seeds are usually planted about 60 days before the planned date of planting in open ground, if you plant the seedlings later, then the fruits may not have time to ripen. If you have healthy and robust seedlings, you will have a rich harvest. It is best to plant seedlings in early March, this is the optimal time, however, based on the climatic characteristics of a particular region, the landing date may vary.

Palka tomatoes are planted both in separate containers and in common containers. The soil for this is prepared either independently or bought in a store.

Moreover, it is important to note that it is in the store that you can find a ready-made mixture especially for tomatoes, which is enriched with the necessary nutrients and trace elements.

If you will prepare the soil yourself, be sure to heat the soil in the oven before use, it is advisable to add humus and sand to the soil in equal parts, so that the soil becomes looser and more nutritious. It is best to also disinfect the seeding boxes with a solution of potassium permanganate. Seeds are buried in the soil shallowly, by about 2 centimeters, they are also treated with a weak solution of potassium permanganate or boric acid, previously diluted in water, before sowing.

There should be at least one centimeter between the seeds, both in the aisles and between the plants themselves.

It is best to water the seedlings with a spray bottle in order not to damage the sprouts. Before the shoots emerge, the boxes are covered with foil or glass and placed in a warm place so that the shoots appear faster. After the shoots appear, the film must be removed without fail. When two leaves are formed on the plant, the seedlings will need to dive. This is done so that the root system of the seedlings develops more intensively.

If you will grow Stick tomatoes on the windowsill, then do not forget to turn the pot towards the sun in different blocks. Seedlings are planted in open ground at the end of May, when the frosts finally recede and the ground warms up well.

Stick tomatoes: photo of the variety

It is best to choose a well-lit place for Palka tomatoes, the soil must be fertilized and loose. If you do not want to apply mineral fertilizers to the soil, then before planting it is advisable to add a little wood ash, humus or compost to the ground. These plants can be planted very close to each other, for which summer residents love them.

If you grow stick tomatoes in one stem, then you can plant tomatoes at a distance of 15 centimeters from each other. If you plan to leave two or three stems, then the distance should be increased to 30 cm. Keeping this distance, all plants will be well illuminated, and the air will circulate perfectly around the site. So, on one square meter, you can plant about 30 plants.

It is not necessary to deeply deepen the root system of Palka tomatoes into the holes, because this leads to the formation of additional roots.

So the ripening time of the fruit can be delayed by 2 weeks. It is best to plant seedlings in open ground in the evening, so that the plants adapt well to new conditions overnight. Caring for these tomatoes, in principle, does not differ from the traditional rules of agricultural technology. The bushes will need to be watered abundantly, the beds should be cleared of weeds, the plants will need to be fed and treated from diseases and pests, and the soil must be loosened. Most importantly, do not forget that the stems must be tied up, since under the weight of the fruit, even a tomato Stick can break.

Tomato Stick: reviews of gardeners who planted

Ekaterina, 51 years old, Sverdlovsk region: “Tomato Stick is rightfully considered incredibly exotic and outlandish. I planted it both in open space and in a greenhouse. The bushes are incredibly compact in relation to each other, for which I love him. The yield of the stick tomato is high, and the fruits are incredibly tasty and aromatic. Perfectly stick tomatoes are suitable for canning. Every year these tomatoes make me happy, and I grow it myself, and I advised everyone to my neighbors. "

Egor, 69 years old, Chelyabinsk region: “What surprised me in the first year of growing Palk's tomatoes was that the plants form rather unusual leaves, but despite this, the inflorescences are always beautiful, and the fruits are even and smooth. My wife is happy to make salads from Palka tomatoes, as well as juices and sauces.If you consider yourself a lazy gardener, but still want to surprise your neighbors, then the Palka tomato variety is ideal for you! "

Tomatoes Stick: video about the variety