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The ancient Aztecs are considered the discoverers of tomatoes. They began growing the crop back in the 8th century. And since then, interest in tomatoes has been growing every year. Confirmation of this is the presence of a huge range of varieties and hybrids.
There are many interesting and exotic plants among tomatoes. Take, for example, the Palka tomato variety. The plant is native to the United States of America. The variety was developed back in 1958. Unfortunately, few Russians know about Palka tomatoes. That's why we want to present this amazing plant in all its glory.
Description of tomatoes
If you want to grow an unusual plant on your plot and surprise your neighbors, buy seeds of the Palka tomato variety. This is a truly interesting plant, striking with its unusual bush structure.
The name itself is shocking, but the peak of surprise comes after you see the plant in reality. Indeed, the fruits grow directly on the stem without being surrounded by side shoots and leaves.
In countries around the world, the variety is called differently:
- Stick tomato;
- Curl tomato;
- Terry tomato;
- Curly leaf tomato.
Bushes
The Stick tomato is a vertical column-shaped stem. There are usually no more than three stems. The variety is semi-determinate, height up to 1 m 20 cm.
There are negligible leaves, moreover, they are very small, rigidly corrugated, collected in a bunch. The inflorescences are simple, bearing up to 6 fruits. In total, Stick columnar tomatoes form up to 5 tassels on each stem.
Tomatoes are productive; if agrotechnical standards are observed, about 1.5 kg of tasty fruit can be harvested from one bush.
Description of fruits
The fruits of the variety are round, characterized by elasticity, fleshy and dense pulp. The taste is traditional tomato, with barely noticeable sourness. Unripe tomatoes are light green. When technically ripe they turn bright red.
The weight of fruits with thick skin is 50-100 grams. The harvest stays on the brush, does not fall off, does not crack, even if the tomatoes are overripe. Most often, the Palka variety is saved for canning, although tomatoes are also ideal in salads.
A gardener’s opinion about the Palka tomato variety:
Characteristics
Description of the variety, characteristics of the Stick tomato - this is what gardeners need to make an informed choice.
Advantages
First, let's present to the court the advantages of the variety:
- The variety is mid-season, technical maturity occurs 3.5-4 months from the moment of sowing the seeds.
- Unusual exotic look. Just look at the photo below.
- The absence of side shoots and leaves creates special ease of care.
- Possibility of growing on ordinary beds or in a greenhouse.
- Stable yield regardless of growing location. Due to the density of planting, up to 30 kg of fruits are collected per square meter. This quality of the Palka tomato variety is confirmed by characteristics, reviews and photos.
- Universal-purpose tomatoes with excellent keeping quality and transportability.
- Resistant to many diseases that affect other nightshade relatives.
- Possibility of collecting your own seeds, since the tomato is a non-hybrid plant.
Disadvantages of the variety
Unlike other varieties and hybrids, the Palka tomato has practically no negative qualities, both according to the description and reviews of gardeners who have been growing the crop for more than one year. The variety has only one negative feature - a flimsy stem. Without repeated tying, the plant will simply break.
Preparing your seeds
As noted in the characteristics of the Palka tomato, this is a variety, not a hybrid. Therefore, it is possible to prepare your own seeds for the next season. Gardeners often ask about how to prepare them, because it’s no secret that seeds in stores are not cheap. And the quality of seed material does not always satisfy gardeners.
Own seeds of a particular variety retain quality. The tomatoes grown correspond to the description and characteristics.
Stages of work:
- To obtain seeds, you need to select ripe fruits that match the shape of the variety. As a rule, the fruits are picked from the second cluster. The best seeds come from so-called female tomatoes: there is a small depression on the bottom of the fruit.
- The tomato should be washed with warm pink water, dissolving potassium permanganate, to remove possible pathogens. For 5 days, the tomatoes are left indoors in a dark and warm place to ripen.
- When the tomato softens a little, cut it with a sterile knife and squeeze out the contents with pulp and seeds into a clean glass, cover with a piece of cotton cloth and leave in a dark place.
Even if there is not enough juice, it is forbidden to add water, otherwise the seeds will die. - In two days the contents will begin to ferment. You can tell that the seeds are ready for washing by the thin film on the surface and bubbles. The seeds themselves will end up at the bottom.
- Pour warm water into a glass and carefully rinse the seeds. The procedure is repeated until the water becomes clear.
- The seeds are placed on a cotton cloth to remove moisture. Then they are laid out on white paper in one layer to dry.
- When the seeds become flowable, they are poured into paper bags. To avoid confusion, each of them is marked.
Growing and care
Whatever they say, it’s not difficult to grow any tomatoes if you know the specifics of agricultural technology. Tomato Palka according to the description of the variety is mid-season. It is grown only through seedlings. Seeds need to be sown 60 days before planting in the ground, otherwise the fruits will not have time to ripen.
How to grow seedlings
Only healthy and strong seedlings will allow you to get a rich harvest of tomatoes. Tomato seeds of the Palka variety should be sown no later than mid-March, and preferably before the 10th.
- For planting seedlings, you can use any container: from boxes to containers. As for the soil, you prepare it yourself or use ready-made store-bought formulations. Before sowing, containers and soil are disinfected with a thick, hot solution of potassium permanganate. The seeds are sown dry, but before that they are also treated with a pink solution of potassium permanganate or a 1% solution of boric acid.
- In the containers, grooves are made at a distance of 3 cm, seeds are placed in each in increments of 1-1.5 cm to a depth of 1 cm. Then they are covered with film and placed in a warm place (temperature 22-25 degrees).When the first shoots appear, the film must be removed.
- The seedlings are picked when 2 bunches of curly leaves grow on them. You need to grow Palka tomatoes in a bright window, constantly turning them in different barrels.
Care in the ground
Plants are planted in the greenhouse at the end of May, in the ground after the threat of frost has disappeared and the ground has warmed up. By this time, the Stick tomato seedlings look like the photo below.
The variety requires well-fertilized loose soil. If you are not a supporter of mineral fertilizers, then add compost or humus, as well as wood ash, before digging.
The uniqueness of this variety of tomatoes is that they can be planted at close distances. If you plan to grow a plant in one stem, plant in 15 cm increments. When growing in 2-3 stems, the distance is about 25-30 cm between the bushes. The fact is that the absence of leaves creates optimal lighting and air circulation.
It is not advisable to bury the Palka variety when planting, because the tomatoes will begin to work on the formation of an additional root system. Consequently, the ripening period will be delayed by 14 days. The work is carried out in the evening to make it easier for the tomatoes to take root.
Caring for tomatoes of this variety is no different:
- watering and loosening;
- cleaning the beds from weed and feeding;
- treatment of plants against diseases and pests.
But most importantly, you need to constantly tie up the stem so that the Palka variety tomato does not break under the weight of the fruit.
