Why it is worth growing a tomato Etual: the benefits of the variety and tips for getting a rich harvest

Gardening forums are full of stories about one unusual sort tomatoes called Etual. The rave reviews are accompanied by photos of amazingly shaped tomatoes. In the cut before us appears appetizing lacy round. You will admire!

Let's get to know the rare tomato Etual. The description of the variety and the secrets of its cultivation will help you decide whether to plant it in your garden.

Features of the variety

Etoile means "star" in French. This exotic variety tomato brought out in Kazakhstan in the late 90s of the last century. This is a rare variety of amateur selection. Some sources claim that the variety originated in Switzerland. But what is the connection with stardom? Judge for yourself:

Seeds cannot be bought in ordinary gardening shops - mostly they are sold only by “private traders”. But it is possible to order via the Internet with delivery by mail. A bag of seeds with an amount of 5 seeds costs about 40-50 rubles.

The variety is mid-season, indeterminate. It takes 100-110 days from seed germination to the first harvest. Plant height can reach 180 cm.

Attention! Etoile tomatoes can be grown outdoors (especially in the southern regions), but are preferable to plant them in a greenhouse.

Yield

Even with not very careful care, about 40 fruits grow on the bush. The average weight of a tomato is 100-250 g. The yield per bush varies depending on growing conditions and ranges from 4 to 10 kg of tomatoes.

Seeds

In Etual tomatoes, seeds have a high germination capacity. It is kept at 80-85%. This means that out of five seeds, four will definitely sprout.

Description of fruits

Tomatoes are red-crimson, sometimes with yellow stripes at the top. The fruits are fleshy, dense. Their main feature is their unusual shape: in section, the tomato looks like a star.

Someone, looking at an uncut tomato, will say that it is a ribbed barrel, someone - that it is a wavy pear. And if you look from below, then the fruit will look like a segmented bell pepper. See what a bunch of tomatoes looks like in the photo:

Each fruit has a different number of ribs. 6-8 tomatoes are tied in a brush. The taste of tomatoes is sweet with a slight sourness. Fresh tomatoes are used for salads and for processing into juices, ketchups, tomato purees and sauces.

Attention! Fruits can be picked green, later they will ripen.

Tomatoes can be stored for a long time. During transportation, they retain their appearance and shape.

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

Consider the positive and negative traits of the Etual variety. Among the pluses:

• exotic form of tomatoes;
• tomatoes are suitable for effective stuffing and decoration of the festive table;
• the plant is unpretentious;
• tomato bears fruit for a long time throughout the season;
• good yield.

Judging by the reviews of tomato growers, the variety also has disadvantages:

• it is preferable to grow it in a greenhouse;
• garter required (bushes grow tall);
• you need to remove stepsons;
• the variety needs the formation of a bush.

Growing secrets

For each growth stages tomatoes have their own tricks in leaving. Let's consider them in more detail.

Seeds and seedlings

The seeds are kept in a growth stimulator before planting. This will help the seeds to grow together and develop well. Seeds are sown for seedlings in the first or second decade of March. When planting tomato seedlings in the main place of the hole, it is recommended to disinfect it with a solution of potassium permanganate of medium saturation.Transplanting into the ground is done when 5-7 permanent (real, not cotyledonous) leaves appear on the plant.

Care

In order for the tomatoes to grow together and ripen, the bush is formed into two or three trunks. Stepchildren must be removed. It is better to tie the bushes to the support. This is necessary so that the bush does not fall and break under the weight of the fruit.

You do not need to pinch the top of the plant. But it is better to remove the lower leaves as the tomatoes ripen. This will save energy for the plant.

Watering tomatoes is often not worth it. It is better to do this once every 5-6 days. Watering abundant. Several times during the season, plants can be fed with complex fertilizer (according to the dosage from the instructions on the package).

It is advisable to regularly loosen the ground under the tomatoes and weed from the weeds.

Diseases and pests

The variety is relatively resistant to the main diseases affecting tomatoes (late blight, verticillosis, fusarium).

From pests experienced tomato growers advise to be protected with the help of laundry soap (dissolve 50 g in 1 liter of hot water). Sprinkle tomato bushes with a cooled solution. This recipe helps prevent aphids and all types of ticks.

Reviews

Those who grew Etual tomatoes share the following reviews on the tomato growers' forums:

Anna, South Ural: «I grew tomatoes in the open field. The bush grew to a height of about 1 m. About 40 fruits were set. It turned out a little empty, but tasty and beautiful. Rippled circles look gorgeous when cut on a festive table. "

Marina, Volkhov: «I tied it up with a nylon thread. The trunk was damaged from the weight of the fruit. The variety is unpretentious, not capricious. Gives great brushes. I grow into two trunks. Reaches a height of 180 cm. Fruits are suitable for drying. It has long internodes. Likes to stepchild. I counted 42 tomatoes on the bush. "

Olga, South of Russia: “Wonderful beautiful fruits. The taste is classic tomato. It is pleasant to eat fresh as a snack. This is a very original tomato. Decoration of any site. I recommend it very much. You will also have tomatoes, and you will not spend a lot of time on it. "

Evgeniy, Perm Territory: «Amazing ribbed tomatoes. Tight enough. "

Natalia, Smolensk region: «The extraordinary beauty of these tomatoes! The variety pleased both with its color and unusual shape. A lot of tomatoes were tied on the bush and all grew evenly and ripened. I sliced ​​and froze the lace pizza rings. I will grow more. I recommend this beauty to everyone. "

Let's sum up

If you like experimentation and want to show off your harvest, check out Etoile. The unusual ribbed-wavy shape of these tomatoes will surely surprise everyone who looks at it.

The tomato attracts a lot of attention, and it's not just exotic. He has impressive weight characteristics (one tomato can weigh up to 250 g) and excellent taste. The variety grows well in a greenhouse, but in the southern regions of Russia it can successfully bear fruit in natural growing conditions.