Why you should grow the Etoile tomato: the benefits of the variety and tips for getting a rich harvest

Gardening forums are full of stories about one unusual variety tomatoes called Etoile. Admiring reviews are accompanied by photographs of amazingly shaped tomatoes. In cross-section, a delicious lace round piece appears before us. You'll fall in love!

Let's get acquainted with the rare Etoile tomato. A 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 tomatoes 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:

You can’t buy seeds in regular gardening stores—mostly they are sold only by private owners. But you can order online with delivery by mail. A packet of seeds containing 5 seeds costs about 40-50 rubles.

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

Attention! Etoile tomatoes can grow in open ground (especially in the southern regions), but it is preferable to plant them in a greenhouse.

Productivity

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 from one bush varies depending on the growing conditions and ranges from 4 to 10 kg of tomatoes.

Seeds

The seeds of Etoile tomatoes have high germination rates. It stays at the level of 80-85%. This means that out of five seeds, four will definitely sprout.

Description of fruits

Tomatoes are red-crimson in color, sometimes with yellow stripes at the top. The fruits are fleshy and dense. Their main feature is their unusual shape: when cut, 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, the fruit will look like a segmented bell pepper. Look 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. Tomatoes are used fresh for salads and for processing into juices, ketchups, tomato purees and sauces.

Attention! The fruits can be picked green and will later ripen.

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

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

Let's look at the positive and negative features of the Etoile variety. Among the advantages:

• exotic form of tomatoes;
• tomatoes are suitable for impressive stuffing and decoration of a festive table;
• the plant is unpretentious;
• the 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;
• a garter is required (the bushes grow tall);
• stepsons need to be removed;
• the variety needs to form a bush.

Secrets of cultivation

For each growth stages Tomatoes have their own tricks in caring for them. Let's take a closer look at them.

Seeds and seedlings

Before planting, the seeds are kept in a growth stimulator. This will help the seeds germinate and develop well.Sow seeds 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. Transplantation into the ground is done when 5-7 permanent (real, not cotyledon) leaves appear on the plant.

Care

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

There is no 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.

You shouldn't water tomatoes often. It is better to do this once every 5-6 days. Watering abundant. Several times a 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 soil under the tomatoes and weed out weeds.

Diseases and pests

The variety is relatively resistant to the main diseases that affect tomatoes (late blight, verticillium, fusarium).

From pests Experienced tomato growers advise protecting yourself with laundry soap (dissolve 50 g in 1 liter of hot water). Spray the tomato bushes with the cooled solution. This recipe helps prevent aphids and all types of mites.

Reviews

Those who grew Etoile tomatoes share the following reviews on tomato growing forums:

Anna, Southern Urals: «I grew tomatoes in open ground. The bush grew to a height of about 1 m. About 40 fruits began to bloom. They turned out a little empty, but tasty and beautiful. When cut on a festive table, corrugated circles look chic.”

Marina, Volkhov: «I tied it with nylon thread. The weight of the fruit damaged the trunk.The variety is unpretentious, non-capricious. Gives great brushes. I grow in two trunks. Reaches a height of 180 cm. The fruits are suitable for drying. It has long internodes. Loves to take stepson. I counted 42 tomatoes on the bush.”

Olga, South of Russia: “Wonderful beautiful fruits. The taste is classic tomato. It's nice to eat fresh in appetizers. This is a very original tomato. Decoration of any area. I recommend it, I really liked it. You’ll have tomatoes too, and you won’t have to spend a lot of time on it.”

Evgeniy, Perm region: «Amazing ribbed tomatoes. Quite dense."

Natalya, Smolensk region: «These tomatoes are incredibly beautiful! The variety pleased me with its color and unusual shape. There were a lot of tomatoes on the bush and they all grew and ripened evenly. I cut and froze lace pizza rings. I will grow more. I recommend this beauty to everyone.”

Let's sum it up

If you like experiments and want to show off your harvest, pay attention to Etoile. The unusual ribbed-wavy shape of these tomatoes is sure to surprise everyone who looks at it.

The tomato attracts a lot of attention, and it’s not just because of its exotic appearance. It 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 under natural growing conditions.