This tomato variety is distinguished by its original appearance of ripe fruits and good taste. However, the Striped Chocolate tomato has not yet been included in the Russian State Register and is an exclusive amateur variety
In their garden beds, summer residents often grow vegetable crops with unusual fruit shapes or colors. And tomatoes are no exception. In recent decades, thanks to the efforts of breeders, tomato seeds have come on sale not only with the original shape of tomatoes, but also with the original color.
And the Striped Chocolate tomato is a clear example of this. Its striped fruits have an unusual appearance and pleasant taste, which may be why many farmers grow this tomato in their gardens.
Varietal characteristics
This tomato variety was bred by American breeders under the leadership of J. Seigel in 2010. To obtain a new tomato, the Shimmage Craig and Pink Beefsteak tomatoes were crossed.
The name of the new variety was given because of the appearance of ripe tomatoes.
This variety of tomato is grown in different countries of the world, including Russia, but the Striped Chocolate tomato has not yet been included in the State Register of the country. But according to the description of the variety’s originators, it can be grown in garden beds, in film greenhouses and in greenhouse conditions.
This tomato is classified as an early-ripening variety, because a little more than 3 months pass from the moment of germination of the seed material to the harvesting of ripe products.
Tomato Striped chocolate is recommended to be grown in vegetable beds, under film covers and in greenhouse conditions.
The Striped Chocolate tomato is a determinate type, so its shoot growth is limited. Typically, the stems of this tomato grow up to 1.4-1.5 m when grown in garden beds, and in a greenhouse they stretch up to 1.9-2.1 m.
The shoots of this tomato are strong and powerful, medium leafy. The foliage is more like potato foliage - elongated, of medium thickness, with sparse small jagged edges and sharp tips. The color of the wrinkled leaf blades is rich emerald. Pubescence on the foliage is completely absent.
Since the shoots are quite tall. they should be tied to supports or trellises (when grown in greenhouse conditions) so that they do not bend or break under the weight of ripening fruits.
Interesting to know! In direct sunlight, the foliage of this vegetable plant may fade.
It should be especially noted that the Striped Chocolate tomato has a well-developed root system, which grows horizontally quite close to the surface of the earth.
On each shoot, up to 6 racemose inflorescences are formed, in each of which up to 4-5 ovaries can form. The first brush appears under the 9th true leaf, and each subsequent brush appears after two leaves. The last racemose inflorescence is formed at the top of the stem, as a result of which its further growth stops.
Pros and cons of the variety
The Chocolate Striped tomato will appeal to lovers of unusual varieties. Ease of care, original taste and color have helped this variety become quite popular among many gardeners.
This variety also has other positive qualities:
- tomato is resistant to many diseases and pests;
- long fruiting period;
- unusual taste;
- pleasant aroma;
- high, stable yield;
- beautiful appearance;
- the fruits are very large;
- beautiful coloring.
In addition to the advantages, there are also several disadvantages:
- cracking of fruits at elevated air temperatures;
- need for tying up bushes;
Basic qualities of fruits
The flowers are collected in racemose inflorescences, in each of which up to 6 ovaries can appear. The first brush is formed under the 10th true leaf, each next one is formed through a couple of true leaves.
The fruits ripen gradually, and the last of them can ripen until frost. Moreover, most of the tomatoes are the same size and have a presentable appearance.
Distinctive features
The main distinguishing feature of Striped Chocolate tomato fruits is their color. The shape of the tomatoes is similar to a steak - large and flattened. The color of the skin is brown or pinkish with contrasting stripes, which can be chocolate, brown, olive, dark green, yellow or orange.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
The main advantages of the Striped Chocolate tomato include:
- large fruit;
- high productivity;
- original fruit color;
- good taste of ripe tomatoes;
- sufficient versatility of the harvested crop;
- the ability to collect seed material from ripe fruits for further planting;
- the variety has good resistance to most diseases characteristic of other tomato varieties;
- Possibility of growing in garden beds and in greenhouse conditions.
Among the disadvantages it should be noted:
- due to the thin skin, the fruits do not tolerate transportation over long distances;
- ripe tomatoes are not stored for long, so it is advisable to process them immediately after picking;
- the fruits are too large and therefore not suitable for whole-fruit canning, as well as for making juices;
- The bushes are quite tall, so they need to be tied up, formed into 1-2 stems, and also regularly removed.
Taste qualities of fruits
Ripe Striped Chocolate tomatoes have a pleasant taste - moderately sweet with a slight sourness. Therefore, they are eaten fresh. added to summer salads, as well as other types of snacks. As preparations for the winter, the fleshy large fruits of Striped Chocolate are suitable for making ketchups, lecho, adjika, and sauces. These tomatoes can also be frozen in pieces for the winter.
Description of fruits
Ripe tomatoes of this variety are flat-rounded, large, with characteristic ribbing near the stalks, can be up to 15 cm in diameter, with an average weight of about 500-600 g. The first ripening fruits can reach a weight of 0.9-1.0 kg.
Of particular note is the yield of the Striped Chocolate tomato - 4-4.5 kg of ripe fruits are collected from each bush per season, and up to 8-9 kg of tomatoes from one square area.
The skin of the fruit is thin and can crack, so ripe fruits do not tolerate transportation well. especially over long distances. Also, they cannot be stored for a long time, so it is advisable to eat ripe tomatoes immediately after picking or make twists for the winter.
The pulp is quite fleshy, juicy, with 7-8 small seed chambers. The number of seeds in them is average. Its color is uneven, brown with a pinkish tint, and greenish veins may also be present.
How to grow tomatoes
Growing the Striped Chocolate variety is not much different from caring for other tomatoes. It is unpretentious, and any gardener can cope with it. These tomatoes can be grown both in a greenhouse and in open ground. In the northern regions it is better to use the second option.
Transplanting
Before planting seedlings in a permanent place, you need to prepare the soil. Ideally, this is done in the fall.
For 1 sq. m of soil you need to take 0.5 kg of lime, 5 kg of organic fertilizers and 40 g of superphosphate. Dig the soil well before planting.
Advice. You should not grow tomatoes in one place for more than two years in a row. You cannot do this in beds where other nightshades (for example, potatoes or eggplants) grew last year. The best predecessors for this crop are legumes, onions, carrots and cabbage.
Before planting seedlings, you need to dig holes. The distance between rows should be 50 cm, and between plants - 40 cm. The holes are watered in advance.
Seedlings are placed in the prepared recesses. You need to remove it from the containers immediately before planting. The holes with plants are watered with water and filled with soil on top.
Before planting plants in their permanent place, it is worth disinfecting the soil. To do this, just pour it with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, prepared in a ratio of 1:100.
Plant care
Watering is done as the soil dries out. Usually it is enough to moisten the soil 1-2 times a week. The first time watering is carried out 10 days after planting the plants in a permanent place. Take 0.7 liters of water per well.
Hilling is done before watering. It is first done a week after planting tomatoes in the ground. Next, you need to hill up the tomatoes every 20 days.
The first feeding is carried out a week after planting. Organic fertilizers are used for it. The composition can be prepared by taking one part manure to eight parts water. 20 g of superphosphate is added to a bucket of this mixture.
After two weeks, the plants are fed again, but with mineral fertilizers. For 1 sq. m take 10 g of ammonium nitrate, 20 g of superphosphate, 15 g of potassium salt. After another 14 days, the tomatoes are fertilized with the same composition.
Striped chocolate needs garter. Otherwise, heavy fruits will break the bush.
The plant forms one, two or three stems. In the first case, the harvest will appear faster, and in the second and third it will be more abundant.
Pruning is done no more than once a week: all the shoots that appear under the brushes are broken off and the yellow leaves are removed.
Nuances of cultivation
There are several subtleties that not all novice gardeners know about. Taking them into account, you can avoid mistakes and get healthy and productive plants.
Tips for growing tomatoes:
- The most favorable time for watering is evening. On cloudy days, you can moisten the soil at any time.
- Mulching will help protect the plant from pests and diseases. As mulch, you can use straw, hay or special non-woven materials sold in stores.
- Water the plants only with settled water. It is important to pour the liquid only under the root, without touching the greens.
- Stepping should be done in the morning or evening. On the day of this procedure, the plants are not watered.
Diseases and pests
Reviews from gardeners indicate that the Striped Chocolate tomato is resistant to most diseases. He rarely even suffers from late blight, which is the most common cause of crop damage.
To protect the bushes from harmful insects, they can be sprayed with a soap solution. Regular weeding and loosening the soil will prevent damage to the bushes by mole crickets and slugs. Once a week, inspect the bushes and remove pests manually.
Attention! If the plants are covered in spots or their leaves are dry and curled, the problem may lie not in diseases, but in a lack of necessary substances. In this case, make sure that the fertilizing is applied correctly.
Growing seedlings
The Striped Chocolate tomato, like other varieties of tomatoes, is usually grown from seedlings. To do this, it is recommended to plant the planting material into seedlings about a couple of months before the intended transplantation of the seedlings to a permanent place.
The future productivity of tomato bushes depends on how the seed material is prepared and in what conditions the tomato seedlings were grown.
Seed preparation
Seed material purchased in specialized stores undergoes pre-sowing preparation before being packaged in bags at agricultural seed producing companies. Therefore, there is no need to carry out pre-sowing preparation immediately before planting seeds in containers.
And here are those seeds. which were harvested from your own garden beds, should be prepared in a special way before sowing. First, they are dipped in a container of water to check how viable they are. Those seeds that float on the surface can be thrown away, since they are empty inside and will not germinate.
Seeds that have sunk to the bottom must be removed and placed in a container with a weak solution of potassium permanganate for 30 minutes. This is done in order to disinfect the seed material. After this, the seeds should be washed and soaked for germination in any growth accelerator. After their sprouts hatch. the seeds are ready for planting.
Soil and container
Soil for growing tomato seedlings can be bought at a gardening store - they sell a special nutrient substrate for such purposes. But many vegetable growers prefer to prepare such a soil mixture themselves. To do this, in the fall they stock up on rotted manure or compost, high-moor peat, river sand, and also some wood ash.
In the spring, before planting, all these ingredients are mixed in equal quantities, and a glass of wood ash is added to each bucket of such substrate. To make the soil loose, sawdust can be added to it.
Before adding the prepared substrate to containers, it should be disinfected, since pathogenic microorganisms or larvae of harmful insects could be hidden in the ingredients for the winter. To do this, the soil is spilled with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, calcined for half an hour in an oven heated to 180⁰, or heated in a water bath.
Before planting, containers for planting tomato seedlings are also washed with a disinfectant solution, dried and filled with a nutrient solution. Such containers should be wide and long enough, but not high.
Sowing planting material
How strong and healthy the seedlings will grow depends on the correct planting of seed material and subsequent care of the emerging seedlings. Therefore, it is necessary to follow all the rules when growing seedlings. Only then will they grow into strong, strong tomato bushes that will delight the owners with a good harvest.
Typically, Striped Chocolate tomato seed material is planted for seedlings in mid-to-late March, so that the grown seedlings can be transplanted into the beds in about a couple of months.
Rules for caring for seedlings
Caring for seedlings includes the following procedures: planting seeds, regular watering, fertilizing, picking thickened plantings, hardening off seedlings. The general condition of the seedlings depends on their timely implementation.
Diseases and pests
The tomato variety Striped Chocolate is noted for its good resistance to the main diseases of the nightshade family:
- Powdery mildew.
- Alternaria blight.
- Late blight.
- Mosaic diseases.
Regarding pests, resistance to aphids can be noted.
Striped Chocolate tomatoes, like all nightshade crops, are attacked by Colorado potato beetles. Pest control involves collecting beetles and their larvae.
But in general, the variety is quite young and there is no comprehensive data on resistance to diseases and pests.
It is recommended to preventively treat the bushes twice a season with antiparasitic agents and fungicides, according to the instructions on the packages.
Folk remedies for fighting fungal diseases: spray with fermented milk liquid products.
Also important disease prevention measures are:
- Mulching the soil.
- Picking off yellow leaves.
Preventive measures
The variety is immune to late blight, mosaic and rot. But despite this, it is recommended to follow agricultural practices and carry out prevention. So, in the spring, the greenhouse is disinfected and its soil is replaced. In open growing conditions, crop rotation must be observed.
Fungal diseases on tomatoes
The risk of fungal diseases can be reduced by regular treatments with fungicidal compounds. They are applied at the root or used for spraying. To achieve results, such procedures are carried out once every 4 weeks, changing the drug each time.
Rules for planting and growing
After the seed is planted, you should water the soil with a spray bottle, cover the containers with plastic wrap and put them in a warm, bright place for germination. Usually, in such conditions, the first shoots can appear already 4-5 days after planting.
After most of the seeds have sprouted, the film should be removed and the containers with plants should be moved to the windowsills. It is best to keep seedlings on windowsills facing south or southwest.
Growing and rooting seedlings
After the seedlings have several permanent leaves, they should be transplanted into peat pots or other separate containers. After all, growing tomatoes need more space and nutrients to develop, and in shared containers they will lack nutrition.
It is important to water growing seedlings on time, and you need to monitor the condition of the top layer of soil - it should not dry out. But there should not be stagnation of moisture in the pots.
10-12 days after picking, the sprouts can be fed with a urea solution to activate the growth of leaves and roots. Repeated feeding of seedlings can be done about a couple of weeks before they are transplanted to a permanent place. As a fertilizer, you can use a solution of mullein or bird droppings. You can also use an infusion of wood ash as a fertilizer.
12-14 days before planting tomato seedlings in the garden, they should be hardened off so that the plants acclimatize faster in the new place. First, the sprouts are taken outside for a short time - no more than an hour. But gradually the time outside for seedlings is increased. And in the last 2-3 days before transplanting, tomato seedlings can remain in the fresh air overnight.
Transplanting seedlings
Grown and strengthened seedlings should be transplanted to a permanent place when the air and soil temperatures do not drop below +15⁰C.
The area for planting seedlings should be prepared in advance - add humus or compost (5 kg for each square area), up to 500 g of lime and a handful of superphosphate. Then the site is dug up, placing all the fertilizers into the ground.
Important! When choosing a site, you should follow the rules of crop rotation and do not plant tomatoes in one place for two seasons in a row. You should also not plant tomatoes after other crops from the nightshade family. The best predecessors for this vegetable plant are onions, carrots, cabbage, peas and beans.
Planting holes are dug so that the distance between them in the rows is 0.4 m, and the width between the rows is 0.6 m. Before planting, the holes need to be watered. Seedlings are placed in the holes along with peat pots. If the plants were in a plastic container, then they are taken out along with a lump of earth and placed in a planting hole.
Then the holes are filled with soil, watered again and mulched with a layer of peat or straw.
Formation of a bush and its garter
Immediately after transplantation, the seedlings of this tomato are tied to a support. Like most determinate tomatoes, the Striped Chocolate variety is grown in one or two shoots. In the first case, the fruits will be larger, and in the second case, although the tomatoes will grow smaller, the overall yield will only increase.
In 1 stem
When growing Striped Chocolate tomato bushes into one stem, it is necessary to remove all emerging stepsons until their length exceeds 3-4 cm. In total, no more than 4 stepson procedures are carried out over the summer. And the central stem is tied to a support or trellis.
Important! When removing the stepson, a small stump is left in the leaf axil - in this case, new shoots will not appear in this place.
In 2 stems
In this case, one stepson is left at the bottom of the tomato bush, and all the others are removed. A second shoot will grow from it, which is also tied to a support, like the main shoot.
Advantages and disadvantages
The exotic variety is endowed with more advantages than disadvantages.
- Pros of culture:
- extended fruiting;
- resistance to mosaic, late blight, root rot, powdery mildew;
- grows well both in shelter and in open beds;
- the yield is stable;
- large fruits;
- transportability;
- spicy taste.
- Flaws:
- large fruit size, not suitable for preservation;
- not everyone likes the cloying taste;
- In extreme heat, the skin is prone to cracking.
Did you know? The tomato dress, called “The Souper Dress” by its creator Andy Warhol, was valued at $2,000 at an art auction in London and sold for about 8 times that price.
Plant care
Further care of tomato bushes consists of observing the watering regime, weeding and loosening, applying fertilizers and protecting them from diseases and pests.
Watering and loosening
The watering regime of this tomato directly depends on weather conditions. In hot weather, plants need to be watered once every 6-8 days, spilling the soil to a depth of about 0.4 m. Water for irrigation should be settled and warmed in the sun. In rainy weather, you can water tomato bushes much less often.
After each watering or rain, the soil around the tomato bushes should be loosened to break up the dry crust that has formed. You also need to remove all emerging weeds along with the roots.
Feeding
These tomato bushes are fed several times during the season:
- 12-14 days after transplantation, this tomato needs to be fed with fertilizer. containing a mixture of urea and potassium humate. The dilution rate for these drugs can be read on the packaging;
- During the period of active bud formation, potassium monophosphate or another fertilizer containing phosphorus and potassium should be applied to the tomato bushes.
Also, during the season, you can feed Striped Chocolate tomato bushes with organic matter - a solution of cow manure or bird droppings.
Protection from diseases and pests
This tomato variety is practically not affected by viral diseases and is not susceptible to late blight. Also, tomato bushes and aphids are not affected. However, the Colorado potato beetle is a frequent visitor to Striped Chocolate tomato bushes. The most effective remedy against this pest is mechanical collection of insects and their larvae by hand.
Yield indicators of the tomato variety Striped Chocolate
In greenhouses, a tomato of this variety begins to bear fruit from the beginning of June, in garden beds - from the first ten days of July. The last fruits can be collected in the second ten days of September, and in the southern regions - in the last ten days of September.
From each square of area where Striped Chocolate is planted, you can collect from 9 to 15 kg of ripe products.
The yield of Striped Chocolate tomato is influenced by the following factors:
- good lighting of the area;
- regular application of fertilizers in the proper quantities;
- compliance with the irrigation regime;
- loosening the soil;
- weed removal;
- soil fertility.
Features of growing in a greenhouse and open ground
When planting tomato seedlings in a greenhouse, they do not bury it in a hole, but set the plants at the height of the earthen ball. And in open ground, it is advisable to tear off the lower leaves and bury the plant up to the cotyledon leaves so that the seedlings develop additional roots.
Tomato seedlings can be planted in an unheated greenhouse 12-14 days earlier than in garden beds.
Best reviews from our readers
Elena, 45 years old, Barnaul: I accidentally bought seeds of this variety from a vegetable grower at the market and planted them as seedlings. After a couple of months, I transplanted the grown plants into my greenhouse. The bushes grew up to 2 m, so I had to tie them to trellises. I formed them into two stems, and as a result, 4.5 kg of beautiful striped tomatoes were collected from each bush. I collected seed material from several fruits to plant next year. because I couldn’t find Striped Chocolate in gardening stores for tomato seeds.
Valeria, 49 years old, Ryazan: a neighbor in her garden gave me several bushes of seedlings of this variety. She grew the plants in her garden, watered them, fed them and tied them up as required. The harvest was not bad, and the fruits turned out to be not only beautiful, but also tasty. True, they are too large and do not tolerate transportation well. But, mostly, we made summer salads at the dacha from the collected tomatoes. I collected seeds from my fruits - next year I will plant more bushes of this tomato, maybe I will make ketchup and lecho from the harvest.
Tatyana, 50 years old, Volgograd region: planted this tomato variety for several years in a row. I can say that the variety’s fruits are, of course, large and tasty, but the yield is average. In addition, there are no Striped Chocolate tomato seeds on sale; the first time I bought some seedlings from my grandmothers at the market, then I prepared seed material from my own tomatoes. But in general, the fruits are not stored well and may burst during transportation.
Natalya, 40 years old, Moscow region: I grow this tomato variety only for food. My family liked the taste of this variety of striped tomatoes, so now every year I plant a bed of this tomato so that the harvested fruits are enough to prepare summer salads and other snacks. True, last year the harvest from the Striped Chocolate bushes was large, and I saved some ketchup for the winter, which turned out to be very tasty. I’ll probably now plant more of these tomatoes so I can also make twists for the winter.
The Striped Chocolate tomato is distinguished by its large fruit, beautiful original appearance, good yield and pleasant taste of the collected fruits. Therefore, although the variety has not yet been included in the Russian State Register, the country’s vegetable growers have already appreciated the positive qualities of this tomato and grow it in their garden beds.
Tomato Striped chocolate: reviews from those who planted and grew the variety
Olga, 45 years old, Saratov region: I saw a bag of seeds of this variety, I really liked the picture of ripe fruits, so I decided to try it. And I made the right decision - I grew this variety in seedlings, the seeds all sprouted in unison. There were no special troubles either with the seedlings or with further care of the Striped Chocolate tomatoes in the beds. It is only necessary to tie up the bushes, since quite a lot of fruits are formed on the bushes, and all of them are large in size. The taste of ripe Striped Chocolate tomatoes is simply amazing.
Tatyana, 55 years old, Samara region: I grow tomatoes not only for myself, but also for sale. Last season I decided to plant some new variety of tomatoes with unusual fruits. I liked the Striped Chocolate tomato. Its fruits - red in color with green stripes - look very original, and the taste is also excellent. I sold most of the harvest (very high quality), and tomatoes of this variety were snapped up very quickly. I will plant this variety in the future.
The Striped Chocolate tomato is distinguished by its large fruit, high yield, resistance to disease, beautiful appearance and taste of ripe fruit.
Therefore, Russian vegetable growers paid attention to it, many of whom already grew this tomato in their gardens, despite the fact that Striped Chocolate is a new product and was developed quite recently.
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