Gardening forums are full of stories about one unusual variety of 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 of tomatoes was bred 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.
Description and characteristics of tomatoes "Etoile"
For some gardeners, not only a bountiful harvest of juicy tomatoes, which will be stored for a long time and will provide the whole family with vitamins in winter, is of particular importance, but also unusual varieties of tomatoes. I would like to add some “zest” to the table. For those who want to surprise themselves and their neighbors, the “Etoile” tomato is intended, the fruits of which look somewhat exotic, but very appetizing!
Description of the variety
Growing is recommended in greenhouses or film greenhouses, but in the southern regions of the country with a hot climate, open ground is also suitable. The variety is classified as mid-season.
The bush is of indeterminate type, the height exceeds a meter (but not more than 1.2 - 1.5 meters), so you should take care of the garter in advance. There are many leaves, fruits of 6-8 pieces are collected in clusters.
Advantages
Despite the fact that the variety is quite rare, it is endowed with many undoubted advantages:
- unpretentiousness in cultivation;
- seeds have good germination (80% and above);
- good harvest;
- bears fruit for a long time;
- interesting type of fruit;
- uniform harvest throughout the season.
The variety also has some disadvantages: the bush needs careful shaping and tying up. The above characteristics prove that Etoile tomatoes have much more advantages than disadvantages.
Description of the fruit
The fruit of this tomato variety is very interesting. Here are its distinctive features:
- Unusual pear-shaped, slightly elongated shape.
- There are pronounced ribs.
- An amazingly beautiful cut, thanks to its edges it resembles a flower.
- The color of the ripe fruit is bright red, red-pink. Some varieties have yellowish spots.
- The average fruit weight is 150 - 300 g.
- Inside there are large seed chambers (6 of them).
- The fruits can be safely picked even when green – they ripen well at room temperature.
- Capable of long-term storage.
- Juicy pulp.
- Pleasant, slightly sour taste.
The description of the fruit makes it possible to make sure that tomatoes of this variety will become welcome guests in the greenhouses of modern gardeners. They can be safely used for preparing salads, decorating dishes, and adding to snacks. Stuffed tomatoes “Etoile” will look original and beautiful.
Secrets of cultivation
Sowing for seedlings usually begins in the first or second week of March. The seeds are pre-placed in a growth stimulator; they do not need disinfection.
The best soil for a good harvest is an even mixture of humus and ordinary garden soil. Small amounts of ash and sand won't hurt either.
After sowing, the containers are thoroughly watered, covered with film and put in a warm place. After germination, the film is removed, and the seedlings should be provided with an abundance of light, heat and moisture. The containers must be periodically turned towards the light source, and a spray bottle is perfect for watering.
It is necessary to plant the plants in individual containers and make the first fertilizing with liquid fertilizer after the appearance of two true leaves.
At the beginning of May, the seedlings are moved to greenhouses.
To get a rich harvest of very beautiful tomatoes, the bushes should be formed in a timely manner and do not forget about regular feeding.
Watering schedule: once every 6 days, but very abundantly. Liquid fertilizer complexes are used for feeding. The “Etoile” tomato does not need to be pinched at the growing point; it can be formed into one or two stems; the shoots and lower leaves should be removed in a timely manner.
Diseases and parasites
The Etoile variety has good disease tolerance. The main diseases are:
Prevention of the first two diseases will be spraying the bushes with a solution of potassium permanganate and disinfecting the soil. The last two diseases will be overcome by drugs containing copper. It is necessary to spray the plants with them. Leaves that are already infected should be removed and destroyed.
Timely mulching of the soil (you can use straw, humus) will prevent the appearance of pests. And the method of fighting aphids is very simple - it is enough to treat the plants with a warm aqueous solution of ordinary laundry soap.
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.
Diseases and pests
The variety is not too susceptible to diseases. Thorough disinfection of the soil and periodic spraying of plants will help protect against verticillium and fusarium. It is recommended to use a pale pink solution of potassium permanganate or phytosporin. Spraying with copper-containing preparations helps against mosaics and late blight. Affected leaves and other parts of plants are immediately torn off and burned.
Mulching the soil with peat, humus or straw, as well as weekly weed control, will protect you from insect pests. A solution of warm water and laundry soap, which is used to wash the stems and leaves, effectively fights aphids.
The Etoile variety deserves a place in the greenhouse. It is enough to plant a few bushes - beautiful and tasty tomatoes will certainly interest your family and decorate any holiday table.
Secrets of cultivation
Each stage of tomato growth has its own care tricks. 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 abundantly. 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 parasites
The Etoile variety has good disease tolerance. The main diseases are:
- verticillium;
- fusarium;
- mosaic;
- late blight.
Fusarium infection can be avoided by timely spraying with a solution of potassium permanganate and periodic disinfection of the soil.
Prevention of the first two diseases will be spraying the bushes with a solution of potassium permanganate and disinfecting the soil. The last two diseases will be overcome by drugs containing copper. It is necessary to spray the plants with them. Leaves that are already infected should be removed and destroyed.
Timely mulching of the soil (you can use straw, humus) will prevent the appearance of pests. And the method of fighting aphids is very simple - it is enough to treat the plants with a warm aqueous solution of ordinary laundry soap.
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.
Tomato variety "Etoile"
