Tomatoes are the most popular and favorite vegetables, their fruits are eaten fresh, they are prepared from a variety of dishes, dried, pickled, frozen. Depending on the variety, they are grown in greenhouses, on balconies, in the open ground and even on window sills. One of the interesting varieties that deserve attention is the tomato Palenka, a description and features of the cultivation of which are presented below.
Description
Mid-early hybrid, having the same red fruit weighing 130 grams of an elongated oval shape. From the beginning of seedlings to the collection of tomatoes an average of 110 days. The plant is formed into a single stem, an inflorescence is formed over a 9–11 leaf, and the next inflorescence is formed after 2-3 leaves. In one brush, 4 to 6 tomatoes are formed. The bush in height reaches an average of 170 cm, so it should be tied to a trellis. Stepsons break off as they appear.
Tomato Palenka is resistant to diseases such as:
- cladosporiosis or brown spotting of a tomato;
- fusariosis (fungal disease);
- verticillosis or verticillosis wilt of a tomato;
- nematodes (gall nematodes).
Sweet and tasty fruits are used both fresh and for canning. Tomato Palenka is mainly planted in greenhouses. From one square meter they collect up to 20 kg of tomatoes. The fruits do not lose their presentation during transportation.
Growing seedlings
First, the seeds are disinfected, placed in a solution of potassium permanganate for 20 minutes, then they are washed, poured into a paper bag and put in the refrigerator for three days. Then they prepare the ground and fill it with seedling boxes.
In mid-March, seeds are sown at a short distance from each other, sprinkled with earth, covered with glass or film and left at a temperature of 22–23 degrees until the first seedlings appear. When the first leaves appear, boxes with seedlings are put in a cooler place for hardening. The pick of a plant begins when two true leaves appear.
During seedling growth, it is necessary to keep the soil moderately moist. Plants are watered once or twice a week. About 10 days after
picking a seedling, it must be fed with ammonium nitrate or organic fertilizers using an aqueous solution of horse manure. Subsequent feeding is carried out every third week.
Hardening seedlings begin 14 days before planting, gradually lowering the temperature to values at which it will grow in a constant place. When planting in a greenhouse, the height of the seedlings should be about 20 cm, have at least 6 true leaves and a stem with a thickness of at least 5 mm.
Planting seedlings in a greenhouse
Tomatoes Palenka begin to be planted in the greenhouse from the end of April - beginning of May, when the soil is warm enough. Prior to this, it is necessary to prepare beds ninety centimeters wide and make holes with a width and depth of 30 cm. Add 2 liters of a mixture of humus and peat and a glass of wood ash to each hole. To disinfect the soil, a liter can of a solution of potassium permanganate is poured into it.
Before planting, warm water is poured into each well until liquid mud is formed. Seedlings are planted in it, deepening it by three centimeters. Around the plant, the soil is compacted and mulched with dry soil. It is not recommended to water the seedlings immediately after planting them in the greenhouse in order to avoid the appearance of a crust on the soil surface.
Tomato care in the greenhouse
After planting the seedlings in the greenhouse for the first two weeks, it does not need to be watered so that the root system develops inland, rather than spread along the surface of the earth. The greenhouse maintains low humidity. This reduces the development of diseases, improves the taste of the fruit. And the roots of plants, in search of moisture, deepen and extract it themselves. When ovaries appear, it should be watered once or twice a week.
Indeterminate tomatoes, to which Palenka tomato belongs, must be formed into one stem. Once a week stepsons must be removed. They are cut or broken out, leaving a small stump. For maximum use of the place in the greenhouse, tomato bushes are tied to a wire, which is pulled at a height equal to two meters. Tied and well-formed bushes improve illumination in the greenhouse and give a higher yield.
Tie bushes begin on the fourth day after planting them in the greenhouse, they will have time to take root. Under the second or third sheet, the twine is tied with a free loop. Each week, the twine is spun, making several revolutions around the stem. The upper inflorescence should be free from twine, otherwise growth stops.
To improve the passage of air flow and accelerate fruit ripening, the lower leaves on plants should be removed. No more than two leaves can be removed from each bush at a time. By the time of fruit ripening, no leaves remain on the stem until the first brush. You can cut off all the leaves to the third inflorescence. Experienced gardeners do not recommend removing all leaves from the plant. This disrupts the nutrition of the fruit. At least 15 leaves should be present at the top of the stem.
Fertilizing Tomatoes
There is no strict instruction for feeding tomatoes in a greenhouse. Each gardener does this at his discretion, using personal experience and taking into account weather conditions. Till the fruit ovary, the Palenka tomatoes, photos of which you see below, are fed with potassium monophosphate. During the period of fruit growth, tomatoes need mineral fertilizers containing nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in equal amounts.
And during the ripening of phosphorus, 3 is required, and potassium is 9 times more than nitrogen. Potassium helps to increase the resistance of tomatoes to disease and gives the fruit a sugar content. Plants are fed at least once every two weeks.
Tomato Palenka: reviews
Many gardeners note the following advantages of the Palenka variety:
- do not require special care;
- easy to stepson;
- there are very few leaves on the stem;
- sweet fruits;
- the peel does not crack;
- can be preserved.
Disadvantages:
- grown only in a greenhouse;
- the bush is very tall, so it must be tied up.
Conclusion
The Palenka variety is considered the best tomato variety for indoor use. It is characterized by high strength and tolerates transportation.
According to many vegetable growers, Tomatoes Palenka, reviews (photo provided above) which indicate unmatched taste and excellent appearance, are grown both in summer cottages by experienced and novice gardeners, and large farms.