Characteristics and description of the Italian Ice tomato

Tomato lovers strive to grow varieties with fruits of different sizes and colors to add variety not only to the appearance of the plot, but also to their taste buds.

The Italian Ice tomato variety will attract attention with its small fruit size (like cherry tomatoes), its taste, and its unusual color – ivory.

Characteristics and description of the variety

Characteristics of the variety:

•         indeterminate;
•         tall;
•         mid-early;
•         bush height – 1.5-2 m;
•         small-fruited;
•         storage – long-term;
•         good preservation during transportation;
•         cultivation – greenhouse, open ground;
•         stem formation – 2.

Description of fruits:

•         shape – round;
•         size – small;
•         color at maturity - ivory;
•         weight – 15-20g;
•         taste – sweet;
•         skin - smooth, shiny;
•         use – fresh, canning.

Features of growing tall tomatoes

Sowing seeds for seedlings is March 10-20, transplanting seedlings into the greenhouse is May 20-25 (regions in central Russia).

Seed preparation:

Important! Seeds from reputable manufacturers are already calibrated and treated for infections.

1.       Sorting: place the seeds in a salt solution (30-40g per 1000ml), remove any that float to the surface, and rinse the full and firm ones under the tap (place the seeds in a gauze bag).
2.       Disinfection: Place in a potassium permanganate solution (1 g per 250 ml of water) for 20-30 minutes and rinse. A solution of this concentration has a dark purple color.
3.       Apply twice the recommended amount of growth stimulant (as per instructions) for six hours (at a temperature of 18°C). This awakens the seed embryos and disinfects them. Do not store the prepared solution.

Soil preparation

1.       Mix equal parts peat, humus, and turf soil. If the soil is loamy, add sawdust or river sand. Sterilize the prepared mixture in the oven, microwave at full power, or place it in a bag in water at 60°-70°C (until it cools).
2.       Add 1 cup of ash or a tablespoon of dolomite flour, nitrophoska, urea and potassium, a teaspoon per bucket of the mixture.
3.       A ready-made soil mixture such as “Nightshade” or “Universal” is suitable.

Sowing seeds and caring for seedlings

•       Planting containers, if they have already been used, must be disinfected with a solution (35°) of bleach (20g per 1000ml of water) or copper sulfate (10g per 1000ml of water).
•       Fill clean and disinfected containers with soil, compacting it slightly, and water with water or a pale pink solution of potassium permanganate.
•       Using tweezers, place the seeds into depressions (holes or furrows) up to 1.5 cm deep, spacing them 3 cm apart. Cover with soil and moisten with a spray bottle. When sowing in cups, sow 2-3 seeds per cup, reserving the strongest and most vigorous plants for later use (remove the weaker ones).
•       Cover the containers with glass and cellophane and place in a warm place (24°-26°C). Once the sprouts appear, remove the film and place the seedlings in a cool place (15°-16°C) for a week (or four days). If the skin hasn't fallen off the leaf (this happens if the planting depth is insufficient or the soil is poorly compacted), you can moisten it. Leaving the skin on the leaf can kill the sprout.
•       While the soil is moist, do not water; then water weekly with warm water in the morning. Once the seedlings have established themselves, water them with potassium permanganate or an ash infusion.

Important! Overwatering can cause blackleg disease and contribute to the elongation of seedlings.

•       The lack of lighting is compensated for by fluorescent lamps.
•       Picking Plants with 2-3 true leaves are replanted on the 15th to 20th day; weak or damaged plants are discarded. When replanting, push the stem into the soil up to the cotyledons (adventitious roots are well formed). After this, water the soil, being careful not to get it on the leaves, and place the containers in a shaded area.
•       To boost immunity, spray the stems and leaves with a solution of skim milk in water (1/2 tbsp per 1000 ml).
•       Spray plants with weak, thin stems and pale leaves with a solution of one teaspoon of urea in five liters of water and reduce the temperature to 12°-13°C for a week. Spray with superphosphate extract and ash infusion if the leaves are growing rapidly.
•   For tall seedlings (80-100 cm), trim the top 25 cm of the stem, remove one or two leaves from the bottom, and place in a glass of water. Transplant into soil when roots emerge.
•   Temper seedlings a week before transplanting, taking them out onto the loggia or veranda at first for no more than three hours, and later for 8-12 hours.
•   Remove the lower leaves (two or three) five days before planting, and treat for late blight a week before.
•   Bushes 25-35 cm high with 8-10 leaves should be transplanted into a greenhouse.

Transplanting

1.       Plant in soil warmed up to 10°-15° – low temperatures inhibit root development.
2.       Add a little humus, ½ a handful of ash, and a teaspoon of superphosphate to the holes, mix, and water with warm water. After planting, apply mulch on top.
3.       Plant tall tomatoes at a distance of 50-60 cm between bushes and, preferably, in one row.
4.       Plants should be tied up on the 3rd-5th day, and then repeated as the stem grows.

Caring for tomatoes in a greenhouse

1.       Remove 5cm-long side shoots once a week, leaving a small stump (as new shoots will not grow). Repeat this procedure regularly.
2.       Remove leaves up to the third cluster – this allows better air circulation, reduces evaporation, and accelerates fruit ripening. Remove 2-3 leaves at a time.
3.       In mid-August, pinch off the top (leave 2-3 leaves), remove the remaining flowers (fruit will not have time to set).
4.    In spring, water once every ten days; in summer, water once a week (one bucket per three plants). For better moisture, puncture the soil with a pitchfork or stake, being careful not to damage the roots.
5.    Loosen the soil periodically to prevent a crust from forming.
6.    Reduce watering a month before harvesting and stop 15-20 days before - the fruits will ripen faster and will not crack.

Advantages and disadvantages of Italian Ice tomato

The advantages of the Italian Ice variety far outweigh its disadvantages, which are inherent not only to this tomato, but also to other tall varieties.

Advantages:

•         high nutritional value;
•         decorative appeal;
•         Both adults and children like it because of its small size and unusual coloring;
•         high yield;
•         does not require fertilizers for stem and fruit growth;
•         efficient use of space (the bush takes up little space);
•         early ripening;
•         fruiting until frost;
•         compact bush form;
•         the fruits are well stored and transported;
•         use fresh and for canning.

Flaws: the need for pinching out side shoots and tying up the bush and brushes.

Reviews

Leonid

I unexpectedly acquired the small-fruited Italian Ice variety. I grew cherry tomatoes and this tomato at the same time. The care was the same, but there are differences in taste: Italian Ice is softer and more bland. I prefer tomatoes with a more pronounced flavor when fresh. I really like this variety in marinades and pickles – the flavor becomes rich. It can be grown for preserves and for variety; the yield is decent.

Sofia

I love unusual tomatoes, so I planted Italian Ice. The clusters have lots of tiny tomatoes—they look beautiful when all the others are red. I tried pickling the whole clusters, and they turned out great! In winter, just putting such a beauty on a plate immediately whets my appetite. I also canned individual tomatoes, not the clusters, marinated them with spices. I loved the taste; I'm very happy with it.