Tomato "Sanka": description, photo

Varietal seeds compete with hybrids for the right to be the favorites in gardens and vegetable patches. However, making a final choice is virtually impossible, as each variety has its own undeniable advantages. In this article, we'll tell you about the beloved "Sanka" tomato variety, with its characteristics and description provided in as much detail as possible. All you need to do is match this information with what you'd like to get from such a healthy vegetable as a tomato.

Taste qualities of fruits

It's worth noting that the Sanka tomato isn't particularly large, so it's not for those who prefer larger tomatoes. However, after tasting it, you might reconsider your preference for size, for a more compelling reason.

The Sanka tomato variety comes in two colors: red and bright yellow, known as "golden." Neither variety differs significantly in taste. Because the fruits of these varieties taste similar, many gardeners recommend planting both varieties. This way, you'll have a colorful, delicious, and healthy salad on the table, and the result will be more aesthetically pleasing when canning.

Looking more closely at the red tomato variety, it's particularly appealing for its regular shape, the absence of an unripe spot around the stem, and its moderate fleshiness, with ample juice. The seeds inside the fruit, due to their small size, don't interfere with the enjoyment of the flavor.

Tomato "Sanka", characteristics and description of the variety, judging by reviews, has fruits with a high sucrose content, which makes them especially delicious; a slight piquant sourness only emphasizes the sophistication of the taste of tomatoes of this variety.

Considering the small size of the fruits of this variety, reaching only 100 grams, and even then only with good care and on the lower clusters, it's easy to conclude that this is an excellent choice for canning. Thanks to its fairly strong skin, The best tomato variety for the Moscow region They hold their shape well in jars, virtually without cracking or wrinkling. These tomatoes are also a great choice for preserving sliced ​​salads; the slices retain their shape, and when using two colors of fruit—red and yellow—the salad is also very colorful and has excellent flavor.

The fruits of the Sanka tomato variety are high in beneficial substances such as lycopene, as well as vitamins C, A and K.

Plant characteristics

The most common attraction of this variety, and the most frequently cited in reviews, is the compactness of the determinate bush itself. Determination means limited growth, and the bush is also not sprawling, which is also important when choosing tomato seeds for planting.

A compact tomato plant is preferable, provided the space allocated for planting allows. This important characteristic eliminates the need for additional, labor-intensive work such as staking and pinching. Considering that this work is carried out when the plant is in its mature growth phase, which occurs in July, it must be done under the scorching sun. And for larger plantings, this significantly reduces labor costs. Therefore, according to the experience of gardeners, which they readily share, "Sanka" tomato seedlings (the variety we describe and characterize) can be planted at a density of 5-6 per square meter.

In fairness, it should be noted that the yield of this tomato variety cannot be called record-high; however, due to the compactness of the plants and the high density of seedlings sowing in the soil, it is possible to achieve record-breaking results in harvesting, which reaches up to 15 - 16 kg per 1 m2.

We recommend:Siberian tomato varieties of 2016 – new products

In addition to the above-mentioned advantages of this tomato variety, its early ripening period is particularly noteworthy, amounting to a period of 85 days from the emergence of sprouts. With more competent care and the creation of the most favorable conditions, in compliance with all agricultural standards, this short period can easily be reduced by another 10 days.

Preparing seeds for seedlings

Another attractive feature of this tomato variety is the ability to collect seeds for planting next year. This is especially important, as when choosing tomato seeds from hybrids rather than cultivars, you won't have this option, and you'll have to spend money on your favorite tomato variety for next year as well.

Seed selection

So, if you've properly collected and stored the "Sanka" tomato seeds, or a gardener friend has offered them to you, you should begin preparing for planting seedlings with the obligatory selection procedure. This involves soaking all the seeds in a salt solution prepared at a ratio of 2 tablespoons of salt per liter of water. Ideally, all the seeds should be submerged, and any that float to the surface are spoiled and unsuitable for planting; they should be collected and discarded. The remaining seeds should be lightly dried and then prepared further.

Disinfection

All pre-selected "Sanka" tomato seeds (the variety's characteristics and description (photo) are provided in sufficient detail) are placed in a cloth bag, tied, and dipped in a solution of any fungicide, which can be purchased at a specialty gardening chemical store.

According to experienced gardeners, the most popular products for disinfecting tomato seeds are Fitosporin-M or Vitaros. Soaking the seeds in a regular potassium permanganate solution can also be effective; the solution should be pink and not too concentrated. Soak the tomato seeds in the potassium permanganate solution for 15-20 minutes, then rinse them directly in the bag.

Stimulation

Dormant tomato seeds need to be stimulated to awaken and develop, which can be done using ready-made growth stimulants or by preparing such stimulants at home.

Gardeners use a variety of methods, and we'll describe three of the most popular:

— place the seeds in a thermos with hot water (50 C) and leave for 5 hours;

— the seeds are poured with a solution of warm water with the addition of aloe juice;

— prepare an ash solution for this purpose using wood ash rich in microelements at a rate of 20 g per 1 liter of water, and soak the tomato seeds for 7–8 hours.

Hardening

Before sowing the seeds, they must be put through a hardening procedure, which can be carried out in either of two ways:

— After the tomato seeds have undergone all the above procedures, they are soaked in warm water. As soon as they begin to swell, they are transferred to the refrigerator, maintaining a temperature of 1–2°C. The seeds are kept at this temperature for at least 36 hours, then removed and dried.

— this method is characterized by the fact that the seeds are exposed to a sharp change in temperature, they are first kept at a temperature of 24 C for 12 hours, and then at a temperature of 2 - 3 C, also for 12 hours.

We recommend:The best low-growing tomato varieties for open ground

Bubbling

To increase the germination rate of "Sanka" tomato seeds (the characteristics and description of which we provide below) to 100%—a completely achievable goal—they are also subjected to a bubbling process. This process is quite simple, requiring only the necessary equipment, specifically an aquarium air compressor.

Fill the container two-thirds full with water at 22°C (72°F) and place the compressor at the bottom. Once the bubbles begin to rise, drop the prepared seeds into the container. Keep the seeds in this motion for a day or a day and a half, then dry them. Bubbling is performed a week or two before sowing the seeds for seedlings.

Planting seeds for seedlings for the middle zone should be carried out in mid-March – early April.