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No garden is complete without beds of tomatoes. This vegetable is loved for its excellent taste and the richness of the fruits with beneficial vitamins and microelements. How nice it is to enjoy a fresh tomato freshly picked from the garden on a summer day! What should those who don’t have a garden or a dacha do? For people living in high-rise buildings, breeders have developed special balcony varieties of tomatoes.
What is the peculiarity of balcony tomatoes, how to grow them correctly, and which variety is better to choose - everything is in this article.
What should balcony tomatoes be like?
Tomatoes, like most vegetable crops, are divided according to several criteria, such as:
- Bush height. There are determinate tomatoes, that is, those whose growth is limited - after a certain number of brushes appear (usually 5-6 pieces), the plant stops growing. On such bushes, tomatoes ripen almost simultaneously, and ripening occurs quite quickly (80-100 days). Indeterminate tomato varieties are not limited in growth. Such plants are not suitable for growing on the balcony or loggias, although there are exceptions (for example, cherry tomatoes). Super-determinate varieties of tomatoes, that is, dwarf ones, have been created especially for balconies.
- Maturation period. Early tomatoes will ripen 75-100 days after sowing the seeds for seedlings. Mid-season, as a rule, need from 100 to 120 days. Well, late varieties include those that ripen longer than 120 days. Most often, early-ripening tomatoes are chosen for balcony growing so that they have enough sunlight and warmth.
- Pollination method. A very important factor, because this is often forgotten, and the plants do not bear fruit because they are not pollinated. From the existing varieties, you need to choose self-pollinating tomatoes or those that do not require pollination at all (parthenocarpic). The inflorescences of self-pollinating varieties will need to be shaken a little, acting as the wind. Then the pollen from the male flowers will fall on the female flowers, and the ovary will appear.
- Fruit quality. This includes the shape, size, and taste characteristics of tomatoes. As a rule, small tomatoes are grown on balconies.
- Purpose of tomatoes. There are canteens designed for canning and juice production of tomatoes.
So, for growing on a balcony, you need to choose a variety with the following characteristics:
- early ripening – the growing season is 75-100 days;
- compact low-growing bushes that are easier to tie up and shape;
- self-pollinating or parthenocarpic varieties;
- with the taste and properties desired by the housewife;
- varieties and hybrids resistant to fungal diseases, since closed balconies and loggias often create an overly humid climate that promotes the development of late blight and other tomato diseases;
- tomatoes with a slightly developed root system that will fit in pots and boxes.
Based on these characteristics, you need to choose a suitable hybrid or tomato variety.
What varieties of tomatoes are most often planted on balconies?
The owners of the “mini-garden” have their own favorite, best varieties of tomatoes for the balcony. Here, much is determined by the taste and preferences of the owner: some people like large and juicy tomatoes, so they grow varieties on the balcony that are close in their characteristics to garden crops, others prefer to experiment with unusual, exotic types of tomatoes, so they choose small-fruited cocktail hybrids.
"Balcony Miracle"
A very common balcony tomato. The bushes of this plant are low and compact. However, their size does not affect the yield of the variety - about two kilograms of tomatoes can be harvested from each bush by the end of the season.
The bushes do not need tying or pinching. The plant is resistant to various diseases, including the most dangerous for tomatoes - late blight. "Balcony miracle» tolerates cool air and cloudy weather well - these conditions do not in any way affect the taste of the tomato.
The fruits grow small and are colored red. Tomatoes are great for fresh consumption, as well as for canning and pickling.
"Room Surprise"
This variety is a super early variety - the first vegetables ripen in the beds already on the 75th day after planting the seedlings. The bushes grow small and compact, their height does not exceed 50 cm.
The germination rate of the seeds of these tomatoes is very high, and the tomato yield is also encouraging - up to three kilograms of tomatoes will ripen on each bush. The shape of the fruit is plum-shaped, slightly elongated.
"Balcony bonsai"
A more decorative tomato, which is often used to decorate window sills and loggias. The bushes reach a height of only 30 cm, and the fruits are of the same small size - their weight rarely exceeds 25 grams. This allows us to classify the hybrid as a dwarf hybrid.
Such tomatoes are usually grown for beauty, although the fruits are quite edible - they have a sweetish taste and a pleasant aroma.
"Butterfly"
The tomato hybrid is an ultra-early ripening one - the fruits ripen very quickly and smoothly. The height of the bush is quite large - about 150 cm, which allows the tomato to be classified as indeterminate.
The purpose of tomatoes is universal: they are an excellent decoration for window sills and can be grown as an ornamental crop, but the taste of the fruit is also very high.
The bushes are crowned with unusual fruits sticking up, which have an elongated, slightly flattened shape. Tomatoes grow in clusters. When unripe, the fruit is colored green; its distinctive feature is the presence of a dark spot. After ripening, the tomatoes turn pinkish-crimson and the stain disappears.
The weight of Butterfly tomatoes is only 30-35 grams; tomatoes belong to the cocktail variety.
The taste of tomatoes is high; they contain a large dose of lycopene, an antioxidant useful for the human body.
"Romantic F1"
The designation F1 indicates that the tomato belongs to hybrid varieties, that is, those obtained by artificially crossing several species. Such tomatoes are more resistant to disease, can be grown in almost any conditions, and produce consistently high yields.
About 20-25 fruits ripen on each bunch. The shape of the tomatoes is round, slightly flattened. Each tomato weighs about 55 grams. When unripe, the fruit is dark green and has a dark spot near the stalk. As the tomato ripens, the stain disappears, and the tomato itself becomes greenish-brown with flecks of yellow.
"The cherry is red or yellow"
This tomato variety belongs to the subspecies cherry. A distinctive feature of these tomatoes is their long, whip-shaped vine. On one such bunch, many small tomatoes will ripen at the same time.
The height of the “Cherry” bush reaches 70-90 cm; the plant belongs to the determinant type, that is, it independently limits growth after the appearance of a certain number of shoots.
Round tomatoes are green when unripe, and when ripe they turn red and yellow, respectively. The mass of cherry tomatoes does not exceed 15 grams.
"Angelica"
These tomatoes are considered very early, their growing season is only 80 days. Kutas are of medium height with many inflorescences; 8-10 fruits appear in place of each inflorescence.
The shape of the tomatoes is ovoid; there is a rounded pimple at the end of the fruit. These tomatoes are considered large enough for balcony varieties; the weight of each can range from 50 to 70 grams.
Tomatoes are painted bright red. It is necessary to collect fruits before an outbreak of late blight begins.If the tomatoes are not yet fully ripe, they need to be placed in a dark place where the fruits will ripen.
"Pearl"
Tomatoes of this variety belong to the dwarf species; the bushes rarely reach a height of more than 40 cm. The fruits ripen quite quickly, from 3 to 7 tomatoes appear in place of each inflorescence.
“Pearl” tomatoes are small in size, their weight does not exceed 10-20 grams. When unripe, tomatoes are whitish in color, and as they ripen they become more and more pink. When the tomato is fully ripe, it will turn bright crimson.
The taste characteristics of tomatoes are very high, and these fruits are also incredibly healthy. All thanks to the balanced composition of the fruit, which includes minerals, salts and sugar.
The main advantage of the tomato is its unpretentiousness. These plants tolerate hot weather, insufficient watering, lack of fertilizing and other “troubles.”
"Ballerina"
A cocktail-type tomato belonging to indeterminate varieties. The bushes reach a height of two meters, so they definitely need to be tied up and pinched. Tomato inflorescences are simple; in place of each of them, about six fruits appear.
Tomatoes have a very interesting pear-shaped shape and a glossy surface. They are painted in a rich scarlet color. The weight of each can be from 35 to 55 grams.
"Garden Pearl"
Tomato is one of the most productive. The bushes of the plant are small and compact. Their height does not exceed 0.5 meters; the plant has the same dimensions in width.
The ovaries appear in the form of cascades strewn with fruits.The plant does not require pinching, which greatly simplifies the care of the crop.
The tomatoes grow small and are colored red. The productivity of tomatoes is very high - about 500 fruits are usually harvested from each bush.
How to grow tomatoes on the balcony
The rules for planting and caring for indoor plants differ from garden crops. Balcony tomato varieties require certain care, since their growing conditions differ from open ground and from the climatic characteristics of greenhouses and greenhouses.
Tomatoes are planted as usual - seedlings. For balcony tomatoes, the best time to sow seeds for seedlings is the beginning of March. First, the seeds are sown in boxes, which can be filled with purchased soil or soil from the garden or dacha.
Before sowing, it is better to soak the seeds for a day or two in hot water. You can even use a thermos for this - this way the tomatoes will sprout faster and hurt less. Another very good way is to place the seedlings in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for several hours.
Disinfected seeds are placed in the ground and lightly sprinkled with loose soil. You can only water the holes with a spray bottle so as not to wash away the soil. After watering, the boxes are covered with plastic wrap and placed in a very warm place, the temperature there should be above 25 degrees.
After the sprouts hatch, the film must be removed, otherwise the seedlings will turn yellow. Now the boxes are placed in a cooler and brighter place. During the day, the temperature in the room should be about 23-25 degrees, at night it can drop to 10 degrees.
For normal development, tomatoes need 12-hour lighting, so if there is not enough sunlight, the seedlings are illuminated with lamps.
When the seedlings have 3-4 leaves, they can be plucked. Dive tomatoes into cups or other individual containers. After transplantation, the plants are fed with urea.
Tomatoes are transplanted into permanent containers somewhere in early to mid-May, when the threat of frost has passed and the temperature has stabilized. For balcony tomatoes, it is better to choose cylindrical pots; plant roots fit better in them.
How to care for indoor tomatoes
Caring for tomatoes on the windowsill is practically no different from usual. Tomatoes need to be watered, fed, if necessary, pinched and tied up.
Particular attention should be paid to watering tomatoes. In a limited container and under the sun's rays penetrating through the windows of the apartment, the soil in pots dries out very quickly. Balcony tomatoes need to be watered daily, and on especially hot days - even twice a day.
Feed tomatoes at least three times per season, here you also need to be careful - if you overfeed the plants, they will grow instead of giving strength to the fruits.
Pinch Not all varieties of tomatoes are needed, but only those that produce too many side shoots. Usually, information about the need for pinching is indicated on the bag of seeds. In any case, the shoots should be broken off, leaving no more than 0.5 cm.
It is better to tie up any balcony tomatoes – this will make it easier for the plant to support the weight of the fruit. Tall varieties require mandatory staking; a support is installed next to them at the stage of transplanting seedlings. Gradually the stem is tied higher and higher as it grows.
Using balcony varieties, you can feed your family with fresh vegetables not only in the summer; these tomatoes can grow even in winter. And the owner must decide for himself which variety to prefer - today there are several dozen indoor hybrids and varieties of tomatoes.
