Content
For some people, the passion for growing tomatoes can eventually turn into some kind of obsession, without which they cannot imagine a meaningful existence. In other words, they become fans or collectors of a wide variety of tomato varieties to such an extent that they want to see their favorite fruits not only in the warm summer season, but also at home - on balcony or on the windowsill.
But there is another category of enthusiastic gardeners who, for health reasons or other reasons, are deprived of the opportunity to visit the dacha or do not have a personal plot. And they also need to satisfy their desire to grow something not only beautiful, but also edible. For all these people and for many others, a tomato variety called Bonsai was created, description, photos and reviews, about the cultivation of which you can find in this article.
But for those people who see growing tomatoes at home as a kind of hobby, this variety may be more than interesting.After all, growing tomatoes indoors is not only completely harmless, but also a very useful hobby. Therefore, if possible, try to involve both teenage children in this activity, who have not yet been able to find something to do in life, and retired people, who sometimes cannot find an interesting activity on long winter evenings.
History and description of the variety
The Bonsai tomato was bred back in the late 90s by scientist-breeders of the Gavrish seed company. This company is known for its developments in the field of a variety of plant innovations that can be grown indoors. Therefore, it is not surprising that they were one of the first to create a tomato variety specially adapted for growing in rooms and on balconies. In 2001, the variety was officially included in the State Register of Russia and has since been quite popular.
The Bonsai tomato variety, as befits a real domestic fruit-bearing plant, has real early ripening - its first ripe fruits can be picked after 85-90 days from germination. This is important because at home, if you wish, you can organize a real conveyor belt for growing tomatoes, sowing seeds at different times every month.
It is also necessary to take into account that the fruiting period of this tomato variety itself is quite extended; the fruits can ripen and ripen on the bush for several months.
The Bonsai tomato was bred specifically for growing indoors, but no one forbids growing it as a regular outdoor tomato. Many gardeners plant it as a border plant along paths or even decorate flower beds with it. You just have to keep in mind that these tomatoes, being true indoor sissies, are not very resistant to the vagaries of the weather and can easily be affected by late blight and other diseases in the open ground.
Tomato bushes of this variety are determinate and standard, that is, they grow no more than 30 cm in height, have a strong and even thick stem and do not need a garter at all. But you will most likely have to form bushes. It is best to pinch the top of the tomato so that the bush can grow in width rather than height due to the stepsons. It is believed that the optimal shape and maximum yield from a Bonsai tomato bush can be achieved by forming it into three or four trunks, no more and no less. That is, despite all the manufacturer’s assurances, you still cannot avoid pinching.
The Bonsai tomato variety cannot be called very productive - it has slightly different priorities. But still, with conscientious care of tomatoes, you can get from 0.5 kg to 1 kg per bush.
But this stability is only comparative with other varieties, and without additional lighting on all windows, with the exception of the southern ones, you are unlikely to be able to grow a full-fledged harvest, especially in mid-latitudes.
It has average resistance to other tomato diseases.In indoor conditions, he may suffer most from the lack of lighting, and other street problems, as a rule, are not scary for him.
Fruit characteristics
A small bush strewn with beautiful fruits of edible tomatoes in a room or on a balcony, of course, is unlikely to leave anyone indifferent, even those who are very far from plant growing and gardening. Therefore, it is not surprising that people are willing to make many sacrifices to achieve such a result. Bonsai tomatoes can be characterized as follows:
- The fruits have a regular round shape and a smooth attractive surface;
- When unripe, tomatoes are light green; after full ripening they become bright red;
- The pulp is quite dense, sometimes even crispy and juicy, the skin is thin;
- The number of seed nests is no more than two;
- Tomatoes are small in size: slightly larger than grapes and weighing about 25-28 grams;
- The taste characteristics of these tomatoes have some dependence on growing conditions (amount of sun) and care, but on average they are rated as “good” and “excellent”. The fruits contain a sufficient amount of sugars and dry matter;
- Tomatoes of this variety are best consumed fresh, enjoying them straight from the bush. They are also good in salads and in twists. Despite the fact that the skin of tomatoes in jars sometimes bursts, the dense structure of the fruit is preserved.
Features of growing indoors
Bonsai tomato seeds are no fundamentally different from tomato seeds of other varieties, except that they may be slightly smaller in size and treated with special agents for good germination.So, if you notice that the color of the seeds is other than light beige, then there is no need to subject them to any pre-treatment or soaking.
Tomato seeds of this variety usually germinate well, amicably and quickly. In the period from three to seven days, you should have friendly shoots.
Immediately after they emerge, place the seedlings in a cooler location if possible, while providing them with the brightest light available.
This will help you avoid many problems with the appearance of tomato bushes in the future.
After the first two real openwork tomato leaves have appeared, it’s time to place your crumbs in separate containers. These can be any plastic jars, in the bottom of which you need to make holes for water drainage. For the first replanting, it is better to take small 0.2-0.3 liter containers.
After unrolling the third pair of leaves, each tomato bush must be carefully transferred into larger containers, about a liter in volume. At this same stage, your tomato bushes need to be fertilized with any fertilizer for indoor flowers or Em-drug if you are against chemistry. Literally the next day after transshipment, it is advisable to pinch the main stem of the bushes to cause a wave of growth of stepsons or side shoots.
Bonsai tomatoes do not require a large pot for full development. They are quite capable of bearing fruit in containers of about 2-3 liters. Prepare such flowerpots for the final transplantation of tomato bushes at the age of 1.5-2 months.
At the age of two months, your bushes should already be actively blooming and maybe even setting their first fruits. The flowers of this tomato variety are capable of self-pollination. But if you lightly shake the flower brushes once a day for better fruit set, it won’t get any worse.
The first inflorescence on tomatoes of this variety is traditionally laid after the third pair of leaves; subsequently, inflorescences can sometimes be laid in a row, even without being separated by leaves.
Watering tomato bushes grown indoors should be done with warm water. Its frequency is determined by the temperature of the tomatoes. The higher the temperature, the more often watering can occur. Overflow both seedlings and adult tomatoes are very undesirable. It is better to wait until the soil surface is completely dry before watering again.
The fruits of tomatoes begin to ripen gradually and can be collected within several months from the moment the first tomato turns red. This is also a great advantage of indoor tomatoes.
Reviews from gardeners
Many of those who tried to grow this variety of tomatoes, like other indoor varieties, were defeated and became disillusioned with the possibility of having indoor tomatoes at home. But for others, on the contrary, everything worked out, and they were quite satisfied with the result of their actions. This suggests that growing tomatoes indoors not quite a simple matter, as it might seem at first glance, it is advisable to have some skill in communicating with tomatoes, to know about their characteristics and preferences.And, above all, have good quality seeds. After all, seeds that do not match the variety can ruin all endeavors and instill disappointment in any gardener.
Conclusion
The Bonsai tomato is a tasty and very decorative variety of tomatoes intended for growing at home. But, being a kind of “toy”, it requires not at all toy-like attention and care - remember this when trying to grow this variety.
I planted Bonsai tomatoes twice. Initially I wanted to grow them on the windowsill, but they grew to about 50cm and I planted them in the country. They grew a lot and most importantly turned out to be unpretentious and very productive, although I didn’t take very good care of them. The tomatoes are very tasty and the size of an apple, not very large; there were about 30 tomatoes on each bush. I had to tie it up, although the bush is very stable, since the branches were bent to the ground from the harvest. I really liked the variety for its productivity, unpretentiousness, it is convenient to grow in a simple greenhouse, since the height of the bush is optimal and it has a fast ripening period. I recommend this variety, at least you can plant a few bushes for the first time, they don’t take up much space.