How often to water seedlings of tomatoes on the windowsill is an important issue that worries gardeners. Watering is an important step in plant care. It is through the water that the bushes receive all the nutrients.
Many people want to have a fresh harvest of vegetables to the table even in winter. Others do not have the opportunity to grow a plant in the garden themselves, even in summer. Therefore, the question may arise of how to grow tomatoes on the windowsill.
To grow tomatoes in an apartment, you need to invest patience, diligence and perseverance. In this case, a high-quality fresh crop will delight on the windowsill all year round. If there is a desire to collect fruits in the winter and spring, then it is better to plant in November. To continue harvesting in the summer, planting seeds is carried out in the spring (it is better to sow at the end of March).
Growing tomatoes at home begins with the right selection of varieties. It is better to stop the choice on undersized and standard (having a strong stem and compactly located branches) types of tomatoes for growing on a windowsill.
They take up little space, they do not need large containers, they can be harvested richly, there is no need to establish a support and artificially pollinate.
Seeds must also be given special care. Only large seeds are selected from the pack, which are then necessarily disinfected. This will help prevent future fungal infections. You can keep the seeds for 5 hours in a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
A solution of potassium permanganate only prevents the development of diseases, but does not affect the quality of growth. To stimulate growth, it is recommended to use special preparations.
An important point on how to grow tomatoes at home is soil preparation. It is better to buy soil in the store. It is not recommended to take ordinary land from the garden, since there is almost always a source of infection there. You can prepare the soil yourself. A good mixture is obtained from woody soil, humus, compost and sand.
To grow tomatoes in winter, you need to choose the right varieties and know how to properly care for them. It is best to choose varieties with early ripening, self-pollinating, resistant to various diseases (a closed loggia or balcony is characterized by moist air and the frequent development of fungal diseases).
You should also choose tomatoes for the windowsill, in which the root system is not too pronounced to fit in a pot or planter.
When choosing a variety, it is not necessary to take into account weather conditions. But the length of daylight hours matters, as plants especially need lighting. For example, in Ukraine, the weather allows you to grow tomatoes, not only at home. Vegetable growers have been planting varieties such as "Ballerina", "Pink Honey" for many years.
What varieties of tomatoes are best suited for a balcony? The following best varieties are very popular for breeding: Room Surprise, Balcony Bonsai, Balcony Miracle, Butterfly, Angelica. The technology of growing home cultivated plants has similar stages.
Such varieties of tomatoes as "Baby", "White Pouring", "Zelenushka", "Little Red Riding Hood", "Thumbelina" are also popular. At home, indoor tomatoes of these varieties do not exceed 45 cm in height and fit a lot of fruits on a branch.
You can also try growing high varieties of tomatoes. Among the tall species, the Cherry variety is common. The small size of the fruit will delight in any season.
High and medium-sized tomatoes on the windowsill in the apartment need pinching and shaping bushes. It is better to leave two or one stem.
How to grow tomatoes at home, there are many nuances. In a prepared container with moist soil, the seeds are sown in shallow pits (no deeper than 1 cm) at a distance of 1.5 cm. For convenience, you can take a stick with a mark and make recesses into which the seeds are sown. Then sprinkled with earth. After all the seeds are planted, water the soil through a strainer and cover with glass or polyethylene film.
An important rule on how to grow tomato seedlings is the choice of its location. Near the windowsill there are always heaters that dry the soil. Therefore, this place is not suitable for germinating seeds. Water the soil with a watering can as it dries.
After a week, the first shoots should be observed. They begin to ventilate the container with sprouts, and the soil must be constantly moist. Watering is carried out early in the morning with settled water. You can empty the container from the package when 90% of the sown seeds have risen.
Tomato seedlings on the windowsill must be constantly turned with different sides to the window. This contributes to the fact that the stems grow even and strong. If the tomatoes grew on one side, they bend, stretch and develop poorly.
Growing tomatoes on the windowsill is not complete without a pick. As soon as the first leaves develop, the bushes are transplanted into separate plastic cups, dive (pinching the long tips of the root) and make the first top dressing with microelements. Only those that have grown larger and stronger should be transplanted into separate containers, and the rest can be left to grow in a common container.
At the bottom of plastic cups, it is necessary to make holes through which excess liquid will come out and fungal diseases will not develop.
A pick is necessary in order to make a branched root system of a small size. When picking, it is important not to damage the small roots of the seedling and replant it together with the earth that the roots have enveloped. From now on, top dressing is applied every 12 days.
To grow indoor tomatoes, all subsequent days they need to be properly watered and the soil loosened. You need to water under the root, with little pressure, otherwise the roots will be exposed. Do not allow water to fall on the leaves and stems. In sunny weather, you need to water in the evening.
After picking, you can immediately transplant the seedling into a permanent large pot or use cups for a while. In the latter version, it is necessary to transplant into large containers when the roots of the plant envelop the entire earth in a cup. The ideal option is a bucket of about 10 liters; for the Cherry variety, a pot with a capacity of 3 liters is also suitable.
After the potted plants have adapted and established themselves, you can apply top dressing (approximately 12 days after transshipment).
How to grow tomatoes on the window, there are other rules. After the tomatoes are in their permanent place, they need additional care.
To grow tomatoes on your windowsill in winter, you need care and special conditions. Small bushes are afraid of drafts and watering with cold water. The temperature of the water intended for irrigation should be approximately 22 degrees. Do not overdo it with water, constantly wet soil becomes a source for the development of diseases.
You need to pour water near the bush, and after moistening, the earth must be loosened to reduce evaporation. Loosening should be done carefully, without damaging the roots. Hilling can also be carried out at the same time, as this contributes to the strengthening and development of the root system.
Growing tomatoes on a windowsill is not complete without regular fertilization. The following recipe is popular. A little superphosphate, potassium sulfate and urea are added to a liter of water. You can use mullein or chicken manure.
After the seedlings are grown, be sure to carry out additional feeding during the period of rapid color, the formation of ovaries and during fruiting.
If high and medium growth varieties were chosen from seeds for growing tomatoes on a windowsill, then additional stems (stepchildren) are formed in the bushes. It is necessary to carry out stepsoning in order to improve the nutrition of the fruit.
As the plant develops at home in a pot, dry leaves are removed, especially those that are located close to the root. Dried leaves prevent moisture from reaching the roots.
From the moment the ovaries appear, further care for cultivated plants is required. Homemade tomato bushes do not require artificial pollination. But to improve the process of ovary formation, it is recommended to shake the stem slightly every 4 days during the flowering period. So pollen from the top flowers will crumble to the bottom row.
Some experienced gardeners use a different method, which allows the fruits to take shape faster in winter on the windowsill. To this end, the bush is taken at the base and carefully pulled up. During this procedure, small roots break off, which take nutrients. Then it is recommended to water the plant and spud.
Tomatoes on the windowsill during the formation of the ovaries are useful to feed foliarly. You can dilute 1 g of boric acid in a liter of water.
If the bushes are high, then it is necessary to fix the branches at the support, otherwise they may break under the weight of the tomatoes.
Do not leave tomatoes on the bushes until fully ripe. They are harvested unripe.
Not everyone succeeds in growing tomatoes without problems at home. Very often, especially beginner gardeners, are faced with the problem of withering plants and yellowing leaves. Why tomato seedlings wither, there are several explanations:
Therefore, homemade tomatoes are not placed near opening windows, the gap between the bushes should be at least 2 cm, fertilizers are applied no more than once a week. Be sure to monitor the humidity and room temperature.
When the bushes turn yellow and dry, the cause may lie in diseases. If the consequences of improper plant care can be quickly eliminated, for example, by moving the seedlings to another place, transplanting or removing wet soil, then it becomes more difficult to save the crop from diseases.
The cause of diseases most often becomes poor-quality soil (even if it was purchased in a store). If the plants dry, wither, brown spots appear on the stem, then most likely we are talking about a fungal disease - fusarium. You can save diseased plants by transplanting them into another soil, but before that, the container should be disinfected.
If it is wrong to water the plants in the apartment in winter, then there is a high probability of the appearance of such a disease as the Black Leg. The leaves of tomatoes darken, fall off, and the roots begin to rot. It is better to immediately get rid of such a bush, so as not to infect other plants.
Who among us does not dream of fresh vegetables that can be eaten not only in season? Why go to the supermarket in winter for imported tomatoes that don’t even smell like them when you can grow natural tomatoes on the windowsill?! By moving indoor flowers and making room for several pots, fragrant and tasty tomatoes are easy to get even at home. How to do it right, in order to pamper your loved ones with vitamins all year round, will be prompted by a small selection of practical tips and recommendations, which we suggest that you familiarize yourself with today.
The dates when it is necessary to start sowing tomato seeds for window sill cultivation do not have such restrictions as in the case of obtaining seedlings for open ground. It all depends on the period for which fruiting is planned: whether it will be a year-round “exploitation”, or whether it will be the ripening of the crop in the winter.
To have fresh vegetables throughout the year, regardless of the weather, the seeds can be planted in 4 runs: autumn sowing in October and November will provide a winter harvest, and planting in February and March will guarantee fruits in the summer.
Potted tomatoes are grown in the same way as garden crops - through seedlings. You can use your own seeds, collected with your own hands from homemade tomatoes, or you can buy them in a store. However, regardless of origin, all seeds must first be prepared for sowing. For this:
To speed up the germination of seeds, they can be put in a cloth bag, moistened well and left on a saucer for several days so that the seeds swell.
Particular attention should be paid to the substrate for growing tomatoes on the windowsill. It should be loose, nutritious and with neutral acidity. The easiest way is to go to the same store where the seeds were bought and purchase ready-made special soil mixtures for tomato seedlings. This will be especially true during winter sowing, besides, the store land already contains all the necessary nutrients, and there is no need to add additional components.
If there is a desire and opportunity, you can prepare the soil for growing a tomato yourself by choosing one of the proposed mixture options, namely:
The earth from the garden or vegetable garden must be disinfected before use by dousing with boiling water or calcining in the oven.
For growing tomato seedlings, you can use both a common container and individual cassettes, cups or peat tablets. In the first case, fill a shallow container with nutrient soil and moisten it well. Seeds should be laid out at some distance from each other (1-2 cm), deepening no more than 2 cm, otherwise they will germinate for a long time. Then sprinkle with a thin layer of soil and lightly tamp.
Seeds should germinate in a greenhouse, that is, the container must be covered with a lid or film and placed on a bright window. Periodically ventilate the greenhouse or make several small holes in the film to prevent condensation from accumulating. The optimal temperature conditions for seedlings at this stage of growth are from 22 to 24 degrees Celsius during the day and below 20 degrees at night.
Caring for seedlings of indoor tomatoes consists in the following activities:
Strong grown seedlings can dive into pots, having previously laid a drainage layer on the bottom. The choice of containers depends on the specific variety:
In order for the tomatoes on the windowsill to develop well and set fruit, they need to provide good lighting by placing the pots on the southern windowsills. Every two days, the flowerpots must be rotated so that the bushes do not grow one-sided, and if there is not enough sun, they should be illuminated.
It is also important to observe the irrigation regime, moistening the soil twice a week. The complete drying of the soil must not be allowed, otherwise the ovary and fruits will crumble, but waterlogging also threatens with putrefactive diseases. You can start feeding the bushes after transplanting to a permanent place after 20 days - during this time they adapt. Enough 3-fold introduction of complex within a month, otherwise there is a risk that the tomatoes will go into the growth of deciduous mass, which will lead to a decrease in yield and chopping of the fruit.
It is necessary to apply fertilizer on moist soil, preferably the next day after watering.
Dwarf tomato varieties do not need a garter either, but in higher species, a support should be installed and a bush should be formed into one or two stems, and stepchildren should also be plucked.
There are some more tricks that will increase the yield of tomatoes, namely:
Another point worth paying attention to is the protection of potted tomatoes from diseases, because even room conditions cannot guarantee their complete absence. One of the main enemies of the nightshade is. In order to prevent its manifestation, it is important not to fill the bushes and drain the water from the pan. The fungus also does not tolerate fresh air, so you need to ventilate the room more often.
As a preventive measure, you can spray the plants with a home remedy made from the following ingredients:
When choosing a tomato variety for growing on a windowsill, you should give preference to undersized, early ripening and productive species due to limited space. They won’t take up much space, and at the same time they will delight you with delicious fruits in early spring. Some of the most popular varieties are such tomatoes:
And in order to have fresh vegetables not only in spring, but also until the New Year itself, you can plant taller (up to 1 m in height) hybrid varieties. On the windowsill, they will take up more space and require shaping and garters, but they will bear fruit until the onset of winter. 
Some of the new, but already popular hybrids are cherry varieties: Ira F1, Lisa F1, Maksik F1, Likopa F1. Small but very tasty red or yellow tomatoes grow in whole clusters and ripen quickly.
Cherry pots for the summer period are best taken outside or onto the balcony, not forgetting to take them into the house with a cold snap.
Growing a tomato on the windowsill is an exciting activity that will not only allow you to pass the long winter days, but also provide your diet with vitamins. Plant and eat healthy!
Thanks to the efforts of breeders, you can grow tomatoes on the windowsill, and at any time of the year. There are many varieties that can produce good yields indoors. Growing them is no more difficult than ordinary tomatoes in the garden, moreover, they are not afraid of either drought or the Colorado potato beetle. To enjoy fresh tomatoes in the winter cold, you need to study all the nuances of such cultivation, but the most important thing is to choose the right variety.
Room conditions are significantly different from the conditions in the garden, so not every variety of tomatoes will be able to grow and bear fruit normally indoors. Varieties intended for growing on a windowsill have the following characteristics:
In addition to these features, indoor tomatoes are distinguished by the highest taste, and are rightfully considered champions among tomatoes in terms of the content of vitamins and sugars in the pulp. But not all of them can boast of yield, because some varieties are more decorative, and form very small, cherry-sized fruits. Of course, they are also edible, but there are too few of them, and therefore they are used most often to decorate dishes.
If you need tomatoes for daily use, choose high-yielding varieties with larger fruits. As a rule, the mass of indoor tomatoes varies between 15-130 g, depending on the variety. The best of them form low bushes completely covered with fruits. On average, one bush can produce up to 2 kg of tasty, marketable tomatoes per season.
Potted tomatoes have another feature - they are perennials. If, after collecting the last fruits, the bush is not thrown away, then after a while new leaves will appear on the stem. Typically, these tomatoes grow and bear fruit within 5 years, although the most abundant crops are in the first 2 years.
The range of indoor tomatoes is smaller than regular ones, but still impressive. Varieties differ in shape, size and color of fruits, height and shape of the bush, ripening time and other parameters. Every year, their list is replenished with new varieties and hybrids from leading breeding companies. Below are the most popular tomatoes for growing on a windowsill.
| Name | Main characteristics |
|---|---|
| This early ripe variety forms standard bushes up to half a meter high. Its fruits are red, round, with a high content of sugars. Unlike most potted tomatoes, tomatoes of this variety grow up to 70-100 g. With good care, the yield per plant is about 2 kg. The balcony miracle adapts well to the lack of light and can bear fruit well in winter. |
| Early maturing, standard. The height of the bushes does not exceed half a meter, and the weight of bright red elongated fruits collected in clusters is 25-30 g. The pulp of these tomatoes is very tasty and fragrant, they are great for salads. In winter, the plant needs lighting, otherwise the harvest will be rather weak. |
| A neat lush bush up to 30 cm high. Tomatoes of this variety have a rounded shape and rich red color, fruit weight is 25 g. With good care, each plant produces 1 kg of delicious marketable tomatoes per season |
| Today it is considered the smallest type of tomato, the height of its bushes is only 12-15 cm. Round, small fruits (10-12 g) are yellow and red. You should not expect a big harvest from him, but in terms of decorativeness, the variety is ahead of most potted tomatoes. Ideal for winter growing, as it does not depend on the length of daylight hours |
| One of the best pot varieties. Plants are not tall, maximum 30 cm, densely leafy, compact. The weight of the fruit is about 20 g, the color is red. One bush gives from 1 to 1.5 kg of tomatoes, which are suitable not only for salads, but also for canning. In the summer it can be grown in the beds, and in the fall the bushes are transplanted into pots and brought into the house. |
| Its fruits ripen 85-90 days after germination. Standard variety, universal use, bears fruit well in short day conditions. His tomatoes are small, weighing 25 g, red, fragrant. The bush itself looks very decorative during the fruit ripening period. |
| A popular variety valued for its high yield. The bushes have a compact shape, do not exceed 30 cm in height, do not need pinching. Its fruits are small (20-40 g), red in color, with very sweet pulp. The ovaries are collected in long brushes, and during the ripening period, the leaves are almost invisible under the fruits. The variety is resistant to low light and bears fruit well in winter. |
| Yellow-fruited and early maturing variety. It can be grown both on the windowsill and in the open field. The height of standard bushes does not exceed 40 cm, the crown is dense, does not need to be formed. The weight of tomatoes is about 40 g, the yield is very high. The skin of the fruit is thin, orange, the flesh is sweet and juicy. |
| A new, still rare variety. The plant is standard, 25 cm tall, during the fruiting period the entire bush is covered with clusters of yellow small round-shaped tomatoes. Fruit weight rarely exceeds 30 g, the pulp is very sweet. The variety is neutral to low light, so it bears fruit well in winter. |
| Early maturing popular Dutch variety. It bears fruit regardless of the time of year and the degree of illumination. The height of the bushes is about 30 cm, in the open field it can grow up to 50 cm. The weight of the tomatoes is 12-14 g, the color is red, the pulp is moderately sweet |
In addition to standard varieties, ampelous tomatoes are also in demand among fans of indoor growing tomatoes. They can be planted in hanging planters or in tall pots, from which the shoots will hang beautifully on the windowsill. Caring for them is a little more difficult than for ordinary varieties, and the yield is less, but all this is offset by the great taste of tomatoes and the high decorativeness of the bush. The choice of ampel varieties is still small, and seeds can only be purchased from a few domestic agricultural firms.
| Name | Characteristics |
|---|---|
| Spreading bush with shoots up to 50 cm. The stems of the plant are thin, but strong, and do not break under the weight of numerous fruits. Stepson bush is not necessary. Round tomatoes weighing 15-20 g, when ripe, acquire a crimson color and become translucent. On one plant there can be up to three hundred fruits of a trade dress. The variety is very decorative, feels great indoors and outdoors. |
| Spectacular early hybrid. It can grow vertically (but then it is necessary to tie up the stems) and as an ampelous plant. His tomatoes are round, red in color, with a characteristic tomato flavor, weighing about 30 g. The hybrid is specially bred for growing indoors, so it develops well and bears fruit regardless of the time of year |
| A new productive hybrid for ampelny cultivation. Shoots are slightly leafy, up to half a meter long, strong. Small red fruits have an elongated shape, mounted on long brushes of 8-10 pieces. Tomatoes are suitable for harvesting for the winter; they do not crack during heat treatment. In good conditions, the yield of one bush is 1.8-2 kg |
| One of the new ampel varieties. Super early, has a cascade shape of a bush, the mass of tomatoes is 25-30 g. The taste of the fruit is excellent, the average yield is about 2 kg. With a lack of lighting, the number of fruits is slightly less |
| Already a fairly well-known ampelous variety of domestic selection. It belongs to medium-early, the bush is quite compact, shoots up to 55 cm long. Egg-shaped fruits of red color, average weight about 40 g. When grown in open ground, the weight of fruits is almost twice as much. The variety is characterized by stretched fruiting, and very plentiful. Tomatoes are juicy, tasty, can be preserved |
| Very attractive high yielding hybrid. Shoots grow up to 60 cm; the plant does not need pinching. The brushes are densely hung with small (20g) sweet red fruits, which are suitable for canning. The bush grows quickly, so it needs a lot of space. In winter, the plant must be highlighted, otherwise the yield will decrease. |
Like regular varieties, indoor tomatoes are best grown through seedlings. And at this stage there are no differences, except that the timing of sowing seeds is different. On average, potted tomatoes begin to bear fruit 90-100 days after germination, and if you want to get the first tomatoes by a certain date, consider this factor. For example, to take the first harvest in January, sow seeds for seedlings at the end of September.
Before sowing, the seeds are disinfected by soaking for 15-30 minutes in a weak solution of potassium permanganate, and then left in a damp cloth for a couple of days to hatch.
They are sown in a common container with ordinary soil or purchased substrate to a depth of no more than 1 cm. The distance between the seeds should be within 2-3 cm so that the seedlings are not thickened.
Seedlings are transplanted into separate containers as soon as the seedlings form 2-3 true leaves. The sizes of the pots are selected depending on the variety of tomatoes: for dwarf tomatoes, a volume of 1.5-2 liters is enough, for ordinary room ones 3-4 liters, for ampelous ones - at least 5 liters. All pots must have drainage holes. It is very important to properly prepare the soil, because the development and fruiting of the bush depends on its composition.
The best option is the following composition:
On a bucket of such a mixture, it is necessary to add a matchbox of urea and potassium sulfate, a handful of sifted wood ash. All this is thoroughly mixed. Now you can start planting seedlings.
Step 1. A drainage layer of fine gravel, pieces of bark, expanded clay or other material is poured onto the bottom of the pots. Fill the containers to the top with soil and make a small depression in the center.
Step 2 Pre-watered seedlings are carefully taken out one at a time and planted in pots, deepening to the cotyledon leaves. Water carefully.
Step 3 They put the pots on the windowsill (preferably on the south side) and regularly turn them around every 2 days with the other side facing the light. In the mornings and evenings, as well as in cloudy weather, plants should be illuminated with a phytolamp.
After a week, the plants are fed with half the dose of nitrogen fertilizers necessary for growth. During the flowering period, in order to increase the percentage of pollination, the stems of the plant are shaken very lightly and carried over the flowers with a feather or a soft brush. After the formation of the ovaries, fertilizing with potash fertilizer is required every two weeks.
In varieties that need to form a bush, stepchildren are removed, the top of the main stem is pinched, and excess inflorescences are cut off to increase the size of the fruit. Tall bushes are tied to supports that are stuck into the ground along the edge of the pot.
If there are signs of fungal infection, all plants are sprayed with phytosporin or another antifungal agent. To prolong fruiting, regularly pick ripe fruits, remove dried leaves, do not forget about top dressing and watering. The earth in pots should be periodically loosened, trying not to hook the roots. With such care, your tomatoes will delight you all winter with a plentiful harvest of sweet, tasty fruits.
Thanks to the efforts of breeders, you can grow tomatoes on the windowsill, and at any time of the year. There are many varieties that can produce good yields indoors. Growing them is no more difficult than ordinary tomatoes in the garden, moreover, they are not afraid of either drought or the Colorado potato beetle. To enjoy fresh tomatoes in the winter cold, you need to study all the nuances of such cultivation, but the most important thing is to choose the right variety.
Room conditions are significantly different from the conditions in the garden, so not every variety of tomatoes will be able to grow and bear fruit normally indoors. Varieties intended for growing on a windowsill have the following characteristics:
In addition to these features, indoor tomatoes are distinguished by the highest taste, and are rightfully considered champions among tomatoes in terms of the content of vitamins and sugars in the pulp. But not all of them can boast of yield, because some varieties are more decorative, and form very small, cherry-sized fruits. Of course, they are also edible, but there are too few of them, and therefore they are used most often to decorate dishes.
If you need tomatoes for daily use, choose high-yielding varieties with larger fruits. As a rule, the mass of indoor tomatoes varies between 15-130 g, depending on the variety. The best of them form low bushes completely covered with fruits. On average, one bush can produce up to 2 kg of tasty, marketable tomatoes per season.
Potted tomatoes have another feature - they are perennials. If, after collecting the last fruits, the bush is not thrown away, then after a while new leaves will appear on the stem. Typically, these tomatoes grow and bear fruit within 5 years, although the most abundant crops are in the first 2 years.
The range of indoor tomatoes is smaller than regular ones, but still impressive. Varieties differ in shape, size and color of fruits, height and shape of the bush, ripening time and other parameters. Every year, their list is replenished with new varieties and hybrids from leading breeding companies. Below are the most popular tomatoes for growing on a windowsill.
| Name | Main characteristics |
|---|---|
|
|
This early ripe variety forms standard bushes up to half a meter high. Its fruits are red, round, with a high content of sugars. Unlike most potted tomatoes, tomatoes of this variety grow up to 70-100 g. With good care, the yield per plant is about 2 kg. The balcony miracle adapts well to the lack of light and can bear fruit well in winter. |
|
|
Early maturing, standard. The height of the bushes does not exceed half a meter, and the weight of bright red elongated fruits collected in clusters is 25-30 g. The pulp of these tomatoes is very tasty and fragrant, they are great for salads. In winter, the plant needs lighting, otherwise the harvest will be rather weak. |
|
|
A neat lush bush up to 30 cm high. Tomatoes of this variety have a rounded shape and rich red color, fruit weight is 25 g. With good care, each plant produces 1 kg of delicious marketable tomatoes per season |
|
|
Today it is considered the smallest type of tomato, the height of its bushes is only 12-15 cm. Round, small fruits (10-12 g) are yellow and red. You should not expect a big harvest from him, but in terms of decorativeness, the variety is ahead of most potted tomatoes. Ideal for winter growing, as it does not depend on the length of daylight hours |
|
|
One of the best pot varieties. Plants are not tall, maximum 30 cm, densely leafy, compact. The weight of the fruit is about 20 g, the color is red. One bush gives from 1 to 1.5 kg of tomatoes, which are suitable not only for salads, but also for canning. In the summer it can be grown in the beds, and in the fall the bushes are transplanted into pots and brought into the house. |
|
|
Its fruits ripen 85-90 days after germination. Standard variety, universal use, bears fruit well in short day conditions. His tomatoes are small, weighing 25 g, red, fragrant. The bush itself looks very decorative during the fruit ripening period. |
|
|
A popular variety valued for its high yield. The bushes have a compact shape, do not exceed 30 cm in height, do not need pinching. Its fruits are small (20-40 g), red in color, with very sweet pulp. The ovaries are collected in long brushes, and during the ripening period, the leaves are almost invisible under the fruits. The variety is resistant to low light and bears fruit well in winter. |
|
|
Yellow-fruited and early maturing variety. It can be grown both on the windowsill and in the open field. The height of standard bushes does not exceed 40 cm, the crown is dense, does not need to be formed. The weight of tomatoes is about 40 g, the yield is very high. The skin of the fruit is thin, orange, the flesh is sweet and juicy. |
|
|
A new, still rare variety. The plant is standard, 25 cm tall, during the fruiting period the entire bush is covered with clusters of yellow small round-shaped tomatoes. Fruit weight rarely exceeds 30 g, the pulp is very sweet. The variety is neutral to low light, so it bears fruit well in winter. |
|
|
Early maturing popular Dutch variety. It bears fruit regardless of the time of year and the degree of illumination. The height of the bushes is about 30 cm, in the open field it can grow up to 50 cm. The weight of the tomatoes is 12-14 g, the color is red, the pulp is moderately sweet |
In addition to standard varieties, ampelous tomatoes are also in demand among fans of indoor growing tomatoes. They can be planted in hanging planters or in tall pots, from which the shoots will hang beautifully on the windowsill. Caring for them is a little more difficult than for ordinary varieties, and the yield is less, but all this is offset by the great taste of tomatoes and the high decorativeness of the bush. The choice of ampel varieties is still small, and seeds can only be purchased from a few domestic agricultural firms.
| Name | Characteristics |
|---|---|
|
|
Spreading bush with shoots up to 50 cm. The stems of the plant are thin, but strong, and do not break under the weight of numerous fruits. Stepson bush is not necessary. Round tomatoes weighing 15-20 g, when ripe, acquire a crimson color and become translucent. On one plant there can be up to three hundred fruits of a trade dress. The variety is very decorative, feels great indoors and outdoors. |
|
|
Spectacular early hybrid. It can grow vertically (but then it is necessary to tie up the stems) and as an ampelous plant. His tomatoes are round, red in color, with a characteristic tomato flavor, weighing about 30 g. The hybrid is specially bred for growing indoors, so it develops well and bears fruit regardless of the time of year |
|
|
A new productive hybrid for ampelny cultivation. Shoots are slightly leafy, up to half a meter long, strong. Small red fruits have an elongated shape, mounted on long brushes of 8-10 pieces. Tomatoes are suitable for harvesting for the winter; they do not crack during heat treatment. In good conditions, the yield of one bush is 1.8-2 kg |
|
|
One of the new ampel varieties. Super early, has a cascade shape of a bush, the mass of tomatoes is 25-30 g. The taste of the fruit is excellent, the average yield is about 2 kg. With a lack of lighting, the number of fruits is slightly less |
|
|
Already a fairly well-known ampelous variety of domestic selection. It belongs to medium-early, the bush is quite compact, shoots up to 55 cm long. Egg-shaped fruits of red color, average weight about 40 g. When grown in open ground, the weight of fruits is almost twice as much. The variety is characterized by stretched fruiting, and very plentiful. Tomatoes are juicy, tasty, can be preserved |
|
|
Very attractive high yielding hybrid. Shoots grow up to 60 cm; the plant does not need pinching. The brushes are densely hung with small (20g) sweet red fruits, which are suitable for canning. The bush grows quickly, so it needs a lot of space. In winter, the plant must be highlighted, otherwise the yield will decrease. |
Like regular varieties, indoor tomatoes are best grown through seedlings. And at this stage there are no differences, except that the timing of sowing seeds is different. On average, potted tomatoes begin to bear fruit 90-100 days after germination, and if you want to get the first tomatoes by a certain date, consider this factor. For example, to take the first harvest in January, sow seeds for seedlings at the end of September.
Before sowing, the seeds are disinfected by soaking for 15-30 minutes in a weak solution of potassium permanganate, and then left in a damp cloth for a couple of days to hatch.
They are sown in a common container with ordinary soil or purchased substrate to a depth of no more than 1 cm. The distance between the seeds should be within 2-3 cm so that the seedlings are not thickened.
Seedlings are transplanted into separate containers as soon as the seedlings form 2-3 true leaves. The sizes of the pots are selected depending on the variety of tomatoes: for dwarf tomatoes, a volume of 1.5-2 liters is enough, for ordinary room ones 3-4 liters, for ampelous ones - at least 5 liters. All pots must have drainage holes. It is very important to properly prepare the soil, because the development and fruiting of the bush depends on its composition.
The best option is the following composition:
On a bucket of such a mixture, it is necessary to add a matchbox of urea and potassium sulfate, a handful of sifted wood ash. All this is thoroughly mixed. Now you can start planting seedlings.
Step 1. A drainage layer of fine gravel, pieces of bark, expanded clay or other material is poured onto the bottom of the pots. Fill the containers to the top with soil and make a small depression in the center.
Step 2. Pre-watered seedlings are carefully taken out one at a time and planted in pots, deepening to the cotyledon leaves. Water carefully.
The soil must be saturated with moisture so that water gets to the roots.
Step 3. Put the pots on the windowsill (preferably on the south side) and regularly turn them around every 2 days with the other side facing the light. In the mornings and evenings, as well as in cloudy weather, plants should be illuminated with a phytolamp.
After a week, the plants are fed with half the dose of nitrogen fertilizers necessary for growth. During the flowering period, in order to increase the percentage of pollination, the stems of the plant are shaken very lightly and carried over the flowers with a feather or a soft brush. After the formation of the ovaries, fertilizing with potash fertilizer is required every two weeks.
In varieties that need to form a bush, stepchildren are removed, the top of the main stem is pinched, and excess inflorescences are cut off to increase the size of the fruit. Tall bushes are tied to supports that are stuck into the ground along the edge of the pot.
If there are signs of fungal infection, all plants are sprayed with phytosporin or another antifungal agent. To prolong fruiting, regularly pick ripe fruits, remove dried leaves, do not forget about top dressing and watering. The earth in pots should be periodically loosened, trying not to hook the roots. With such care, your tomatoes will delight you all winter with a plentiful harvest of sweet, tasty fruits.
Without having your own land plot, you can feast on freshly picked fragrant tomatoes, growing them on a balcony or windowsill. Most often, people want to grow vegetables on the windowsill in winter, when the summer season is far away, but they want to tinker with the ground. But even in the warm season, this is an excellent solution for residents, for example, apartment buildings. Of course, this is not a way to fully feed the family, but an opportunity not only to save a little, but also to get moral satisfaction. It is pleasant for everyone not only to see the result of their work, but also to taste it, because vegetables grown with their own hands are always the most fragrant and tasty, and most importantly, healthy and not treated with pesticides.
Growing tomatoes and caring for them in an apartment is not much different from growing them in the open field and caring for indoor plants. But there are also some features. Breeders have bred a large number of tomato varieties specifically for growing in a room. If you want to grow tomatoes on a windowsill, then it is best to choose undersized varieties, such as Florida Petit (Little Florida) and Oak. Outdoors, plants grow 25 - 35 cm tall. In the room, they stretch up to 40 - 50 cm, but at the same time, the trunk of the plant is strong enough and you don’t have to tie the plants up.
They differ in the compact sizes of a bush and high decorative effect. The fruits on them are small in size, but very tasty. And due to the fact that there are a lot of them on each bush, the harvest is quite decent. Also, such low-growing varieties as Pinocchio, Balcony Miracle, Buttons, Bonsai, Mikron NK, etc., have proven themselves well.
If you have a large, well-lit balcony or loggia, then you can try planting large-fruited and tall varieties: Bull's Heart, Cream, De Barao, White Pouring, Carlson. But in this case, it must be taken into account that for one such bush you need at least 10-15 liters of soil.
In order for seedlings to appear faster, the seeds must first be soaked. To do this, place them in a pale pink solution of potassium permanganate for 10-15 minutes. Then throw out the seeds that have not sunk to the bottom, and take out the rest, wrap them in a wet cloth and wait for them to hatch. If the manufacturer applied a special protective and nourishing film to the planting material, soaking is not necessary.
Suitable for planting tomatoes "Universal" soil, which you can buy or make yourself by mixing black soil, sand and peat in equal proportions. To enrich the earth with minerals, it is better to add sifted charcoal. Before planting, the soil should be doused with boiling water, and then allowed to cool. Thus, it will be disinfected, warmed up and well moistened.
For sowing seeds 200 ml plastic cups can be used. It is desirable to choose glasses transparent so that you can control watering. Do not make holes for water at the bottom, because with a small volume, the soil will not have time to absorb enough water. The glass must be filled with earth, leaving at the top somewhere on the finger of free space. Make a hole 2 cm deep, plant 2 seeds, fill the hole with soil. After that, the glasses should be covered with plastic wrap to prevent moisture evaporation and placed in a dark place with a temperature of 24-26°C. On the third or fourth day, as soon as the first shoots appear, we transfer the crops to a cool window sill with artificial lighting so that the seedlings do not stretch too much, and do not water until the top layer of soil dries out to avoid the development of fungal diseases.
!!! A great danger to tomatoes is fungal diseases, the appearance and spread of which is facilitated by dampness. The development of the disease is prevented by sunlight and free access to fresh air. A good way to combat plant diseases is to spray with a Bordeaux mixture. To prepare it, it is necessary to dissolve 10 g of copper sulfate in a glass dish in 0.9 l of water, and dilute 20 g of slaked lime in 0.1 l of water. Pour milk of lime in a thin stream into the solution of vitriol, with continuous stirring. The finished mixture is stored for no more than 24 hours.
When two or three "real" leaves appear, transplant the tomatoes into large pots. For dwarf tomatoes, a 4-5 liter container will suffice, but the more space, the better. At the bottom of the pot, put expanded clay or pieces of foam, pour a layer of sand 2-3 cm and some soil. Lightly water the seedlings, and then carefully remove from the glass along with a clod of earth. Place the seedling in a pot, and fill the free space with soil. If more than one sprout has grown, then it is better to leave the healthiest one, and pinch off the rest with your hands at the root. Top up with 2-3 cm of earth and water. Thus, 5-7 cm should remain free in the pot to the top edge. This will make it possible to pour soil into the pot as the plant grows, thereby replacing hilling.
watering tomatoes depending on the return and time of year should be different. In the first month of tomato life, the soil should be moistened often, every day or every other day, but moderately. Further, the plants can be watered more abundantly and less often. When the tomatoes begin to bloom and the ovary appears, do not allow the earth to dry out. Tomatoes do not like high humidity. It is advisable to water the plants a couple of times a week, abundantly wetting the soil. For irrigation, it is better to use water at a temperature of 20-25 ° C. It is not necessary to erode the soil under the bush - it is enough that it is wet. It is best to water the plants in the evening. If it so happened that you need to water during the day, then it is better to do it through the pan. Do not water tomatoes on a sunny day. Water should not fall on the leaves or the trunk of the plant, because water droplets, like small lenses, focus the sun's rays and plants can get burned. On particularly hot summer days, or if the air at home is very dry, spraying can save. During this period, adhere to the rule "it is better to overfill than underfill." But the winter period and cloudy days, on the contrary, - "it is better to underfill than overfill."
Tomatoes are very demanding on lighting. In order not to use artificial lighting, it is better to plant seeds in late March - early April, and place the plants in the south or southeast. For uniform lighting every two days, you can turn the tomatoes with the other side to the window.
On cloudy short winter days, it is simply impossible to grow lush bushes in an apartment without additional lighting. It is no secret that light is the main component of the process of photosynthesis, which is important for a plant, without which normal growth and development of a plant does not occur.
Additional lighting can be arranged using white and daylight fluorescent lamps. Such lamps give a light similar to sunlight and at the same time do not emit heat. Therefore, they can be placed close enough to plants. Also, in specialized stores you can buy fitolamps adapted specifically for indoor growing vegetables.
For better fruiting, once every two weeks it is recommended to carry out fertilizing plants with organic fertilizers. You should not use chemicals, as there is a high risk of overdosing with the dosage and getting fruits full of nitrates, because if manure, ash and other organic fertilizers are provided by nature itself and plants take exactly as many nutrients as they need, then chemical fertilizers are absorbed by the plant uncontrollably. And if you overfeed, then at best the plant will die, and at worst (for you) case, the plants will become lush and beautiful, but their fruits can be poisoned. Therefore, for fruit-bearing plants, it is better to use only organic fertilizers.
You can feed a tomato with well-rotted manure diluted in water. It can be prepared in advance at the dacha, allowed to overheat, and stock up for the winter, and put to overheat on the balcony. When the manure is overheated, it smells quite strongly. If it is necessary to fertilize, but there is no balcony where manure in any container could overheat, then you can feed it with horse manure. When it overheats, it practically does not smell. They can be fed and not overripe. Top dressing with water infused with manure should be carried out once a week or two. You can alternate it with top dressing ash.
Fertilizing with manure stimulates plant growth and flower formation. But plants may not be able to cope with the abundance of color, and the flowers will fall off without forming ovaries ( when 2-3 bunches of tomatoes are tied, remove the remaining peduncles and stepchildren to reduce the load on the plant). In this case, the way out of the situation will be ash. It promotes the formation of ovaries, as well as the growth and ripening of fruits. Ash can simply be sprinkled on the ground around the plant or diluted in water and fed with this solution.
To feed with manure, it is enough to dilute two tablespoons of manure (with a slide) in a liter of water. For top dressing with ash - one teaspoon of ash must be diluted in a liter of water.
Further plant care certainly includes such items as pinching and bush formation. From the axils of the leaves grow the so-called stepchildren. Their growth requires a lot of nutrients necessary for flowering and fruit formation. In order to have more fruits, stepchildren must be removed so that the yield does not suffer. This is best done when the stepson has grown 1 - 3 cm long, breaking off with his hands, and not cutting off, to avoid infecting the plants.
When forming a bush, only one stepson is left - under the first inflorescence of the brush, thus forming a plant in two stems. Tie the stems to stakes as needed. In addition to stepchildren, it is desirable to remove yellowed and damaged leaves.
All varieties of tomatoes, with the exception of undersized ones, require tying. Otherwise, the plant may not support its own weight and its trunk may break. If tomatoes grow on a balcony, then you need to think in a timely manner where the plants will be tied up.
Medium-sized varieties can be tied to a peg. When planting tomatoes in a large pot, a peg is also dug in with the plant, 50 - 60 cm long (from ground level). When the plant reaches the desired size, it can be tied to this peg without any problems.
If you do not prepare in advance and do not dig in a peg, then later, when the plant is already large, it will be possible to damage the roots.
You can tie up with an old nylon stocking, or a strip of flannel cloth. Just do it carefully, the node should not be placed on the plant.
Tomatoes do not require artificial pollination, but for better tying, you can lightly tap the stem several times a week, shaking the flower brushes. After the main part of the fruit is formed, the top of the plant, as well as flowering brushes, should be removed, as they will not allow the already formed fruits to fully develop.
With poor ventilation, high ambient temperature, insufficient soil moisture and poor lighting, the leaves of plants do not twist, but stretch upwards, flowers and fruits fall off. It is often necessary to ventilate the room and water the plants, carefully monitor the temperature regime. With excessive watering and top dressing, on the contrary, a powerful dark green bush with weak flower tassels is formed. In this case, the plant is fed less often, the soil is not watered for about a week, and the flowers are pollinated by hand using cotton swabs.
Lemons grown in an apartment look very beautiful (and tasty).
- It is better to give preference to small-fruited, but high-yielding hybrids and varieties of tomatoes. In a small area, it is difficult for a plant to feed large fruits, there will be few of them or they will ripen for a long time. Small fruits ripen gradually, which will provide fresh vegetables every day.
- The right choice of seeds is important.. For growing in a city apartment, self-pollinated early maturing undersized or bush hybrids will be most suitable. Nowadays, special varieties are also bred for home cultivation (in this case, the seed bags will say "suitable for growing in an apartment").
- So that a beautiful, juicy, fruit-bearing bush grows from a seed, the plant needs to provide a suitable temperature and the required amount of light. Vegetable beds should be located on the south or southeast windows. On short winter days, additional lighting with fluorescent lamps is mandatory.
- Do not allow the soil to dry out. In the heat, the plant can drop flowers and ovaries. If there is no time to monitor soil moisture, you can arrange an "irrigation system". To do this, you need to dig a plastic bottle into the ground, having previously made several holes in it. Which side to dig it in depends on the size of the pot. The main thing is that there is a funnel on the surface for pouring water. Thus, the roots will constantly receive moisture, and from above the earth will not be covered with a crust.
- feed the plants once a month is enough. During flowering, the twigs need to be shaken a little to improve pollination. For these purposes, you can use a universal fertilizer for indoor flowers or specialized growth concentrates. But it is very important not to abuse fertilizers, the saying "you can't spoil porridge with oil" is inappropriate here. The norm specified in the fertilizer instructions must not be exceeded. Better yet, divide it into two times (it is better to feed more often). In order not to burn the roots, the plant must first be watered with clean water, and only then with a fertilizer solution.
- Pots with seedlings and adult bushes must be rotated 180 degrees once a day. This is necessary so that the bushes are even, as plants tend to bend towards the light. And, at the same time, it is necessary to protect the plants from the scorching rays of the sun. Burns on the leaves and the yield can significantly reduce, and the appearance of the plant will be spoiled. To do this, you can "tint" the glass with white paper - and the room will not be so hot, and the plants will become more comfortable.
- Don't pick unripe tomatoes. Singing on the bush, they become fragrant and juicy. This is what we lack in purchased fruits
- Do not force plants to compete. By planting two bushes in one pot, you can not only not increase the yield, but lose it altogether. If there is nowhere to transplant extra plants, it is better to throw them away altogether, and then the rest will be pleased with a generous harvest.
P.S. It is no secret that many insects, including mosquitoes and ants, cannot stand the specific smell of tomato leaves. Several plant pots tomatoes on the windowsill will become a reliable barrier to mosquitoes in the hot season.
