A rich harvest of tomatoes all year round: how to grow tomatoes on the balcony and what is needed for this

You don't need a garden to enjoy fresh homemade tomatoes. After all, you can grow tomatoes in your apartment, and then eat fresh vegetables.

How to grow tomatoes on the balcony at home and get a harvest, we will tell you in this article.

Preparing the balcony for growing tomatoes

For growing tomatoes ideal for a balcony that faces southeast or southwest... The north and south sides are not suitable for this. The fact is that in the first case, the crop will not have enough sun, and in the second there will be an excess of sunlight.

If the pots of tomatoes are heavy, it is better to place them on the floor, closer to the wall or railing.... It should be borne in mind that balcony tomatoes are afraid of drafts, which slow down their growth. Therefore, try to protect the landings from wind gusts as much as possible.

Important! On the balcony, tomatoes can attack pests. To scare them off, it is advisable to plant spicy plants near the future harvest, for example, mint, parsley or salad.

It is better to plant ampelous varieties in suspended pots.... Place them so that it is convenient to water and care for the plants. It is better to fasten tall bushes to trellises made of rope or plastic.

Necessary conditions for growing

Tomatoes are very unpretentious to grow and they don't require much:

• shine;
• warmly;
• moisture;
• fertile land.

Tomatoes need to be in the light 17 hours a day.... If the bushes have begun to stretch, and the root system does not develop well, then the plants do not have enough sun. To solve this problem, you can buy a special lamp from the store.

Important! Constant sunlight is harmful to most tomato varieties.

Tomatoes do not require too high a temperature... During the day, 22–26 ° C is enough for them, and at night they feel comfortable at a temperature of 16–19 ° C. Overheating and hypothermia of plants will lead to their death or to the fact that they will not bear fruit. That is why it is important to observe the temperature regime on the balcony. Humidity should not exceed 85% and it is undesirable for it to fall below 65%.

What varieties of tomatoes to choose for growing on the balcony

If the balcony is small, it is better to choose varieties of low-growing tomatoes... Such plants do not need to be tied up and are the easiest to care for. The undersized include:

• Button;
• Bonsai;
• Minibel;
• Balcony duo.

If the balcony is large, medium-sized or tall varieties of tomatoes are suitable... It is more difficult to care for them, but they yield many times more yield. These include:

• Dubok;
• Balcony miracle;
• Cherry;
• Cherry black.

When choosing a variety, it is also important to consider the region of residence.... For example, in cool climates with short summers, tomatoes are often sick, so it is better to choose more disease-resistant varieties.

Growing seedlings step by step

Phased the process of growing tomatoes on the balcony consists of the same stepsas cultivation in the open field. Getting seedlings is the very first stage. It is imperative to approach it responsibly. Since tomatoes are still underdeveloped, they are very vulnerable.

Tomato seed preparation: disinfection and germination

It often happens that some of the planted seeds do not germinate or die early. To avoid this it is better cull planting materialand then disinfect it.

Start by selecting the seeds first. To do this, scatter them in front of you and examine carefully. Damaged or abnormal color discard immediately.

Important! Inlaid and pelleted seeds do not need to be checked and soaked; the manufacturer himself selects the material suitable for planting.

The shell of future tomatoes may contain viruses and fungi that are harmful to plants. To reduce the number of pathogenic bacteria, it is better to disinfect the seeds.

This is usually done according to the following instructions.:

1. All seeds that have passed the selection are poured into gauze or bandage.
2. The bag is gently dipped into a fungicide or antiseptic solution (you can use a weak solution of potassium permanganate or hydrogen peroxide).
3. Keep the seeds in the solution for 15–20 minutes.
4. Then they are taken out and dried.

To speed up the emergence of seedlings, as well as to check the viability of seeds, they are germinated... And not in the ground, but on cotton pads or in gauze:

1. Cotton pads are moistened in water.
2. Place tomato seeds on them.
3. Put another wet cotton pad on top.
4. Placed in a plastic container with a lid.
5. The container is placed in a warm place with a temperature of + 20 ... + 25 ° C.

Tomato seeds hatch within three days... You can understand that the seed has opened up by the white root. It is important not to let the root grow into the cotton pad, otherwise it will be impossible to remove it without damaging the root system. Therefore, two days after the root appeared, it is necessary to plant the seeds in the ground.

Soil preparation

Buy or make soil yourselfby mixing in equal parts fertile soil, peat and sand. It is better to buy special soil for tomatoes. It contains all the essential substances. To improve the looseness of the soil, sawdust or peat is added to it.

Before planting the seeds, the soil is calcined in the oven or spilled with a solution of potassium permanganate.

Sowing seeds

It is better to plant seeds in containers no more than 8 cm high... The prepared soil is poured into containers and watered with warm water.

After that, grooves are made 1 cm deep... The distance between the two grooves is at least 4 cm. Seeds are laid out in the recess at a distance of 2 cm from each other. Then sprinkle the grooves with earth, cover the box with foil and put in a warm, but not hot place.

Seedling care: watering and other activities

The soil must be kept moist... When the first shoots hatch, the film is removed from the box and the seedlings are placed in a sunny place.

Now you can harden the plants little by little. On warm days, the windows on the balcony open for a few hours. However, it is important to close the flaps tightly at night.

Do not forget about loosening the soil... This procedure allows you to maintain the aerating properties of the soil. It is important to do this as carefully as possible, not going too far from the surface so as not to damage the root system.

In the second week, seedlings begin to fertilize... The day before, the land must be watered with water. The next feeding is carried out after 10 days.

Transplanting seedlings and plant care

It is better to replant seedlings in larger pots after the seedlings are one month old. During this time, about five leaves are formed on the sprouts. After a successful transplant, it is important to properly care for tomatoes.... Then they will give a good harvest.

We select soil and capacity

If you decide to transplant tomatoes into a long container, between them should be at least 30 cm. Otherwise, the seedlings will interfere with each other when they grow up. This will lead to a decrease in yield or even the death of some bushes.

Expanded clay must be placed at the bottom of the container or broken shingles to ensure good drainage. Almost any container can be used instead of a container, including flower pots. The size of the pot is selected so that the roots have enough room for development. The volume must be at least 5 liters for low-growing tomatoes and at least 20 liters for tall tomatoes.

Important! The container chosen for tomatoes must necessarily have a hole in the lower part to drain excess water.

It is desirable to saturate the soil with organic fertilizers... However, in specialty stores, you can find soil that has already been fertilized.

Transplanting tomatoes into permanent containers

If this is your first transplant, be prepared for the fact that some seedlings may not take root... To avoid this, it is important to do everything as carefully as possible, without harming the root system:

1. Fill the selected pot with about a third of soil.
2. Place the seedling on the ground and straighten the roots.
3. Press them a little to the ground.
4. Now gradually pour the earth into the pot and gently crush it.
5. Fill the pot about 2/3 full. Remember to lift the plant up so as not to overwhelm it.
6. Compact the soil lightly.
7. Pour warm water over the seedlings. It is important to do this gradually so that all moisture is absorbed.

After transplanting, it is undesirable to touch the tomatoes for a week.... You need to give them time to settle down.

Bush formation: how to correctly perform pinching

Grazing is the removal of tomato shootsgrown between the main stem and the side leaf of the plant. This procedure is carried out at all stages of plant life. Stepsons are removed with pruners or simply break off.

To get a good harvest of tomatoesThe bushes form three or fewer stems. It is best to pinch the branches until they are more than 4-5 cm.

When and how to feed tomatoes

It is better to feed tomatoes with organic matter... After it, they begin to grow rapidly, and then actively bear fruit. Such fertilizers include diluted chicken manure or mullein. However, city dwellers prefer to buy mineral complexes more. Before using them, be sure to read the instructions for use.

Pollination: is it necessary in indoor conditions

Pollination necessarily required for tomatoes for setting fruit... There are several ways to artificially pollinate them. It is better to do this in the morning.

Important! Pollination requires moisture, so it is better to water or spray the bush in advance.

You can open a window or put a fan, thereby creating an imitation of the wind. It should be borne in mind that cold air from an open window can damage tomatoes.

Also you can gently tap the stemto move the pollen to the stigmas. If you want to be sure to pollinate your bushes, get a tomato pollinator.

Watering

Water the bushes as the topsoil dries out... The water temperature should be warm or room temperature. If the stage of fruit setting has come, you can water the tomatoes only in the evening. Otherwise, you can disrupt the pollination process.

Problems of growing indoor tomatoes, pests and diseases

Tomatoes grown on the balcony are more likely to get sick fungal diseasesthan tomatoes that grow outdoors. To avoid infection, you need to ventilate the room more often, but hypothermia should not be allowed. It is also advisable to spray the bushes with Bordeaux mixture once a month.

Balcony tomatoes are threatened and insects... More often than others, spider mites harm and whitefly... Against the first, it is better to use "Akavir" or "Borneo", and from the whitefly "Inta-vir" will do. You can buy them at any gardening store.

Blooming tomatoes and harvesting

Harvested tomatoes as they ripen... If the tomato is already red, it is best to pick it to allow others to ripen. If the tomato is not yet ripe, but you have already picked it, put it in a warm place for ripening.

Growing tomatoes in plastic bottles

Growing tomatoes in bottles was invented a long time ago... Almost any plastic container is suitable for this. The main thing is that its volume is at least 5 liters. This method is very convenient and practical, since there is no need to grow seedlings in advance, the seeds can be immediately planted in a bottle, where they grow to full-fledged bushes.

Important! Make small cuts at the bottom of the container so that excess water can drain off when watering.

The seeds are sown in a bottle just like in a regular pot... After the first shoots appear, it is better to put the seedlings in a lighted place. Water and feed the plants in bottles according to the same instructions as described above for tomatoes in pots.

Possible problems

Mostly problems arise from improper care for plants. So, they cannot be watered abundantly, but drought must not be allowed. Lack of sunlight reduces the vitality of tomatoes.

Also it is important to give the plants enough room to develop, otherwise the roots of the neighbors will intertwine and interfere with each other. The stem and leaves become weak when there are not enough micronutrients in the soil.

Features of growing tomatoes on an open and glazed balcony

Growing tomatoes on an open balcony is possible only in the warm season.when the temperature at night does not drop below +8 ° C. A special shelter will be required to protect the plants from rain and wind. If it is not possible to make this structure, it is better to bring the bushes into the house in bad weather.

Glazed balcony allows you to grow tomatoes even in winter... However, you need to try to ensure that the room is properly insulated and has a constant temperature. Moreover, there should be good ventilation.

Growing tips and tricks

Arrange the pots with bushes so that everyone had access to sunlight, and you could approach any plant.

If there is dry air on the balcony, it must be humidified... For example, draw cool water into a basin and place it next to the pots. You do not need to spray the tomatoes themselves.

As soon as the first signs of the disease appeared tomatoes, you need to immediately start treatment.

Conclusion

Growing tomatoes on your balcony is not difficult at all. It is important to properly prepare the balcony, plant the seedlings, and then transplant them into larger pots, while not harming the plants. Proper tomato care will ensure a bountiful harvest and allow you to have fresh vegetables on the table without going to the store.