To grow a great tomato crop, you don’t have to have personal plot and a dacha outside the city. You can easily grow this vegetable crop on the balcony, getting an excellent harvest all year round. We are offering to you step by step description guide to growing tomatoes on the balcony. We will tell you how to grow tomatoes on a balcony and on a glazed loggia.
Choosing tomato varieties for balcony growing
Receipt collateral good harvest tomatoes when grown on a balcony will become choosing the right variety and a specific variety of this vegetable. In each case, the choice will vary depending on the characteristics of your loggia. On it you can plant varieties of early, medium or late ripening, tall or short. Experienced gardeners recommend choosing the following varieties of tomatoes for growing on the balcony:
The Cherry variety and its varieties are also very popular when growing tomatoes on the balcony. Such tomatoes on the balcony are characterized small size fruits, while they bear fruit abundantly, allowing for an excellent harvest. Depending on their variety, cherry tomatoes can be pink, yellow, red or black. We can recommend growing such cherry tomatoes also for decorative landscaping of loggias and balconies. We are offering to you detailed description how to grow tomatoes on the balcony.
Proper preparation of seeds for sowing
The yield indicators when growing tomatoes on the balcony depend on how correctly the seeds are prepared for sowing. It is recommended to properly prepare seeds for planting. This work carried out in February, and in early March, plant seedlings on a windowsill in the house or on a warm glazed loggia. Every homeowner can grow tomatoes on the balcony, growing them step by step is not particularly difficult.
Preparing tomato seeds for planting on the balcony involves the following:
Stored tomato seeds have excellent germination rates, so there is no need to germinate them before sowing. After hardening and stratification, the seeds should be slightly dried, after which you can begin sowing seedlings.
How to grow on the balcony
The future harvest largely depends on how strong and viable the seedlings are grown. That is why the seedlings need to be provided with appropriate care, which will guarantee an excellent harvest on the loggia.
Seeds must be planted in a wooden or plastic box., whose height is 8-10 centimeters. A layer of drainage is poured onto the bottom, and a soil mixture of sand, peat and fertile soil is placed on top. The soil is watered generously with warm water, after which grooves are made with a small pencil to a depth of 1 centimeter. The distance between these grooves is 4 centimeters. Seeds are buried in the resulting depressions at a distance of 2 centimeters from each other. The containers should be covered with film and kept in a warm place until the first shoots appear.
Caring for seedlings is not particularly difficult. You will need to do the following:
- Once every two to three days, the plantings are watered with a spray bottle.
- The temperature should be maintained at least 20 degrees.
- When growing seedlings, you should ensure additional lighting, and daylight hours should be 15-17 hours.
- Seedlings can be fed with a mineral solution that contains nitrogen and phosphorus.
- Immediately before transferring the seedlings, hardening should be done, for which the bushes are taken out into the open air for 15-20 minutes, and then more.
Transplanting seedlings to the balcony
Around the beginning of April, when the seedlings have 5-6 true leaves and there is no chance of frost, the seedlings can be transferred to a glazed balcony.
When transferring seedlings to the balcony, they should be transplanted into containers bigger size. For this you can use flower pots or similar in size plastic boxes.
Can be used:
- Wooden boxes.
- Deep basins and plastic buckets.
- Cut plastic five-liter bottles.
- Flower pots.
- Balcony flower boxes.
During such a transplant, the so-called picking seedlings, for which the main root is cut by one third, which, in turn, improves the development of the root system, and, consequently, such seedlings become stronger, they grow faster and bear fruit better.
Important. Low-growing tomato varieties can be planted several in a box or pot at a distance of at least 5 centimeters from each other. But tall plants are planted exclusively one at a time in a pot and container.
After transplant The windows on the loggia should be slightly darkened and the temperature should be maintained at 18 degrees. Providing such conditions will allow the plants to better withstand the stress of replanting, they will quickly be able to adapt to a new place, the stems will straighten and the plants will begin to grow. After about two days, the darkening can be removed.
How to care for balcony tomatoes
Balcony tomatoes should be provided with conditions close to natural. P will need to provide next care for landings:
- Maintain the correct temperature.
- Loosen the soil regularly.
- Water your balcony plants regularly.
- Carry out pollination.
- Feed fruit-bearing bushes.
All balcony tomatoes react poorly to lower temperatures. Even with a slight cold snap, growth stunting and even death may occur. Optimal temperature on the balcony when growing tomato seedlings is 20 degrees. Remember that it is necessary to maintain humidity at a natural level, so you will have to regularly ventilate the balcony, while avoiding the formation of drafts and a sharp drop in temperature.
For irrigation use settled tap water. It is recommended to water once every week and a half. Overmoistening should not be allowed, as this can lead to the formation of various fungal diseases.
For pollination of tomatoes grown on the balcony will need to attract pollinating insects, for which you should open the windows during the day and place various flowerpots with fragrant flowers on the balcony. Artificial pollination of balcony tomatoes can also be performed. You will need to spray the plants with Ovary, which stimulates the appearance of ovaries, and also gently shake the blooming flowers with a soft brush.
Regular loosening of the soil improves soil aeration, root system receives the oxygen it needs, the plants will grow quickly and bear fruit well. Loosening should be carried out superficially, to a depth of several centimeters. This work should be carried out several hours after watering.
Top dressing tomato grown on the balcony is carried out using various mineral complexes. We can recommend you the Kemira universal fertilizer and the Solution product. Whenever possible, organic matter should be used, including diluted chicken manure and mullein. When feeding balcony tomatoes with organic and mineral compounds, the plants bear fruit well, and the homeowner has the opportunity to obtain the maximum possible harvest.
When growing tomatoes on the balcony, it is recommended to perform pinching, that is, removing excess shoots that can take away the vitality of the plants, impairing their fruiting. Such shoots are removed when they reach a length of 2-3 centimeters. After removing the shoots, the cut area should be sprinkled with wood ash.
Diseases of tomatoes when grown on the balcony
When growing tomatoes on loggias and balconies, certain problems with fungal diseases may appear . IN in this case should reduce the amount of watering, regularly ventilate the room, and also spray the plantings with Bordeaux mixture. This Bordeaux mixture is an excellent remedy prevention, it strengthens plants, improving productivity.
Growing tomatoes on a glass balcony
We'll tell you how to plant tomatoes on an open loggia. On an unglazed loggia and balcony, tomatoes are grown using the same technology, the only difference is in the timing of planting seeds and removing seedlings to the open air.
Depending on the climate in your region, you can place grown tomato seedlings on an open balcony in mid or late May. At the same time, the gardener will also need to fertilize the plantings, water them regularly, plant them, loosen the soil and water the plants once every two weeks.
Harvesting
Harvesting when growing tomatoes on glazed and open balconies, this is done as the vegetables ripen. By planting different varieties of tomatoes on the loggia, you can extend the fruiting period, obtaining the maximum possible harvest. If appropriate conditions are provided and plantings are grown in warm glazed balcony You can achieve fruiting from tomatoes from May to the end of October.
Conclusion
Growing tomatoes on a closed loggia and open balcony is not particularly difficult. It is only necessary choose the right tomato varieties and prepare them properly for planting, grow strong, viable seedlings on the windowsill and subsequently provide the plants with the care they need, which will allow you to get an excellent harvest.
Mini-vegetable gardens on balconies, loggias and verandas are becoming fashionable. They provide an opportunity for people who do not have land plots, try your hand at plant growing and enjoy delicious, healthy, fresh vegetables, greens, berries. One of the most popular balcony crops is tomatoes. At making the right choice varieties and skillful care, they will certainly delight you with a good harvest.
Not all varieties of tomatoes are suitable for the limited space of a loggia or balcony. Too tall, branchy bushes with heavy fruits are best left for industrial greenhouses or open ground. Compact specimens that are easy to care for are often grown on balconies.
Among the main requirements:
- Bush size. Long vines will feel uncomfortable on a balcony. Perfect option– determinate plants, whose height does not exceed 50 cm. Such bushes do not require tying, they do not need to be pinched or pinched. Not too branchy tall varieties are suitable for growing on trellises; they can also be planted in hanging baskets;
- Growing season. For a balcony or loggia you need to choose ultra-early ripening varieties. The shorter the interval from emergence to harvest, the better;
- Productivity. Convenient to grow on the balcony cluster tomatoes, which are cut in whole bunches;
- Disease resistance. The stronger the plant immunity, the higher the chances of a good harvest. It is advisable to choose hybrids that are especially resistant to major nightshade diseases;
- Decorative. Balcony tomatoes should not only be productive, but also beautiful. Mini-tomatoes look especially impressive different colors. Bushes planted nearby with round, elongated, pear-shaped fruits in pink, yellow, orange, and bright red shades look no less elegant than exotic flowers;
- Versatility. It is worth choosing varieties with moderately thick skin, suitable for fresh consumption or canning.
| Variety | Description | Productivity from 1 sq. m |
|---|---|---|
| Tomatoes are racemose, round, bright red in color. The taste is pleasant, sweetish, the skin is thick. | 2 kg |
| Standard low bushes, oval, bright red fruits. The taste is delicate, sweet with a slight sourness. | 2.5 kg |
| Very productive, the fruits are honey-yellow, elongated, ripen in large clusters. The skin is thick, the taste is sweet, with fruity notes. | 2.8 kg |
| Very small round fruits with dense skin, ripen in large clusters. The yield is good, the taste is rich, sweet and sour. | 2.6 kg |
| An indeterminate shrub suitable for hanging baskets. The fruits are pear-shaped, bright yellow, with a delicious fruity taste. | 4 kg |
| Moderately tall bushes can be grown on trellises or in hanging baskets. The fruits are elongated-oval, sweet, ripen in clusters. | 2.8 kg |
| An ampelous variety with long flowing branches and sweet cherry fruits of deep pink color. | 2.5 kg |
| Suitable for growing in hanging baskets. Compact bushes, elongated fruits, bright red, very sweet. | 3 kg |
Growing conditions: what should a balcony be like?
A balcony facing southeast or southwest is suitable for organizing a mini-garden. On hot southern loggias you will need to organize shading. Northern balconies, where the sun is less than 3 hours a day, are not suitable for growing tomatoes.
It is advisable to place the plants closer to the railing or wall of the balcony. Constant strong wind slows down the development of plants. Baskets with ampelous varieties are not hung too high so that it is convenient to care for the plants. It is convenient to attach tall bushes to trellises made of wood, plastic or rope. They are mounted on a free wall, protected from the wind as much as possible.
You can mark it next to the tomatoes spices. They will not only decorate the composition, but will also repel pests. The best companions for balcony tomatoes are lettuce, mint, oregano, celery, regular or curly parsley.
Video - Tomatoes on the windowsill
Soil and containers: what to prefer
Tomatoes love light, nutritious soil with neutral or slightly alkaline acidity. Ready-made soil mixtures should not be used; they are poor in nutrients and contain excessive amounts of peat.
However, such a substrate can be taken as an additive to a self-composed soil. Beginning gardeners can try one of the following options:
- a mixture of garden soil with humus and a small portion of peat;
- turf soil combined with compost and a ready-made peat-based substrate;
- old garden soil with the addition of compost and washed river sand.
All components are thoroughly mixed. For greater nutritional value, wood (preferably birch) ash or superphosphate is added to the substrate.
It is convenient to grow tomatoes in deep plastic or wooden boxes located along the railings and walls of the balcony.
Planting seeds
To get a quick harvest, it is recommended to grow balcony tomatoes in seedlings. Planting begins in March. Deep containers with pallets are filled with soil so that about 1 cm remains to the edge. The soil is lightly compacted, furrows are made in it, into which the seeds are sown. Before planting, they are treated with a growth stimulator for 10-12 hours. Disinfection is not required for seed purchased in a store. He goes through all the necessary procedures before packaging.
The seeds are planted slightly deeper and sprinkled with a layer of soil. Then the soil is generously sprayed with warm, soft water from a spray bottle. It is possible to grow tomato seedlings in plastic cassettes or individual pots. This method eliminates picking; the plants are moved into the ground by transshipment, eliminating damage to the roots.
During growth, seedlings are watered once every 5-7 days. After the first true leaves appear, the tomatoes are fed with complete mineral fertilizer or a weak solution of mullein. The second feeding is carried out before moving young plants to permanent place residence.
Video - How to grow tomatoes or tomatoes on the balcony
Life on the balcony: transplantation and care
The grown seedlings can be planted on glazed loggias in the first half of May. They are planted on open balconies later, closer to the beginning of June. The bushes are placed at a distance of at least 40 cm from each other; closer proximity reduces the yield. It is better to tie tall varieties to trellises; they will add decorativeness to the balcony; heavy branches will hold securely without breaking off in gusts of wind.
When replanting, you need to take into account the needs of the plants. Each bush should contain at least 4 kg of nutrient substrate. A layer of expanded clay or pebbles is placed on the bottom of the boxes. The same soil mixture in which the seedlings grew is used, and wood ash is added to it for nutritional value. Young tomatoes move with a clod of earth, protecting the roots from damage. In the first days after transplantation, the bushes should be protected from direct sun rays, protecting them with awnings or roller blinds.
Tomatoes are a rather demanding crop. They love warmth and humidity, but do not tolerate direct sunlight and stagnant water in the soil. Water tomatoes only with warm, soft water (rain, settled or boiled). Watering is carried out in the morning or evening, after sunset. From time to time it is useful to water the plants with water in which eggshells have been infused.
Indeterminate plants growing on trellises or in baskets require pinching. After the formation of the third flower cluster, the side shoots are removed. If the stem is stretched excessively, you can pinch the growing point, this stimulates the rapid formation of ovaries.
Immediately after transplantation, plants are no longer fed with complexes containing nitrogen (urea, ammonium nitrate). These components contribute to the abundant growth of green mass to the detriment of fruiting. To stimulate the ovaries, superphosphate and potassium sulfate in the form of aqueous solutions are more useful. During the season, plants are fed at least 3 times. Mineral complexes can be replaced with organic matter (humus, bird droppings, diluted mullein).
Video - How to grow tomatoes on the balcony
There is no gardener who would not try to grow tomatoes on the balcony. Especially if a person is a gardener by state of mind, and not by the fact of having a garden. Well, setting up a garden bed on your balcony is an excellent opportunity to satisfy your needs for communication with the earth and plants. AND best culture for this purpose - tomato.
Choosing a variety
Since we will grow tomatoes in a limited space and in small quantity land, then the appropriate varieties need to be selected - low-growing with a compact root system and small fruits. Breeders, knowing the tendency of gardeners to arrange beds on any more or less suitable surfaces, developed special indoor varieties tomatoes, for example: “Cascade Red F1”, “Balcony Red F1”, “Balcony Elo F1”, “Cascade Elo F1”, “Cascade Red F1”, “Bonsai micro F1”, “Jamaica F1”, “Mikron-NK”, “Yellow Pearl F1”, “Red Pearl F1”. All these varieties grow no more than 40 cm in height, and “Bonsai micro” and “Mikron-NK” reach only 10–15 cm. The fruits of all are small, weighing 20–40 g.
If you were unable to find special varieties on sale, then any that meet the above requirements will do.
We grow seedlings
The key to a good harvest is strong seedlings. This is true for a mini-garden too.
We germinate the seeds
You can sow from February to April: if we sow in February, the fruits will ripen at the end of June; if we sow in March, we will get a harvest in the second half of July. On plants sown in April, tomatoes will ripen by September.
Before sowing, seeds need soak in hot water (not more than 50˚C) water overnight. To do this, you need to pour water into a thermos and immerse the seeds in bags there.
You can buy ready-made land for sowing, or you can use it from your garden. The bowls are filled with substrate, grooves are made 1 cm deep. The grooves are spilled with water, and seeds are sown in them. Then the furrows are covered with earth, and the flats are placed in a plastic bag.
Now is the time to spend seed hardening. This is especially true for crops that will be grown on an open balcony. To do this, place the bowls in the refrigerator for a couple of days.
After hardening, the pots are transferred to a warm place. They are ventilated daily, and also monitor the humidity of the substrate, and if necessary, moisten it with a spray bottle.
We care for seedlings
Shoots will appear in a few days. To prevent them from stretching out, the bowls immediately put in the brightest place. If you sowed in February, then it is better to be on the safe side - to ensure additional lighting for plants, since the day at this time is still short and the weather is often cloudy. Moreover, lighting is necessary if the windows of your apartment do not face south: tomatoes are tropical plants, and lighting is of great importance for them. The lamp needs to be turned on morning and evening for 2–3 hours, in order to “lengthen” the day.
By the way, for germinating seeds and watering seedlings experienced gardeners use melt snow water, because it is much softer than tap water and does not contain harmful impurities. However, if you do not want to shovel snow outside and wait for it to melt, then use tap water, standing for several days. During this time, the chlorine will disappear and heavy impurities will settle. Naturally, for irrigation we take only the “top” water, and drain the layer with sediment.
During this period, it is important to ensure that the soil does not dry out, but it should not be over-moistened either. Therefore, we water very carefully, and cover the seedlings with glass or film at night.
Picking up seedlings
As soon as the seedlings have their second true leaf, it’s time to start picking. We prepare the land in the same way as for sowing.
We carefully remove the young plants from the soil with a fork and plant them in plastic dishes one at a time, deepening to the cotyledons, and watering. Cropped ones are good for this purpose. plastic bottles or sour cream cups. For 1 day, the seedlings can be left in the shade.
Caring for seedlings
Proper watering at this stage is just as important as during the seed germination stage. The same rule applies: We don’t allow drought, but we also don’t overwater. Usually seedlings are watered in the morning and evening. In the morning you need to water a little more abundantly than in the evening. In this case, in the evening you should check the humidity of the substrate. If the day was cloudy and the plants did not evaporate moisture well, the ground will be moist enough, then there is no need to water.
The first fertilizing is carried out with complex fertilizer ten days after transplantation. Then fertilizing is repeated 2-3 times until planting in a large pot. However, the most the best feeding remains humus soil: here there is nitrogen, and microelements, and mineral fertilizers. But if you don't have it on hand compost heap, then you can use ready-made purchased land. Add a 2 cm layer of substrate 3 times before replanting. For tomatoes, this method is also preferable because they can form roots along the entire length of the stem - the more roots, the larger the surface area through which the plant absorbs nutrients and breathes.
At this time, the best temperature for keeping seedlings is + 20 ˚C, at night - not lower than + 10 ˚C. As soon as the temperature outside reaches + 5 ˚C, trays with seedlings can begin to be taken out to the open balcony for the day. This will allow the seedlings to absorb more sun and harden them.
If the balcony is glazed, then from the moment the temperature reaches above zero at night, the seedlings can be left on the balcony.
Replanting tomatoes to a permanent location
Often, packets of seeds of balcony varieties indicate at what age the plants need to be transplanted into a permanent pot. This is usually done at 30 days of age. If this information is not available, then we will be guided by the state of the plant: as soon as the root system fills the entire volume of the glass, it can be replanted.
A pot is best for planting cylindrical: For some reason, plant roots do not penetrate the corners of shapes with rectangular bases.
Again, we take fertile land. Until the roots fill the entire space, there is no point in fertilizing. After about 3-4 weeks, you can start feeding the tomatoes with a complex fertilizer, for example, Kemira-Lux. Feeding is carried out every 10 days.
The watering schedule depends on how quickly the soil dries out. As soon as the soil has dried, you need to water the plant so that the entire earthen ball is saturated with water.
Plants can be left on an open balcony from the end of May, when the night temperature no longer drops below + 15˚C.
Forming a bush
Some varieties do not require shaping at all. But if there are no such instructions on the package with seeds, then the formation is carried out according to general rule: low-growing varieties form in 3 barrels. To do this, 2 stepsons are left above the first flower brush. All other stepsons are removed as they grow.
Forming a bush
In addition, all diseased leaves are removed, as well as those that cover the fruits from the sun. Before the first tomatoes begin to ripen, all flowers and the top of the main shoot are removed.
Diseases and pests
More often than other diseases, tomatoes are affected. Its obvious sign is brown spots on leaves and fruits. Such a plant must be removed immediately, its fruits should be kept for 1–2 minutes. hot water(60˚C) and put in a warm place dark place for ripening.
Agree: there is nothing more enjoyable than preparing a salad from vegetables just picked from your garden. And you don’t always need your own dacha for this. If you don’t have a plot, but have a huge craving for gardening, hands, earth lovers, as well as a balcony facing south, then it’s simply a sin for you not to try to grow tomatoes.
Absence own dacha or a vegetable garden is not a reason to give up your dream of growing organic vegetables yourself. And owners of balconies, glazed loggias or open terraces there is nothing to worry about at all - in the summer, vegetables grow and ripen well in houses among flower arrangements. And the tomato is one of the most popular crops among balcony “gardeners”, because it grows well, ripens quickly and pleases with abundant harvests for a long time.
Before filling all the free space with pots of seedlings, it is important to remember: the success of successfully growing tomatoes on a balcony in an urban environment depends on the right variety. After all, growing up in indoors In a small area, not every plant will agree. But do not despair - breeders have developed many varieties that develop well and bear fruit on balconies.
There are many varieties of tomatoes. When choosing, carefully read their characteristics If you are the happy owner of a large balcony space and you can afford to place large containers with soil, then you can choose large-fruited varieties tomatoes: Bull's heart, Carlson, De Barao. Owners of more modest living space will have to look for theirs among the dwarf varieties. You can sow, for example, Yellow Pearl, Cascade Red, Verlioka, Red Banana, Ruby, White filling, Canada News, Oak or Little Florida. Small Cherry tomatoes performed well in the balcony environment.
Other varieties intended for growing on balconies are also popular: Max, Balcony Miracle, Gina, Belkoni Red, George Bush, Japanese indoor tomato, Bonsai Micro, Siberian early ripening.
General characteristics of balcony tomatoes
Although balcony tomatoes taste no different from their garden “relatives,” there are still some differences between the two types. To a greater extent - regarding appearance plants.
Features of dwarf varieties:
- Compact root system.
- The fruits are small and regular in shape.
- Low plants (no more than half a meter in height).
- Doesn't need tying.
- The fruits ripen faster than in the garden.
- High yield (about 2 kg).
Growing seedlings correctly
Properly grown seedlings are the key to a good harvest The process of growing tomatoes begins with sprouting seeds. They do this from the beginning of February and continue until April. With early sowing, the first fruits will be in April, spring seeds will be harvested in September. Also, when deciding to make a small one on the balcony, it is important to take into account the level of lighting, since tomatoes are light-loving plants. That is best place a southern balcony will serve as a tomato plantation. In poorly lit loggias, the lack of sunlight is compensated by artificial lighting (fluorescent lamps).
There are several ways to germinate tomato seeds: directly into the soil and with pre-soaking.
Method number 1
Soaking the seeds - Cover the saucer with a piece of cloth, place the seeds on it, and cover with a damp cloth on top.
- Place the saucer in a plastic bag.
- Place in a warm place (you can put a board under the bottom of the plate on a radiator).
- Periodically moisten the cloth with seeds.
- When white roots appear in the grains, plant them in the ground.
- Water with warm water, but do not over-water it.
Method number 2
- Place the seeds in the refrigerator for several days to harden.
- Carefully place the tomato seeds into fabric bags.
- Pour hot water into a thermos.
- Place the seed bags in a thermos with water and leave overnight.
- Plant the seeds in soil (purchased or from the garden). Sow in furrows no deeper than 1 cm.
- Water generously and cover the seeds with soil.
- Wrap containers with seeds in plastic bags, creating a greenhouse effect.
- Before seedlings germinate, ventilate the pots with soil daily, removing the bag.
Method number 3
Dwarf varieties tomatoes - ideal for growing on balconies - Fill a 200-gram plastic glass (preferably transparent) with soil and pour boiling water over it. Wait until the soil cools down.
- Using a pencil, make a hole in the ground and place several seeds (if already sprouted, then one per cup).
- Cover the containers with film and place in a warm place.
- After the sprouts appear (on the 3rd day), place the containers in a cool place (window sill).
- It is advisable to illuminate with artificial light, water only when the top layer of soil dries out.
Growing seedlings
To grow tomato seedlings, you can use either a purchased mixture or soil from the garden, preferably from a bed in which nightshade crops have not grown before. It is also easy to prepare the soil yourself by mixing peat, turf soil and manure humus in equal parts.
With the appearance of seedlings, wait until the plants grow stronger and stronger, then transplant them into larger containers for a permanent “place of residence.” Planting tomatoes is an important process, so we will pay attention to all stages.
You can make containers for seedlings yourself First of all, prepare containers for subsequent planting of nightshade crops on balconies. These can be conical buckets, large pots, wooden or plastic boxes. But it’s worth considering: one plant will need about 3 liters of soil.
The next stage is preparing the drainage layer. Since tomatoes do not tolerate excess water, drainage is indispensable. The easiest way is to cover the bottom of the pot with 2 centimeters of small pebbles or pieces of expanded clay. And only after that can you fill the container with soil or earthen mixture. Fill the mold no more than three-quarters full.
When planting tomatoes, deepen the plants 2 cm lower than they grew in the previous form. Gently sprinkle soil on all sides and pour plenty of warm water under the root. Place pots of tomatoes in the sun no earlier than a week later - wait until the plants take root.
Important: balcony tomatoes do not like excess moisture or lack of fresh air, this means that on cold nights it is advisable to take containers with plants into warm room. But in the heat, do not forget to ventilate the room, in particular this applies to glazed balconies.
Feeding tomatoes
Experienced agronomists advise watering nightshades on balconies only when necessary - when it dries out upper layer soil. It is better to do this in the first half of the day using warm water(more than 20 degrees). Pour the liquid not under the bush itself, but around it.
Tomatoes need not only to be watered, but also to be fed periodically But even the most the best varieties tomatoes growing on the balcony need feeding. Experienced gardeners use it as fertilizer. different variants mixtures. For example, someone gives preference exclusively organic means and waters the tomatoes with the solution chicken manure or mullein (dilute with water 1:5). But more often they use mineral fertilizers, which are sold in specialized stores. 30 g of a ready-made mixture of mineral fertilizers and 10 liters of water is quite enough to water a fairly large balcony garden. For the first time, such fertilizing should be done about a week after planting the tomatoes on the balcony. In the future, feed the “bed” every 10 – 12 days. To make tomatoes on the balcony develop more quickly, you can use foliar fertilizers.
Experts call a urea solution (add 1 teaspoon of urea to 3 liters of water) a good feeding option. You can also mix a tablespoon of superphosphate and wood ash with 3 liters of water, or use nitroammophoska dissolved in water for watering (1 tablespoon per 3 liters of liquid).
How to form a beautiful bush?
Methods for forming bushes Beautiful bushes tomatoes can also serve as a decorative element for the balcony. But a beautiful tomato “crown” does not form on its own. To make the bushes look aesthetically pleasing and produce as much harvest as possible, grow low growing plants better in two stems. If there is room on the balcony for tall plants tomatoes, then leave only one shoot - it’s better to get rid of all the stepsons. Also, do not forget to remove shoots coming from the axils of the leaves from time to time, but try not to damage the main stem. This is done in order to “clear” the bush from excess branches, making room for inflorescences and better lighting of the plant. To avoid the development of diseases, you should promptly clean the bush from yellowed, fallen or already diseased leaves.
The main enemies of tomatoes
The most common problem when growing tomatoes on balconies is fungal diseases caused by excess moisture. You can overcome the problem by increasing the lighting of the balcony and frequently ventilating the room. Good results Bordeaux mixture helps fight tomato fungi.
Ingredients for the mixture:
- copper sulfate (10 g) diluted in water (0.9 l);
- slaked lime (20 g), diluted in 100 g of water.
Mix the ingredients. Keep ready mixture no more than a day.
The most common tomato diseases:
- late blight, or brown rot of tomatoes;
- blackleg;
- anthracnose, or root rot;
- Phomaz, or brown rot;
- top rot.
If we talk about pests, the ones that cause the most trouble to tomatoes are spider mite and whitefly. You can get rid of the first by spraying the bush with an infusion of onion and garlic peels (pour 200 g with a liter of water). The whitefly is destroyed by means such as Confidor.
