Growing tomatoes on the balcony: how to grow cherry tomatoes correctly. Step-by-step instructions on how to grow tomatoes on a balcony for beginners How to grow tomatoes on an open balcony

Tomatoes - healthy vegetables with a specific pleasant taste. You can even enjoy them all year round by growing the crop at home. In addition, it is possible to do this in an apartment. Growing tomatoes on the balcony is a popular way to get juicy fruits. By following the process technology, you can, with a little effort, get excellent harvest.

About choosing a variety

Growing tomatoes on the balcony will bring positive results only if you choose the right variety. If the size of the loggia allows, then you can grow both low-growing and tall vegetables there. In small areas it is better to grow dwarf bushes of the following varieties: Cherry, Malysh or Oak. The fruits of these plant varieties are small but juicy, and the yields are significant.

Today there are special, so-called “balcony tomatoes”. This is the “Balcony Miracle” variety of vegetables. It is characterized by limited growth (up to half a meter) and a high rate of maturation (up to 3 months). At the same time, an average of 2 kg of round red fruits are collected from each bush of the crop. This crop can be used in salads and preserves. You need to care for these tomatoes carefully. They need plenty of light, but there is no need to tie them up.

At home, you can also grow the varieties White filling or Bull's heart. True, they are tall, so such plants should only be placed on the floor. Experienced gardeners also recommend varieties Angelica, Ballerinka, Zhemchuzhinka. The Florida Petite variety with yellow fruits is also considered a balcony variety. All these vegetables bear fruit well on the balcony.

You can also grow cherry tomatoes on the balcony.

Video “Growing tomatoes on the balcony”

A video about how and how difficult it is to grow tomatoes on a balcony or windowsill.

Soil and seed preparation

Tomatoes on the balcony bear fruit well only if they grow in the “right” soil. That's why Special attention paid to soil preparation. You can get a special soil mixture, which will not be difficult to buy. Ideally, it should consist of turf and humus in equal proportions. For greater loosening, sawdust or peat is added to the soil. The best fertilizers are superphosphate, potassium sulfate, saltpeter and even wood ash.

How to grow tomatoes on the balcony? First of all, it is worth preparing the seeds. This procedure occurs at the end of February - the beginning of spring. First of all, you need to place the seeds on the cloth and pour them warm water. Then leave the seed in a warm place until the first shoots appear.

Plants can be planted in different ways. For example, fill glasses with soil and pour boiling water over it. Instead of glasses, a plastic bottle with a cut off neck is perfect for growing tomatoes at home. Then make holes and place them in the seeds. Sprouted seeds are placed in containers of 1 piece, unsprouted seeds - 2-3.

There is no need to make holes in the bottom of the glass, because liquid penetrates and is absorbed perfectly through a small volume of soil. After all manipulations, the containers are placed in a warm place and covered with cellophane. After a couple of days, sprouts appear. After a few days, the crops are moved to a cool place. Seedlings need to be watered as the soil dries.

Another planting option is to pre-treat the seed with potassium permanganate. Then the material for sowing is placed in a soaked cloth and on a plate, then wrapped in cellophane. The seed must be kept in a moist and warm environment. The germinated material is placed in the ground and the containers are covered with glass, again placed in a warm environment.

After the appearance of young shoots, the containers must be provided with sufficient quantity Sveta. It is also necessary to ensure systematic watering with warm liquid.

Sowing

Tomatoes on the balcony can be grown in a garden or purchased soil. Soil from a nightshade bed is best suited. Can be cooked soil mixture independently, mixing peat, turf and humus in equal proportions.

The main element in preparing for sowing seedlings is preparing containers for them. Boxes made of wood or plastic, cone-shaped buckets and pots are perfect for this purpose. big size. Vegetables require 3 liters of soil.

Next, you need to form a drainage layer that will relieve the plants of excess water, which significantly harms the crop. The easiest way is to place small pebbles at the bottom of the containers. After this, the soil mixture is poured, filling the container by a third.

When planting a crop, each individual is placed in the ground 2 cm lower than it grew in the previous container. Sprinkle the plant with soil and water it at the root in sufficient volume. Vegetables can be exposed to the sun after 7 days, when the root is well established in the soil.

It is worth considering that indoor tomatoes suffer from excess moisture and lack of air. Therefore, on cool nights, containers with seedlings should be placed in warm room. And vice versa: in hot weather it is necessary to ventilate balconies well, especially glazed ones.

Seedling care

In mid-spring, the crop needs to be fertilized with minerals. Afterwards, it is worth organizing the transplanting of vegetables into large containers, for example, buckets. It is recommended to make holes in a plastic container to allow excess moisture to drain through. This operation will also enrich the roots with oxygen. Soil is poured into a bucket, the seeds are buried into it a couple of centimeters and moistened generously. tall plants require tying to a support. Afterwards the culture is left alone for a week for rooting.

The growth of seedlings should be accompanied by tying up and adding soil to the containers. Systematically organized watering and weekly feeding of plants are the main components of caring for them.

Over time, stepsons appear on the vegetables, which need to be eliminated, leaving only two stems. If the tomato variety is undersized, then its bush can be formed into three shoots. Sick and yellow leaves. After the formation of the ovaries, the lower leaves must also be removed.

Complete pruning of leaves on a balcony should not be carried out, as this may disrupt the natural metabolism of the plant. Subject to liquidation side shoots, growing from the axils of leaves. Do not allow the plant to become dense. It is best to carry out all these procedures in the morning.

At least four bunches of ovaries are left on each stem, and the tops of the bushes are completely pinched. The peculiarity of balcony tomatoes is that insects do not need to pollinate them, since they are parthenocarpic species.

When the fruits are finally formed, the top of the bush needs to be cut off, like all the inflorescences. Otherwise, the tomatoes will not develop properly. It is better to harvest the crop unripe; final ripening will occur in an apartment.

Diseases and pests are no less dangerous for balcony vegetables than for garden vegetables. At the first signs of late blight (dark spots on the green parts of the plant), the crop is treated with a special preparation.

In addition, the plant can be attacked by pests such as spider mite and whitefly. They can also spread to other plants, so you should carefully monitor the crop and prevent an “enemy” attack on it.

Transfer

When the young shoots become strong, they need to be planted in larger containers and separately from each other. Typically, the packaging of seeds indicates the period for replanting them. permanent place. This is approximately 30 days after planting the seeds. You can also start from the state of the plant. As soon as its root grows to cover the entire glass, it is time to replant.

A cylindrical container filled with fertile soil is well suited for the “permanent residence” of vegetables on the balcony. It is advisable to fertilize the crop after its roots have grown. Complex fertilizing is carried out at intervals of 10 days.

The systematicity of watering depends on the speed of soil drying. Humidification should be such that it completely nourishes the lump of earth with water.

Balcony with open windows – the best place for the crop, starting from the end of spring, when the air temperature reaches 15°.

On a note

Balcony growing vegetables has its secrets. Here are some of them:

1. It is best to grow the crop on a balcony on the south or southeast side of the house. This is due to the fact that tomatoes love heat very much. A balcony on the north side is a place where it is impossible to grow a crop.
2. On an unglazed loggia, planting should take place no earlier than April. In this case, the daytime temperature should not be lower than 23°, and the night temperature should be 13°, and even higher during flowering.
3. Air humidity within 60% - 65% is optimal for plants. Elevated levels can provoke fungal diseases, so the balcony needs systematic ventilation.
4. The water ideal for watering plants is warm.
5. It is better to install containers for seedlings on special slats. The ideal option is to place the slats in the trough, and the boxes in it.
6. Frequent fertilization with nitrogen and organic fertilizers will make the bushes of the crop powerful and tall. But on such plants the color and fruits are poorly formed. Therefore, fertilizers should be applied no more than once every 10 days.
7. Vegetable branches can break under the weight of the fruit, so it is better to tie them to a support.
8. The main secret for accelerating the formation of bushes is cutting off small roots. To do this, simply pull the plant up by the bottom of the stem.

So, anyone can grow tomatoes on the balcony. The main thing is to learn how to do it step by step and follow the recommendations. The growing process will bring only positive emotions, as will the resulting harvest.

Video “How to compactly plant tomatoes and herbs on the balcony”

Video from the program “Everything will be fine” about how to most compactly grow tomatoes and herbs on the balcony.

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

The key to getting a good harvest of tomatoes when growing them on a balcony is right choice varieties 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 by the small size of the 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 plastic boxes of similar size.

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 The following planting care will be required:

• 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, the 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 matter and mineral compounds the plants bear fruit well, and the homeowner has the opportunity to obtain the maximum possible yield.

When growing tomatoes on the balcony, it is recommended to perform pinching, that is, removing excess shoots that can take away vitality in 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 this case you should reduce the amount of watering, regularly ventilate the room, and also spray the plantings with Bordeaux mixture. This Bordeaux mixture is an excellent means of prevention; it strengthens plants, improving yields.

Growing tomatoes on a glass balcony

We'll tell you how to plant tomatoes on 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. Planting on the loggia various varieties tomatoes, you can extend the fruiting period, getting the maximum possible harvest. By providing appropriate conditions and growing plantings on a 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.

Tomatoes contain many vitamins and even cancer-preventing substances. Unfortunately, this vegetable is not available year-round in all geographic regions. fresh. Therefore, in order to get a harvest in the cold season, you can grow tomatoes on the balcony. It is recommended to plant low-growing and cocktail tomatoes at home due to their small size.

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What varieties of tomatoes are best to choose?

When, it is necessary to remember that not all varieties are suitable for cultivation on the balcony. If you choose the wrong variety, additional difficulties may arise and the harvest may be disappointing.

Balcony varieties should be chosen for planting. After all, the conditions on a balcony or loggia differ from those that exist in open ground or industrial greenhouse. There are also General requirements, which are taken into account when choosing a specific variety.

Requirements for tomato varieties for growing on the balcony:

1. Size. Given the limited space, it is better to choose determinate (low-growing varieties). Plants of this type have a compact root system and a height not exceeding 100 cm. Too branched varieties should be avoided.
2. Fruiting period. Preference should be given to early ripening varieties. The sooner the plant begins to bear fruit after germination, the better.
3. Productivity. The so-called raceme varieties of tomatoes are well suited for growing on a balcony or loggia. The fruits ripen in clusters and almost simultaneously with each other. They are believed to have increased yields and greater disease resistance.
4. Versatility. It would be good if the fruits of the selected variety can be consumed both fresh and canned.
5. Appearance. The tomato plant can be more than just a source of your favorite vegetables. He is quite capable of competing with ornamental plants. Lush green plants and bright fruits different forms and flowers look very impressive and can decorate any balcony.

Low growing tomatoes

Small stature (no higher than 100 cm) does not at all interfere with abundant fruiting. Tomatoes ripen quickly and almost simultaneously. Another advantage of determinate varieties is good disease resistance and rare formation of stepsons, which makes care easier.

The most popular low-growing varieties for growing on the balcony:

• "Pinocchio";
• "Balcony miracle";
• "Balconies of Yelou";
• "Sugar Cranberry";
• "Cherry";
• "Bonsai".

Photo gallery

Balconies Yellow Balcony Miracle Bonsai Cherry Pinocchio Sugar Cranberry

Cocktail tomatoes

Cocktail varieties are a new direction in tomato breeding. Cocktail tomatoes are characterized by a small fruit size (from 40 g to 60 g). They can be different color(from light yellow to bright red), have excellent taste and aroma. Tomatoes of this variety can be grown all year round.

Popular cocktail varieties for the balcony:

• "Butterfly";
• "Romantic";
• "Ballerina"

Photo gallery

Ballerina Butterfly Romantic

Optimal conditions for growing tomatoes on the balcony

Tomatoes are southern heat-loving plants. For full development and abundant fruiting, they need enough warmth and light. Therefore, when planting tomatoes in a loggia or balcony, you need to take care of the appropriate microclimate.

Necessary conditions on the balcony:

1. Temperature conditions. Balcony varieties of tomatoes are grown with early spring until late autumn, and some all year round. This means that in the cold season you need to take special care of the air temperature on the balcony. The optimal temperature for this crop during the day will be + 26 degrees, at night - not lower than +15 degrees. Therefore, a glazed and insulated loggia is best suited. A thermometer is installed to monitor the temperature.
2. Sufficient lighting. In spring and autumn, daylight hours are shorter than in summer. During these periods, it is necessary to equip additional lighting. This is done using special lamps (fluorescent), which are sold in hardware stores. You will also have to install an outlet on the loggia.
3. Balcony location. Loggias facing southwest or southeast are more suitable for growing tomatoes.

Sowing seeds for seedlings

To grow balcony varieties of tomatoes, the seedling method is used. For seedlings you will need containers or other suitable containers - pots, cassettes.

Seed preparation

Before placing seeds in the soil, they should be prepared. First of all, you need to inspect the seeds and remove spoiled and damaged ones. Selected seeds are treated (etched) for 20 minutes. in potassium permanganate, after which it is kept in a solution of a growth stimulator for 10 to 12 hours.

Purchased seeds do not require disinfection. Before the seed material enters the packaging, it undergoes all necessary processing.

Preparing the container and soil

When growing tomatoes, you should prefer soil with neutral acidity. Ready-made mixtures for tomatoes that are commercially available are suitable. However, they will have to be further enriched. You can prepare the mixture yourself by mixing humus and sod land V equal parts. To improve soil looseness, experts advise adding peat, but in moderation.

You can increase the nutritional value of the soil by adding wood ash or superphosphate.

The choice of container depends on the specific variety and the room in which the plant will be located. If the space is quite large, use deep wooden boxes and pots. If you need to save space, hanging boxes and flower pots are suitable.

Sowing seeds

The sowing soil should first be slightly compacted. Then grooves are made in it and seed material is placed in them using tweezers. The distance between seeds should be at least two centimeters. The seeds are slightly buried and sprinkled with soil on top. Then they are irrigated with warm water using a spray bottle.

Seedling care

Containers with seedlings are covered with film and placed in a warm place (temperature not lower than 25 degrees). Watering (irrigation) should be done once a day for a week. After the first shoots appear, the film is removed and the seedlings are placed on the windowsill. If the quality of the seeds is good and all rules are followed when sowing, the first shoots will appear in 5-7 days.

Top dressing

When the first leaves form on the seedlings, the seedlings should be fed with complex mineral fertilizer. A second feeding will be necessary before picking the seedlings. Next, it is recommended to fertilize tomatoes in accordance with the needs of the plant and the characteristics of a particular variety.

Picking

After the first true leaves appear, the seedlings should be pruned. Before the procedure, the seedlings need to be watered so that the soil becomes pliable. When transplanting seedlings into individual pots, so as not to injure the young roots, use a special spatula. The central rhizome must be removed. Then the plant is transplanted into an individual container, buried to the growth point, sprinkled with soil and watered with warm water.

Tomatoes can be transplanted to a permanent location after 4-5 weeks, when the plants are sufficiently strong.

The classic method in the video from “Harvest Garden”.

Caring for tomatoes on the balcony

Growing tomatoes on a balcony requires timely implementation of a number of agrotechnical techniques. In addition, it is necessary to observe moderation in feeding and watering.

Top dressing

After the young bushes are moved to a permanent place, the use of complex fertilizer is stopped. It promotes the growth of green mass of the plant, which harms fruiting. To stimulate the ovaries, it is good to use aqueous solutions of superphosphate or potassium phosphate. When determining the frequency of feeding, it is necessary to take into account the recommendations for a particular variety.

Stepsoning

To increase the yield, it is necessary to carry out pinching regularly. The first stepsons appear along with the flower cluster. The most powerful is formed under it. The stepsons located below it must be removed. They draw moisture and nutrition onto themselves, which has a detrimental effect on the harvest. In addition, an overgrown bush creates conditions for the rapid spread of diseases.

There are two ways to pin down:

1. Just break off the stepson with your hand. They break it out to the side and even if it is not completely removed, it still does not pose a threat.
2. Trim using scissors. It is recommended to disinfect the scissors first to avoid infection.

Topping

In order to enhance the growth of the main stem, they resort to the pinching procedure. In early ripening varieties, the bush is usually formed into 2-3 stems. In this case, the main stem and 1-2 more lateral ones are allowed to develop. 4-5 fruiting clusters are left on the main stem, then the top is pinched off. It is recommended to leave 2-3 brushes on the stepsons and also pinch the top.

The procedures of pinching and pinching are necessary in order to properly form the bush. These agricultural techniques give the plant the opportunity to grow and bear fruit normally, receiving a sufficient amount nutrients.

Watering

Tomatoes are a moisture-loving plant and therefore you need to strictly monitor watering. The soil must be constantly moist; for this, tomatoes must be watered at least once every three days. When watering, do not pour water on the leaves or stems. For this reason, it is better to use a rubber bulb or funnel rather than a watering can. If you place them in the middle of the soil layer at the edge of the container, then water will flow into the soil without touching the green part of the plant.

Watering tomatoes is carried out only with warm water.

Pollination

Tomatoes are a self-pollinating plant. But in order to get a rich harvest, the fruits are helped to set. During the flowering period, you should lightly tap the inflorescences or shake them. You can also spray flowers to speed up the ovaries. by special means purchased from gardening stores.

Diseases and pests of tomatoes

The most common tomato diseases:

1. Late blight (brown rot). A dangerous disease that is fungal in nature and spreads quickly. The first signs are brown or brown spots on the stem, leaves and fruits of the plant. The occurrence and spread of the disease is facilitated by a warm and damp microclimate, so it is important to prevent overflow and ventilate the balcony in a timely manner. At the first manifestations of the disease, the fruits should be removed and diseased plants destroyed. Affected unripe tomatoes are placed in hot water(60 degrees) for 2 minutes, then ripen in a dry, warm place.
2. Fomoz. The disease affects the fruits of the plant. Favorable conditions for the disease become too wet air and excess nitrogen in the soil. The symptom is the formation of a brown spot in the area of ​​the stalk, which indicates that the process of rotting has begun. Affected fruits should be removed and destroyed.
3. Apex rot. The disease affects still green fruits and manifests itself in the form of black spots and a rotten smell. Favorable conditions for the occurrence of the disease are a lack of moisture and calcium in the soil. Another probable cause is an excess of nitrogen. If watery or dry black spots are found on the fruit, the diseased plant must be treated with a solution of calcium nitrate. Affected fruits are destroyed.
4. Cracking of fruits. The disease is not infectious. The cause of the disease is improper watering. Due to excess moisture, the skin of the fruit cannot withstand the pressure and begins to crack. The cracks heal, but the tomatoes ripen earlier, without gaining enough weight. Therefore, you need to maintain the correct watering regime and choose varieties that are resistant to this disease.

In addition to the listed diseases, pests can cause significant harm to tomatoes. The most dangerous and common are spider mites and whiteflies.

Spider mites feed on cell sap, settling on the underside of leaves and entwining them with their web. This leads to gradual drying and falling of both the leaves and flowers. You can fight him folk method or using ready-made drugs purchased in a store.

Traditional methods:

1. Garlic infusion. 200 g of crushed cloves are infused, pour 10 l warm water. The resulting product is sprayed onto the leaves.
2. Alcohol. The affected areas of the plant are sprayed with alcohol from a spray bottle. The treatment is repeated after 7 days.

Purchased funds:

• Fitoverm;
• Akarin;
• Apollo;
• Iskra-BIO.

Whitefly is a small insect that lays larvae on inside leaves. They are pale green in appearance and have oval shape. By sticking to the leaves, the larvae begin to feed on cell sap and cause the spread of sooty fungi. As a result, the plants dry out and die. For the prevention and control of the pest, Confidor and Mospilan are used.

Additional factors affecting the growth and development of tomato

The growing season and fruiting of tomatoes can be affected by:

• climatic conditions;
• individual needs of the variety;
• the degree of branching of the plant and the type of bush.

Given these circumstances, the recommendations given are general. Before planting tomatoes on the balcony, it is recommended to familiarize yourself with the peculiarities of growing a particular species.

A vegetable garden is, of course, good. It's nice to harvest something you've grown with your own hands. But what to do if you don’t have a vegetable garden, but treat yourself to tomatoes? own cultivation do you really want to? There is a solution - it’s great for this a balcony will do. After all, a balcony or loggia is not only convenient place for example, you can study here perfectly. In this article we will talk about how to properly grow tomatoes on the balcony.

Due to the fact that you will not be growing tomatoes in a very large space, it is necessary to select low varieties with medium-sized fruits. For example, cherry tomatoes, Cascade Red, Zhemchuzhina Red or micron-NK are perfect for planting on the balcony. If you are not lucky enough to find such varieties, you can select the stated requirements. Plants should not be purchased tall, with a compact bush and many fruits.

Growing tomatoes on the balcony

It should be noted that some hybrid varieties meet the stated requirements. A low bush is strewn with magnificent fruits - what could be better? There are the following varieties for growing tomatoes on the balcony:

"F1 Balcony red"- a fast-ripening plant. Exactly three months after germination, the red fruits will ripen. Their size is small, but the fruits are very sweet and aromatic. The bush is only about 30 cm, but it does not need pinching.

"Balconies of Yelow" is a mid-early decorative hybrid. From the time the shoots appear until the fruit bears, approximately 110 days pass. The plant is compact, the bush is small - up to 45 cm in height. As for the fruits, they are yellow, sweet with a slight sourness. Excellent for canning.

"Balcony Miracle"- the most popular variety and favorite among gardeners. This variety is characterized by the fact that from one small bush you can harvest up to 2 kg. From the moment of germination to fruiting, up to three months pass, but the harvest can already be harvested after 80 days.

“Red Pearl”, “Yellow Pearl”— these varieties are perfect for growing on balconies, on windowsills, indoors and outdoors. The bush of plants of this variety reaches 50 cm in height. Well, red fruits are much sweeter than yellow ones, but they are also decorative.

"Bonsai"- characterized by the fact that the plant of this variety is unpretentious and ripens quickly. Already on day 85 you can see red fruits round shape. The bush is small, its height is up to 30 cm. From each bush you can collect up to half a kilogram of small but tasty and red fruits.

Growing tomatoes on the windowsill

The first feeding should be 10 days of the month after planting. After this, it is necessary to fertilize three more times before transplanting into the main pot. Soil with humus will be an ideal fertilizer. If you don’t have one, you can buy special soil in the store. This soil should be added three times before the main planting. This solution is ideal for tomatoes; the roots sprout, absorbing beneficial features fertilizers, the surface becomes larger, which allows you to receive even more oxygen.

The suitable temperature for seedlings is from 10 to 20 degrees. Once the outside temperature has reached a stable +25, you can safely take the tomatoes out into the open. If the balcony is glazed, this is not necessary; ventilate it.

Transplanting tomatoes into pots

If you grow tomatoes in winter, you should understand that this crop is heat- and light-loving, so it is still worthwhile for them, albeit artificially, to extend the length of daylight hours. This is achieved by installing lighting lamps at a level of 25-30 cm from the plant (not from the pot). Lamps should also be turned on if it is cloudy outside, not only at sunrise, but also after sunset.

When the seedlings are 3 weeks old, you should fertilize them with products intended for seedlings, strictly following the instructions. To prevent various diseases and fungus, it is better to spray seedlings by diluting 50 g of milk in 500 ml of water.

Growing tomatoes on the balcony

After the third leaf appears, you should start diving. First of all, they should be planted in small containers with a diameter of 5 cm. If you transplant all the seedlings into a larger container, the roots will develop much worse.

After a month, tomatoes from small containers should be transplanted into larger containers - from 3 to 5 liters. An alternative is boxes with light soil into which plants can be transplanted at a distance of 25 cm.

An excellent solution would be to hang tomatoes. Hanging pots are used for such purposes. Some time later, the leaves and fruits will fall down, as a result of which you will have an original balcony fruitful decor.

Growing tomatoes

IN winter period tomatoes grown on a balcony or loggia should not be watered frequently, as in summer period. It is better when the soil dries well.

Since tomatoes are a heat-loving crop, ideally they should be placed in the south and east. It happens that long internodes appear between elongated bushes. This occurs due to hot and dry weather. Therefore, it is necessary to adhere to the optimal air temperature in the balcony area. The main thing is that it should not be more than +30.

To prevent overheating indoors, it is better to use blinds, curtains, and blinds on the windows.

As for pollination, it is impossible to achieve it in apartment conditions, so you will have to do the pollination yourself. When the plants bloom, shake their trusses every morning. At this stage, you can also use the “Ovary” sprayer, which promotes fruit ripening.

Cherry tomatoes plastic bottles on the balcony

If the variety begins to form stepsons, they should be cut off, leaving stumps of 5 mm. Also during the flowering process and after 2 weeks it is necessary to use fertilizing mineral fertilizers and ash, diluting 1 tbsp. l. in 500 ml of water.

During the ripening process, it is necessary to collect the ripest ones, leaving others to ripen. If tomatoes taste sour, this is a result of insufficient light during the growing process. Therefore, try placing the harvest on the windowsill for a few days on the sunny side, and the taste of the fruit will become noticeably better. Actually, this is the whole principle of how to grow tomatoes on the balcony correctly, so that you get incredible pleasure from the whole process and harvested.

Cherry tomatoes

The most common varieties of cherry tomatoes for balcony cultivation are: Bonsai, Thumbelina, Malyutka, Minibel, Pygmy, Date F1, Businka F1.

Cherry tomatoes growing on a windowsill

If your choice is cherry tomatoes on the balcony, growing them (the photo and video process of which are presented in this article) will not pose any particular difficulties or hassle. To do this you need:

1. Prepare cylindrical pots for planting. It is cylindrical, since rectangular or square containers will be filled worse with roots. Well, you need to select fertile land.
2. Plants are light-loving, so place them on sunny sides - south, east, west.
3. If the lighting is insufficient, or the windows face north, additional light sources should be installed. You should know that if there is not enough light, the buds may fall off.
4. The seeds are placed in trays, covered with polyethylene, and placed in dark places where the temperature is not lower than 25 degrees. And keep them like this until the first sprouts. When shoots appear, the film is removed. After this, you need to wait some time for the small plants to get stronger, and then transplant to a permanent place.
5. After planting the seedlings in a permanent place, it will be necessary to care for them: water them every day, fertilize them, fertilize them, tie them to supports, and also fight pests, diseases and prevent fungus.
6. Many people also practice growing tomatoes on the balcony using hydroponics.

Growing tomatoes on an open balcony

You must not forget that the humidity level should be moderate to prevent rotting or drying out, as well as the appearance of stepsons. During cloudy and winter periods it is worth limiting frequent watering. Moreover, cherry tomatoes are self-pollinating, so you shouldn't shake them every morning. If the soil humidity is increased and the temperature is more than +30 degrees, the ovaries slow down their formation.

Stepchildren take root quite quickly - within a week. To do this, it is better to add a little flower fertilizer to the water with stepsons.

Majority experienced gardeners Metal buckets are used for planting cherry tomatoes, which does not have any negative effect on the plants. Late blight is not scary for them.

Growing tomatoes on the balcony

September 14, 2016
Specialization: master in construction plasterboard structures, finishing works and styling floor coverings. Installation of door and window units, finishing of facades, installation of electrical, plumbing and heating - I can give detailed advice on all types of work.

In this article I will tell you how to grow tomatoes on the balcony; this crop is well suited for urban conditions, but in order to get good harvest, need to be created for plants optimal conditions. In fact, there is nothing complicated in the work process, and all problems most often arise from the fact that people do not know the important nuances of growing or use dubious advice, of which there is a lot on the Internet.

The process of growing tomatoes on the balcony

This will be a kind of step-by-step instructions, divided into 4 main stages. There are no trifles in work, every action has great importance and has an impact on the final result, so do not ignore any of the recommendations.

Step one - choosing quality seeds

If I say that from choice planting material Almost half of the success depends, then I’m unlikely to be mistaken. The fact is that specially bred varieties are suitable for balconies, which are adapted to the conditions of city apartments; they are distinguished by such characteristics as small plant size, shortened ripening times and unpretentiousness to external conditions.

I will tell you about the varieties that I used when growing, but this is only a small part of the possible options:

"Balcony Miracle"	Perhaps the most famous and popular option for growing in an apartment. The fruits are round, bright red in color, and ripen in about 85-90 days. The bushes do not require garter; one plant bears an average of about 2 kilograms of fruit. Tomatoes are suitable for both salads and pickling
"Angelica"	One of the fastest ripening varieties - the fruits ripen within 80 days after germination, which allows you to get a harvest before an outbreak of late blight, which usually occurs in August. The plants are not tall, the fruits are medium-sized - from 40 to 70 grams, does not require staking
"Pearl"	My favorite variety due to its unpretentiousness - the plants tolerate cold and heat, lack of moisture and nutrients in the soil. Slightly elongated fruits small size, their characteristic feature is that the content of mineral salts and sugars in them is twice as high as in other options
"Bonsai micro"	This variety is distinguished by its decorative properties - the bushes grow only 12 cm high, they all have the same shape, up to 1 kg of tomatoes are harvested from a bush, they are small - they weigh about 15-20 grams. The advantage of this option is that it can be planted in small pots of 2.5-3 liters

I don't rule out that there are many others excellent varieties, when choosing, you need to take into account the following factors: purpose (special options for window sills are best), size of bushes, ripening period. Buy seeds only from reputable stores, otherwise you may end up with low growing plants giants one and a half meters long.

Balcony tomatoes of Western selection can also be considered; very often they even exceed our options in terms of yield, but they are more difficult to purchase, and the cost will be several times higher.

Step two - preparing everything you need

As I noted above, we will consider growing tomatoes on the balcony step by step, we have dealt with the first stage, but in addition to seeds you need to have a set of necessary items on hand, we will deal with them too:

• The easiest way to grow seedlings is to use conventional plastic cups , if you wish, you can buy special boxes for seedlings, but if you want to save money, then the first option will do Great. There is no need to make any holes in the bottom, the plants grow well just like that;

• Nowadays there is no need to prepare a soil mixture, just buy ready-made soil from the right quantity . Remember that for one mature plant there should be approximately 5 liters of soil (for the Bonsai micro variety, 3 liters is enough), based on this, the required volume is calculated;
• For mature plants, pots or flower boxes are used, you can build containers yourself; this option is good because you can make structures to suit the parameters of your balcony.

Don’t forget to prepare a place for plants in advance; ideally, if they stand on a hill for the best results, you can build simple benches for this. Balconies facing south and southeast are best suited.

Step three - sowing seeds

Now let’s figure out how to grow seedlings from seeds; the process can be done in two ways: without germination and with germination seed material. Let's look at each of the options in more detail and start with planting without germination:

• First of all, you need to soak the seed material in a solution of potassium permanganate, this is necessary, firstly, for disinfection, and secondly, in order to separate low-quality seeds. It is very simple to distinguish them: good seeds will sink to the bottom, and empty ones will remain on top, and they need to be drained after 15 minutes;

• Next, you need to fill our cups with soil and pour warm water over it.. A hole is made in the middle with a depth of 1-1.5 cm, no more is needed, 2 seeds are placed in it, which are covered with earth, there is no need to compact anything, as this will complicate the germination of seeds;
• If you sow seeds in a large container, then the distance between them should be at least 3 centimeters, and between the rows you need to make a gap of at least 6 centimeters;

• The crops are covered with transparent polyethylene and placed in a warm place; shoots will appear in 5-7 days. You can transfer the containers to the windowsill, as the sprouts need light. The optimal temperature for seedlings is 20-23 degrees during the day and 16-18 degrees at night, try to maintain just this regime;
• If you planted in cups and you grew 2 plants, then the weaker sprout must be carefully cut off from the soil; you cannot pull it out, as you can damage the roots of a neighboring tomato;
• Watering is done approximately once a week, water is used for this room temperature , standing for at least 24 hours. You can additionally spray the plants with a regular sprayer;
• Hardening of seedlings can begin about 2 weeks after germination; to do this, first simply open the window, then you can take the containers out onto the balcony and keep them there for a long time. open window, if the weather is warm and calm. There is no need to check what temperature the seedlings can withstand and take them out into the cold; such extreme actions can ruin the fruits of your labor.

The second planting option differs from the first in the way of preparing seeds, I will only talk about initial stage, since further actions will be the same as in the above option:

• First of all, the seeds are soaked for 15-20 minutes in a solution of potassium permanganate, all floating elements are removed;

If your seeds have been processed (this is easy to see by their characteristic color), then there is no need to disinfect them.

• Then you need to prepare a solution with a growth regulator; personally, I usually use Epin, but it can be any other similar option. The instructions will tell you how to make the composition; seeds are placed in it and left for about 10 hours, this will improve their germination and accelerate growth;

• Soaked seeds should be placed on a damp cloth or gauze, covered and left in a warm place.. After three to four days, sprouts should appear; all seeds that have not begun to grow can be discarded;
• Next, you need to make holes in the prepared containers and drop one seed in there.. To avoid damaging the sprouts, I usually use a toothpick; wet seeds cling well to it and can be carefully placed in the soil. Further actions are carried out according to the algorithm described above.

Above we looked at how to plant and how to care for seedlings, now we will figure out how fertilizing is done, since this is also an important part of agricultural technology. The easiest way is to use a ready-made complex fertilizer for tomatoes; it can be purchased at any specialty store. The work is done as follows:

• The first feeding is done 12 days after the sprouts emerge;
• The plants are treated the second time 8-9 days after the first application of fertilizers;
• The third time is carried out approximately a week after the second and at least a week before transplanting the plants to a permanent place.

To prevent fungal diseases, you can treat the seedlings twice with a milk solution (50 g per 500 g of water).

Do not forget about the fact that plants are always drawn to the light, therefore, in order for your tomatoes to turn out even, you need to turn them with the other side to the window every 3-4 days.

Step four - transplanting seedlings and caring for plants

Now let’s figure out how to properly grow full-fledged tomatoes on the balcony; the process begins with transplanting seedlings:

• As I noted above, it is best to use cups, since you can get a plant with a piece of soil and transplant it to a permanent place, this creates minimal stress for the plant during transplantation and ensures almost one hundred percent survival rate;
• The pot size should be approximately 5-7 liters, for dwarf varieties 3 liters is enough. You can also use long boxes; tomatoes are planted in them at a distance of 30 cm from each other, so that as they grow they do not suffer from lack of space;
• 2-3 cm of drainage material is poured onto the bottom of the containers; the easiest way is to use expanded clay, which is sold in bags and costs little. It will allow excess moisture to drain through the hole, which must be at the bottom of the pot or box;

• Next, you need to pour the soil into the pot, after which it is watered with warm water. Before planting a plant in a pot, you need to make a hole the size of the seedling with soil, after which the plant is placed there. The soil is compacted and watered again, at which point the work can be considered successfully completed;

• Now let's figure out how to grow a rich harvest at home; first of all, you need to provide the plants sunlight, they should be located on the south or east side, this is ideal;
• Watering the plants is done as the top layer of soil dries; on hot days this is done every other day., in cooler weather less often. The soil should not be overdried, but overmoistening will not be beneficial either;

• Once every 10-12 days, fertilizing is done with the same complex fertilizer.. Good results brings foliar treatment - spraying with a solution boric acid(1 g per 10 liters of water), this prevents flowers from falling off and improves fruit set;

• The question often arises whether it is necessary to plant stepsons; most varieties do not allow stepsons, so there is no need for this work. But if your stepsons are growing, then you need to break them off with your hands at a distance of half a centimeter from the base;
• Another important question: is it necessary to pollinate tomatoes on the balcony? I only looked at self-pollinating varieties, so you don't need to do anything, but to improve plant set, I still recommend shaking the plants lightly in the morning;

Treat the plants with the preparation “Ovary” before pollinating them by shaking, fruit formation will noticeably improve

• To speed up the formation of fruits and their ripening, the method of tearing the roots is used, for this you need to grab the base of the plant and slightly pull up. You shouldn’t be too zealous, you need to tear the small roots, and thereby improve the nutrition of the ovaries;
• In order for tomatoes to ripen faster, it is necessary to remove already ripe fruits, this will help increase the flow of nutrients to green tomatoes.

Traditional technology involves harvesting in the summer, but many people ask whether it is possible to grow tomatoes in the winter. This is possible if you follow the technology discussed above.

It is best to take the Pinocchio variety, as it grows well in room conditions, this is especially important if it is cool on the balcony in winter and you have to keep the plants indoors. The basic materials are the same as in the case described above, but you need to add a fluorescent lamp to the list; in winter, natural light is not very good, so you will have to use an artificial option.

The work is carried out as follows:

• Let's figure out when to plant Pinocchio: if you need tomatoes for the New Year, then you need to plant them in early October. You can do this with both dry and sprouted seeds; the second option in this case is preferable due to faster germination;
• The seeds are planted in cups and placed near the window; in order to ensure their high-quality lighting, a fluorescent lamp should be fixed at a height of 25 cm and turned on in the morning and evening, this will allow the plants to develop more intensively;

• In this case, there is no point in hardening the plants, because they will always be indoors; here it is much more important to ensure the required temperature for the plants;
• After transplanting into pots, you need to again place a lamp over the plants, since tomatoes grow much slower without light;
• Do tomatoes need to be pollinated? Everything here is the same as in the first case: shake the plants slightly during the flowering period and use preparations to improve fruit formation; they are especially relevant in winter.
• When the fruits begin to ripen, do not wait until they are completely red; you can also pick brown tomatoes; they will ripen on the windowsill, but the rest of the tomatoes will receive more nutrients and they will ripen faster.