Is it possible to grow tomatoes on a balcony. Tomatoes on the balcony

Mini-gardens on balconies, loggias and verandas are becoming fashionable. They enable people who do not have land plots to try their hand at crop production and enjoy delicious, healthy, fresh vegetables, herbs, and berries. One of the most popular balcony crops is tomatoes. With the right choice of variety and skillful care, they will surely please you with a good harvest.

Not all varieties of tomatoes are suitable for the limited space of a loggia or balcony. Too tall, branched bushes with heavy fruits are best left for industrial greenhouses or open ground. Compact specimens are often grown on balconies, which are easy to care for.

Among the main requirements:

• Bush size. Long creepers in a balcony will feel uncomfortable. The ideal option is determinant plants, whose height does not exceed 50 cm. Such bushes do not require tying up, they do not need to be pinched and pinched. Not too branchy tall varieties are suitable for growing on trellises, they can also be planted in hanging baskets;
• Vegetation period. For a balcony or loggia, you need to choose ultra-early varieties. The shorter the interval from germination to harvest, the better;
• yield. On the balcony it is convenient to grow carpal tomatoes, which are cut in whole bunches;
• Disease resistance. The stronger the immunity of plants, the higher the chances of a good harvest. It is advisable to choose hybrids that are especially resistant to the main nightshade diseases;
• Decorative. Balcony tomatoes should be not only fruitful, but also beautiful. Carpal mini-tomatoes of different colors look especially impressive. Bushes planted nearby with round, elongated, pear-shaped fruits of pink, yellow, orange, bright red hues look no less elegant than exotic flowers;
• Versatility. It is worth choosing varieties with a moderately dense skin, suitable for fresh consumption or canning.

Growing conditions: what should be the balcony

To organize a mini-garden, a balcony facing southeast or southwest is suitable. On hot southern loggias, shading will be required. 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. A constant sharp wind slows down the development of plants. Baskets with ampelous varieties are not hung too high so that it is convenient to take care of the plants. Tall bushes are conveniently attached to trellises made of wood, plastic or ropes. They are mounted on a free wall, as protected from the wind as possible.

Spices can be marked next to the tomatoes. They not only decorate the composition, but also scare away 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 an excessive amount of peat.

However, such a substrate can be taken as an additive to self-composed soil. Beginning gardeners can try one of the proposed options:

• a mixture of garden soil with humus and a small portion of peat;
• sod land combined with compost and 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

For a speedy harvest, balcony tomatoes are recommended to be grown in seedlings. Planting starts 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 seeds are sown. Before planting, they are treated with a growth stimulator for 10-12 hours. Decontamination of seed material purchased at the store is not required. He goes through all the necessary procedures before packing.

Seeds are planted with a slight depth and sprinkled with a layer of soil. Then the soil is abundantly sprayed with warm soft water from a spray bottle. It is possible to grow tomato seedlings in plastic cassettes or individual pots. This method excludes picking, the plants are moved into the ground by transshipment, which excludes damage to the roots.

During growth, seedlings are watered 1 time in 5-7 days. After the appearance of the first true leaves, the tomatoes are fed with a complete mineral fertilizer or a weak solution of mullein. The second top dressing is carried out before moving young plants to a permanent place of residence.

Video - How to grow tomatoes or tomatoes on the balcony

Life on the balcony: transplant and care

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. Bushes are placed at a distance of at least 40 cm from each other, closer proximity reduces yield. It is better to tie tall varieties to trellises, they will add a decorative effect to the balcony, heavy branches will hold securely without breaking off during gusts of wind.

When transplanting, you need to take into account the needs of plants. Each bush should account for at least 4 kg of nutrient substrate. A layer of expanded clay or pebbles is laid at the bottom of the boxes. The same soil mixture is used in which the seedlings grew, wood ash is added to it for nutrition. 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 sunlight, protecting them with awnings or roller blinds.

Tomatoes are a fairly demanding crop. They love warmth and humidity, but cannot tolerate direct sunlight and stagnant water in the soil. Tomatoes need to be watered only with warm soft water (rain, settled or boiled). Watering is carried out in the morning or in the evening, after the setting sun. From time to time it is useful to water the plants with water in which eggshells have been infused.

Plants of the indeterminate type, growing on trellises or in baskets, require pinching. After the formation of the third flower brush, the side shoots are removed. With excessive stretching of the stem, you can pinch the growth point, this stimulates the early formation of ovaries.

Immediately after transplantation, the plants cease to be 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

You can grow tomatoes not only in open ground or in a greenhouse. Many amateur gardeners successfully do this in an apartment. At the same time, quite good yields are obtained. The fruits are enough for food and canning. If you live in the city but want to get into gardening, learn how to grow tomatoes on your balcony the right way. With the observance of agricultural technology, an excellent result is guaranteed.

You can grow tomatoes on open and closed balconies, as well as on loggias. But in order for plants to grow and develop normally there, it is worth paying attention to the choice of variety. This must be done because the entire growing season of tomatoes will be in special conditions, which means that they must be as adapted to them as possible.

For summer use, of the many hybrids and varieties of tomatoes for the balcony, undersized early ripe specimens that will feel great in a limited space are best suited. It is easier to care for such plants, they do not need to be tied up, they practically do not need shaping. These include:

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

If the balcony is glazed and there is a lot of space on it, you can choose medium-sized and tall varieties and hybrids:

• Oak;
• Balcony miracle;
• Ballerina;
• Angelica;
• Cherry;
• Butterfly;
• Cherry;
• Romantic F1.

Such tomatoes require more attention, but they differ in yield. You can take fruits from them for a long time.

When choosing a crop for a balcony, beginners should give preference to self-pollinating varieties of tomatoes, as well as take into account the resistance of plants to infections and the possibility of successful cultivation in their climatic conditions. This is especially important in regions with short and cool summers, as well as a lot of rain, which delay the ripening of fruits and provoke high humidity, and through it outbreaks of diseases.

Ampel varieties

A special variety of tomatoes that have proven themselves when grown on a balcony are ampelous varieties. Their peculiarity is the falling, curly form of the bush, which is why the plants do not take up much space, do not require the mandatory creation of supports, grow well and bear fruit in hanging containers or small pots.

The most famous balcony-type ampelous tomatoes include:

• Pearl;
• Mascot;
• Red abundance F1;
• Cascade red F1.

Ampel balcony tomatoes have a different ripening period, the shape and size of the fruit, and the purpose. Many of them are universal - tomatoes can be used in salads and for canning. These cultivars are highly disease resistant and are well adapted to growing in limited containers. They are planted not only on the balcony, but also on the windowsill.

Necessary conditions for growing

To get a good harvest of tomatoes on the balcony, they need to create optimal conditions for the growth, development, formation and ripening of fruits. This is not as difficult to do as it seems. Plants need light, heat, moisture and a medium for roots, that is, fertile soil. In addition, you will need to feed the bushes with fertilizers throughout their growing season.

Lighting

Tomato is a culture of long daylight hours. In order for the plants to begin to bloom and bear fruit, they need lighting for 14-17 hours a day. If there is less light, the bushes are strongly stretched in tomatoes and the root system does not have time to develop well. Shorter daylight hours are needed only when growing seedlings. Constant lighting leads to the death of most plant varieties.

Humidity and temperature

For growing mature tomatoes on the balcony, the ideal temperature is 22-25 ° C during the day. With such indicators, the plants feel best, grow quickly and bear fruit well. At night, the optimum temperature is 16-18 ˚C.

Tomatoes do not like the cold. If the thermometer reading stays at 15 ˚C for a long time, they stop blooming. At 10 ˚C plants stop growing, at negative temperatures they die.

But overheating also leads to crop shortages. At a temperature of 30 ˚C, pollination of the ovaries does not occur. Young plants, especially at low humidity, lose flowers, their leaves begin to curl. A sharp increase in temperature to 35 ˚C after a cold snap and rain leads to wilting of tomatoes. Therefore, the temperature on the balcony when growing tomatoes must be controlled artificially, maintaining it within the normal range. The ideal humidity for tomatoes is 70-85%.

Slightly different conditions are necessary for tomato plants at the very beginning of growth. Strong healthy tomato seedlings are obtained differently.

Soil composition

Since small containers are used to grow tomatoes on the balcony, you need to choose the right soil in which the plants will be planted. It must be fertile, contain all the nutrients the plant needs, and also pass water and air well.

Usually for balcony tomatoes they buy ready-made universal soil mixtures for vegetables or special ones for tomatoes. The composition of such soils includes fertile land, humus, a mixture of peat, coconut fiber, perlite, mineral fertilizers. They have neutral acidity, do not compact for a long time, and do not contain pathogens (ideally, but not always). Tomatoes grow and develop in such soil perfectly.

With self-preparation of the soil, a composition of soddy land, humus, sand or sawdust + complex fertilizers with microelements is suitable. The full agricultural technology of culture can be found in the step-by-step instructions below.

Growing tomatoes on the balcony

As in conventional vegetable growing, growing tomatoes on a balcony begins with seedlings. This process does not differ in anything special and does not depend on the selected variety. Therefore, you can always focus on recommendations for growing seedlings for further planting in a greenhouse or open field.

When to sow seeds

It depends on the climatic conditions of the region and whether the balcony is glazed or not. Transplanting a tomato into permanent containers is possible as early as 30 days after seedlings appear. At the same time, the temperature on the balcony at this moment should be as close as possible to ideal indicators. Under adverse conditions, plants can be left in the room for longer.

The earliest dates for sowing seeds on a glazed balcony will be the end of February - March. Plants can be taken out to the open balcony no earlier than May, therefore, seedlings should be grown a little later - at the end of March - April. The main thing is to have time to transplant tomatoes before the moment when they begin to bloom.

Soil preparation and planting material

Ready soil from bags does not need preliminary preparation. As a last resort, if there are doubts about its quality, the mixture is already shed in a container for growing seedlings with potassium permanganate. Self-prepared soil can be calcined in the oven for disinfection, and then treated with the same solution.

Tomato seeds are sorted before planting, removing empty and damaged ones. To do this, they are immersed for 5 minutes in a 5% solution of table salt, and those that emerge are discarded immediately. To prevent the possibility of the spread of diseases, the seeds are treated with fungicides, the same potassium permanganate, copper sulfate. If the seed is purchased from a reliable manufacturer, this treatment has already been carried out before. You don't need to do it a second time.

For better germination of seeds, they are soaked in solutions of growth stimulants. Use "Gumat", "Epin", "Zircon" and others. To increase the resistance of plants to temperature extremes and other growing conditions, keeping wet seeds wrapped in cloth in the refrigerator helps. Some gardeners also practice sowing germinated tomato seeds, which practically guarantees 100% germination.

Sowing seeds for seedlings and caring for seedlings

A fairly small number of plants can be comfortably placed on the balcony. Therefore, it is not worth growing a lot of seedlings. Individual containers are best suited for planting seeds: plastic cups, peat pots, cropped juice or milk bags.

A prerequisite should be drainage so that excess liquid after watering can freely flow down. A few holes in the bottom of the dish completely solve this problem.

Before sowing the seeds, the containers are filled with soil, then it is well moistened. One seed is planted in one pot. Put it in the center and sprinkle with earth. The planting depth for a tomato should not exceed 1-1.5 cm. If you plant the seeds deeper, they will germinate for a long time or will not sprout at all.

Next, the finished pots with tomatoes are covered with a film and left at a temperature of 22-25 ºC. It is optimal for seed germination, the shelter does not allow moisture to evaporate quickly. The presence or absence of lighting at this stage is not critical, containers can be left anywhere.

When shoots appear, the film is removed. Plant pots are placed on the windowsill. Now the tomatoes need light, but so that they do not stretch, and also form roots well, the temperature is gradually reduced to 12-15 ºC. After 7-10 days, increase again. When growing seedlings early, additional illumination of plants with lamps is used. The light is turned on for several hours in the morning and evening.

Water the plants regularly, but not often. Use for irrigation warm (25 ºC) settled tap water or melted snow. Each subsequent watering is carried out after the topsoil has dried. The frequency depends on the temperature in the room. The amount of liquid should be such that part of it pours out through the drainage holes. This will ensure that the soil is completely wet and the roots of the tomatoes can take moisture from the entire mass of soil.

7-10 days after the appearance of mass shoots, tomato seedlings are fed with fertilizers. In an apartment, complex preparations are ideal, which contain mainly nitrogen, then phosphorus and potassium, as well as all trace elements. Such top dressing is performed every 10-15 days, depending on the instructions for the fertilizer used. In between watering and fertilizing, the soil is loosened, but not deep, so as not to damage the root system of tomatoes.

Plants are hardened 5-10 days before being placed on an open balcony. If the area is glazed, the procedure can be postponed for a longer period. In fact, such a balcony is the same greenhouse.

Transfer to containers for further cultivation

At the age of 30 days, tomato seedlings are ready for transplanting into a permanent container. Flower pots, boxes, buckets, basins and any other containers are suitable for this. Tomatoes feel great on the balcony and in cut 5 liter plastic bottles. The only condition is that the dishes must have holes for draining excess water. Drainage is required in any case.

The size of the pot is also important. For undersized balcony tomatoes, a volume of 3 liters is sufficient. Medium-sized plants will need from 5 to 10 liters of soil, and tall ones about 20 liters. Wide and shallow containers are not suitable. It is better to place the plants in tall containers. Tomatoes are able to grow the root system if soil is added during the growing season.

To transplant seedlings, the plants are well watered beforehand. Soil is poured into a clean, disinfected pot, filling the container by 2/3. Carefully remove the plant from the cup with the ground, trying not to damage the roots. In the ground, a hole is made in depth equal to a coma, a plant is lowered there. Compress the soil near the roots, then water well. Overgrown seedlings are buried a little deeper.

If a tomato plant has received a minimum of damage, it does not even change its appearance during transplantation. Short-term shading is necessary only in very sunny weather. You can transplant plants into permanent containers both in advance and during the arrangement of tomatoes on the balcony.

Tomato care

Tomatoes grown on the balcony will be able to produce a crop only if they are provided with the necessary conditions that resemble natural ones as much as possible and properly care for them. Mandatory agronomic practices - irrigation, loosening the soil, top dressing. Almost everything is like in a garden.

Irrigation Features

Tomatoes growing in pots need regular soil moisture. In this case, it is necessary to ensure that the soil is constantly moist, but not wet. Also, it should not dry out, which often happens in summer if the weather is hot. This is especially important during the formation of ovaries, which can fall off with a lack of moisture and irregular irrigation.

The frequency of watering is determined not by day, but based on the condition of the soil. If the top layer of the earth is dry, then it is necessary to irrigate. As for the norm, water the tomatoes so that the water completely saturates the entire volume of the soil. In this case, only warm water is used, cold water causes a sharp temperature drop at the roots, which is bad for the plant.

To better retain soil moisture and water the tomatoes less often, the soil is mulched. Use peat, sawdust, dark film. The next day after watering, the ground around the tomatoes is gently loosened, but not deep, so as not to injure the plants.

During the ripening period of early-ripening varieties with a friendly return of the crop, the frequency of watering is reduced. So the fruits ripen faster and do not crack. The remaining tomatoes must receive water regularly so that the next brushes are formed and poured.

Top dressing

They feed the tomatoes growing on the balcony with ready-made mineral fertilizers, which include all the necessary elements, for example, "Mortar" and "Kemira-universal". The solution is prepared in accordance with the instructions. During the budding period, tomatoes are sprayed with the "Ovary" preparation, which stimulates its formation well, or fed with boric acid.

Young plants need nitrogen before flowering, during the period when ovaries begin to form and fruits begin to form - in potassium, and throughout the growing season - in phosphorus.

Bush formation

Low-growing tomatoes do not need to be shaped, so they can be left to grow as is. In mature plants, you can cut only the lower leaves under the first fruiting cluster after it has filled. This will contribute to better ventilation of the soil under it.

For tall tomatoes, 2 or 3 stems are left and tied to a support. All stepchildren are removed after they reach a length of 2-3 cm. They are pinched at the base, and the injured area is powdered with ash. Remove the lower and yellowed leaves.

For the formation of additional roots, soil is poured into the pots. Plants respond to such care with a good increase in yield.

Harvesting

Pluck the tomatoes from the bushes as they ripen. The reddest are harvested to allow the rest to ripen. The fruits are carefully cut off at the junction with the stalk. Tomatoes that are not ripe with blange ripeness are laid for ripening in a warm place, where they ripen.

The cultivation of tomatoes in a balcony garden has its own characteristics. To provide plants with proper care, do the following:

1. Pots with plants are arranged in such a way that they are well lit by the sun and do not obscure each other.
2. If the weather is rainy and the bees do not fly, artificial pollination will be needed. To do this, a soft brush is drawn over the flowers to transfer pollen from one to another.
3. On glazed balconies open windows for ventilation. This will lower the temperature and humidity.
4. To increase the humidity of dry, hot air, water is sprayed on the floor near pots of tomatoes or containers of water are placed near them. The plants themselves are not sprayed.
5. They monitor the appearance of tomatoes and, if signs of disease appear, they are treated.

If done correctly, tomato plants will be healthy, strong, lush, dark green, with many fruits.

Expert opinion

Maria Vlasova

gardener

Any resident of a city apartment can grow tomatoes on a balcony. It is no more difficult to do this than in the garden. Try and plant these tomatoes to get a great harvest.

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

About the choice of variety

Growing tomatoes on the balcony will bring positive results only if the variety is chosen correctly. If the dimensions of the loggia allow, then both undersized and tall vegetables can be grown there. In small areas, it is better to plant dwarf bushes of the following varieties: Cherry, Malysh or Oak. The fruits of these varieties of the plant are small, but juicy, and the yields are significant.

Today there are special, so-called "balcony tomatoes". This is a variety of vegetables "Balcony Miracle". 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, on average, 2 kg of round red fruits are harvested from each bush of culture. It is permissible to use such a crop in salads and preservation. You need to take care of such tomatoes carefully. They need plenty of light, but at the same time, they do not need to be tied up.

At home, you can also grow a culture of varieties White filling or Bull's heart. True, they are tall, so you need to place such plants only on the floor. Experienced gardeners also advise the varieties Angelica, Ballerina, Zhemchuzhinka. The Florida Petit species with yellow fruits is also considered a balcony. All these vegetables bear fruit perfectly 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 excellent fruit only if they grow in the “right” soil. Therefore, special attention is paid to soil preparation. You can get a special soil mixture, which is not difficult to buy. Ideally, it should consist of sod 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? The first step is to prepare the seeds. This procedure falls at the end of February - the beginning of spring. First of all, you need to place the seeds on a cloth and pour warm water over them. After leaving the seed warm until the first sprouts appear.

You can plant plants in different ways. For example, fill the glasses with soil and pour boiling water over it. Instead of glasses for growing tomatoes at home, a plastic bottle with a cut neck is perfect. Then make holes and place them in the seeds. Germinated seeds are placed in containers of 1 piece, not germinated in 2-3.

Holes at the bottom of the glass do not need to be made, because through a small amount of soil the liquid penetrates and absorbs perfectly. After all the manipulations, the containers are placed in heat and covered with cellophane. After a couple of days, sprouts appear. After a few days, the crops are moved to a cool place. Seedlings should be watered as the soil dries out.

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. Keep the seed 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 sprouts, the containers must be provided with a sufficient amount of light. It is also necessary to provide systematic watering with warm liquid.

Sowing

Tomatoes on the balcony can be grown in garden or purchased soil. The soil from the nightshade bed is best suited. You can prepare the soil mixture yourself by mixing peat, sod and humus in equal proportions.

The main element in preparing seedlings for sowing is the preparation of containers for it. Wooden or plastic boxes, cone-shaped buckets and large pots are great for this purpose. Vegetables require 3 liters of soil.

Next, you need to form a drainage layer that will save the plants from excess water, which significantly harms the culture. The easiest way is to place small pebbles on the bottom of the containers. After that, 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 under the root in sufficient volume. Vegetables can be exposed to the sun after 7 days, when the root is well fixed in the soil.

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

seedling care

In the middle of spring, the culture needs to be fed with minerals. After that, it is worth organizing the transplanting of vegetables into large containers, for example, buckets. In a plastic container, it is recommended to make holes so that excess moisture flows through them. Also, this operation will enrich the roots with oxygen. The soil is poured into the bucket, the seeds are deepened into it by a couple of centimeters and moistened abundantly. Tall plants require tying to a support. After the culture is left alone for a week for rooting.

The growth of seedlings should be accompanied by tying and adding soil to containers. Systematically organized watering and weekly plant feeding are the main components of plant care.

Over time, stepchildren appear on the vegetables, which must be eliminated, leaving only two stems. If the variety of tomatoes is undersized, then it is possible to form its bush in three shoots. Sick and yellow leaves are subject to liquidation. After the formation of the ovaries, it is necessary to remove the lower leaves.

Complete pruning of leaves in a balcony should not be carried out, as this can disrupt the natural metabolism of the plant. Side shoots growing from leaf axils are subject to liquidation. It is not necessary to allow the thickening of the plant. 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. A feature of balcony tomatoes is that insects do not need to pollinate them, as these are parthenocarpic species.

When the fruits are finally formed, the top of the bush must be cut off, like all inflorescences. Otherwise, the tomatoes will develop incorrectly. It is better to harvest unripe, the final ripening will occur in an apartment.

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

In addition, pests such as spider mites and whiteflies can attack the plant. They can also spread to other plants, so it is worth keeping a close eye on the culture and not allowing an "enemy" attack on it.

Transfer

When the young sprouts become strong, they need to be planted in a larger container and separately from each other. Usually, the seed packaging indicates the period of their transplantation to a permanent place. Approximately this is 30 days after planting the seeds. You can also start from the state of the plant. As soon as its root grows to the entire glass, it is time for a transplant.

For the "permanent residence" of vegetables on the balcony, a cylindrical container filled with fertile soil is well suited. It is advisable to fertilize the culture after the growth of its roots. Complex feeding is carried out at intervals of 10 days.

The frequency of watering depends on the rate of drying of the soil. Humidification should be such that it completely nourishes the clod of earth with water.

A balcony with open windows is the best place for cultivation, starting from the end of spring, when the air temperature reaches 15°.

On a note

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

1. It is best to grow a crop on a balcony on the south or southeast side of the house. This is due to the fact that tomatoes are very fond of heat. The balcony on the north side is a place where it is impossible to grow a culture.
2. On an unglazed loggia, landing should be carried out no earlier than April. At the same time, the daytime temperature should not be lower than 23 °, and the night temperature should be 13 °, and even higher during flowering.
3. Air humidity in the range of 60% - 65% is optimal for plants. Elevated rates can provoke fungal diseases, so the balcony needs systematic ventilation.
4. 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 top dressing will make the crop bushes powerful and tall. But on such plants, color and fruits are formed poorly. Therefore, fertilizers should be carried out no more than once every 10 days.
7. The branches of a vegetable can break under the weight of the fruit, so it's best to tie them to a support.
8. The main secret for accelerating the formation of bushes is breaking off small roots. To do this, simply pull the plant by the bottom of the stem up.

So, everyone 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 well as the resulting crop.

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

Video from the program “Everything will be fine” on how to grow tomatoes and greens on the balcony in the most compact way.

Not all people have the opportunity to grow tomatoes in the garden or in the garden. It was for this category that special varieties that can be grown right at home on the balcony. To understand how to grow this vegetable at home, you need to disassemble each stage separately. Consider growing a tomato on a balcony step by step.

Growing tomatoes includes the following steps:

1. Seed preparation. To do this, they are soaked in a weak solution of potassium permanganate, then treated with Epin growth stimulator.
2. Container preparation. You should pick up such a container that it includes at least 3 liters of earth.
3. Land preparation. For cultivation, land from the garden or purchased land from the store is suitable.
4. Sowing seeds. To do this, first, small stones are poured onto the bottom of the containers, in which holes are made, so that excess moisture does not accumulate at the bottom. They fall asleep with earth and spread the seeds no deeper than 2 cm. Sprinkle with earth and water.
5. Seedling picking. When the sprouts grow up, and a second true leaf appears, you can dive seedlings. Seedlings are carefully removed from their former place of growth and planted in separate containers.
6. Transfer to a permanent place. After about 30 days, they begin to transplant. More spacious containers are filled with earth by a third, then the seedling is lowered, carefully covered with earth, and watered abundantly with earth.

When transplanting to a permanent place, stones must be poured to the bottom of the containers to ensure drainage.

Planting and growing cherry tomato on the windowsill: step by step instructions

Let's look at an example of how we can grow a cherry tomato variety on the loggia.

This will require:

• prepare seeds;
• prepare fertile soil and cylindrical containers;
• sow seeds. The containers are filled with earth, seeds are sown, watered, covered with foil and placed in a dark place;
• when shoots appear, provide them with sufficient lighting. If necessary, turn on the lamps for additional illumination;
• dive seedlings in separate containers;
• seated in spacious containers in a permanent place.

Growing tomatoes on the balcony will not be difficult if you follow the step-by-step instructions and fulfill all the requirements, monitor the seedlings and provide optimal conditions for plant growth.

Growing tomatoes on a windowsill:

How to plant and grow in plastic bottles

This cultivation method was invented in Japan. where it is not possible to grow organic vegetables in vegetable gardens.

Planting and cultivation is carried out in any plastic containers, the main thing is that there is enough land for the normal development of the plant.

Seeds are disinfected, treated with growth stimulants. Then they are sown in plastic bottles. With the advent of seedlings, seedlings are placed in a lighted place.

The pick is made with the appearance of one or two true leaves. Seedlings are planted in separate containers or planted in several pieces in one container, the main thing is to ensure free growth and development for each plant.

Watering and regular feeding will allow you to grow a good crop even at home on the windowsill.

What size pot do you need

Any plastic containers or pots are suitable for growing. Small bottles are used for sowing seeds, and when the seedlings grow up, they are seated in larger bottles.

The most suitable containers with a volume of 5 liters. One seedling is placed in each bottle.

What should be the balcony (loggia)

For growing tomatoes a balcony facing southeast or southwest is suitable. It will be too hot on a south-facing balcony, and shading will be required for the seedlings.

Plants need sunlight, if it is on the loggia for less than 3 hours, growing tomatoes will fail.

The best place for tomatoes near the walls and railings of the balcony. It is important to protect seedlings from strong winds. High grades are placed in a place protected from the wind and fixed to the trellis.

To scare off pests, you can plant spicy herbs next to tomatoes, for example, mint, oregano, parsley.

With the right location and care, the loggia will replace the usual garden, although the harvest will be somewhat less.

If the balcony is glazed, regular ventilation is necessary.

Proper care step by step

Tomatoes growing on the balcony need to be looked after in the same way as those growing in the garden. Watering, loosening, top dressing, disease prevention necessary when growing tomatoes on the balcony.

In addition to the basic elements, caring for tomatoes on the balcony has some features.

How to care for balcony tomatoes

For successful cultivation on the balcony, it is necessary to maintain the optimum temperature for the development of tomatoes.

The temperature during the day should be from 19 to 22 degrees, at night 15-16 degrees. In extreme heat, it is important to open the windows to ventilate.

Tomatoes can go without watering for several days, watered when the ground is dry.

Topping

As the plant grows, stepchildren begin to appear. stepchildren delete so that the plant is formed in 1-2 or 3 shoots.

For tall seedlings, the best option is the formation of 1-2 stems, for low ones - 2-3 stems.

When the ovaries have formed, you can remove the bottom sheets. Spoiled, yellowed leaves must be removed.

When the plant is finally formed, pinching is necessary. Pinch the top and all inflorescences leaving at least four. So the seedlings will develop correctly.

Harvest is best harvested unripe. In the conditions of the apartment, the tomatoes will finally ripen.

What and when to feed

After 40-50 days have passed after sowing the seeds, the seedlings can be fed. The best top dressing - humus.

It is added to the ground to a height of 2 cm. Such top dressing can be carried out 3 times before transplanting seedlings into a permanent container.

Thanks to this top dressing, the roots are saturated with oxygen and receive the necessary nutrients. Ready-made humus is bought at the store.

How often to water

Tap water is too hard and not suitable for irrigation. The best option is warm water settled for a couple of days, since tomatoes are a heat-loving plant.

It is very important to monitor the condition of the earth in containers. The earth should not be too wet, then the roots of the plant will begin to suffocate, and the plant may die.

Too dry land will lead to a lack of moisture, the roots of the seedlings will begin to dry, the tomatoes will turn yellow.

Watering tomatoes is not often: 1 time in 3 days. After watering loosen the soil. In cloudy weather, you need to inspect the soil, if it is wet, you should stop watering.

Diseases and pests

Tomatoes growing on the balcony may be affected by phytophthora disease. Brown spots form on leaves, stems and fruits. This fungal disease can quickly destroy the plant and fruits.

To prevent the disease, special drugs are used.

Can on balcony tomatoes attack spider mite, whitefly. From the whitefly, the drug Inta-Vir, Commander is used. Akarin, Fitoverm, Borneo - drugs to combat spider mites.

Suitable self-pollinating varieties

With proper care, even a beginner can handle growing tomatoes at home.

There are special varieties suitable for growing on a balcony. If the balcony is spacious enough, you can start growing tall varieties. Undersized and dwarf varieties are also grown.

The most popular and suitable varieties for growing on a balcony:

• Pearl;
• Bonsai;
• Balcony miracle;
• Angelica;
• Ballerina.

pearl the most unpretentious variety. The fruits are slightly elongated, tasty.

balcony miracle- a common balcony variety. The bushes are low, productive, resistant to diseases. Red fruits are suitable for fresh consumption and for canning.

Bonsai refers to dwarf varieties. Fruits rarely grow more than 25 grams. These bushes look very beautiful.

Angelica one of the earliest varieties. The fruits ripen 80 days after germination. Bushes are low, do not need support.

ballerina- a tall variety, when ripe, the fruits become pink. The shape of the fruit is very interesting - pear-shaped.

All tomatoes are self-pollinating plants. There are also undersized and cocktail. The table shows which varieties are such.

You can grow tomatoes on the balcony in summer and winter. Plants will decorate any apartment with their beautiful view. Proper care will provide the whole family with tasty and beautiful fruits.

Undoubtedly, growing vegetables, including tomatoes, on your site and harvesting your own crop is always pleasant and flattering. But those amateur gardeners who do not have their own suburban area should not despair. With the right approach, it is quite possible to grow tomatoes on the balcony. Let's see how to do it step by step.

Growing tomatoes on the balcony is a simple and enjoyable experience.

Variety selection

Since the balcony is a limited space, it is important to choose the right crop variety. The tomato should have large, abundant fruits and be undersized. Varieties such as Cascade Red, Red Pearl, Micron-NK or Cherry are great for balconies.

Modern hybrid varieties also deserve attention:

• 'F1 Balcony Red' is an early maturing variety. Tomatoes begin to ripen from the time the sprouts appear after 3 months. The fruits are not large, but sugary and with a pleasant taste. The bush does not grow more than 30 cm and does not require a breakage of stepchildren.
• Balcony Elou. This hybrid variety does not exceed 45 cm, is early ripening and has lemon-colored fruits that are suitable for conservation for the winter.
• Excellent balcony tomatoes are represented by the Balcony Miracle variety. It is widely popular among hobbyists for its fecundity and precocity. One bush is able to bring a rich, up to 2 kg, harvest.
• Pinocchio is another popular variety. He is valued for the early ripening of fruits and unpretentiousness in the conditions of detention.

There are many hybrid varieties that are successfully grown in cramped balcony conditions. The main thing is to choose a low and early ripening variety.

Tomato Balkoni Elou - a spectacular balcony variety

Sowing seeds

The second step is to sow the seeds of the chosen variety. Initially, the seeds are soaked for 20-30 minutes in a solution of potassium permanganate. Then they are kept for up to 10 hours in a growth stimulant, it can be an Epin solution.

After that, the seeds are transferred to a flat bowl and covered with a moistened rag. After 2-3 days, after they germinate and roots appear, the seeds are planted in pots with soil for seedlings. The seeds should be deepened by 1 cm, and the distance between them is kept at 3 cm.

The pots are covered with foil and placed in a warm place. As soon as sprouts appear, the dishes can be put on the balcony. It is important to ensure that during the day it is not hotter than +25 ℃, and at night the temperature is not lower than +15 ℃.

Seedlings should be watered with warm water. Excess moisture can lead to the formation of disease and mold. Drafts are also contraindicated.

Tomato seeds are planted in small pots

Conditions for the growth of seedlings

Successful cultivation of tomatoes on the balcony depends on the care of plantings made in accordance with all the rules. If the pots are located on the shaded side of the balcony, then the seedlings must be artificially illuminated for 3 hours in the morning and evening. This will be enough.

If required, the plants are covered at night. It is not permissible to flood or overdry plants. Watering is carried out only with warm water.

As soon as the plant has a second leaf, it can be dived. The soil for picking is taken the same as when planting seeds. The sprouts are carefully removed from the soil and placed in small pots. Seedlings are watered and set aside in a shaded place.

Dive tomato seedlings are carried out after the appearance of the second true leaf

Soil and required care

For high-quality cultivation of tomatoes on the balcony, you should carefully consider the composition of the soil. You can purchase ready-made mixtures - "Live Earth". If you mix the soil yourself, then it should be noted that tomatoes love sandy soils with an acidity not exceeding 6.5 pH. The mixture is prepared from:

• 1 part peat;
• 1 piece of turf;
• 1 part manure humus.

Seedlings should be watered in the morning and in the evening, and morning watering will be the main one. When watering in the evening, it is necessary to take into account the general humidity of the air and do not flood the plants. Watering should be carried out under the root of the plant.

You can feed the seedlings after 40-60 days from the date of sowing the seeds. Before transplanting seedlings into containers for a permanent place, they are fed 3 times. The most ideal top dressing is humus. It can be purchased ready-made. Top dressing consists in pouring humus into a pot to a height of 2 cm. Each top dressing strengthens the roots, they grow, intensively absorb nutrients and receive more and more necessary oxygen.

For the successful growth of seedlings, a temperature in the range from +15 to +20 ℃ is acceptable. If the balcony has glazing, then it must be regularly ventilated.

Tomatoes need constant circulation of fresh air.

Transplanting tomatoes into permanent containers

A month later, when the plant takes root and develops, it is transplanted into larger pots. The distance between plants is maintained at 25 cm. Hanging pots will be an original solution. After a while, the stems will go down, and the tomatoes on the balcony will form a composition unlike anything else.

Expanded clay or broken tiles are placed at the bottom of the container to provide drainage. The soil can be pre-enriched with ready-made organic fertilizer. The dishes are filled with prepared soil by 1/3, then a seedling or several plants are placed there. The roots are straightened to the sides and slightly crushed to the ground. Next, soil is added in small portions, periodically compacting it with your hands. Do not fill the top of the tank 1/3 with earth. After transplanting, the plant is slowly so that the moisture is evenly absorbed into the soil, watered abundantly with warm water.

Low-growing plants can be planted in two or three trunks side by side. To form a bush above the first brush, no more than two stepchildren should be left. The remaining sprouts are removed as they appear. All diseased or dry leaves are also cut off to prevent the development of diseases. It is recommended to remove all flowers from the top during the appearance of the first clusters of fruits. This is necessary so that useful substances and moisture are intended for the development of fruits.

The tomato is a self-pollinating plant, but you can lightly shake the flowers or run a brush over them. This will enhance the effect of pollination.

To avoid the development of various diseases, such as late blight, plants are treated with a composition based on garlic and potassium permanganate. To do this, in 3 liters of water, dilute half a large spoon of garlic and 0.5 g of potassium permanganate. For the same purpose, bushes can be sprayed with a solution of phytosporin.

As soon as the fruits begin to turn pink, they are removed from the bush and placed in a box for further ripening. In this case, they will ripen without losing useful components, and will not take juices from growing tomatoes.

And you can also use a little trick. In order for the plant to develop itself faster and form fruits, you can do the so-called “tearing the roots”. To do this, the plant is taken closer to the root and slightly pulled out of the pot, as if trying to pull it out. So there is a separation of small roots. After the procedure, the plant is watered and sprinkled with earth around the stem.

Thus, the answer to the question of how to grow tomatoes on a balcony is simple. As with anything, it takes work and love. And with the right choice of variety and the consistent implementation of all the actions outlined above, success is guaranteed and you can get a decent harvest in the limited space of the balcony.