Seedlings of indoor tomatoes. Main growing conditions. Growing tomatoes at home: care, pollination, harvesting

September 21, 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.

Growing tomatoes at home is quite an interesting and useful activity. The most important thing is that there is nothing complicated in the work due to the fact that in modern conditions you can purchase everything you need.

Another huge plus, in my opinion, is that you can grow tomatoes all year round, so if you wish, you can enjoy a fresh harvest at least for a while. New Year, even on March 8 - no chemicals and no crazy expenses when buying.

How to get a great harvest

From the title it is clear that I will talk about five components, without which it is impossible to get a harvest at home. I want you to understand right away that the growing process is simple, but if you violate its individual requirements, you will get several times less harvest or even lose it completely in some cases.

Therefore, carefully read the agricultural technology; I am talking about the simplest option, in my opinion, which requires minimum costs time and effort.

Factor 1 – seed selection

Even before starting work, you need to purchase a quality planting material. More depends on this than you think, for the simple reason that there are so many low-quality seeds on sale that the likelihood of buying something unknown is very high.

So that you do not make a mistake when choosing, remember a few simple tips:

• Buy seeds only in specialized stores. There are no markets, street stalls or other sellers on wheels - their probability of buying a good product is zero. In addition, when selling on the street or in open structures seed storage conditions are violated, which directly affects their germination;
• Pay attention to the seed manufacturer; the following companies have proven themselves best: “Gavrish”, “Russian Garden”, “Aelita”, “SeDek”, “Artikul”, “Plazmas”, “Poisk” and “Sortsemovoshch”. All types seed material These brands are zoned, that is, suitable for cultivation in all regions of our country. Foreign options are also suitable, because we choose seeds for growing indoors, and here the microclimate is approximately the same everywhere;

• When choosing a specific option, be sure to ensure that it is suitable for home grown . After all, most varieties for open ground are not suitable for our purposes. Below I will talk about specific varieties that I can recommend, but this is far from full list, and there are many other good options on sale;
• Sellers should always have documentation of the quality of seeds. They won’t show you anything on the market due to lack of availability, so there can be no talk of any quality;
• You can purchase specially processed seeds, they can be in the form of pellets from a nutrient mixture, or they can be encrusted thin layer special composition, and can be treated with plasma. All these options are characterized by increased germination, but their price is noticeably higher than that of conventional seeds.

Remember that tomato seeds remain viable for 4-5 years. Therefore, check the date of manufacture; it is better not to take planting material produced more than 3 years ago.

Now let's look at specific varieties, I can recommend you several options:

Variety	Description
"Balcony Miracle"	Perhaps the most famous variety for home cultivation. It is distinguished by a fairly rapid ripening period of the first fruits, usually taking 85-100 days from the moment of germination. The height of the bushes is no more than 60 cm, they do not need staking, about 2 kg of fruit can be collected from one bush, the main advantage of this variety is its viability: tomatoes ripen even in low light
"F1 balcony red"	An early-ripening hybrid that begins to bear fruit 85 days after emergence; the fruits are small, but very sweet and aromatic. The bushes are low - up to 30 cm, the variety does not require pinching
"Bonsai"	The variety is named for its similarity to ornamental trees, small bushes O round shape can reach a height of up to 30 cm and produce about 500 grams of yield. The fruits also ripen quite quickly - after 85-90 days
"Pinocchio"	This variety of cherry tomato is characterized by its increased unpretentiousness; I will recommend it to you as an option for your first experience; it requires much less attention. The bush looks very attractive, the fruits ripen approximately 3 months after germination

Factor 2 – preparing everything you need

In addition to seeds, we will need many other ingredients. Let's look at their list:

• Soil for planting - if previously it was necessary to mix peat, compost and other components, these days it is much easier to buy ready-made option, which does not need to be disinfected. There is no need to save money and make the soil yourself, since the soil that you collect in the field or somewhere else may contain disease spores or pests. The finished soil is processed and enriched with nutrients, which significantly simplifies the work process;

• To create drainage at the bottom of boxes or pots, purchase fine expanded clay. Many people work without it, but tomatoes do not like waterlogging, so drainage will insure you against this factor, taking away excess moisture. You don’t need a lot of expanded clay or other granules - literally 2 cm is poured onto the bottom;
• For planting seeds for seedlings, it is better to use a box; options for flowers are well suited, they have the optimal size and are easy to carry. Another huge plus is their small width, thanks to this the container can be placed on the windowsill so that the seedlings grow better naturally;

• Seedlings, when they grow up, are best grown in separate cups; these can be either special options or ordinary ones plastic containers. The main thing is to have it on hand required amount cups so that you don’t have to run to the shops just before the transfer;
• On permanent place tomatoes are transplanted either into pots with a volume of at least 3 liters, or into boxes, again the volume per plant should be the same 3 liters. You must purchase the required number of containers, but do not forget that you must have enough space on the windowsills for them;
• To disinfect and treat seeds, purchase potassium permanganate, any growth stimulating composition, as well as a complex fertilizer that will be used to treat tomatoes.

If you will grow tomatoes during periods with little daylight, you will need an additional lamp daylight for additional illumination of plants. Its use allows us to artificially increase daylight hours and significantly increase the productivity of our small plantation.

Factor 3 – preparation and planting of seeds

Now let's move on directly to the actions; the instructions for carrying out the work consist of the following steps:

• First you need to prepare the containers; I recommend planting the seeds in boxes, this simplifies the work process and allows you to plant the already sprouted plants in their places. If you plant immediately in cups, not everything may sprout, and some of the containers will sit idle to no avail. The work is simple: pour the soil and water it with hot water until it is well moistened;
• Checking seeds is necessary in order to initially reject low-quality material if it is present. To check we need a glass warm water, into which a spoon is poured and thoroughly stirred table salt. Seeds are poured into the resulting solution and mixed well, after the movement in the container has calmed down, all high-quality seeds will be at the bottom, and damaged and empty ones will float up, they need to be drained;

If you have seeds in a nutrient solution or encrusted special composition, then there is no need to check them.

• The seeds should be processed; first of all, they are immersed in a solution of potassium permanganate for 15-20 minutes. After this, they need to be soaked in a solution of a plant growth stimulator, which is prepared as indicated on the package. The seeds are left for 10 hours; the easiest way is to soak them overnight so that you can plant them in the morning (if you plant in the evening, soak the seeds in the morning);
• The prepared seeds are planted in containers, lines 1.5-2 cm deep are made in the soil, into which the seeds are laid out in increments of 2.5-3 cm. There is no point in planting thicker, since tested and prepared seeds germinate almost 100%. The depressions are filled with soil and slightly compacted; there is no need to tamp too hard, this will make it difficult for the sprouts to break through to the surface.

The containers with seeds that we have prepared must be covered with transparent polyethylene; it prevents the evaporation of moisture and maintains the microclimate necessary for germination and does not impede the penetration of light. All boxes or boxes are placed in a warm place, the temperature should be about 30 degrees, so seedlings will appear in 3-5 days.

Factor 4 – growing seedlings

Now let’s figure out how to grow seedlings, since it is at this stage that problems often arise. Plants that have not yet matured are much more easily susceptible to various diseases and are much more sensitive to disturbances. optimal conditions growing. Therefore, we will analyze this part of the work in as much detail as possible:

• When a couple of false leaves have appeared on the plants and they have already risen above ground level, you can begin to harden them. The containers can be placed on the windowsill and ventilated; the temperature during this period should be 20-25 degrees. You should not expose the seedlings to drafts, do not lose sight of this nuance;

• To prevent young shoots from getting sick with blackleg, which often destroys crops, you need to follow a few simple recommendations: do not over-moisten the soil, do not keep plants at temperatures below 20 degrees and remove weak shoots when plantings are dense. Remember that watering is only needed when the soil dries out, it should not be constantly wet;
• When our plants already have two true leaves, we can carry out the first fertilizing. For this, a composition is prepared, and its concentration should be half that for adult plants (that is, half the amount of dry powder is added to the water). Fertilizing is done in cloudy weather a couple of hours after watering or the next day after it, there is no need to pour the leaves, apply fertilizing to the soil;
• If there is light shining through the windows bright sun, then it is better to protect the plants from it with a sheet of paper, since young leaves can get burned. On such days it is better to keep our crops in the western or north side at home so they don’t get burned;

• When the plant has a couple of full-fledged leaves, you need to start replanting it into separate containers, it is best to use plastic cups, it is convenient to control soil moisture in them. When replanting, carefully dig up a bush with a piece of soil and plant it in a glass, after which it is watered and the plant is placed in a warm place with a temperature of 20-25 degrees;
• Once every two weeks you can water our seedlings with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, and fertilize with the same frequency. Above I wrote how to prepare a nutrient mixture, here everything is done in a similar way. To prevent mold, you can spray the plants with a milk solution (50 g per 500 g of water) once every 2 weeks; this is the simplest and most effective method prevention;
• During the growing process, carefully monitor the air temperature and periodically ventilate the room, this will prevent the appearance of whiteflies - small moths that lay eggs on seedlings. Rotate the seedlings periodically different sides to the window so that it grows evenly, and does not lean to one side and does not reach for the light;

• Approximately 3 weeks after transplantation, when the seedlings are sufficiently strong and begin to grow, they can be transplanted to a permanent place. They are best suited for these purposes (for small tomatoes a volume of 3 liters is enough, for larger bushes it is better to take options 4-5 liters in size). You can also use boxes, in which case the distance between plants should be at least 25 cm;

If your tomato seedlings are withering on the window, then you need to urgently take action, most often the cause is insufficient watering or insufficient lighting. Therefore, if necessary, supplement the plants with light, and as for watering, remember that as plants grow, they consume more moisture, so its amount should constantly increase.

Factor 5 – proper plant care

Now let's figure out how to grow tomatoes on a window. To achieve the best harvest, several important requirements must be met:

• Plants should be placed on the south or east side to receive enough light. If you are growing tomatoes in autumn or winter period, then it is better to use additional lighting and use a lamp to increase daylight hours by 2-3 hours, this will significantly improve fruit set and ripening;
• The first feeding is carried out 3 weeks after transplantation to a permanent place, in the future this work is carried out once every two weeks. Spray the plants with a milk solution from time to time, since mold can also appear at any time if preventive measures are not taken;
• You should not water the tomatoes too often; this is done as the top layer of soil dries out; in cloudy seasons, watering is usually done once every 3 days, and in hot weather - every other day or even daily. In hot weather, you can spray plants with a household sprayer to prevent the leaves from drying out;
• When the air temperature is above 30 degrees, it is better to remove tomatoes from the sun so that they do not burn. In addition, being in the heat provokes the growth of plants in height, and we do not need this at all;
• Tomatoes are not afraid of drafts, so warm weather They can be taken out onto the balcony and the windows can be opened wide. In summer, you don’t have to bring them into the house at all, provided that the temperature at night does not drop below 15 degrees;

• When the tomatoes bloom, you need to shake the brushes with inflorescences in the morning to improve pollination. You can also treat the plants with a special composition “Ovary”, which improves the formation of fruits and helps increase productivity;

• If you have a variety that produces stepsons, then they must be broken off at a distance of 5 mm from the point of their formation. This is necessary so that you don’t spend extra money on them. nutrients, and fruit set and ripening accelerated;

If the bushes are tall or on small plants If a lot of ovaries have formed and there is a danger of damaging the bush, it is better to put a peg and tie the bush. The support allows you to withstand any load, and is required for bushes that are taller than 40 cm;

• When tomatoes begin to ripen, they should be picked so that the plant spends nutrients on the unripe ovaries. Don't worry if the tomatoes are sour, put them on the window and in 2 days they will become tasty and sweet.

Conclusion

Growing tomatoes is not difficult, the main thing is to do this work at least once, and then with experience everything will be completely simple. Your crops will take literally 10 minutes a day, so even those who get home late can grow tomatoes. The video in this article will help you understand the topic even better, and if you have questions, write them in the comments below.

September 21, 2016

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Dwarf tomatoes look amazing in flower pots. The compact bush is covered with cherry tomatoes. To be able to enjoy them at any time, read how to grow tomatoes at home.

The content of the article:

A city apartment or loggia can be turned into a real greenhouse. Moreover, not only flowers, but also vegetables can grow here. Having learned how to grow tomatoes in an apartment, you can enjoy the bright, sweet fruits from spring to late autumn.

• Read the article about the dacha.

Tomatoes - the best varieties for growing in an apartment

Plants should not be tall, have compact bush and bear fruit abundantly. Some varieties and hybrids meet these requirements. The small bush is simply strewn with delicious tomatoes. Here the best varieties tomato for growing at home:

• "F1 Balcony red";
• "Balconies of Yelou";
• "Balcony miracle";
• "Red Pearl";
• "Yellow Pearl";
• "Bonsai";
• "F1 Bonsai micro";
• "Pinocchio".

"F1 Balcony red" very early ripening tomato f1. Already 85 days after germination, bright red tomatoes begin to ripen. They are small, but sweet and aromatic. The bush is not tall, reaches a height of thirty centimeters, it does not need to be pinched.

"Balconies of Yelow" A very decorative tomato, the description of this variety can begin with the fact that it belongs to the group of mid-early hybrids. From the moment of emergence of seedlings to the beginning of fruiting, 100-110 days pass. Compact, which is especially valuable when growing tomatoes at home, it grows up to 45 centimeters in height. The fruits are round, yellow, sweet, with a slight sourness. Suitable for canning and consumption fresh.

"Balcony Miracle"- one of the most famous and time-tested varieties. From a low bush you can collect up to two kilograms of tasty fruits. Mass fruiting begins three months after germination, and the first tomatoes can be harvested after 80 days.

“Red Pearl”, “Yellow Pearl” successfully grown in gardens outdoors and closed ground, on a loggia or windowsill. The bush grows up to half a meter in height. Red fruits are sweeter than yellow ones, but both are very decorative varieties tomatoes.

"Bonsai" It is distinguished by its unpretentiousness and early maturity. Already on the 85th day, red round fruits ripen. The bush is compact, up to thirty centimeters high. From each of them you will collect at least 500 grams of small, but colorful and tasty fruits.

F1 "Bonsai micro". With additional lighting in the morning and evening hours, these can be grown at home in winter. The dwarf bush looks great in hanging basket, it grows to only 15 centimeters.

If you plant seeds of the variety "Pinocchio" at the end of September, then by the New Year you will have red cherry tomatoes. The plant is unpretentious, early ripening. This variety of tomatoes is one of the best for growing on a windowsill.

There are other varieties and hybrids of tomatoes that can be successfully grown at home.

Sowing tomato seeds in an apartment

Before planting, tomato seeds are treated by soaking them for 20 minutes in potassium permanganate, and then in a solution of Epin or another growth stimulant for 10 hours. This technique will help increase germination; tomato seeds will germinate faster.

After these procedures, the tomato seeds are placed in a bowl and covered with a damp cloth. In a warm place, after three days they will have small roots, then you need to plant them in a container filled with soil for seedlings. Tomato seeds are lowered to a depth of 1 cm, the distance between them is 3 cm.

Seedling boxes, covered transparent material, placed in a warm place. After the first shoot appears, place it on the windowsill closer to the light. They can withstand night temperatures at +15 - +17°, daytime temperatures around +22 - +25°.

In such conditions there will be seedlings, the cultivation of which is not difficult. The main thing is to avoid drafts, waterlogging of the soil and watering with cold water. Since these factors can contribute to the development of plant diseases.

Transplanting tomato seedlings into pots

When talking about how to grow tomatoes in winter, it is necessary to note one important detail- increase in daylight hours. This can be achieved by placing a fluorescent lamp at a height of 25 cm from the upper leaves of the seedlings. It is turned on when the weather is cloudy, and the daylight hours are also extended, including in the morning before dawn and in the evening after sunset.

When the seedlings are 3 weeks old, they are fed with seedling fertilizer, diluted with water according to the instructions. To prevent fungal diseases of seedlings, you can spray them with 50 g of milk diluted in 500 ml of water.

After the third true leaf begins to form, the plants dive. First, each is planted in a small pot with a diameter of 5 cm. If you transplant the seedlings immediately into a larger container, root system will develop worse.

After a month, tomatoes are transplanted from small cups into large containers. Pots with a volume of 3-5 liters are suitable for this. You can fill a balcony box with fertile light soil and transplant the tomatoes into it, maintaining a distance of 25-30 cm between them.

An interesting way to place plants in a canopy. To do this, they are planted in a hanging pot. Over time, the leaves and fruits will fall down, and the plant will delight not only with fruits, but will decorate a window, balcony, or loggia.

Growing tomatoes at home: care, pollination, harvesting

In the cold season, you need to water infrequently, when the earthen ball dries out. In summer this is done once every 2-3 days.

Tomatoes - heat-loving plants, so they need to be placed on a south or east window. If you notice that the bushes have begun to stretch out, long internodes have appeared between the leaves, most likely this is due to the heat. On a hot July day glazed loggia It gets very hot, keep an eye on the air temperature. It should not be higher than +30°. To reduce it, hang thin curtains on the glass and open the windows. On such hot days, you can bring the bushes into a room where it is cooler.

Since there are no pollinators in the apartment, do this process yourself. When the tomatoes bloom, shake their trusses lightly in the morning. At this stage, you can spray them with the “Ovary” preparation, which promotes the formation of fruits.

If you planted a variety that produces shoots, break them off as they grow, leaving a “stump” of 5 mm. During flowering and after another 2 weeks, feed the tomatoes with complex mineral fertilizer or ash, diluting 1 tbsp. l. in 500 ml of water.

When the fruits begin to ripen, collect the ripe ones to allow their fellow fruits to grow and develop better. If the tomatoes are sour, it may be due to lack of sun. Place them on a sunny windowsill for 2-3 days and the taste of the fruit will improve.

This is how interesting, exciting and completely easy it is to grow tomatoes at home.

Video tips about growing tomatoes on the balcony:

Video on how to grow tomatoes of the “Grandson” variety on a window:

Not everyone has the opportunity to grow tomatoes in garden beds for the simple reason that they do not have their own plot of land. Residents of apartment buildings are deprived of this opportunity. In addition, I would like to consume my own juicy vegetables in winter, without buying them in the store. In both cases, there is a way out - growing tomatoes at home. It's not that difficult, and the result exceeds all expectations, as you can do it all year round with your own tomatoes. But in order to start planting and growing a plant, you need to choose the variety of the best indoor tomatoes. Currently, quite a lot of them have been bred.

1. Of course, not every variety of tomato can be grown at home. There are a number of criteria under which indoor plants develop normally and produce a good harvest.
2. These varieties are mainly standard varieties. That is, they have a powerful stem, a dense crown, they do not need to be tied up or any operations performed in order to form the correct bush. Everything contributes to bountiful harvest.
3. Such tomatoes should be low-growing, because they grow in a limited space (pot, box), where there are not many nutrients. Therefore, only low-growing plants have a chance to bear fruit.
4. Another feature of growing in an apartment is the lack of light, especially in winter. Indoor tomatoes are adapted to this in such a way that they develop well even without additional lighting.

It is also important that such varieties are resistant to the most common diseases, such as leaf mold.

Among indoor varieties, there are those that are grown as ornamental plants, this must be remembered when choosing tomatoes. Ornamental ones bear few fruits; they are small, although edible. If planting is carried out specifically for the purpose of obtaining a good harvest, then it is necessary to select the appropriate varieties.

General characteristics

The description of each variety has its own characteristics of a particular tomato. However, a number of characteristics for indoor tomatoes have common features:

1. very tasty, contain a lot of sugar and vitamins;
2. the fruits are small in size from 15 to 130 grams, often tightly clinging to the bush, and can bear up to 2 kg of tomatoes per year (per bush);
3. these tomatoes are perennial, after harvesting, leaves appear on the stems again after a while, the lifespan of such tomatoes is five years, all this time they can bear fruit, but the largest harvests are harvested in the first two years.

Indoor tomatoes adapt perfectly to the home environment, and the listed characteristics indicate that throughout the year there will always be juicy, nutritious fruits on the table.

Photos and descriptions of the best varieties

The number of varieties of this type of tomato is not as large as that of ordinary tomatoes, but there are also a lot of them. Every year, breeders develop new varieties or get another hybrid with improved characteristics. You can make a list of the most common varieties that are most often grown by amateurs indoor plants. First of all, we list the standard varieties.

Tiny Tim. Bred in the Netherlands. Its height is 30 cm, if planted in the ground, it grows up to 50 cm. It bears fruit throughout the year. The fruits are spherical, red, weighing from 12 to 14 grams. This is not to say that these tomatoes taste too sweet.

Window yellow. This is a new product on the tomato seed market. Its name itself suggests that the fruits of this plant are yellow. They taste very sweet. During the ripening period, they tightly cling to the tomato branches, their weight is 30 grams, and the height of the plant is 25 cm.

Honey bunch. Another variety of yellow tomatoes, perfectly suited for growing both on the windowsill and in open ground. Height 40 cm, yellow fruits form on the branches and really look like bunches of grapes. It has a high yield, and the fruits have a very thin skin and a sweet taste.

Florida Petit. Fruits well in winter. The fruits are red in color with very sweet pulp, weighing no more than 40 grams. This variety is valued precisely for its high yield. The ripening fruits are collected in dense clusters, so that the leaves themselves are not visible.

Pygmy. This variety can be classified as an ornamental one, but the plant bears fruit quite abundantly, although the fruits are small, about 25 grams, and there can be both yellow and red tomatoes on the branches. Well adapted to conditions short day, this does not affect its development.

Pinocchio. Just a universal variety, with dense foliage and a lot of red fruits, and although they are small, up to 20 grams, you can collect up to 2 kg of these fruits from one bush, which are great for salads and also go well in pickling. The moderately sweet taste of these tomatoes makes it indispensable in winter, when you really want fresh vegetables. In summer, the plant can grow in beds, in the fall it is transplanted into pots and it develops at home, bearing fruit in winter.

Micron NK. The smallest of all existing ones indoor tomatoes. Its height is no more than 15 cm. It fits into a regular flower pot. The yellow and red fruits are very small, one might say pea-sized, weighing 10 - 15 grams. These tomatoes produce a small harvest, but there are fresh, sweet tomatoes on the table all year round.

Bonsai. From the seeds of this tomato variety, a very neat, low bush grows (up to 30 cm), which can easily be placed in an ordinary flower pot. The fruits are bright red, weighing 25–30 g, spherical. At good care You can harvest 1 kg of tomatoes from a bush within a year.

Room surprise. Refers to early ripening varieties. The fruits are red, elongated with aromatic, sweet pulp, weighing up to 30 g. Unlike the listed varieties, which are capable of producing crops even in short-day conditions, this tomato needs lighting in winter, otherwise there will be no harvest in winter.

Balcony miracle. It is not by chance that this name was chosen. It grows up to 50 cm and bears fruit all year round, does not require good consecration. Its round fruits are the largest of all indoor tomatoes up to 100 grams. weight, if you take good care of it, you can harvest 2 kg of tomatoes per year from one bush.

Garden Pearl. This variety is a hanging variety; they are planted in flowerpots or pots, from which shoots hang down as the plant grows. These tomatoes have a very decorative appearance. Their productivity is lower than that of standard tomatoes, and it is more difficult to care for them, but these tomatoes have an excellent taste and become a decoration for the home. From the seeds of the Sadovaya Zhemchuzhina variety, a bush grows up to 50 cm tall with thin but very strong stems, on which round, raspberry-colored fruits with very delicate skin ripen, so that they appear transparent. Fruit weight 15-20 g.

city ​​dwellerF1. This is a hybrid bred exclusively for indoor growing conditions. It can be kept in an upright position; to do this, you need to tie the stems. Reds, round tomatoes reach a weight of 30 grams.

Cherryfingers F1. Another hybrid recently bred. Its strong shoots reach a length of 50 cm. The elongated, red fruits are collected in clusters and contain 8-10 tomatoes weighing up to 30 grams. From one bush you can get 2 kg of tomatoes, but only with good care.

Tumblr. The spreading bush of this tomato bears 2 kg of small red fruits weighing up to 20 grams; it belongs to the very early ampelous varieties. Possessing good fruitfulness, it, at the same time, looks very decorative, that is, it brings benefits and creates beauty.

Mascot. The result of the work of Russian breeders. The shoots reach a length of 55 cm. The fruit is red, similar in appearance to an egg, the weight of one tomato is up to 40 grams. But if you plant the plant in the ground, the weight of one tomato will reach 80-100 grams.

Red abundance. The shoots of this tomato grow up to 60 cm, and they grow quickly, so this must be taken into account, since the plant will take large space in the room. The fruits are collected on clusters, one can contain up to 12 pieces. They are round, deep red in color, weighing 20 grams. every. An important circumstance should be taken into account when growing tomatoes of this particular variety - additional lighting is needed in winter, if, of course, the goal is to get a good harvest in winter.

Planting and care

There are some features associated with growing indoor tomatoes. Like ordinary tomatoes, they are grown using seedlings, but we must take into account the fact that indoor tomatoes begin to bear fruit after 100 days, which means that the seeds need to be sown in pots in September if we want to get a harvest in January, just in time for the New Year's table.

Before planting the seeds, they are dipped in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for 15 minutes to destroy possible viruses. Then they are laid out on a napkin and within about two days they germinate.

The seeds are sown in a box filled with soil. Alternatively, you can buy a special substrate for seedlings in specialized stores. The seeds are planted to a depth of no more than 1 cm, the distance between the planted seeds is from 2 to 3 cm, this is done so as not to thicken the seedlings too much.

As soon as the sprouts reach a position where they have 2-3 leaves, they are planted in pots or other containers. Their volume depends on the variety. For Bonsai, a volume of no more than 1-2 liters is suitable, but hanging varieties require a volume of up to 5 liters. We must also remember that the bottom of the pots must have holes, this is a prerequisite.

The next point that you need to pay attention to is the soil. The fruitfulness of the plant directly depends on it. For indoor tomatoes you need to select it in the following proportions:

1. garden soil 5 parts;
2. sand 2 parts;
3. compost 5 parts;
4. peat 1 part.

Urea, potassium sulfate and wood ash are added to this mixture, all in one volume. matchbox. Having prepared the soil, you can begin planting seedlings:

1. The bottom of the pot is filled with a drainage layer - gravel, expanded clay, then soil is poured in, a small depression is made in the center;
2. Before planting in pots, seedlings are watered, carefully dug up so as not to damage any part, and planted in pots, after which they are watered again, so that the soil is well saturated, this is a guarantee that it will fall on the roots;
3. pots with seedlings are placed on the windowsill on the south side of the room; lighting is needed in the evenings, and it is also required on cloudy days;
4. after a week, fertilizing is applied - nitrogen fertilizers, they are necessary for plant growth;
5. when the tomato blooms, to promote pollination, the stems are shaken and a small brush or feather is passed over the flowers;
6. when the ovaries appear, apply potassium fertilizers at least once every two weeks;
7. in cases where it is necessary to form a bush, excess stepsons are cut off, inflorescences that are superfluous are removed, all this increases fruitfulness.
8. Too tall bushes are tied up.

General recommendations for caring for the plant are to loosen the soil, water at least twice a week, but under no circumstances overwater it. When the plant begins to bloom, watering stops. Every ten days, fertilize in the form of mineral fertilizers or manure diluted in water.

In order for the air next to the tomato to be moist, you need to place a glass of water near the pot with the plant; this will be enough to moisten it. It is best to remove only the reddening fruits from the branches, then they will ripen.

When fungal disease the entire plant is sprayed with phytosporin or another antifungal agent. If the goal is to have tomatoes all winter, then you need to constantly ensure that there are no ripe fruits or dry leaves left on the branches, all this must be removed in time and then the indoor tomato will delight you with good harvests almost all year round.

It is quite possible to grow indoor tomatoes at home. Not only how ornamental plant, but also a real help in the household. Modern varieties They allow you to grow plants that bring a bountiful harvest both in winter and summer, and to have a tasty and sweet tomato on the table, even in the most severe frosts. In addition, these tomatoes are great for canning.

During the season of ripening vegetables, when summer residents rush to their plots for a new portion of the harvest, city residents can only sigh dejectedly after them and be content with either tasteless overseas fruits from the supermarket, or buy fresh vegetables at exorbitant prices at the market. However, there is another option - to organize your own own garden on home windowsill. Moreover, contrary to popular belief, not only greens feel great in indoor conditions, but also everyone’s favorite - tomatoes. Without much effort and effort, you can get a homemade harvest of quality tomatoes more than once a year. In addition, tomato bushes strewn with ripe fruits will serve as an additional decoration for the interior - against the backdrop of the winter landscape outside the window, they look bright and fresh like summer. You don't need any special skills to grow indoor tomatoes. By following the rules of agricultural technology, even a beginner who is far from dacha affairs can master the task. You can grow tomatoes on a windowsill at any time of the year, and winter care not much different from summer.

Tomato varieties for home growing

First you need to choose seeds for planting. Deciding on a variety is quite simple, but you must take into account that tall and medium-sized tomatoes are not suitable for greenhouses and open ground. IN indoor culture Compact varieties with small fruits that can ripen in unusual conditions have proven themselves to be excellent:

• Pinocchio is a compact, high-yielding variety. During the fruiting period, bushes with a height of only 25–30 cm are literally strewn with fruit clusters, each of which ripens up to 10–12 tomatoes weighing about 20–30 g. The productivity of each plant is about 1.5 kg.
• Thumbelina is a fairly tall (up to 1.5 m), indeterminate variety that requires gartering and pinching. Each fruit cluster produces up to 15 round, dense tomatoes weighing 15–20 g, suitable for canning and fresh consumption.
• Geranium Kiss is a compact variety created by American breeder Alan Capuler. Growing up to 50 cm in indoor conditions (up to 1 m in a greenhouse), the bushes are distinguished by a dense, dense crown. Round fruits with a sharp “nose” weighing 20–40 g are suitable for harvesting and for fresh consumption.
• Balcony Miracle is a determinate early ripening variety that does not require support or pinching. The fruits are round, smooth and sweet in taste, reaching a weight of 5–15 g. Distinctive feature varieties – long-term fruiting.
• Rowan beads are a very beautiful hanging variety of tomatoes. The external decorativeness of the bush, about 1 m high, is given by long fruit clusters strewn with tomatoes, the color of which, depending on the degree of ripeness, varies from soft green to golden orange and bright red. Fruit weight is about 20–25 g. Ripening time is 80–85 days from emergence.
• Bonsai – dwarf variety culture. Bushes 20–30 cm high are very decorative and look great - both in ordinary flower pots and in hanging planters. No more than 80–90 days pass from emergence to ripening. Bright red, glossy fruits weighing 15–20 g have a pronounced tomato flavor and are very good fresh or canned.
• Room Surprise is a highly productive, ultra-early ripening variety. The determinate bush grows up to 50 cm. Smooth, round-plum-shaped fruits with a glossy skin reach a weight of 20–25 g. The taste is rich - sweet with a pleasant sourness. The yield of the bush is about 2.5 kg.

In addition to those listed, varieties such as Oak, Ogonyok, Little Prince, Snowdrop, Siberian Dwarf, Golden Bunch, Little Red Riding Hood, Little Florida and others grow and develop well at home. Fans of unusual tomatoes will certainly notice the Black Cherry variety, whose dark purple fruits look exotic and very attractive. The bush is tall (above 1.5 m) and needs support. Tomatoes ripen on clusters - 15–20 pcs. on each one.

Preparatory work

So, the material has been purchased. Before sowing, to check for germination, seeds are poured with a weak solution of potassium permanganate or salt water. Floating dummy seeds are unusable and can be thrown away. Those viable specimens that remain at the bottom are washed under cool running water and, scattered on paper or a cotton napkin, are allowed to dry a little.

A few days before sowing, the selected seeds are wrapped in damp gauze and, placed on a plate, placed in a warm place so that tiny seedlings appear before the start of work. Germinating seeds is not a necessary procedure, but it allows you to speed up the emergence of seedlings. In addition, during sowing, it will be possible to notice and reject ungerminated or too weak seeds.

Homemade Tomato Substrate Recipes

Purchased universal soil is quite suitable for growing home tomatoes, but many experienced gardeners It is recommended to prepare it yourself by choosing any of the following compositions:

• peat, sand - equally;
• turf soil, peat, fermented sawdust (1:7:0.5);
• peat, humus, sawdust, rotted mullein (3:1:0.5:0.5);
• humus, peat, turf soil, sand - equally.

Regardless of the composition, the nutritional mixture (including purchased ones) must be disinfected before use. Most often, the substrate is sterilized in a hot oven or microwave. Good results are obtained by steaming the soil mixture in a water bath or treating it with a strong solution of potassium permanganate. You can also disinfect the soil by freezing it - with the onset of cold weather, the container with the soil is taken out into the cold, where it is kept for 2-3 months. Shortly before sowing, the mixture is returned to the room and, after it has thawed, used for its intended purpose.

Sowing technology

Before starting work, the sterilized soil mixture is laid out in small cups or poured into a common container, moistened well, and then sowing begins:

• IN total capacity maintain an interval of 2-2.5 cm between seeds.
• Sprouted seeds are sown in separate containers 1-2 at a time, dry seeds 2-3 at a time.
• The seeding depth of tomato seeds is 2 cm.
• Before germination, the crops are kept under glass or film at a temperature of +25–30 °C.

With the appearance of cotyledon leaves, the covering film or glass is removed, and the containers with the crops are transferred to a warm, well-lit (preferably southern) windowsill.

Conditions for keeping seedlings

At first, the following factors are most important for fragile seedlings:

• Lighting – seedlings are very demanding about it. From a lack of light, plants become stretched and discolored; there can be no talk of full development. Therefore, with meager natural light It is recommended to place fluorescent lamps or special agricultural lamps above the crops to provide additional illumination for the seedlings in the evening and in cloudy weather.
• Soil moisture – it should be consistently moderate. Plants should be watered only after the surface layer of soil has dried. It is very convenient to supply water from a pharmaceutical rubber bulb, while directing its “spout” between the walls of the dish and the ground. Thus, moisture reaches the roots, but upper layer The substrate does not become waterlogged and is not washed away. Bottom watering - into a tray under the container - gives the same results.

Picking rules

As soon as the seedlings acquire 2-3 true leaves, they are planted in separate spacious pots. For tall varieties, spacious flowerpots with a volume of 10–12 liters are selected; compact bushes will be quite comfortable in containers with a volume of 3–5 liters. The nutrient substrate for the further growth of mature plants is mixed from garden land, peat, humus and sand (2:2:2:1). For each bucket of the resulting mixture add a handful wood ash and 1 tbsp. a spoonful of phosphorus fertilizer. On the eve of transplantation, seedlings are watered abundantly. The further procedure is as follows:

• Drainage is placed at the bottom of the pot, and a layer of sand 2-2.5 cm thick is poured on top of it.
• The plants are removed from the old container along with a lump of earth and carefully transferred to a new container, placing it in the center.
• An earthen mixture is poured around the seedling, avoiding the formation of voids.
• After transplanting, the pot should be filled with soil almost to the top, and the seedlings should be buried down to the cotyledon leaves.

Timely picking is very important, and you should not delay it. In a container that is too small, the seedlings will actively stretch upward, while in a spacious pot, all the forces of the plants will be directed to the formation of the root system, due to which the bushes will turn out strong and stocky.

Features of caring for adult plants

• During the daytime, seedlings are provided with a temperature of about +28 °C; at night they need coolness - no higher than +15 °C.
• Water 2-3 times every 7-10 days, using soft water at room temperature, which is supplied in a thin stream so as not to erode the soil.
• Most varieties of indoor tomatoes will not require pinching, but for some of them this procedure is necessary. Stepchildren (side shoots growing from the leaf axils) are broken off (in no case cut off) from the stem, leaving a small stump 1-2 cm high. The procedure promotes the development of the main shoots and increases the productivity of the plant.
• Every 10-12 days, tomatoes are fertilized, alternating the addition of organic matter and mineral supplements. At the same time, it is worth keeping an eye on appearance bushes Excessive concentration of nutrients can cause active growth of vegetative mass to the detriment of the formation of fruit ovaries.
• The stems of tall tomatoes are unstable, and to prevent the bushes from falling under their own weight, they are tied to a support.
• In the warm season, it is useful to take the plants out onto the balcony, if you have one, and keep them there until autumn.
• Twice a week, the bushes are lightly shaken for pollination.
• It is recommended to spray the plants every 10–15 days warm water to wash away dust from the leaves.

The formation of a powerful crown with weak ovary formation indicates excessive fertilizing and high soil moisture. To correct the situation, on the 5th–7th day, cancel watering, stop ventilating the room and increase ambient temperature at 2°, the foliage of the plants is sprayed with a superphosphate solution (3 tablespoons/10 l of water) and the flowers are pollinated with a soft brush.

Pest Control

If insects have already appeared on the bushes, the tomatoes should be treated with insecticides. The procedure is carried out 2-3 times with a break of several days.

Note! The use of toxic agrochemicals is allowed only before the formation of fruit ovaries. Later, the plants are sprayed with natural remedies - infusions of onion peels and wormwood, garlic water or a solution of laundry soap.

Harvesting

When the main part of the ovaries is formed on the bushes, the top of the plant and excess brushes are plucked off to stimulate the filling of the remaining fruits. Tomatoes are selectively removed from the bush as they ripen. By the way, you don’t have to wait for them to turn red, but pick them half-ripe to reduce the load on the bush. At home, the fruits will quickly reach the desired condition.

In cooking, tomatoes from home gardens are used to prepare salads and sauces, and added to other dishes when boiling and stewing. They are very good in whole-fruit canning. However, it is best to eat them fresh. Dense, juicy, fragrant fruits grown on a windowsill cannot be compared with store-bought ones. In addition, being a valuable product, freshly picked tomatoes will be an excellent support for the body during the winter vitamin deficiency.

Growing tomatoes in an apartment on a windowsill in winter is a very real task, but to do this you need to create for the plants the necessary conditions and choose the right tomato variety that can actively bloom and bear fruit in short daylight conditions.

When thinking about how to grow tomatoes in winter so that red tomatoes appear on the table precisely during this period, when the human body experiences a severe lack of vitamins, it is necessary to choose the right planting time and take into account many other points that will allow you to get best result.

So, to obtain a high-quality harvest of tomatoes grown on the windowsill, you first need to choose the right variety. The thing is that most varieties intended for growing in a greenhouse or open ground are completely unsuitable for a balcony or window sill. Low- and medium-sized varieties of cherry tomatoes are best suited for growing on a windowsill, since in this case the fruits will ripen faster and the lack of light in winter will not affect the harvest. Currently, a number of varieties have been developed that are optimal for growing in apartment conditions.

The following are the best varieties for planting on a windowsill:

1. Pearl.
2. Balcony miracle.
3. Ranetochka.
4. Hummingbird.
5. The pearl is yellow.
6. Pinocchio.
7. Polar explorer.
8. Aladdin's lamp.
9. Carlusha.
10. Angelica.
11. Glasha.
12. Alpatyeva 905 A.
13. Moskvich.

If you want to get a tomato harvest in winter, you should sow seeds to obtain seedlings in early August. Timely planting of seeds to obtain seedlings is the most important moment, therefore it is very important to prepare all the necessary equipment by this time.

For growing seedlings, ordinary plastic cups with holes made at the bottom are quite suitable. In the future, the seedlings will need to be transplanted into containers, the volume of which should be about 7-10 liters.

It is best to germinate the seeds before planting, as otherwise you can wait a very long time for germination. To germinate, purchased tomato seeds of the selected variety must be placed on a piece of wet gauze and covered with another one. After the seeds hatch, you can begin planting them in cups. It is best to pre-soak in cups specially designed for growing seedlings peat tablets. Next, you need to sow 1 seed per cup onto the peat substrate. Approximately 1 cm of substrate should be sprinkled on top of the seeds.

It is necessary to water the seedlings with clean water. Fresh tap water not suitable because it contains chlorine that is harmful to tomatoes. This water must be left to stand for at least 1 week. You can also use a filter to purify water. Tomato seedlings growing on a windowsill need to be watered once every 5 days. You should not spray tomato seedlings, as this can harm the plants. You can transplant plants to their permanent place of growth when they have 4-5 formed leaves.

Large pots for planting tomatoes are best filled with fertile black soil mixed with peat in a 3:1 ratio. If desired, you can purchase a ready-made soil mixture, which already contains all the necessary fertilizers. After planting tomato seedlings, it is necessary to organize proper care. The pots should be immediately placed in the most well-lit window, since tomatoes are still warm and light-loving plants.

Growing tomatoes in winter (video)

Caring for tomatoes growing on a windowsill

The process of caring for tomatoes growing on the windowsill of a house in winter has certain characteristics. First of all, you should remember that the space for the growth of the root system of tomatoes in a pot is quite limited, so for normal development and fruiting the plant must be fed with fertilizers. Approximately 7 days after planting the seedlings, the first fertilizing with mineral fertilizers is carried out.

Typically fertilizing is carried out with fertilizers such as:

• Mortar;
• Nitrophoska;
• Aquarin.

You can also use other complex mineral fertilizers. Considering that tomatoes limited to a pot simply have nowhere to get nutrients from, fertilizing must be done at intervals of 10 days. Usually the first 2 feedings are carried out with a small amount of mineral fertilizers. As a rule, take ½ tsp. fertilizers per 5 liters of boiling water. After cooling, the fertilizer solution is used to water the plants. Starting from the 3rd feeding, the concentration of fertilizers is increased to ½ tsp. fertilizers per 3 liters of water. Before use, the prepared fertilizer solution must be filtered through gauze.

Immediately after flowering begins, it would be good to carefully remove the top few centimeters of soil and replace them with vermicompost or humus.

The most important point is compliance temperature regime. The temperature during the day should be at least 25 °C, at night about 15 °C. If there is a battery under the windowsill, it must be covered with a wooden shield to warm air rose at a relative distance from the leaves of the plants. In addition, the most important point is lighting.

On autumn days, when the weather long time It also pleases with the sun; for normal growth of tomatoes, it is enough to turn the pots with different sides to the sun so that the leaves develop evenly. If this is not done, the tomatoes on the windowsill in winter will stretch towards the light source.

Considering that by mid-autumn there is a significant shortening of daylight hours, necessary measure is the arrangement of additional lighting. Best suited for arranging an additional lighting system are: fluorescent lamps that provide enough light.