Vegetables occupy an important place in the human diet. From them we get vitamins, trace elements necessary for the normal functioning of the body. Tomatoes, for example, are beneficial for the cardiovascular system. Available for purchase regardless of season. However, the grown tomatoes on the windowsill in the apartment are tastier and healthier.
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How to grow on a windowsill?
Dishes of world cuisines are hard to imagine without the use of tomatoes. It’s easy to buy a fragrant vegetable even in winter. But often people prefer to cultivate the plant in a residential environment. And to do this easily even on the windowsill in the apartment or on the balcony.
What do you need to get started?
Get the yield and the pleasure of growing is available with careful preparation. To work, you will need:
- seed;
- containers for sowing;
- fertilizers (organic, mineral);
- phytolamps.
Advice! Tools, utensils and soil are subjected to treatment with a temperature of at least 100 degrees or specialized disinfectants to fight bacteria and fungi. This will reduce the risk of plant death as a result of infection.
For the cultivation of tomatoes on the windowsill, it is recommended to choose varieties that produce compact bushes up to 50 cm high and bear fruit abundantly. Examples of recommended types:
"Balcony red"
Refers to early ripening species. 85 days after the first shoots, the owner of the garden picks tomatoes on the windowsill. The fruits are sweet, they have a pleasant aroma. The height of the bush does not exceed 30 cm.
"Balcony Elow"
Refers to mid-ripening hybrids. Beginning of fruiting is expected in 110 days from the appearance of the first seedlings. The bush reaches a height of 45 cm. The fruits are round, painted yellow. It tastes sweet, with a slight acidity. Tomatoes of this variety canned, used for the preparation of salads, sauces.
"Balcony Miracle"
The variety is popular among gardeners. One bush brings about two kilograms of fruit. The first crop is harvested 80 days after the appearance of the first seedlings.
Bonsai
A compact bush with a height of about 30 cm. As shown in the video, up to 500 grams of bright red fruits are harvested from one plant.
There are other varietal types of tomatoes suitable for cultivation on the windowsill or balcony.
The opportunity to grow tomatoes not only in the garden, but also in the apartment, appeared through the efforts of scientific breeders who in the mid-70s developed the Cherry variety. This type of tomato is distinguished by small fruits that grow in clusters.
It's important to know! The cultivation of hybrids of ordinary tomatoes is different from how to grow cherry tomatoes and other varieties on the windowsill in the apartment.
Here are some features:
- Soil for planting a quarter should consist of sand, the rest is black soil.
- Seeds should not be soaked before planting.
- The film from the containers is removed five days after planting.
It is also important to remember that cherry tomatoes do not undergo pinching. The rest of the cultivation of this type of vegetable is no different from the cultivation of tomatoes of other varieties.
Read also:
- Growing onions: recommendations for choosing seed
- Plant radishes in egg trays
- How to grow peas in open ground?
We grow seedlings correctly
To grow tomatoes on the windowsill in the apartment in the winter, sowing is recommended in two stages. The first is in October, and the second is the end of November. So the gardener will be able to get a crop not only in winter, but also in early spring. When sowing from mid-February to the last days of March, it will be possible to harvest tomatoes throughout the spring, as well as in the summer.
Sowing seed material according to the specified schedule will provide the gardener with a harvest throughout the year.
The success of the cultivation of tomatoes on the windowsill is determined by strict observance of the rules of sowing:
- Before starting work, the seeds must be disinfected. In the absence of an industrial preparation, it is recommended to use a solution of potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate). Soaking lasts 15 minutes, then the seeds are dried. Growth stimulator treatment strengthens the defenses of the seed.
- Each seed is planted at a distance of 2 cm from the other. This will avoid crowding of bushes and a positive effect on productivity.
- Before sowing, the earth must be moistened. Planting depth - 2 cm. From above, the container is closed with a film to simulate the conditions of the greenhouse. Temperature - from 22 to 24 ° C. After 7 days, the temperature in the greenhouse drops to 20 ° C. Be sure to monitor the humidity - the only way to grow tomatoes on the windowsill, not affected by the disease called the "black leg".
When cultivating tomatoes at home, it is important to remember that the leaf mass of seedlings and adult plants is sensitive to direct sunlight. Therefore, the container is recommended to be shaded or installed on the windowsills of the northern, eastern windows.
Transplanting seedlings in a separate container is recommended if three leaves are formed. As a container, plastic glasses and pots are suitable. Feeding is carried out once every fourteen days. Watering the plants with a weak solution of potassium permanganate will protect the soil from acidification. As soon as the roots are completely covered with an earthen lump, the plant is transplanted into a permanent container. Capacity - three liters. The day before equipping the tomatoes on the windowsill for growth in winter, the plant is watered.
The transplanted plant is fed three weeks after planting in the main container. This time is enough for the root system to grow.
https://youtu.be/Aj7yGzXSjDo
Proper care
Studying the issue of growing tomatoes on the windowsill, much attention is paid to watering plants. In winter, tomatoes do not require frequent hydration - they do this after drying a lump of earth. In summer, moisture evaporates quickly, so moisten the soil with an interval of 2-3 days.
Tomatoes are classified as heat-loving plants, therefore, containers are placed on the windowsills of windows located on the east side.
It should be remembered that direct sunlight has a detrimental effect on the leaves. For protection, thin curtains are arranged that allow diffused light to pass through. When the ambient temperature rises to 30 ° C, the plants are transferred to a cool place. This will avoid stretching the bushes and reducing yields.
Important! There are no natural pollinators in the apartment. To form ovaries, it is recommended that after the appearance of flowers, shake the branches every morning. Also shown is the use of the specialized tool "Ovary."
Regarding top dressing. In specialized stores a variety of fertilizers and plant nutrition is presented. For beginning gardeners, it seems that without the contents of bottles and bags, yields cannot be achieved. However, it should be remembered that excess is as dangerous as deficiency.
The introduction of mineral complexes into the soil in an amount that exceeds the recommended rate leads to the accumulation of substances in the fruits. The result is poisoning of people when consuming such tomatoes. Avoid this by preparing the right planting substrate. Top dressing is applied no more than twice a month.
The best soil substrate is turf (replaced by garden soil), compost, sand and peat. As practice shows, mixing the components does not bring the plant so much benefit as layering and spraying the soil.
In addition, solving the problem of growing tomatoes on the windowsill in an apartment or house, experienced gardeners replace mineral complexes with charcoal. This material contains a complete set of vitamins necessary for the full growth.
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