Tomatoes on the windowsill in winter for beginner varieties. How to grow tomatoes on a balcony or windowsill. The yield of indoor tomatoes

In winter, when a blizzard and cold knocks on the window, fresh tomatoes on the windowsill seem to be something exotic, unattainable, and this only makes it more attractive. How realistic is it to grow them in the harsh season? If you know the small nuances of "agrotechnics in pots", it is no more difficult than ordinary tomatoes in the beds. When there is a warmed balcony, the cultivation of tomatoes can be organized on it.

Varieties that "get along" in the house

All "works on tomatoes" are tightly linked to the availability of free space. If there is enough space on the balcony, you can choose almost any variety for planting - high, low, branched or not very. When only free space on the windowsill is available all year round, cherry varieties or miniature bushes specially bred for “home breeding” are suitable for growing, quickly “giving” the crop. Among them can be both red and yellow varieties of tomatoes. The quality of the composition does not depend on the external color.

Cherry varieties: Bonsai, Balcony miracle, Baby, Balcony charm, Golden bunch, Chinese room, Room surprise, Rowan beads, Bullfinch, Japanese dwarf and others.

Ordinary tomatoes that are suitable for a winter window sill: White filling, Bull's heart, Leopold, Siberian precocious, Florida Petit, Yamal.

Tomato varieties for balcony cultivation can be taken a little higher “in height” and with larger fruits, otherwise their care will be the same as for vegetables on the windowsill.

It is important to check the expiration dates, which are always indicated on factory seed packages. Often inexperienced vegetable growers cannot understand why their indoor tomatoes do not sprout in winter. It is possible that this is the result of an overdue implementation period.

Miracle on the balcony

The special love of gardeners "at home" was won by the tomato "Balcony miracle". This is a compact determinate variety, up to 50 cm high, ultra-early (maximum ripening period 90 days), the weight of each bright red tomato is up to 65 g, rounded. The usual yield is up to 2 kg per bush. If the plant is “allocated” a large area, the harvest in winter can be obtained higher.

Before germination, the seeds are grown in greenhouse conditions, then the temperature is reduced to 15 degrees for a week, then raised again. When the sprouts rise to 15 cm, they dive into b about larger containers. Tomatoes "Balcony Miracle" love light (although they ripen even in conditions of its deficiency), do not require tying up and removing stepchildren.

A positive effect during winter cultivation will be given by: assistance in pollination, good watering, fertilizers, accurate loosening of the soil, formation of a bush.

Feeding options:

Special preparations.
Liter solution: 5 g of superphosphate, mixed with potassium sulfate and urea - 1 g each.

The most productive top dressing in winter during flowering and fruit formation.

Growing the Balcony Miracle at home will allow you to collect excellent tomatoes from the windowsill in winter for salads, preparations, and even freezing.

Main growing conditions

Growing tomatoes on a balcony or windowsill requires a number of necessary conditions:

The best location is near the south windows. Almost impossible - in the north.
Decontaminated, non-clay soil. Not less than 5 liters per bush.
Along the bottom - drainage with expanded clay or sand.
Air humidity up to 65%.
Light day for seedlings is at least 12 hours even in winter, preferably 13-16.
If necessary, illuminate with lamps installed no closer than 30 cm from the seedlings.
Water the tomatoes on the balcony or windowsill carefully, with warm water, without waterlogging, but also without overdrying. On average once every 3 days.
Air temperature indicators: during the day 25-26 degrees, at night up to 15-16. If it's hotter - ventilate, tomatoes are not afraid of drafts.
Do not grow on a balcony without insulation before April.
Loosen the soil and top up if necessary.
Spraying of leaves, garter of branches is possible.
Do not turn the pots with bushes so that there is no dropping of tomatoes from the branches.
It is desirable to install containers on rack stands.

It is not necessary to often fertilize tomatoes with nitrogenous and organic fertilizers in winter. Otherwise, powerful, rough bushes will grow with a minimum of small fruits.

Instructions for winter growing tomatoes on the windowsill

Before you “start” the winter process of growing tomatoes at home, you need to stock up on all the necessary materials. "At hand" should be:

Seeds of well-known manufacturers with a "fresh" shelf life.
Seed cups.
Containers for planting after picking - "cut-off" bottles, pots.
Lighting lamps.

Main stages of work

Preparation of containers and tools . “Fry” at high temperature (in the oven) or treat with a preparation from fungi and bacteria. In the case of using new peat pots, soak them in a solution of mineral and organic fertilizers before planting, and dry.
Land preparation. Tomatoes on the windowsill, as in outdoor cultivation, prefer "breathing", clean land. Ordinary soil can be spilled with hot potassium permanganate, steamed in a water bath, or seriously frozen. Examples of mixtures for self-preparation: an equal part of the earth, humus, peat and sand; on two parts of the earth, 4 "measures" of humus and peat, 1 - sand. It is good to shed with a mixture of urea and potassium sulfate, diluting into 10 liters of water according to the volume of a matchbox. Pour a handful of ash there. The looseness of the soil is increased with peat or sawdust.
Germination of seeds. To prevent late blight, soak them in a slightly pink solution of potassium permanganate for half an hour, dry and treat with a growth stimulator. To germinate the seeds, “wet” with warm water and leave on a damp cloth in a warm place.
Seeding rules varieties for the balcony and window sill. Sprouted tomato seeds are planted in lightly watered soil in small holes (up to 1 cm), 1 each. Dry ones are buried in 2 or 3 copies with a distance of 2 cm. Cover with a film or lay glass on top and transfer to a warm place, but without "African heat". To obtain a crop of tomatoes on the windowsill in winter and early spring, sowing is carried out in October and late November. The continuity of the collection of tomatoes can be ensured by the following crops in mid-February and late March.
"Moving" to a permanent place. When shoots have appeared, the covering material is removed, and the pots are rearranged closer to the window. Further, it is important to ensure that the sprouts have enough light and heat in winter.

Raise containers with tomatoes from time to time to see if excess moisture has accumulated in the pan. She needs to be cleaned up. Pour water at room temperature.

Conducting a dive. During the period of appearance of 2 permanent leaves. After the “procedure”, the strongest sprouts receive a more capacious “container” for growth - 7-10 liters. The roots of seedlings are deepened by 3 cm, watered. Growing tomatoes on the balcony will take place in such large containers. Larger varieties are immediately tied to pegs. Any tomatoes in the winter after transplantation do not touch for about a week, so that the bushes take root calmly. When it is still cool outside, it is better to bring tomatoes from the balcony into the room at night. With the onset of heat, all landings "move" to the balcony.
Winter top dressing of tomatoes on the windowsill. Seedlings are "supplied" every 10 days - with organic matter and ready-made mineral fertilizers. Act according to the instructions on the package, do not forget to gently loosen the ground around the trunk. With the advent of 2 true leaves, fertilize the seedlings in winter with a solution of trace elements. The most important rules of work: for young plants, the dose, reduced by 2 times compared to the instructions, is carried out on moist soil, preferably without touching the leaves.
Pinching and pruning. Stems that begin to grow from the axils of the leaves are called stepchildren. They are harvested so that they do not take food from the ripening fruits. For the formation of 2-3 stems in low-growing varieties, you can leave the appropriate number of stepchildren. The rest are removed manually, preferably in the morning, while there is no strong sun. Low-growing and standard varieties can not be pinched, but the bush should not be thickened either. Sick and yellowed leaves are cut off. After the formation of brushes, you can cut off the lower leaves.

You can not remove all the leaves. In this case, the synthesis of organic materials will be disrupted.

Bush formation. After fruit set, 4-5 brushes are left on each trunk. All others are removed along with the top of the stem and inflorescences. When the fruit formation itself begins, the tops are pinched and the flowering tassels are removed.
Help with pollination. Tomatoes of "balcony" varieties are also self-pollinating, but help in winter will not hurt them. It is enough to shake the flower brushes slightly and tap on the stem. So that the ovary does not fall off, it is permissible to spray the bush with a solution of boric acid - 1 g per 5 liters of water and add a little potassium permanganate.
Disease prevention. Without proper care, tomatoes in winter can also get sick when grown on a windowsill. If they are “filled in”, mold, rot or late blight are provided. For its prevention, a mixture of the following composition is well suited: half a glass of garlic and a little potassium permanganate (half a gram) are added to a three-liter container of water. You can use spraying "Fitosporin". The appearance of whiteflies, even when grown in winter on a window, is facilitated by acidification of the soil. The addition of chalk crumbs, ash, dolomite flour or slaked lime will help prevent acidification. There are also special preparations deoxidizers.

Responsibly caring for the bushes with all preventive measures, you can be sure that the tomatoes will ripen in the right amount.

Harvesting

To grow a full-fledged crop on the windowsill, it is important to collect the fruits on time. In winter, poured tomatoes are removed, which have begun to turn slightly pink. They are placed for ripening on a window or in a dark box. The process will go to the end, and the bush will “throw” all the released useful substances for growing the fruits remaining on the branches.

Knowing how to grow tomatoes at home on a windowsill or balcony, you can pamper your loved ones with “delicious plantings” not only in summer, but also in winter. This will especially please children, who will examine each plant with the greatest curiosity and will certainly taste small tasty “tomatoes”.

How often to water seedlings of tomatoes on the windowsill is an important issue that worries gardeners. Watering is an important step in plant care. It is through the water that the bushes receive all the nutrients.

Many people want to have a fresh harvest of vegetables to the table even in winter. Others do not have the opportunity to grow a plant in the garden themselves, even in summer. Therefore, the question may arise of how to grow tomatoes on the windowsill.

To grow tomatoes in an apartment, you need to invest patience, diligence and perseverance. In this case, a high-quality fresh crop will delight on the windowsill all year round. If there is a desire to collect fruits in the winter and spring, then it is better to plant in November. To continue harvesting in the summer, planting seeds is carried out in the spring (it is better to sow at the end of March).

Growing tomatoes at home begins with the right selection of varieties. It is better to stop the choice on undersized and standard (having a strong stem and compactly located branches) types of tomatoes for growing on a windowsill.

They take up little space, they do not need large containers, they can be harvested richly, there is no need to establish a support and artificially pollinate.

Seeds must also be given special care. Only large seeds are selected from the pack, which are then necessarily disinfected. This will help prevent future fungal infections. You can keep the seeds for 5 hours in a weak solution of potassium permanganate.

A solution of potassium permanganate only prevents the development of diseases, but does not affect the quality of growth. To stimulate growth, it is recommended to use special preparations.

An important point on how to grow tomatoes at home is soil preparation. It is better to buy soil in the store. It is not recommended to take ordinary land from the garden, since there is almost always a source of infection there. You can prepare the soil yourself. A good mixture is obtained from woody soil, humus, compost and sand.

Suitable varieties

To grow tomatoes in winter, you need to choose the right varieties and know how to properly care for them. It is best to choose varieties with early ripening, self-pollinating, resistant to various diseases (a closed loggia or balcony is characterized by moist air and the frequent development of fungal diseases).

You should also choose tomatoes for the windowsill, in which the root system is not too pronounced to fit in a pot or planter.

When choosing a variety, it is not necessary to take into account weather conditions. But the length of daylight hours matters, as plants especially need lighting. For example, in Ukraine, the weather allows you to grow tomatoes, not only at home. Vegetable growers have been planting varieties such as "Ballerina", "Pink Honey" for many years.

What varieties of tomatoes are best suited for a balcony? The following best varieties are very popular for breeding: Room Surprise, Balcony Bonsai, Balcony Miracle, Butterfly, Angelica. The technology of growing home cultivated plants has similar stages.

Such varieties of tomatoes as "Baby", "White Pouring", "Zelenushka", "Little Red Riding Hood", "Thumbelina" are also popular. At home, indoor tomatoes of these varieties do not exceed 45 cm in height and fit a lot of fruits on a branch.

You can also try growing high varieties of tomatoes. Among the tall species, the Cherry variety is common. The small size of the fruit will delight in any season.

High and medium-sized tomatoes on the windowsill in the apartment need pinching and shaping bushes. It is better to leave two or one stem.

Secrets for further care

How to grow tomatoes at home, there are many nuances. In a prepared container with moist soil, the seeds are sown in shallow pits (no deeper than 1 cm) at a distance of 1.5 cm. For convenience, you can take a stick with a mark and make recesses into which the seeds are sown. Then sprinkled with earth. After all the seeds are planted, water the soil through a strainer and cover with glass or polyethylene film.

An important rule on how to grow tomato seedlings is the choice of its location. Near the windowsill there are always heaters that dry the soil. Therefore, this place is not suitable for germinating seeds. Water the soil with a watering can as it dries.

After a week, the first shoots should be observed. They begin to ventilate the container with sprouts, and the soil must be constantly moist. Watering is carried out early in the morning with settled water. You can empty the container from the package when 90% of the sown seeds have risen.

Tomato seedlings on the windowsill must be constantly turned with different sides to the window. This contributes to the fact that the stems grow even and strong. If the tomatoes grew on one side, they bend, stretch and develop poorly.

Growing tomatoes on the windowsill is not complete without a pick. As soon as the first leaves develop, the bushes are transplanted into separate plastic cups, dive (pinching the long tips of the root) and make the first top dressing with microelements. Only those that have grown larger and stronger should be transplanted into separate containers, and the rest can be left to grow in a common container.

At the bottom of plastic cups, it is necessary to make holes through which excess liquid will come out and fungal diseases will not develop.

A pick is necessary in order to make a branched root system of a small size. When picking, it is important not to damage the small roots of the seedling and replant it together with the earth that the roots have enveloped. From now on, top dressing is applied every 12 days.

To grow indoor tomatoes, all subsequent days they need to be properly watered and the soil loosened. You need to water under the root, with little pressure, otherwise the roots will be exposed. Do not allow water to fall on the leaves and stems. In sunny weather, you need to water in the evening.

After picking, you can immediately transplant the seedling into a permanent large pot or use cups for a while. In the latter version, it is necessary to transplant into large containers when the roots of the plant envelop the entire earth in a cup. The ideal option is a bucket of about 10 liters; for the Cherry variety, a pot with a capacity of 3 liters is also suitable.

After the potted plants have adapted and established themselves, you can apply top dressing (approximately 12 days after transshipment).

Further courtship

How to grow tomatoes on the window, there are other rules. After the tomatoes are in their permanent place, they need additional care.

To grow tomatoes on your windowsill in winter, you need care and special conditions. Small bushes are afraid of drafts and watering with cold water. The temperature of the water intended for irrigation should be approximately 22 degrees. Do not overdo it with water, constantly wet soil becomes a source for the development of diseases.

You need to pour water near the bush, and after moistening, the earth must be loosened to reduce evaporation. Loosening should be done carefully, without damaging the roots. Hilling can also be carried out at the same time, as this contributes to the strengthening and development of the root system.

Growing tomatoes on a windowsill is not complete without regular fertilization. The following recipe is popular. A little superphosphate, potassium sulfate and urea are added to a liter of water. You can use mullein or chicken manure.

After the seedlings are grown, be sure to carry out additional feeding during the period of rapid color, the formation of ovaries and during fruiting.

If high and medium growth varieties were chosen from seeds for growing tomatoes on a windowsill, then additional stems (stepchildren) are formed in the bushes. It is necessary to carry out stepsoning in order to improve the nutrition of the fruit.

As the plant develops at home in a pot, dry leaves are removed, especially those that are located close to the root. Dried leaves prevent moisture from reaching the roots.

The appearance of tomatoes

From the moment the ovaries appear, further care for cultivated plants is required. Homemade tomato bushes do not require artificial pollination. But to improve the process of ovary formation, it is recommended to shake the stem slightly every 4 days during the flowering period. So pollen from the top flowers will crumble to the bottom row.

Some experienced gardeners use a different method, which allows the fruits to take shape faster in winter on the windowsill. To this end, the bush is taken at the base and carefully pulled up. During this procedure, small roots break off, which take nutrients. Then it is recommended to water the plant and spud.

Tomatoes on the windowsill during the formation of the ovaries are useful to feed foliarly. You can dilute 1 g of boric acid in a liter of water.

If the bushes are high, then it is necessary to fix the branches at the support, otherwise they may break under the weight of the tomatoes.

Do not leave tomatoes on the bushes until fully ripe. They are harvested unripe.

Meeting with problems

Not everyone succeeds in growing tomatoes without problems at home. Very often, especially beginner gardeners, are faced with the problem of withering plants and yellowing leaves. Why tomato seedlings wither, there are several explanations:

increased humidity in the room or excessive watering of the soil;
the presence of drafts in the room;
a large number of fertilizers, especially those containing nitrogen;
cold air or cold water for irrigation;
lack of space for plant development;
lack of lighting or prolonged exposure of the plant under the rays of the sun;
diseases and pests;
lack of useful components in the soil.

Therefore, homemade tomatoes are not placed near opening windows, the gap between the bushes should be at least 2 cm, fertilizers are applied no more than once a week. Be sure to monitor the humidity and room temperature.

When the bushes turn yellow and dry, the cause may lie in diseases. If the consequences of improper plant care can be quickly eliminated, for example, by moving seedlings to another place, transplanting or removing wet soil, then it becomes more difficult to save the crop from diseases.

The cause of diseases most often becomes poor-quality soil (even if it was purchased in a store). If the plants dry, wither, brown spots appear on the stem, then most likely we are talking about a fungal disease - fusarium. You can save diseased plants by transplanting them into another soil, but before that, the container should be disinfected.

If it is wrong to water the plants in the apartment in winter, then there is a high probability of the appearance of such a disease as the Black Leg. The leaves of tomatoes darken, fall off, and the roots begin to rot. It is better to immediately get rid of such a bush, so as not to infect other plants.

Thanks to the efforts of breeders, you can grow tomatoes on the windowsill, and at any time of the year. There are many varieties that can produce good yields indoors. Growing them is no more difficult than ordinary tomatoes in the garden, moreover, they are not afraid of either drought or the Colorado potato beetle. To enjoy fresh tomatoes in the winter cold, you need to study all the nuances of such cultivation, but the most important thing is to choose the right variety.

Features of indoor tomatoes

Room conditions are significantly different from the conditions in the garden, so not every variety of tomatoes will be able to grow and bear fruit normally indoors. Varieties intended for growing on a windowsill have the following characteristics:

short stature. Due to the limited space, only low-growing and dwarf tomatoes are able to form a crop. Tall tomatoes require not only a lot of space, but also a lot of nutrients, and there is too little soil in a flower pot for this;
standardization. Not everyone knows how to properly form a bush, but this is an important condition for the yield of a tomato. Standard varieties have a strong central stem and a dense crown; it does not need to be pinned or tied up;
resistance to lack of lighting and disease. Indoor plants receive less light, especially in winter, and therefore really need additional lighting. But there are varieties of tomatoes that normally bear fruit under short day conditions, and they need illumination only on cloudy days. Their genetic feature is short internodes, due to which the stems do not stretch. Of the diseases, tomatoes are most threatened by the black leg (during the seedling growing period) and leaf mold. The most resistant to them are hybrids, which make up 90% of the total number of potted tomatoes.

In addition to these features, indoor tomatoes are distinguished by the highest taste, and are rightfully considered champions among tomatoes in terms of the content of vitamins and sugars in the pulp. But not all of them can boast of yield, because some varieties are more decorative, and form very small, cherry-sized fruits. Of course, they are also edible, but there are too few of them, and therefore they are used most often to decorate dishes.

If you need tomatoes for daily use, choose high-yielding varieties with larger fruits. As a rule, the mass of indoor tomatoes varies between 15-130 g, depending on the variety. The best of them form low bushes completely covered with fruits. On average, one bush can produce up to 2 kg of tasty, marketable tomatoes per season.

Potted tomatoes have another feature - they are perennials. If, after collecting the last fruits, the bush is not thrown away, then after a while new leaves will appear on the stem. Typically, these tomatoes grow and bear fruit within 5 years, although the most abundant crops are in the first 2 years.

The best varieties of indoor tomatoes

The range of indoor tomatoes is smaller than regular ones, but still impressive. Varieties differ in shape, size and color of fruits, height and shape of the bush, ripening time and other parameters. Every year, their list is replenished with new varieties and hybrids from leading breeding companies. Below are the most popular tomatoes for growing on a windowsill.

Name	Main characteristics
	This early ripe variety forms standard bushes up to half a meter high. Its fruits are red, round, with a high content of sugars. Unlike most potted tomatoes, tomatoes of this variety grow up to 70-100 g. With good care, the yield per plant is about 2 kg. The balcony miracle adapts well to the lack of light and can bear fruit well in winter.
	Early maturing, standard. The height of the bushes does not exceed half a meter, and the weight of bright red elongated fruits collected in clusters is 25-30 g. The pulp of these tomatoes is very tasty and fragrant, they are great for salads. In winter, the plant needs lighting, otherwise the harvest will be rather weak.
	A neat lush bush up to 30 cm high. Tomatoes of this variety have a rounded shape and rich red color, fruit weight is 25 g. With good care, each plant produces 1 kg of delicious marketable tomatoes per season
	Today it is considered the smallest type of tomato, the height of its bushes is only 12-15 cm. Round, small fruits (10-12 g) are yellow and red. You should not expect a big harvest from him, but in terms of decorativeness, the variety is ahead of most potted tomatoes. Ideal for winter growing, as it does not depend on the length of daylight hours
	One of the best pot varieties. Plants are not tall, maximum 30 cm, densely leafy, compact. The weight of the fruit is about 20 g, the color is red. One bush gives from 1 to 1.5 kg of tomatoes, which are suitable not only for salads, but also for canning. In the summer it can be grown in the beds, and in the fall the bushes are transplanted into pots and brought into the house.
	Its fruits ripen 85-90 days after germination. Standard variety, universal use, bears fruit well in short day conditions. His tomatoes are small, weighing 25 g, red, fragrant. The bush itself looks very decorative during the fruit ripening period.
	A popular variety valued for its high yield. The bushes have a compact shape, do not exceed 30 cm in height, do not need pinching. Its fruits are small (20-40 g), red in color, with very sweet pulp. The ovaries are collected in long brushes, and during the ripening period, the leaves are almost invisible under the fruits. The variety is resistant to low light and bears fruit well in winter.
	Yellow-fruited and early maturing variety. It can be grown both on the windowsill and in the open field. The height of standard bushes does not exceed 40 cm, the crown is dense, does not need to be formed. The weight of tomatoes is about 40 g, the yield is very high. The skin of the fruit is thin, orange, the flesh is sweet and juicy.
	A new, still rare variety. The plant is standard, 25 cm tall, during the fruiting period the entire bush is covered with clusters of yellow small round-shaped tomatoes. Fruit weight rarely exceeds 30 g, the pulp is very sweet. The variety is neutral to low light, so it bears fruit well in winter.
	Early maturing popular Dutch variety. It bears fruit regardless of the time of year and the degree of illumination. The height of the bushes is about 30 cm, in the open field it can grow up to 50 cm. The weight of the tomatoes is 12-14 g, the color is red, the pulp is moderately sweet

Ampel varieties

In addition to standard varieties, ampelous tomatoes are also in demand among fans of indoor growing tomatoes. They can be planted in hanging planters or in tall pots, from which the shoots will hang beautifully on the windowsill. Caring for them is a little more difficult than for ordinary varieties, and the yield is less, but all this is offset by the great taste of tomatoes and the high decorativeness of the bush. The choice of ampel varieties is still small, and seeds can only be purchased from a few domestic agricultural firms.

Name	Characteristics
	Spreading bush with shoots up to 50 cm. The stems of the plant are thin, but strong, and do not break under the weight of numerous fruits. Stepson bush is not necessary. Round tomatoes weighing 15-20 g, when ripe, acquire a crimson color and become translucent. On one plant there can be up to three hundred fruits of a trade dress. The variety is very decorative, feels great indoors and outdoors.
	Spectacular early hybrid. It can grow vertically (but then it is necessary to tie up the stems) and as an ampelous plant. His tomatoes are round, red in color, with a characteristic tomato flavor, weighing about 30 g. The hybrid is specially bred for growing indoors, so it develops well and bears fruit regardless of the time of year
	A new productive hybrid for ampelny cultivation. Shoots are slightly leafy, up to half a meter long, strong. Small red fruits have an elongated shape, mounted on long brushes of 8-10 pieces. Tomatoes are suitable for harvesting for the winter; they do not crack during heat treatment. In good conditions, the yield of one bush is 1.8-2 kg
	One of the new ampel varieties. Super early, has a cascade shape of a bush, the mass of tomatoes is 25-30 g. The taste of the fruit is excellent, the average yield is about 2 kg. With a lack of lighting, the number of fruits is slightly less
	Already a fairly well-known ampelous variety of domestic selection. It belongs to medium-early, the bush is quite compact, shoots up to 55 cm long. Egg-shaped fruits of red color, average weight about 40 g. When grown in open ground, the weight of fruits is almost twice as much. The variety is characterized by stretched fruiting, and very plentiful. Tomatoes are juicy, tasty, can be preserved
	Very attractive high yielding hybrid. Shoots grow up to 60 cm; the plant does not need pinching. The brushes are densely hung with small (20g) sweet red fruits, which are suitable for canning. The bush grows quickly, so it needs a lot of space. In winter, the plant must be highlighted, otherwise the yield will decrease.

Agrotechnics for growing indoor tomatoes

Like regular varieties, indoor tomatoes are best grown through seedlings. And at this stage there are no differences, except that the timing of sowing seeds is different. On average, potted tomatoes begin to bear fruit 90-100 days after germination, and if you want to get the first tomatoes by a certain date, consider this factor. For example, to take the first harvest in January, sow seeds for seedlings at the end of September.

Before sowing, the seeds are disinfected by soaking for 15-30 minutes in a weak solution of potassium permanganate, and then left in a damp cloth for a couple of days to hatch.

They are sown in a common container with ordinary soil or purchased substrate to a depth of no more than 1 cm. The distance between the seeds should be within 2-3 cm so that the seedlings are not thickened.

Seedlings are transplanted into separate containers as soon as the seedlings form 2-3 true leaves. The sizes of the pots are selected depending on the variety of tomatoes: for dwarf tomatoes, a volume of 1.5-2 liters is enough, for ordinary room ones 3-4 liters, for ampelous ones - at least 5 liters. All pots must have drainage holes. It is very important to properly prepare the soil, because the development and fruiting of the bush depends on its composition.

The best option is the following composition:

5 parts of garden soil;
2 parts sand;
5 parts of rotted compost;
1 part peat.

On a bucket of such a mixture, it is necessary to add a matchbox of urea and potassium sulfate, a handful of sifted wood ash. All this is thoroughly mixed. Now you can start planting seedlings.

Step 1. A drainage layer of fine gravel, pieces of bark, expanded clay or other material is poured onto the bottom of the pots. Fill the containers to the top with soil and make a small depression in the center.

Step 2. Pre-watered seedlings are carefully taken out one at a time and planted in pots, deepening to the cotyledon leaves. Water carefully.

The soil must be saturated with moisture so that water gets to the roots.

Step 3. Put the pots on the windowsill (preferably on the south side) and regularly turn them around every 2 days with the other side facing the light. In the mornings and evenings, as well as in cloudy weather, plants should be illuminated with a phytolamp.

After a week, the plants are fed with half the dose of nitrogen fertilizers necessary for growth. During the flowering period, in order to increase the percentage of pollination, the stems of the plant are shaken very lightly and carried over the flowers with a feather or a soft brush. After the formation of the ovaries, fertilizing with potash fertilizer is required every two weeks.

In varieties that need to form a bush, stepchildren are removed, the top of the main stem is pinched, and excess inflorescences are cut off to increase the size of the fruit. Tall bushes are tied to supports that are stuck into the ground along the edge of the pot.

If there are signs of fungal infection, all plants are sprayed with phytosporin or another antifungal agent. To prolong fruiting, regularly pick ripe fruits, remove dried leaves, do not forget about top dressing and watering. The earth in pots should be periodically loosened, trying not to hook the roots. With such care, your tomatoes will delight you all winter with a plentiful harvest of sweet, tasty fruits.

Video - Tomatoes on the windowsill in winter: the best varieties

Video - Tomatoes on the windowsill in winter: the best varieties and the procedure for growing tomatoes at home

Tomatoes on the windowsill in winter

Features of indoor tomatoes

short stature. Due to the limited space, only low-growing and dwarf tomatoes are able to form a crop. Tall tomatoes require not only a lot of space, but also a lot of nutrients, and there is too little soil in a flower pot for this;
standardization. Not everyone knows how to properly form a bush, but this is an important condition for the yield of a tomato. Standard varieties have a strong central stem and a dense crown; it does not need to be pinned or tied up;
resistance to lack of lighting and disease. Indoor plants receive less light, especially in winter, and therefore really need additional lighting. But there are varieties of tomatoes that normally bear fruit under short day conditions, and they need illumination only on cloudy days. Their genetic feature is short internodes, due to which the stems do not stretch. Of the diseases, tomatoes are most threatened by the black leg (during the seedling growing period) and leaf mold. The most resistant to them are hybrids, which make up 90% of the total number of potted tomatoes.

Cherry tomatoes on the windowsill

indoor tomatoes

Growing tomatoes on a windowsill

The best varieties of indoor tomatoes

balcony miracle	This early ripe variety forms standard bushes up to half a meter high. Its fruits are red, round, with a high content of sugars. Unlike most potted tomatoes, tomatoes of this variety grow up to 70-100 g. With good care, the yield per plant is about 2 kg. The balcony miracle adapts well to the lack of light and can bear fruit well in winter.
room surprise	Early maturing, standard. The height of the bushes does not exceed half a meter, and the weight of bright red elongated fruits collected in clusters is 25-30 g. The pulp of these tomatoes is very tasty and fragrant, they are great for salads. In winter, the plant needs lighting, otherwise the harvest will be rather weak.
	A neat lush bush up to 30 cm high. Tomatoes of this variety have a rounded shape and rich red color, fruit weight is 25 g. With good care, each plant produces 1 kg of delicious marketable tomatoes per season
Micron NK	Today it is considered the smallest type of tomato, the height of its bushes is only 12-15 cm. Round, small fruits (10-12 g) are yellow and red. You should not expect a big harvest from him, but in terms of decorativeness, the variety is ahead of most potted tomatoes. Ideal for winter growing, as it does not depend on the length of daylight hours
Pinocchio	One of the best pot varieties. Plants are not tall, maximum 30 cm, densely leafy, compact. The weight of the fruit is about 20 g, the color is red. One bush gives from 1 to 1.5 kg of tomatoes, which are suitable not only for salads, but also for canning. In the summer it can be grown in the beds, and in the fall the bushes are transplanted into pots and brought into the house.
	Its fruits ripen 85-90 days after germination. Standard variety, universal use, bears fruit well in short day conditions. His tomatoes are small, weighing 25 g, red, fragrant. The bush itself looks very decorative during the fruit ripening period.
Florida Petit	A popular variety valued for its high yield. The bushes have a compact shape, do not exceed 30 cm in height, do not need pinching. Its fruits are small (20-40 g), red in color, with very sweet pulp. The ovaries are collected in long brushes, and during the ripening period, the leaves are almost invisible under the fruits. The variety is resistant to low light and bears fruit well in winter.
honey bunch	Yellow-fruited and early maturing variety. It can be grown both on the windowsill and in the open field. The height of standard bushes does not exceed 40 cm, the crown is dense, does not need to be formed. The weight of tomatoes is about 40 g, the yield is very high. The skin of the fruit is thin, orange, the flesh is sweet and juicy.
window yellow	A new, still rare variety. The plant is standard, 25 cm tall, during the fruiting period the entire bush is covered with clusters of yellow small round-shaped tomatoes. Fruit weight rarely exceeds 30 g, the pulp is very sweet. The variety is neutral to low light, so it bears fruit well in winter.
	Early maturing popular Dutch variety. It bears fruit regardless of the time of year and the degree of illumination. The height of the bushes is about 30 cm, in the open field it can grow up to 50 cm. The weight of the tomatoes is 12-14 g, the color is red, the pulp is moderately sweet

Ampel varieties

Garden Pearl	Spreading bush with shoots up to 50 cm. The stems of the plant are thin, but strong, and do not break under the weight of numerous fruits. Stepson bush is not necessary. Round tomatoes weighing 15-20 g, when ripe, acquire a crimson color and become translucent. On one plant there can be up to three hundred fruits of a trade dress. The variety is very decorative, feels great indoors and outdoors.
Citizen F1	Spectacular early hybrid. It can grow vertically (but then it is necessary to tie up the stems) and as an ampelous plant. His tomatoes are round, red in color, with a characteristic tomato flavor, weighing about 30 g. The hybrid is specially bred for growing indoors, so it develops well and bears fruit regardless of the time of year
Cherripalchiki F1	A new productive hybrid for ampelny cultivation. Shoots are slightly leafy, up to half a meter long, strong. Small red fruits have an elongated shape, mounted on long brushes of 8-10 pieces. Tomatoes are suitable for harvesting for the winter; they do not crack during heat treatment. In good conditions, the yield of one bush is 1.8-2 kg
	One of the new ampel varieties. Super early, has a cascade shape of a bush, the mass of tomatoes is 25-30 g. The taste of the fruit is excellent, the average yield is about 2 kg. With a lack of lighting, the number of fruits is slightly less
Mascot	Already a fairly well-known ampelous variety of domestic selection. It belongs to medium-early, the bush is quite compact, shoots up to 55 cm long. Egg-shaped fruits of red color, average weight about 40 g. When grown in open ground, the weight of fruits is almost twice as much. The variety is characterized by stretched fruiting, and very plentiful. Tomatoes are juicy, tasty, can be preserved
Red Plenty F1	Very attractive high yielding hybrid. Shoots grow up to 60 cm; the plant does not need pinching. The brushes are densely hung with small (20g) sweet red fruits, which are suitable for canning. The bush grows quickly, so it needs a lot of space. In winter, the plant must be highlighted, otherwise the yield will decrease.

Agrotechnics for growing indoor tomatoes

Two ways to test seeds for germination

Before sowing, the seeds are disinfected by soaking for 15-30 minutes in a weak solution of potassium permanganate, and then left in a damp cloth for a couple of days to hatch.

Preparing tomato seeds

Container for growing tomatoes

Tomatoes in a box

Soil preparation

The best option is the following composition:

5 parts of garden soil;
2 parts sand;
5 parts of rotted compost;
1 part peat.

On a bucket of such a mixture, it is necessary to add a matchbox of urea and potassium sulfate, a handful of sifted wood ash. All this is thoroughly mixed. Now you can start planting seedlings.

Step 1. A drainage layer of fine gravel, pieces of bark, expanded clay or other material is poured onto the bottom of the pots. Fill the containers to the top with soil and make a small depression in the center.

Filling the pot with drainage and soil

Step 2 Pre-watered seedlings are carefully taken out one at a time and planted in pots, deepening to the cotyledon leaves. Water carefully.

Planting tomato seedlings in a pot

The soil must be saturated with moisture so that water gets to the roots.

Step 3 They put the pots on the windowsill (preferably on the south side) and regularly turn them around every 2 days with the other side facing the light. In the mornings and evenings, as well as in cloudy weather, plants should be illuminated with a phytolamp.

Illumination of tomatoes with a phytolamp

Tomato care

Video - Tomatoes on the windowsill in winter: the best varieties

Video - Tomatoes on the windowsill in winter: the best varieties and the procedure for growing tomatoes at home

Who among us does not dream of fresh vegetables that can be eaten not only in season? Why go to the supermarket in winter for imported tomatoes that don’t even smell like them when you can grow natural tomatoes on the windowsill?! By moving indoor flowers and making room for several pots, fragrant and tasty tomatoes are easy to get even at home. How to do it right, in order to pamper your loved ones with vitamins all year round, will be prompted by a small selection of practical tips and recommendations, which we suggest that you familiarize yourself with today.

Sowing time

The dates when it is necessary to start sowing tomato seeds for window sill cultivation do not have such restrictions as in the case of obtaining seedlings for open ground. It all depends on the period for which fruiting is planned: whether it will be a year-round “exploitation”, or whether it will be the ripening of the crop in the winter.

In order to have fresh vegetables throughout the year, regardless of the weather, the seeds can be planted in 4 runs: autumn sowing in October and November will provide a winter harvest, and planting in February and March will guarantee fruits in the summer.

Planting material preparation

Potted tomatoes are grown in the same way as garden crops - through seedlings. You can use your own seeds, collected with your own hands from homemade tomatoes, or you can buy them in a store. However, regardless of origin, all seeds must first be prepared for sowing. For this:

Sort the hollow seeds by soaking everything in salted water (those that pop up are not suitable for seedlings).
Disinfect by leaving for half an hour in a solution of potassium permanganate.

To speed up the germination of seeds, they can be put in a cloth bag, moistened well and left on a saucer for several days so that the seeds swell.

Soil selection

Particular attention should be paid to the substrate for growing tomatoes on the windowsill. It should be loose, nutritious and with neutral acidity. The easiest way is to go to the same store where the seeds were bought and purchase ready-made special soil mixtures for tomato seedlings. This will be especially true during winter sowing, besides, the store land already contains all the necessary nutrients, and there is no need to add additional components.

If there is a desire and opportunity, the soil for growing tomatoes on the windowsill can be prepared independently by choosing one of the proposed mixture options, namely:

1 share of sand and 2 shares of garden soil;
humus, peat and turf land in equal shares;
1 share of vermiculite, as well as 4 shares of sod land and compost.

The earth from the garden or vegetable garden must be disinfected before use by dousing with boiling water or calcining in the oven.

Sowing seeds and creating conditions for seedlings

For growing tomato seedlings, you can use both a common container and individual cassettes, cups or peat tablets. In the first case, fill a shallow container with nutrient soil and moisten it well. Seeds should be laid out at some distance from each other (1-2 cm), deepening no more than 2 cm, otherwise they will germinate for a long time. Then sprinkle with a thin layer of soil and lightly tamp.

Seeds should germinate in a greenhouse, that is, the container must be covered with a lid or film and placed on a bright window. Periodically ventilate the greenhouse or make several small holes in the film to prevent condensation from accumulating. The optimal temperature conditions for seedlings at this stage of growth are from 22 to 24 degrees Celsius during the day and below 20 degrees at night.

Caring for seedlings of indoor tomatoes consists in the following activities:

ventilation;
removing the lid after seed germination;
regular watering;
thinning of too dense crops;
additional lighting with special lamps on cloudy days and shading from direct rays on sunny days (the length of daylight hours should be at least 13 hours);
feeding with a weak solution of the mineral complex after the formation of 2 leaves (approximately 20 days after sowing).

Strong grown seedlings can dive into pots, having previously laid a drainage layer on the bottom. The choice of containers depends on the specific variety:

for dwarf tomatoes, a volume of 2 liters is enough;
for medium-sized plants, 4-liter flowerpots are suitable;
for ampel varieties of tomato, pots with a volume of 5 liters are needed.

Further care for tomatoes in a pot

In order for the tomatoes on the windowsill to develop well and set fruit, they need to provide good lighting by placing the pots on the southern windowsills. Every two days, the flowerpots must be rotated so that the bushes do not grow one-sided, and if there is not enough sun, they should be illuminated.

It is also important to observe the irrigation regime, moistening the soil twice a week. It is impossible to allow the complete drying of the soil, otherwise the ovary and fruits will crumble, but waterlogging also threatens with putrefactive diseases. You can start feeding the bushes after transplanting to a permanent place after 20 days - during this time they adapt. It is enough to apply complex mineral fertilizers 3 times within a month, otherwise there is a risk that the tomatoes will go into the growth of deciduous mass, which will lead to a decrease in yield and chopping of the fruit.

It is necessary to apply fertilizer on moist soil, preferably the next day after watering.

Dwarf tomato varieties do not need pinching and garter, but in higher species, a support should be installed and a bush should be formed into one or two stems, and stepchildren should also be plucked.

There are some more tricks that will increase the yield of tomatoes, namely:

when the bushes bloom, you need to gently shake the plants several times - this contributes to better pollination and, accordingly, will affect the amount of the crop;
if a lot of ovaries have formed, no more than 6 brushes should be left on each stem, pulling out the rest - this way you can get fewer tomatoes, but they will be larger;
in varieties that ripen unevenly, it is better to harvest at the half-ripe stage - then the bush will have more strength for the tomatoes remaining on the branches, and the plucked vegetables will quickly reach if they are laid out next to the pot on the windowsill.

Protecting tomatoes from diseases

Another point worth paying attention to is the protection of potted tomatoes from diseases, because even room conditions cannot guarantee their complete absence. One of the main enemies of nightshade is late blight. In order to prevent its manifestation, it is important not to fill the bushes and drain the water from the pan. The fungus also does not tolerate fresh air, so you need to ventilate the room more often. As a preventive measure, you can spray the plants with a home remedy made from the following ingredients:

3 liters of water;
100 g garlic (chopped);
1 g of dry crystals of potassium permanganate.

Varieties of tomatoes for indoor cultivation

When choosing a tomato variety for growing on a windowsill, you should give preference to undersized, early ripening and productive species due to limited space. They won’t take up much space, and at the same time they will delight you with delicious fruits in early spring. Some of the most popular varieties are such tomatoes:

And in order to have fresh vegetables not only in spring, but also until the New Year itself, you can plant taller (up to 1 m in height) hybrid varieties of cherry tomato. On the windowsill, they will take up more space and require shaping and garters, but they will bear fruit until the onset of winter.

Some of the new, but already popular hybrids are cherry varieties: Ira F1, Lisa F1, Maksik F1, Likopa F1. Small but very tasty red or yellow tomatoes grow in whole clusters and ripen quickly.

Cherry pots for the summer period are best taken outside or onto the balcony, not forgetting to take them into the house with a cold snap.

Growing a tomato on the windowsill is an exciting activity that will not only allow you to pass the long winter days, but also provide your diet with vitamins. Plant and eat healthy!

Recently, growing tomatoes on the windowsill has become a popular activity among amateur gardeners. However, due to lack of knowledge, it is not possible to harvest a good crop: tomatoes get sick, grow poorly, or set few fruits. What conditions need to be provided for tomatoes in the apartment so that they bear fruit well at home?

Features of growing tomatoes on the windowsill

The technology for growing miniature indoor tomatoes is very similar to the cultivation of ordinary tomatoes on the site. However, there are several features that must be considered when deciding to acquire undersized tomatoes in an apartment:

for good fruiting, they need to be illuminated with phytolamps;
in the room where the pots are standing, it is necessary to maintain a stable temperature and humidity;
it is impossible to pour tomatoes, otherwise they will get sick with a black leg;
growing containers must match the size of the plant;
tomato flowers need to be pollinated on their own: during the flowering period, a soft brush is carried out over the flowers 2-3 times a day.

Taking into account the indicated nuances, which are described in detail below, the chance that growing tomatoes on a window in winter or at any other time of the year will be successful increases significantly.

What varieties are suitable for growing on the windowsill

For growing in an apartment, it is better to choose determinant (undersized) varieties of tomatoes that do not need to be tied up, are unpretentious to the composition of the soil and the length of daylight hours. Most varieties with these characteristics are standard hybrids. Depending on the wishes, you can plant super-early or mid-ripening varieties. Such tomato varieties as Bonsai, Balcony Miracle, Pygmy, Pinnochio, Room Surprise have excellent characteristics.

Despite the fact that the tomatoes of these varieties do not grow more than half a meter, the plants form about 2 kg of yellow or red fruits weighing from 15 to 100 g. Among the many tall varieties of tomatoes, cherry tomatoes are suitable for growing on the windowsill, which do not require the creation of special conditions.

How to plant and grow - features, conditions and step by step instructions

Growing tomatoes in an apartment is quite simple if you follow the recommended requirements exactly. Everyone can enjoy bright juicy tomatoes in the middle of winter, who will give the plants due care.

Video: how to grow tomatoes on a windowsill

What should be the place

In order for the plants to receive as much natural light as possible, tomatoes are best placed on the south or east windows. If this is not possible, you can put the pots on the western window, but the culture will have to be illuminated. It is not recommended to grow light-loving tomatoes on the northern windows.

Temperature

When growing tomatoes on a window, it is very important to maintain the correct temperature. Deviations from the established ranges are fraught with slow development and poor yields of vegetable crops. When growing tomatoes on a window at home, you should follow these recommendations:

Seeds germinate quickly and amicably at a temperature of +23-+25 C.
When the seedlings are 7 days old, the temperature is reduced to + 20- + 22 C. Being in colder conditions, the seedlings will not stretch, which often happens with tomatoes indoors. You can reduce the temperature by airing the room for half an hour - the plant is not afraid of drafts.
The optimum temperature at night is + 15- + 16C.

Important! On the coldest days, when the batteries become very hot, in order to protect the leaves of tomatoes from the influence of warm air, the heaters are covered with a wooden shield from above.

Humidity

Spraying tomatoes grown on the window is only necessary if the air in the room is very dry. When the temperature in the apartment is below +20 C, it is impossible to spray the plants at all: excessive humidity and cold air are the main reasons for the appearance of a black leg.

Lighting

Due to the fact that tomatoes are plants that need a long daylight hours to form many quality fruits at home, they need to be highlighted. Lamps are on from 8 am to 11 am and from 4 pm to 7 pm. The latest invented hybrids are unpretentious in terms of the amount of light, however, for better yields, even they are recommended to be illuminated on the shortest days of winter.

Important! Without additional lighting, indoor tomatoes can be grown from mid-February.

Despite the fact that tomatoes like to live on light windowsills, the leaves of young seedlings can get burned under the influence of bright spring rays. To protect the plant from such injuries, the pots are transferred to the eastern and northern windows. If it is impossible to make such a rearrangement, they are shaded with gauze or paper during the brightest hours.

Tying up and pinching

The vast majority of hybrids and varieties of tomatoes intended for growing in an apartment on a window or windowsill do not need to be tied up, since they are endowed with a low, powerful stem. Only some varieties whose height exceeds 50 cm need supports. Medium-sized tomatoes are formed into 2 stems, tall ones - into one.

What container to plant

Tomato seedlings are initially planted in seedling containers, and as soon as they become crowded, they are transplanted into separate peat pots or plastic cups with a volume of more than 200 ml. Using peat cups, you need to control the amount of watering, otherwise the containers may simply fall apart.

During the next transplant, when the plants have 4-5 pairs of true leaves, the tomatoes are planted in a permanent pot. The size of the planting container should be chosen based on the characteristics of the cultivated variety: the more compact the plant, the smaller the volume of the planting container should be.

Based on this rule, for planting dwarf varieties, you need to use pots up to 2 liters. Indoor tomatoes are recommended to be planted in 3-4 l containers, ampelous - in 5 l. Regardless of size, there should be drainage holes in the bottom of the landing tanks to drain excess water.

What kind of soil to plant

For planting low-growing tomatoes in an apartment, a special industrial substrate or a self-prepared mixture is used: garden soil, rotted compost and peat are mixed in a ratio of 5:5:2:1. A matchbox of potassium sulfate and about the same amount of urea are added to a bucket of soil mixture. A handful of wood ash is added to the mixture and mixed thoroughly. The finished substrate is poured into containers and planting begins.

Important! Regardless of the origin, the soil must be calcined or frozen: high or low temperatures will destroy pathogenic bacteria and insect larvae. Moreover, in order to prevent dangerous diseases from infecting tomatoes, you need to ignite the tool that will be used when working with the soil at home.

Preparing seeds for planting

First of all, bad planting material is rejected. Seeds are poured into a container with salt water and mixed thoroughly. A few minutes after the water stops spinning, the good seeds will sink to the bottom, while the bad seeds will remain on the surface. The floating seeds are drained with water, and the remaining ones continue to be prepared for planting in the apartment.

To destroy pathogens on the surface of seeds, planting material is soaked for 15-20 minutes in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. After the end of the time, they are taken out of the container and laid out on a paper towel. After drying, they are treated with a growth stimulator in accordance with the instructions. The substances contained in such preparations accelerate the germination of seedlings and increase the resistance of seedlings to diseases.

Direct fit

Plant indoor tomatoes in the same way as ordinary tomatoes intended for outdoor cultivation. Landing is carried out in the following sequence:

Disinfected planting material is laid out in a damp cloth and placed in a warm place so that they hatch. Please note that if the fabric dries out, it must be sprayed, otherwise the embryos will dry out and the seeds will not hatch.
Prepared soil mixture or a special substrate is poured into the seedling container and grooves are made 1 cm deep. It is not recommended to plant tomatoes to a depth of more than 2 cm: the period for the appearance of seedlings is doubled. Seeds are laid out at a distance of 2-3 cm from each other.
Crops are sprinkled with earth and slightly moistened. Until the emergence of seedlings, the box is covered with a film or glass, which is removed from time to time so that the soil does not become moldy.
As soon as the seedlings throw out 2-3 pairs of true leaves, they are transplanted into pots of the appropriate size, the bottom of which is laid with drainage material.

Video: how to grow indoor tomatoes in winter

How to care after planting and before harvesting - tips

The health of tomatoes and the volume of the crop depend on the quality of care. In order for indoor tomatoes to develop quickly in an apartment and set the maximum number of fruits, they need to be watered and fertilized in a timely manner.

Watering

For the formation of fruits and their ripening, the soil in the pot should be slightly moist. Tomatoes react poorly to both drought and overflow: in the first case, the fruits can be sprinkled during formation, in the second, the plant becomes ill with a black leg, late blight.

Since chlorine is harmful to plants, you need to water indoor tomatoes only with well-settled water. In order for the particles of a chemical element to sink to the bottom, the water must be defended for a week. You can reduce the time of water preparation to several hours with the help of a filter. As soon as the soil dries out, the seedlings are moderately watered.

Subject to the temperature regime and normal air humidity, watering is carried out 1 time in 5 days. Out of turn, tomatoes are watered the day before transplantation: extracting the rhizome from moist soil is much easier and less painful for the plant.

top dressing

At the beginning of development, upon reaching a week of age, indoor tomatoes in pots are fed with nitrogen fertilizers, which activate plant growth. During the setting of fruits and their pouring, potash fertilizers are introduced into the soil.

You can also fertilize seedlings with ordinary mineral mixtures diluted twice with water. In order not to burn the roots, top dressing is applied 2 hours after watering. The optimal time for manipulation is cloudy weather. All types of fertilizers are applied no more than 1 time in 2 weeks in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations.

Worth knowing! Under adult plants, top dressing can be applied to the leaf or under the root. For young seedlings with tender leaves, leaf feeding is contraindicated.

Sowing and harvesting dates

When creating the right conditions in the apartment, tomato seedlings are shown on the surface 6-10 days after sowing. Seedling time may be delayed if the room is too cold or the seeds are sown too deep. In such cases, seedlings begin to sprout only on the 14-17th day.

Depending on the variety chosen, window-grown tomatoes ripen 85-110 days after planting.

Growing tomatoes on the windowsill is not only exciting, but also a useful activity, thanks to which you can replenish the supply of vitamins for the whole family, which is especially important in winter.

Video: growing tomatoes on the windowsill

Varieties that "get along" in the house

Cherry varieties: Bonsai, Balcony miracle, Baby, Balcony charm, Golden bunch, Chinese room, Room surprise, Rowan beads, Bullfinch, Japanese dwarf and others.

Ordinary tomatoes that are suitable for a winter window sill: White filling, Bull's heart, Leopold, Siberian precocious, Florida Petit, Yamal.

Tomato varieties for balcony cultivation can be taken a little higher “in height” and with larger fruits, otherwise their care will be the same as for vegetables on the windowsill.

It is important to check the expiration dates, which are always indicated on factory seed packages. Often inexperienced vegetable growers cannot understand why their indoor tomatoes do not sprout in winter. It is possible that this is the result of an overdue implementation period.

Miracle on the balcony

Before germination, the seeds are grown in greenhouse conditions, then the temperature is reduced to 15 degrees for a week, then raised again. When the sprouts rise to 15 cm, they dive into large containers. Tomatoes "Balcony Miracle" love light (although they ripen even in conditions of its deficiency), do not require tying up and removing stepchildren.

A positive effect during winter cultivation will be given by: assistance in pollination, good watering, fertilizers, accurate loosening of the soil, formation of a bush.

Feeding options:

Special preparations.
Liter solution: 5 g of superphosphate, mixed with potassium sulfate and urea - 1 g each.

The most productive top dressing in winter during flowering and fruit formation.

Growing the Balcony Miracle at home will allow you to collect excellent tomatoes from the windowsill in winter for salads, preparations, and even freezing.

Main growing conditions

Growing tomatoes on a balcony or windowsill requires a number of necessary conditions:

The best location is near the south windows. Almost impossible - in the north.
Decontaminated, non-clay soil. Not less than 5 liters per bush.
Along the bottom - drainage with expanded clay or sand.
Air humidity up to 65%.
Light day for seedlings is at least 12 hours even in winter, preferably 13-16.
If necessary, illuminate with lamps installed no closer than 30 cm from the seedlings.
Water the tomatoes on the balcony or windowsill carefully, with warm water, without waterlogging, but also without overdrying. On average once every 3 days.
Air temperature indicators: during the day 25-26 degrees, at night up to 15-16. If it's hotter - ventilate, tomatoes are not afraid of drafts.
Do not grow on a balcony without insulation before April.
Loosen the soil and top up if necessary.
Spraying of leaves, garter of branches is possible.
Do not turn the pots with bushes so that there is no dropping of tomatoes from the branches.
It is desirable to install containers on rack stands.

It is not necessary to often fertilize tomatoes with nitrogenous and organic fertilizers in winter. Otherwise, powerful, rough bushes will grow with a minimum of small fruits.

Instructions for winter growing tomatoes on the windowsill

Before you “start” the winter process of growing tomatoes at home, you need to stock up on all the necessary materials. "At hand" should be:

Seeds of well-known manufacturers with a "fresh" shelf life.
Seed cups.
Containers for planting after picking - "cut-off" bottles, pots.
Lighting lamps.

Main stages of work

Preparation of containers and tools. “Fry” at high temperature (in the oven) or treat with a preparation from fungi and bacteria. In the case of using new peat pots, soak them in a solution of mineral and organic fertilizers before planting, and dry.
Land preparation. Tomatoes on the windowsill, as in outdoor cultivation, prefer "breathing", clean land. Ordinary soil can be spilled with hot potassium permanganate, steamed in a water bath, or seriously frozen. Examples of mixtures for self-preparation: an equal part of the earth, humus, peat and sand; on two parts of the earth, 4 "measures" of humus and peat, 1 - sand. It is good to shed with a mixture of urea and potassium sulfate, diluting into 10 liters of water according to the volume of a matchbox. Pour a handful of ash there. The looseness of the soil is increased with peat or sawdust.
Germination of seeds. To prevent late blight, soak them in a slightly pink solution of potassium permanganate for half an hour, dry and treat with a growth stimulator. To germinate the seeds, “wet” with warm water and leave on a damp cloth in a warm place.
Rules for sowing varieties for the balcony and window sill. Sprouted tomato seeds are planted in lightly watered soil in small holes (up to 1 cm), 1 each. Dry ones are buried in 2 or 3 copies with a distance of 2 cm. Cover with a film or lay glass on top and transfer to a warm place, but without "African heat". To obtain a crop of tomatoes on the windowsill in winter and early spring, sowing is carried out in October and late November. The continuity of the collection of tomatoes can be ensured by the following crops in mid-February and late March.
"Moving" to a permanent place. When shoots have appeared, the covering material is removed, and the pots are rearranged closer to the window. Further, it is important to ensure that the sprouts have enough light and heat in winter.

Raise containers with tomatoes from time to time to see if excess moisture has accumulated in the pan. She needs to be cleaned up. Pour water at room temperature.

Conducting a dive. During the period of appearance of 2 permanent leaves. After the “procedure”, the strongest sprouts receive a more capacious “container” for growth - 7-10 liters. The roots of seedlings are deepened by 3 cm, watered. Growing tomatoes on the balcony will take place in such large containers. Larger varieties are immediately tied to pegs. Any tomatoes in the winter after transplantation do not touch for about a week, so that the bushes take root calmly. When it is still cool outside, it is better to bring tomatoes from the balcony into the room at night. With the onset of heat, all landings "move" to the balcony.
Winter top dressing of tomatoes on the windowsill. Seedlings are "supplied" every 10 days - with organic matter and ready-made mineral fertilizers. Act according to the instructions on the package, do not forget to gently loosen the ground around the trunk. With the advent of 2 true leaves, fertilize the seedlings in winter with a solution of trace elements. The most important rules of work: for young plants, the dose, reduced by 2 times compared to the instructions, is carried out on moist soil, preferably without touching the leaves.
Pinching and pruning. Stems that begin to grow from the axils of the leaves are called stepchildren. They are harvested so that they do not take food from the ripening fruits. For the formation of 2-3 stems in low-growing varieties, you can leave the appropriate number of stepchildren. The rest are removed manually, preferably in the morning, while there is no strong sun. Low-growing and standard varieties can not be pinched, but the bush should not be thickened either. Sick and yellowed leaves are cut off. After the formation of brushes, you can cut off the lower leaves.

You can not remove all the leaves. In this case, the synthesis of organic materials will be disrupted.

Bush formation. After fruit set, 4-5 brushes are left on each trunk. All others are removed along with the top of the stem and inflorescences. When the fruit formation itself begins, the tops are pinched and the flowering tassels are removed.
Help with pollination. Tomatoes of "balcony" varieties are also self-pollinating, but help in winter will not hurt them. It is enough to shake the flower brushes slightly and tap on the stem. So that the ovary does not fall off, it is permissible to spray the bush with a solution of boric acid - 1 g per 5 liters of water and add a little potassium permanganate.
Disease prevention. Without proper care, tomatoes in winter can also get sick when grown on a windowsill. If they are “filled in”, mold, rot or late blight are provided. For its prevention, a mixture of the following composition is well suited: half a glass of garlic and a little potassium permanganate (half a gram) are added to a three-liter container of water. You can use spraying "Fitosporin". The appearance of whiteflies, even when grown in winter on a window, is facilitated by acidification of the soil. The addition of chalk crumbs, ash, dolomite flour or slaked lime will help prevent acidification. There are also special preparations deoxidizers.

Responsibly caring for the bushes with all preventive measures, you can be sure that the tomatoes will ripen in the right amount.

Harvesting

How strange a person is arranged ... In the summer, at the time of fresh vegetables and fruits, for some reason I want to taste lightly salted tomatoes and cucumbers, but when the cold comes and you can get a jar of pickles from the cellar at any time, there is an insane desire to eat something from fresh vegetables and greenery.

What to do? Shopping in the store is dangerous. Who knows how the products were processed for quick maturation and long-term storage. Why not try growing tomatoes at home in winter? Sounds tempting? Then let's understand all the subtleties.

Useful window sill decoration

With the onset of cold weather, window sills, in addition to indoor plants, begin to decorate jars with onions, or boxes with other types of greens. Such a mini-garden helps to replenish the reserves of vitamins, give an extra taste to ready-made dishes, and practically does not require any care.

For growing tomatoes, of course, you will have to spend a little more time, but the result is worth it. The only thing to consider before starting this important event is that growing indoor tomatoes is in many ways different from the same process in natural or greenhouse conditions, so first study all the subtleties, and then feel free to get down to business.

The main thing to remember is that:

tomatoes are photophilous plants, so they should be located on the south side so that there is no lack of lighting;
if the daylight hours are less than 13-16 hours, it is necessary to resort to additional lighting;

The listed requirements are very important, but those who want to grow tomatoes in the winter need to know a lot more no less significant information. Let's take a closer look at some points.

Variety matters

Despite the widest range of seeds presented in agricultural stores, choosing the right variety for home growing is not so easy. Do not blindly trust the recommendations of sellers. During a period of “stagnation” in sales, they may well advise beginners in gardening art to purchase seeds that are not in demand, and if a participant in an unsuccessful experiment asks questions later, they will simply write off mistakes and inexperience made by him.

To grow tomatoes at home on the windowsill, you need to select low-growing varieties with small fruits. Mikron and Balcony Charm proved to be the best. These tomatoes are suitable for year-round cultivation, differ in the low size of the bushes and small fruits.

With proper cultivation, you can remove 3-7 fruits per week from one plant. Often on the windowsills you can find a cherry variety, but for it it is necessary to create certain conditions in terms of temperature and lighting, so it is not suitable for beginners.

In principle, to grow tomatoes on the windowsill in an apartment in winter, you can use any variety, for example, owners of a huge insulated balcony can also grow tall tomatoes, but it is impossible to predict in advance how they will behave.

Note! The yield of tomatoes depends on the environmental conditions, so to determine the most suitable variety, you can plant several representatives of each variety for the first time.

How to grow tomatoes at home. Step-by-step instruction

So, the place on the windowsill is ready, the boxes are selected, filled with soil, the seeds are bought (by the way, do not forget to check the expiration date on the package), which means it's time to start the process itself.

Seed preparation

In order for plants to be resistant to the troubles that await them in life, it is necessary to harden and stimulate growth. To solve the first problem, the seeds must be put in the freezer for a day, and then, after a couple of hours at room temperature, soak them in a strong solution of potassium permanganate (should be rich pink). To stimulate growth, it does not hurt to water them when planting with a weak yeast solution (dissolve in a liquid with a volume twice as large as indicated on the package).

Tank preparation

Tomatoes cannot be sown immediately in large boxes. For the first stage, it is necessary to fill half the peat cups with prepared soil (if it is not possible to purchase them, ordinary plastic ones are also suitable) and add 3-5 granules of potassium permanganate to each of them. You don't need to moisturize.

seed germination

So that the work is not in vain, you must be sure that the tomatoes will sprout. You can verify this with the help of preliminary germination. Seeds should be put in gauze and lightly moistened. If the humidity is maintained, after a couple of days the seeds will swell and sprouts will appear. When placing seedlings in the soil, be careful not to damage them.

Landing

Before you "settle" the seeds in pots, you need to slightly moisten the soil. Then, at a distance of 2 cm, make small indentations, put 2 seeds in each and carefully, without tamping, sprinkle with earth. Cover each pot with a film or glass and do not touch until shoots appear. It is desirable to keep such pots in a warm place, but not under the sun.

When the first shoots appear, you can remove the cover, increasing this time every day until the plants learn to live without this protection.

Dive

After two true leaves appear on the stem, you can dive. For this, a strict “audit” is carried out and only strong sprouts are selected. They are transplanted to a permanent "place of residence", the soil is slightly moistened and not touched for two days, so as not to interfere with the adaptation period.

After that, the pots can be rearranged on the windowsill to create the most similar to natural living conditions.

It is important! To make the tomatoes comfortable, the volume of the pot should be about 5-10 liters.

pasynkovanie

Developing, the plant begins to branch. To avoid wasting energy, you need to leave the main trunk and supplement it with a maximum of one branch, and remove the rest of the sprouts. When the ovaries begin to appear, no more than five can be left on each branch, and the rest should be destroyed. It also does not hurt to cut off the top when the optimal size of the plant is reached.

Care

Harvesting

Unlike those grown naturally, indoor tomatoes need to be harvested when the fruit has formed and has just begun to turn pink. Picked tomatoes are laid out on cardboard, placed in a warm, well-lit room and left to ripen.

Advice! When choosing tomato seeds for growing on a windowsill, you should not focus on a beautiful picture. Maybe, ideally, this is how the fruits look, but in any case, the manufacturer uses marketing moves to increase the number of purchases. It is better to trust the real reviews of people, especially since in the era of the Internet it will not be a problem to get acquainted with them.

There is a snowstorm outside the window, and you have fresh, self-grown tomatoes for dinner? This is not a fairy tale or fantasy, but a reality that is quite accessible to every reader. Try growing tomatoes on a windowsill. It's useful and also very exciting.

How to grow tomatoes on a windowsill in an apartment in winter: video

Video: Growing cherry tomatoes in winter

Video: Growing tomatoes Granddaughter on the windowsill

This video presents for you the full version of the origin of the tomato bush in a pot on the windowsill in the apartment of a multi-storey building, moreover, on the east side. To distill the same tomatoes at your home, you need to purchase tomato seeds (Vnuchok variety) in a seed store. Then plant them in pots with freshly collected soil, and follow the instructions written on the pack of seeds. And that's it. You will also have such tomatoes all year round.