Bonsai tomatoes are small potted plants. It can be considered one of the most famous varieties that are grown at home. This variety is so low-growing that it can easily grow on your windowsill at home. However, if desired, these tomatoes can also be planted in open ground.
Cherry tomatoes, which can live in flower pots or balcony boxes, are very popular today. They differ from tomato standards not only in size, but also in memorable taste characteristics.Such tomatoes can often be seen on the balcony.
Tomatoes in pots: a short excursion into history
The hobby of growing tomatoes as potted plants had its peak popularity three centuries ago. Moreover, it is interesting that our predecessors did not even suspect that the fruits of these plants could be eaten, considering them poisonous. It is quite clear that unripe green vegetables did not change their opinion on this matter.
But now there is a second wave of popularity for such dwarf types of tomatoes. We will also include the name of the variety “Bonsai”, which reminds us of Japan. True, this plant has nothing to do with consonance with the battle cry of the samurai for the Emperor. Most likely, it is due to its proximity to small Bonsai trees, which have long been cultivated on Chinese and Japanese soil as indoor flowers.
The popularity of the culture dates back to the end of the 20th century and the beginning of this century.
As a vegetable producer, this tomato is not a competitor to the taller varieties of the Cherry group. When these tomatoes appear in the Old World, they are mainly used as interior decorations. Banzai tomato bushes are sometimes compared to having an aquarium with goldfish in your apartment.
The culture has many advantages - compactness, no need for garter, original and tasty fruits. But to get a decent harvest, you need to follow the rules of planting and caring for this baby.
We give a description of “Bonsai”
Bonsai tomatoes are a determinate species that are characterized by their small height. The bushes are never taller than 50 centimeters and ripen quite quickly. Tomatoes are grown on balconies, verandas, loggias.But many amateur gardeners plant these tomatoes in open ground: even there the harvest of this crop is not bad at all.
According to the description of the variety, these tomatoes are good for salad use and for some preparations, having optimal taste characteristics for this.
The described tomato variety is placed, according to the rules, in a sunny or shady place. It is only important that there is decent lighting on the loggia or balcony. Then the yield will be higher.
This variety has several subspecies, any of which are characterized as compact or super-compact. So the “Bonsai micro” option grows to a maximum of two tens of centimeters. Plants of this culture have a high degree of aesthetics, so the Bonsai tomato has another purpose besides food - decorative.
Descriptions of tomato fruits
The characteristics of the fruits themselves come down to the following points:
- Vegetables are not large in size, weighing approximately 30 grams;
- The fruits are firm and have a sweet taste;
- As tomatoes ripen, they gradually change color: from green to orange, and then bright red.
- Tomato fruiting is very abundant;
- The tomatoes ripen all together and then stay on the branches for a long time, giving the bush the appearance of a Christmas tree with red balls.
Features of growing tomato
These tomatoes are easy to grow at home. You just need to follow the general breeding recommendations tomato culture on the windowsill. In order for the tomatoes to germinate successfully, you will need at least half a liter of soil. If the crop is intended to appear in open ground, then it is best to place the seedlings in separate cups in early spring.And after about two months it should be planted in the ground.
To grow seedlings for an early harvest, they are planted at the beginning of the May holidays. It is important to remember to cover the vegetables with a film to protect them from possible frost. Planting is carried out in three bushes at a usual distance of 70 centimeters.
It is not recommended to plant tomatoes in place of potatoes, eggplants or peppers. And although this variety can be placed in the shady side, it is recommended to do this in the sun, with sufficient warmth, with protection from possible cool winds.
A few words about the flowering of mini tomatoes
With proper development of plants, after some time they will begin to bloom. But the flowers will not be particularly beautiful. The description of flowers comes down to their faded yellowish color, small size, and unsightly appearance. Each flower has male and female reproductive cells. This means that pollination or shaking is not required in order for the number of ovaries to become large or for pollen to be lost.
When clusters with ovaries are formed, it is recommended to eliminate the side branches that have not yet entered the flowering period. This will speed up the cultivation of the bushes itself with the growth and ripening of the fruits. However, this will shorten the time when the crop will delight with its elegant appearance, thanks to the abundance of fruits that have reached varying degrees of maturity. And as we have already found out, the fruits go through several metamorphoses in terms of color.
You should not pick the fruits before they are fully ripe; you can also use unripe miniature tomatoes. Placing them on the windowsill will protect them from frost and cold dew. Also, it doesn’t make much sense to ripen them in large cardboard boxes. Enjoy bushes as decor for your home.
Between the time you planted tomatoes and the first fruits, approximately 105 to 115 days pass. When fixing the exact date, it’s a good idea to time the tomato picking to coincide with some event or significant holiday for you. And so, fresh, very original, and very tasty small red vegetables will appear on the festive table.
About the advantages of the Bansai variety
Reviews about the described vegetable are usually positive, and there are many reasons for this:
- Tomatoes have high yields. One bush can produce about a couple of kilograms of baby tomatoes.
- The plant does not need a garter;
- The first fruits appear after three months;
- The fruits look fresh and neat, round in shape, weigh a maximum of 60 grams, and when ripe they are bright red in color.
- The balcony view is immediately transformed: tomatoes serve as optimal decoration, rewarding the owners and their guests with their flavorful content.
“Balcony miracle,” as this variety is called in another way, will already delight the home with fruits when other garden types are not yet ready. By growing this variety at home, you, without even realizing it, are paying tribute to the most ancient human passion - merging with nature and craving for the earth. And a pleasant taste and good fruiting with the right care are doubly pleasant.
