The large family of dwarf tomato varieties includes the Pinocchio tomato, suitable for growing on a personal plot, balcony, loggia. It is recommended as an ornamental potted plant that grows well and bears fruit even in winter on the windowsill of a city apartment.
Unpretentiousness, excellent taste and unusual appearance of miniature bushes with bright red tomatoes have earned positive reviews among gardeners.
Main characteristics and description of the plant
The variety is intended for compacted plantings in greenhouses and open ground. Because of their decorative appeal, miniature bushes are used as borders when decorating garden spaces. Pinocchio tomatoes are planted at the base of tall crops.
- The Pinocchio tomato belongs to the category of dwarf tomatoes, the height of which does not exceed 35 cm. The bush is compact, standard type, very decorative - it resembles a small tree with wrinkled, dark green leaves. This characteristic allows the miniature species to be used as a potted plant.
- The fruits are smooth, flat round, weighing 15-20 g, bright red. The tomatoes taste sweet, juicy, with pronounced tomato notes. The skin is dense, which makes them suitable for canning, preparing salads, and decorating dishes.
- Dwarf tomatoes come in medium and early ripening periods. Depending on the conditions, technical maturity occurs 90-105 days after the start of germination. For a small plant, "Pinocchio" has a good yield - up to 1.5 kg.
- The determinate type of bush does not require the formation and removal of stepsons, the installation of supports, or garters, which greatly simplifies care. The plant is heat-loving, responsive to timely watering and sufficient lighting.
Fans of indoor gardening, by shifting planting dates, can grow tomatoes and get a harvest regardless of the season.
Features of growing a dwarf variety
Agrotechnical rules for growing Pinocchio tomatoes in open ground or a greenhouse are not much different from the general rules. All activities for preparing seeds, growing seedlings and planting in a permanent place are carried out, as with other tomatoes, in relation to local temperature standards.
In many ways, it causes less trouble than various types of tomatoes that can stretch out in low light conditions. But if you intend to place tomatoes at home as a potted plant, then you need to take into account some features.
It should be taken into account that this variety gives a friendly, one-time harvest. After the final ripening of the fruits, the plant begins to dry out and die. If, in addition to their decorative function, it is important to grow fresh tomatoes, then pay attention to the timing of planting. The duration of the growing season is included in the description of the variety on the seed packaging and ranges from 90 to 110 days.
How to choose a landing date
The question of planting timing is relevant only if you want to get a harvest by a certain period of time.
To obtain continuous ripening, tomatoes should be planted at short intervals. Under this condition and following the rules of cultivation and care, Pinocchio tomatoes can be harvested all year round.
The most suitable planting time is at the beginning of October, then the harvest will occur during the New Year holidays. If you plant tomatoes in early December, you can get ripe tomatoes by the beginning of March.
In addition, you can grow dwarf plants in boxes, pots or flowerpots outside in the summer. And place houses on the windowsill only with the onset of frost.
The boxes must be at least 10 cm high so that the root system can develop comfortably. The container for one, even the shortest tomato bush, should be at least 5 liters.
Soil preparation is the basis for success
An important factor is the composition of the soil, which should provide conditions for comfortable development of the root system and nutrition for the entire plant.You can prepare a balanced soil composition yourself, at home from:
- 5 parts of garden soil;
- 5 parts humus;
- 2 parts peat;
- 2 parts sand;
- ¼ part wood ash;
- 1 tbsp. l. potassium sulfate and urea.
It is better to disinfect the soil from the garden with a solution of manganese or heat it in the oven. Before filling the container with earth, a layer of drainage material is placed on the bottom.
The soil mixture can be purchased ready-made, suitable specifically for this crop. The main thing is that the soil should be light, breathable, moisture-absorbing, and slightly acidic.
Planting and caring for "Pinocchio"
Before planting, it is advisable to place the seeds for 20 minutes in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for disinfection. Rinse with warm water and keep in a growth stimulator for 30 minutes.
Next, they are placed in the prepared soil, to a depth of 1.5-2 cm. The top layer is moistened with a spray bottle and sprinkled with peat. The plantings are covered with film or a glass screen.
After 5-7 days you can expect shoots. Boxes with plants are placed on the windowsill on the south side of the house.
After 2-3 true leaves appear, the tomatoes dive. The strengthened stems are planted in prepared personal containers.
Caring for the plant is simple and boils down to regular watering, fertilizing, and loosening the soil.
- Watering is carried out twice a week. They try to spill a clod of earth around the perimeter, without getting on the leaves and stem. Water is used heated or at room temperature.
- The next day, be sure to loosen the top soil layer, trying to prevent it from drying out.
- Indoor tomatoes are fertilized with complex fertilizers every 10-15 days. The first is carried out immediately after transplantation into a permanent container.With the appearance of fruits, the use of nitrogen fertilizers is stopped.
- The heat-loving plant prefers a day temperature of 23-24 degrees and a night temperature of 16-18 degrees. At lower temperatures, growth is inhibited and fruits set poorly.
- The lack of light in the winter conditions of a house or apartment must be compensated for by additional lighting, although the variety is not prone to stretching.
Otherwise, growing tomatoes on a windowsill is much easier than in open ground. The Pinocchio variety is resistant to most diseases of nightshade crops. Bushes grown on a windowsill do not have to be saved from dangerous pests. The main thing is that there are no sources of mold or fungal infection inside the house. Therefore, it would not be superfluous to conduct illumination sessions with a quartz lamp.
The meaning of the decorative function
In addition to practical benefits, the aesthetic factor should be taken into account. Anyone who has planted an unusual variety of tomatoes notes the pleasure of seeing miniature scarlet fruits against the backdrop of green, dense foliage. Growing a dwarf plant is quite simple, but its appearance invariably evokes surprise, positive emotions and genuine interest among others.
You can find descriptions of tomatoes of this type grown upside down in hanging pots. Your efforts will pay off and become a source of pride when you hear rave reviews from friends and family about the unusual pet on the windowsill.
In addition, tasty and beautiful tomatoes look great in assorted preparations and can decorate dishes and salads on the holiday table with their presence.
