Many gardeners extend the pleasure of growing plants into mid-autumn and even into winter. For example, Cherry tomatoes on a windowsill have an aesthetic appearance and, with proper care, can bear fruit all year round. There are many types of these plants with different colors. Belonging to the nightshade family, they do not require much effort in caring for them and will bear a lot of fruit in gratitude. Fresh miniature tomatoes on the dinner table in winter look exotic and have an unusual, sweetish taste.
Features of care
Creating favorable conditions for normal plant growth is a major concern for gardeners. To grow tomatoes in an apartment, you will need to create an environment as close as possible to the field one. Let's look at the main criteria that should be taken care of first.
Earth
To grow tomatoes, you need neutral acid soil mixed with nutrients such as:
- humus;
- ash;
- superphosphate;
- peat;
- chicken droppings.
This is enough to plant seeds and grow seedlings. Feeding during the further period is selected individually. The main thing is not to overfeed the tomatoes; an excess of nutrients in the soil will lead to their accumulation in the fruits.
German gardeners use one trick when growing tomatoes at home. It turns out that seedlings can be planted in ordinary metal buckets. Iron ions interact with the soil and inhibit the activity of soil bacteria. As a result, the plant does not suffer from late blight and bears fruit better.
Before planting seeds, it is recommended to disinfect the soil with a weak solution of potassium permanganate or copper sulfate.
Lighting
Lighting is an important factor in the life of tomatoes. They love light very much, and additional lighting is usually prepared. Without proper lighting Cherry tomatoes grow slowly, stems and leaves lose their rich bright green color. A small number of ovaries are formed and they fall off.
It is recommended to select special lamps that shine in the following ranges:
- blue;
- green;
- red.
But is it possible to use ordinary incandescent lamps? By heating the tungsten filament, they produce light in the range close to red. The violet spectrum is practically inaccessible to them. In addition, the lamps emit infrared rays, which heat the soil and the bush itself, which can lead to the death of the plant.
But how to grow cherry tomatoes on a windowsill without using various temperature regulators? It is recommended to prepare lamps consisting of three LED strips - blue, green and red, respectively. They emit monochrome light in the specified spectra. They must be installed at a distance of at least 15–20 cm from the bush. Some amateurs use illumination from below, but this does not play a special role.
For the development of stems and leaves at the initial stage, blue and red light are very useful for tomatoes.
To grow fruits, you need lighting in the green spectrum. Illumination is used during the daytime in the natural cycle. At night, plants rest; turning on LED lights is not required.
Temperature
The most favorable temperature for the development of tomatoes is in the range of 18 – 22 degrees. Its excess or decrease will lead to inhibition of vital functions and death of the plant. But how to grow tomatoes in an apartment if tomatoes are so sensitive to temperature? That is why it is recommended to use LED lamps for lighting. The temperature of the working surface of these devices does not exceed 40 degrees, otherwise they simply fail without causing any harm to the plant.
How to plant
How to choose the right seeds, since there are more than a dozen different varieties of Cherry tomatoes? It all depends on personal preference.
The method of growing seeds is no different from the field method:
- Seeds are placed in a pre-prepared damp cloth at a distance of at least 1 cm from each other.
- Place in a dark place.
- Maintain the required temperature and humidity.
- Sprout until seed stalks up to 1-2 cm long appear.
We prepare plastic cups or boxes with soil.After this, you can plant the germinated seeds in a previously prepared medium. Next, we expose them to the light or to the greenhouse. We organize daily care and lighting.
The rapid cultivation of seedlings directly depends on the chosen schedule of watering and fertilizing. The soil should not be wet all the time - this will lead to rapid acidification of the soil and the development of late blight. It is best to wait until the soil dries after watering, then loosen the soil. After some time, water the soil again.
In the autumn-winter period, growing seedlings has its own characteristics. One of the mistakes is organizing a small vegetable garden directly on the windowsill of a private apartment. Cold air comes from under the windowsill and windows, especially in winter, which can seriously interfere with all your endeavors. It is best to grow seedlings under plastic film, and begin to harden them before planting them in an impromptu garden. In this case, cold air will not enter through the cracks in the window, and the draft will not damage the plant.
If necessary, you can picket the seedlings - this will allow the remaining shoots to develop better. Cherry tomatoes are not indoor plants; they need more living space to grow. After the hardening procedure, the finished seedlings can be planted by preparing a small garden in advance. Suitable for planting seedlings:
- Round clay pot with smooth edges. How Cherry tomatoes grow depends on the variety; some giants can grow up to a meter. Usually the pot is hung in such a way that the bush forms not only upward, but also hangs over the edges.
- An ordinary metal bucket will not cause any additional trouble for its owner. The only thing you need to take care of is the edges.Tomatoes grown in a pot have the advantage of not being damaged by the glossy surface of their “home.”
- You can grow Cherry on a windowsill or veranda using small wooden boxes. Choose the east side, as tomatoes love light.
As you can see, there are at least several options, it all depends on the conditions and imagination of the gardener.
Growing fruits
If all the above conditions are met, it is quite possible to grow Cherry tomatoes at home and get a good harvest. All that remains is to agree on the schedule of watering and fertilizing and carefully monitor the growth of the plants.
For several days, the seedlings may look unsightly; all the bushes were grown in greenhouse conditions and have not yet adapted to their new environment. Gradually, the stems and leaves should acquire a rich, bright green color.
If there is insufficient lighting, the sprouts will stretch excessively, trying to reach the light source. Since they were planted in an environment that was unusual for them, it is important to immediately correctly position the backlight and main lighting. By bending in pursuit of light, the plant loses its strength. A uniform “washing” of light will provide an additional stimulus for growth.
If you notice excessive elongation of the stems, this may be a sign of insufficient lighting. There is one interesting method you can use. As an experiment, plant two identical bushes next to each other. Using a soft brush, lightly brush along the leaves and stem of one. There are sensitive hairs on the leaves that become deformed. Surprisingly, the growth of the bush slows down and the stem thickens.
If you get carried away by the process of caring for plants, you will undoubtedly get a high harvest of Cherry tomatoes at home or in a private greenhouse, on the veranda and even in the garage: with proper care and attentive attitude to nature, you will definitely be successful.
