Growing tomatoes on a windowsill in an apartment

Vegetables play an important role in the human diet. They provide us with vitamins and microelements necessary for the normal functioning of the body. Tomatoes, for example, are beneficial for the cardiovascular system. They are readily available regardless of the season. However, tomatoes grown on a windowsill at home are tastier and healthier.

How to grow on a windowsill?

It's hard to imagine dishes from around the world without tomatoes. These days, it's easy to find this flavorful vegetable, even in winter. But people often prefer to grow the plant indoors. And this can be easily done even on a windowsill or balcony.

What do you need to get started?

Achieving a productive harvest and enjoying your garden is possible with careful preparation. To get started, you'll need:

• seed material;
• containers for sowing;
• fertilizers (organic, mineral);
• phytolamps.

Advice! Tools, utensils, and soil are treated with temperatures of at least 100 degrees Celsius or specialized disinfectants to combat bacteria and fungi. This will reduce the risk of plant death due to infection.

For growing tomatoes on a windowsill, it's recommended to choose varieties that produce compact bushes up to 50 cm tall and bear fruit abundantly. Examples of recommended varieties:

Balcony Red

This is an early-ripening variety. 85 days after the first shoots appear, home gardeners can harvest tomatoes on their windowsill. The fruits are sweet and have a pleasant aroma. The bush grows to a height of no more than 30 cm.

Balconies Yellow

This is a mid-early ripening hybrid. Fruiting is expected to begin 110 days after the first shoots emerge. The bush reaches 45 cm in height. The fruits are round and yellow. The taste is sweet with a slight tartness. Tomatoes of this variety are used for canning, salads, and sauces.

"Balcony Miracle"

This variety is popular among gardeners. One bush produces about two kilograms of fruit. The first harvest is 80 days after the first shoots emerge.

Bonsai

A compact bush, about 30 cm tall. As shown in the video, a single plant yields up to 500 grams of bright red fruit.

There are also other varieties of tomatoes suitable for growing on a windowsill or balcony.

The ability to grow tomatoes not only in the garden but also in the apartment became possible thanks to the efforts of plant breeders who developed the Cherry variety in the mid-1970s. This tomato variety is characterized by small fruits that grow in clusters.

Important to know! Growing hybrid tomatoes differs from growing cherry tomatoes and other varieties on a windowsill in an apartment.

Here are some of the features:

• The soil for planting should be one-quarter sand, the rest black soil.
• Seeds should not be soaked before planting.
• The film is removed from the containers five days after planting.

It's also important to remember that cherry tomatoes don't require pinching. Otherwise, growing this tomato is no different from growing other varieties.

Read also:

• Growing Onions: Recommendations for Selecting Seeds
• Planting radishes in egg trays
• How to grow peas in open ground?

Growing seedlings correctly

To grow tomatoes on an apartment windowsill during the winter, it's recommended to sow them in two stages. The first is in October, and the second in late November. This way, gardeners can harvest not only in winter but also in early spring. By sowing from mid-February to the end of March, they can harvest tomatoes throughout the spring and into the summer.

Sowing seeds according to the specified schedule will ensure that the gardener receives a harvest throughout the year.

The success of growing tomatoes on a windowsill is determined by strict adherence to the sowing rules:

1. Before beginning work, seeds must be disinfected. If a commercial solution is unavailable, a solution of potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate) is recommended. Soak the seeds for 15 minutes, then dry them. Treatment with a growth stimulant strengthens the plant's defenses.
2. Each seed is planted 2 cm apart. This will prevent the plants from becoming overcrowded and will positively impact the yield.
3. Before sowing, the soil must be moistened. Plant at a depth of 2 cm. Cover the top of the container with plastic film to simulate greenhouse conditions. The temperature should be between 22 and 24°C. After 7 days, the temperature in the greenhouse is lowered to 20°C. It is essential to monitor the humidity—this is the only way to grow tomatoes on the windowsill that are free from the disease known as "blackleg."

When growing tomatoes indoors, it's important to remember that the foliage of seedlings and mature plants is sensitive to direct sunlight. Therefore, it's recommended to shade the containers or place them on north- or east-facing windowsills.

It is recommended to transplant the seedlings into separate containers once three leaves have formed. Plastic cups or pots are suitable. Fertilize once every fourteen days. Watering the plants with a weak solution of potassium permanganate will protect the soil from becoming acidic. Once the roots have completely encircled the root ball, transplant the plants into a permanent container. A three-liter container is recommended. Water the plants the day before placing them on the windowsill for winter growth.

The transplanted plant is fertilized three weeks after being planted in the main container. This time is sufficient for the root system to develop.

https://youtu.be/Aj7yGzXSjDo

Proper care

When considering growing tomatoes on a windowsill, watering is a key consideration. In winter, tomatoes don't require frequent watering—they're best watered after the soil has dried out. In summer, moisture evaporates quickly, so the soil should be watered every 2-3 days.

Tomatoes are heat-loving plants, so containers are placed on windowsills facing east.

It's important to remember that direct sunlight can be harmful to leaves. For protection, install thin curtains that allow diffused light to pass through. When the ambient temperature rises to 30°C, move the plants to a cooler location. This will prevent the bushes from stretching and reduce yield.

Important! There are no natural pollinators in the apartment. To encourage ovary formation, it is recommended to shake the branches every morning after the flowers appear. The use of a specialized product called "Ovary" is also recommended.

Regarding feeding. Specialty stores offer a wide variety of fertilizers and plant food. Beginning gardeners may think they can't achieve a harvest without the contents of bottles and bags. However, it's important to remember that too much is just as dangerous as too little.

Adding mineral fertilizers to the soil in amounts exceeding the recommended dose leads to the accumulation of substances in the fruit. This can result in poisoning when eating such tomatoes. This can be avoided by preparing the correct planting substrate. Fertilizers should be applied no more than twice a month.

The best soil substrates are turf (can be replaced with garden soil), compost, sand, and peat. Experience shows that mixing the ingredients isn't as beneficial to the plant as layering and misting the soil.

Furthermore, when solving the problem of growing tomatoes on a windowsill in an apartment or house, experienced gardeners replace mineral supplements with charcoal. This material contains a complete set of vitamins necessary for healthy growth.