When we think of an urban garden, we always have one crop in mind: tomato plants. They are simple, but they have their secret. What are the tricks for growing tomatoes on the terrace and balcony? In this article, we read about How to grow tomatoes?
Tomatoes in a bowl. If they are cherry and in-branch, we will have better results herald.
If supermarkets had preserved the flavor and aroma of the traditional tomato, there would not be so much proliferation of urban gardens. We would even go further: not so many people would dare to rent a plot to grow their vegetables. Such is our longing for a natural tomato, which we feed just by smelling it, that we are capable of becoming gardeners just by getting those fruits of yesteryear.
What do we need to grow tomatoes on the balcony? A planter, a lot of sun, and a lot of water. But one element is critical if we want to grow them in pots and not in the field: the subscriber. If we do not take care of it, we will have problems with the tomato plant: either it will not flower enough, or the fruit will not form, or the plant will become ill. Growing tomatoes seems simple, but it has its own. What are the tricks for growing tomatoes on the balcony or terrace? Here we explain it to you.
1. SUN AND WATER TO GROW TOMATOES
We can only grow tomatoes, no matter their variety, if we have many hours of sun and enough water. Tomatoes grow comfortably in the hot summer sunshine and are the perfect choice for hot terraces and balconies. They cannot be grown indoors; in glazed galleries, it will only be possible in spring.
2. BE CAREFUL WITH THE POT
If we want to grow large tomatoes, we will need a pot about 30 centimeters deep. Each tomato plant needs another 12 inches wide to grow freely. If we put the tomatoes close together, they will compete, and there will be problems with their development.
3. PAY, ALWAYS TO GROW TOMATOES
One of the main mistakes in tomato cultivation is ignoring its needs. It is a fast-growing plant that develops many flowers and fruits to be fertilized every two or three weeks. If the sheet is yellowish, add iron. If it curls upon itself, it lacks calcium.
4. PRUNING, IMPORTANT TO GROW TOMATOES
The tomato seems to enjoy throwing more and more branches. Those that come out of the armpit (elbow between two components) must be removed since otherwise they will subtract a lot of strength from the rest, and we can find many specimens without flowers or with a plant that does not bear any fruit.
Prune regularly
There are several types of tomato, but in general, the Zaragoza variety or the cherry variety is usually grown. The first would be for large planters, about 30 centimeters deep; the second, with smaller window boxes, balcony type. That is why the cherry is increasingly popular in those ?? culinary balconies ??, and we can put it on the windowsill of the kitchen, along with a pot of mint, basil, parsley, or marjoram.
The secret of tomato cultivation is its pruning:
The plant forms new shoots in the armpits between the leaf and the stem. If we let them grow, a tangle of branches will begin, the plant will lose a lot of strength, and the flowers and fruits will not form well. Therefore, you have to be very attentive and remove those minor ramifications. How to avoid them? They are removed when they have just come out. It is only necessary to ?? clamp ?? with the fingers.
In the case of the traditional tomato, it is an essential factor to train it correctly. The plant needs support to grow, and for this, you have to put some canes high enough, which the tomato plant will hold, tying it with a bit of raffia. Do not tie the knot too tight because the trunk of the tomato will continue to get fatter, and if we have held it too tightly, it will end up being strangled. It is better to leave it a little loose or control these restraints and correct them as the tomato grows.
It is a good idea to also join the reeds to each other to resist the blows of the wind that often accompany summer storms. With the tomato plants growing in a reed structure, the final set is usually very suggestive and will give a rustic touch to the terrace. Water, lots of water Tomatoes require a lot of water, which means they have to be watered almost every day.
That will be a problem if we go on vacation:
unless you have a drip irrigation controller, and you do not intend to grow tomatoes anywhere. Many dreamers want to have a small urban garden on their balconies without considering that these plants must be watered in the hottest weeks of summer.
A traditional tomato planter needs between two and four liters of water a day. If you don’t have enough liquid, the plant will wrinkle, and we will immediately notice that it needs to drink.
Do not trust yourself:
irrigation must be programmed well and assume that the cost of water is essential.
What does this continuous watering also mean? The more we water a pot, the more nutrients the soil loses. It is inevitable that the water seeps through the earth and comes out through the hole in the bottom of the pot. That water that comes out full of nutrients, which lost down the drain. For this reason, tomatoes will have shortages very soon if we do not control the fertilizer. The lack of phosphorus and potassium will be noticed in the flower and the fruit, but there may be other deficiencies, such as chlorosis (lack of iron) or wrinkled leaves (lack of calcium).
Also read: how to cut bangs
