Don’t have a garden but would like to grow your own vegetables? Why not? You can also grow your favorite vegetables on the balcony. Do you want to grow tomatoes? There are some varieties of bush tomatoes for the balcony that are very easy to grow. Even if you’re a beginner, there’s no need to worry because below are tips and guides to help you grow!
Do tomatoes grow better in pots or in the ground?
Many gardeners grow vegetables in the ground in the garden. You might be wondering if growing tomatoes in tubs could be successful. One of the great benefits of growing in pots is that you don’t have to worry as much about pests and diseases. And if you choose the right variety, you will harvest just as many tomatoes as if you grew them in the ground. In this article we will help you with useful information so that you can choose the right variety and take care of the plants properly.
Growing tomatoes on the balcony – what you should consider?
You must design your balcony garden in such a way that you ensure an adequate amount of sunlight. Tomatoes need full sun, at least eight hours a day, to thrive. Choosing the right soil is also of great importance. One of the benefits of pot tomatoes is that they have fewer problems with pests and diseases, and using store-bought soil will get you off to a good start. There are many mixes on the market made specifically for growing vegetables.
What do you need for growing bush tomatoes for the balcony?
Here’s everything you need to start growing tomatoes on your balcony.
- pots
- tomato seedlings
- Earth
- fertilizer
- Water
- stakes or cages
You need to repot the plants once they are stable enough and over 25cm tall. A pot with a diameter of about 25 cm is enough, so the tomatoes have enough space to grow.
Which tomato varieties are suitable?
What should you consider when choosing your plants? Pay attention to the overall size. Some tomatoes grow very large and bear heavy fruit. However, there are some strains that have been bred specifically for growing on the balcony or in a container.
10 varieties of bush tomatoes for the balcony
Seedlings for small tomatoes can be found at garden centers. Here are 10 common tomato varieties for balconies:
– Better Bush: This is a small, compact shrub for the balcony or container. The plants grow up to 1.20 m tall and take about 70 days to harvest.
– Bush Beefsteak: It is a compact plant with well-sized, beefsteak-shaped fruits. Approximately 60 days to harvest.
– Bush Early Girl: These are small, compact plants with a very good taste. It takes about 55 days to harvest.
– Clear Pink Early: This is also a compact plant with round, soft pink fruits with a sweet and spicy taste. It takes about 60 days to harvest.
– Early Wonder: compact plant with round, dark pink fruits, full tomato aroma, excellent taste. It takes 55 days to harvest.
– New Big Dwarf: A compact plant up to 0.6 m tall; tasty fruit, 60 days to harvest.
– Red Rocket: This is a compact, bushy shrub with soft, flavorful fruit and takes 60 days to harvest.
– Tiny Tim: A small container plant that grows to 50 cm tall; these are bright red cherry tomatoes and take about 60 days to harvest.
– Tumbling Tom: This is a small plant, suitable for hanging baskets, with cascading growth to about 45 cm; it takes 70 days to harvest.
– 506 Bush: A small plant to 18 cm in height, with medium-sized, mild-tasting, bright red fruits with a hint of sweetness; good drought tolerance and about 60 days to harvest.
How to care for potted tomatoes on the balcony?
The mixture of earthworm droppings and peat moss will help nourish and aerate the plants. You can use vegetable fertilizer when transplanting your seedlings into their larger pots. As the summer progresses, you can further help your plants by removing dead or yellowed foliage and giving another small dose of fertilizer. This way you can extend the harvest season.
How often to water tomatoes on the balcony? The soil needs to be constantly moist to maximize plant growth and yield. The pots on a balcony dry out faster than in a garden in the ground. When you water your plants, be careful not to get the leaves of the plant too wet because wet leaves can lead to fungal diseases.