To date, a huge number of varieties of tomatoes have been bred. There are those who grow well and bear fruit abundantly, growing at home, on the windowsill. What varieties are preferable for such cultivation? How to collect tomato seeds at home and how to cook them, read the article.
Features
Homemade tomatoes have a number of features. This is due to the fact that the conditions for their growth differ from street ones. There are many varieties, but not everyone is able to grow and produce crops indoors. Tomatoes grown at home have the following characteristics:
- Stunted. Tall specimens are limited in space and nutrition, since the soil in the pot is not enough for normal growth and especially for fruiting. In such cramped conditions , only varieties of undersized as well as dwarf tomatoes can produce a crop.
- By stamping. Proper bush formation is an important condition for obtaining a high tomato crop. But not everyone can do it right. Therefore, breeders bred a lot of standard varieties, which are distinguished by a strong central stem and a very dense crown. Such bushes do not need to be tied and stepsoned.
- Resistant to disease and lack of lighting. Many indoor tomatoes need additional lighting. But there are varieties that have enough lighting during daylight hours. For them, the backlight is turned on only in bad weather, when the street is cloudy. Such tomatoes have a feature at the genetic level: the presence of short internodes on the plant. Due to this, the growth of stems in height is limited.
- Indoor tomatoes can be affected by a black leg and leafy mold. These fungal diseases are especially dangerous for seedlings. However, hybrids, which make up 90% of all indoor tomatoes, have great resistance to them.
In addition, homemade tomatoes are the most delicious, and their flesh is rich in sugar and vitamins. But yields are not high in all varieties. Some of them form small fruits, similar in size to cherries. Such crops are decorative, although they are edible. Due to the small number of fruits, they are used to decorate various dishes.
For regular use, you need to choose varieties with high yields and larger fruits. On average, the fruit mass is from 15 to 130 g. In the best varieties, the bushes are not high, but they produce two kilograms of fruit each.
Varieties of the best tomatoes for home
Homemade tomatoes have a wide variety of varieties, in which the shape, color, fruit size, bush height and other characteristics are different. Many can grow well and produce high yields, growing on beds and indoors.
- Balcony miracle - homemade standard grade tomatoes. Ripen early. The bushes have an average height of up to 0.5 m. The shape of the fruit is round, their color is red. The weight of each tomato reaches 100 g. With good care, you can collect about two kilograms of tomatoes from the bush. This variety bears fruit even in winter.
- Room surprise. It features a small bush, whose height is less than half a meter. The fruits have an elongated shape, a bright red color. Tomatoes weighing 25-30 g are collected in a brush. The pulp has an excellent taste and an amazing aroma. Tomatoes are used to make salads. If artificial lighting is not done in winter, productivity will be low.
- Bonsai tree refers to the smallest homemade tomatoes. The bush reaches a height of only 30 cm, and the mass of red fruits is 25 g. From one plant you can collect one kilogram of delicious tomatoes.
- Pinocchio This variety is considered one of the best among the potted crops of this species. This is a low bush with dense foliage. Small fruits, up to 20 g in weight, are painted in bright red color. One plant produces one and a half kilograms of tomatoes. They are suitable for fresh and canned use. In summer it grows on the beds in the garden, and in winter - indoors.
- Pygmy. It is a popular variety with a high yield. The bush reaches a third of a meter in height. The fruit is red in color; it weighs no more than 40 g; it tastes sweet. There are many ovaries, they form large brushes. When ripe, they hide under the leaves. The variety is resistant to low light. The fruits ripen in the winter.
- A bunch of honey. Tomatoes belong to the standard early ripening variety with yellow fruits. Grown on beds and indoors on window sills. The bush reaches a height of 40 cm, the weight of the fruit corresponds to the same figure. Tomatoes have a sweet taste and juicy pulp.
Ampel Tomatoes
To date, few have been bred, but they are in great demand among those who prefer to grow them at home: in pots or pots with high legs. Shoots of them hang down, it looks very nice. Caring for ampel varieties is more difficult, and yields are lower. Why then grow such varieties? This is because the tomatoes have a great taste, and the bushes have a high decorative effect. An overview of some of them is presented below.
Garden pearl
This variety has a sprawling bush, its height reaches 50 cm. Thin stems are very strong, do not break under the weight of round tomatoes. The weight of one is 15-20 g. Fully ripened homemade tomatoes become raspberry and translucent. There are a lot of them on the bush, up to 300 pieces. Plants of this variety look very decorative. They grow well in beds and at home.
Mascot
The variety has a medium early ripening period. Bred home tomato (tomato) in our country. A compact bush has long shoots, up to 55 cm. In ovoid fruits, it is red. Weight is average, reaches 40 g. Fruit bearing is plentiful and stretched in time. It grows on beds in the garden and at home. The fruit has a juicy pulp and a wonderful taste. They are suitable for canning.
Citizen F1
Very effective hybrid. Grows vertically with tied stems and in limbo, like an ampelous culture. Tomatoes are medium-sized, their weight is 30 g. They have a red color and a pronounced tomato flavor. The hybrid was developed specifically for indoor growth. It grows and bears fruit well at any time of the year.
Seed collection
It is important to know that seeds from hybrids are not taken. Homemade tomato seeds are obtained from good varieties. Choose the strongest and most viable bush. Overripe tomatoes are not taken, since the seeds can germinate. If before the onset of frost the tomato did not ripen on the bush, it is removed and put on ripening. Seeds are obtained as follows:
- Cut the tomato into pieces, empty the seed chambers with a spoon.
- Seeds with mazra are placed in a pot and left for two or four days for fermentation, after covering the dishes with gauze. Bubbles should appear on the surface.
- Seeds washed, remove mezdra. Then fill with water with the addition of salt. Surfaced specimens are unsuitable for sowing, they must be discarded. The remaining seeds are washed again using a sieve and laid out to dry.
Lighting
Tomato loves a lot of light at home, and when it is lacking, the buds fall off. To prevent this, the best garden for tomatoes will be a well-lit window sill. To grow crops in the room, it is necessary to carry out additional lighting. A fluorescent lamp with an energy-saving mode is usually used. Although the ideal condition for growth is the short-wave radiation, which give phytolamps.
An additional light source is installed no closer than 25-30 cm from the tops of plants. The daylight hours for small tomatoes are from 13 to 16 hours. If the sun shines brightly on the street, there is no need to turn on the lamps. They are used in cloudy weather early in the morning, before sunrise, and in the evening, after sunset.
Temperature and humidity
For comfortable tomato growth and a decent harvest, it is important that the temperature during the day is 22-26 ° C, and at night no lower than 15 ° C. In the winter, when the plants are cold from the glass, they are put deep into the room, but not far from source of natural light. It is important to achieve a constant air humidity in the range of 60-65%. The room where small tomatoes grow should be regularly ventilated. Lack of fresh air will ruin the plants. No need to be afraid of drafts, for indoor tomatoes they are not scary.
The soil
Soil for indoor vegetables can be prepared independently. Its composition is as follows:
- You can mix turf land, humus and peat in equal proportions.
- The second option is the soil obtained by mixing vermiculite, compost and turf soil, ash, respectively (in parts) 1: 4: 1.
- You can prepare soil from garden soil and peat with sand in a ratio of 2: 1. Before use, the earth is disinfected to destroy harmful microorganisms. For this, a solution of potassium permanganate is used. It is important to remember that indoor tomatoes prefer fertile and loose soil with a neutral indicator of acidity.
Homemade tomato for the winter
Recipes are different. Consider the simplest one. Cooking homemade tomato begins with the fruit sorting. Rotten and wounded specimens are not taken to prepare blanks for the winter. High quality tomatoes are washed thoroughly, the stalk is removed.
Tomatoes are cut and chopped. The resulting slurry is poured into the pan and put on fire (medium). When the mass boils, the fire decreases, and the tomato is boiled for 30 minutes. It should be mixed often so as not to burn. The finished mass is poured into sterilized jars and rolled up with lids.
Another recipe for cooking homemade tomato. Tomatoes in the amount of three kilograms are crushed to a gruel exactly in the same way as in the previous recipe and placed in a pan. When its contents boil, add dill, parsley, ground pepper, salt and sugar to taste. Boil until sugar is melted, but not less than 25 minutes. Spill the tomato and roll up. Banks and lids pre-sterilized.