How to Grow Cherry Tomatoes on a Balcony? Two Tricks for a High-Yield Tomato Harvest
Balcony cherry tomatoes are not only attractive but can also be picked and eaten, and they are rich in nutritional value. So, what growing methods are there for balcony cherry tomatoes? Here are two tricks to give you a high-yield tomato harvest!
1. Growing methods for balcony cherry tomatoes
1. Preparation before planting
Soil preparation
Soil is the foundation of vegetable growth, and choosing soil is actually not difficult. Dig soil directly from a flower bed and sift out the large clumps. If conditions allow, disinfect the soil and mix in organic fertilizer before use.
Seed treatment
Seeds bought from the market have not been disinfected. All you need to do is soak the seeds in 55°C water for 15-20 minutes, then soak them in 28°C water for 24 hours, changing the water twice during this period. This is the disinfection.
Place the disinfected seeds in a wet towel, wrap them up, and keep them in a 28°C environment, rinsing them once a day with clean water. They will sprout in 1-2 days.
2. Planting
Dig a 1 cm hole in the soil, put the already sprouted seeds into it, cover with 0.5 cm of soil, and keep them in a 25°C environment. After 3-4 days, the seed leaves will emerge from the soil. At this point, keep the temperature unchanged during the day, and at night lower the temperature to 20°C and stop watering. Wait until the leaves grow to 4-5, then water again, following the principle of watering when dry and letting it dry out between waterings.
3. Transplanting
The seedlings can be transplanted once they grow 4-5 leaves. Dig the seedlings out of the small pot with the soil around their roots, move them into a larger pot, and water thoroughly. After transplanting, as a rule, do not fertilize or water for one week, but adjust according to the actual situation; if the soil is too dry, water appropriately.
4. Flowering and fruiting
About 14 days after transplanting, the cherry tomatoes begin to grow in the large pot. After the plant flowers and fruits, start watering and fertilizing once every 7-10 days, and loosen the soil a little. On the balcony, control the temperature at 25-30°C during the day and 15-20°C at night. When the plant grows to about 40 cm, it needs a support to hold up the main stem, so that it does not collapse under the weight of the fruit.
Cherry tomatoes are bisexual flowers and can self-pollinate. Gently tap the plant when it is flowering to promote pollination. Also prune the side branches regularly, so that their rampant growth does not affect flowering and fruiting.
2. Little tricks for a high-yield tomato harvest
Trick one: fertilize more after flowering. Tomatoes like fertilizer, and potted soil is limited, so applying light fertilizer frequently is the guarantee of a heavy tomato crop!
Trick two: at the beginning, fill the pot with only half to two-thirds soil. After flowering, break off the lower branches, add compost or nutrient soil to the pot, and fill the soil up to near the rim of the pot. The section of stem buried in the soil will grow new roots. In this way, more roots absorb more nutrients, and the tomatoes will naturally bear more fruit.