How to grow cherry tomatoes on the balcony

1. Preparation before planting

Soil Preparation

Soil is the foundation for vegetable growth, and choosing soil is actually not difficult. Dig the soil directly from the flower bed and sift out the large particles. If conditions permit, disinfect the soil and add organic fertilizer before use.

Seed treatment

The seeds bought from the market are not sterilized. What you need to do is soak the seeds in 55℃ water for 15 to 20 minutes, and then soak them in 28℃ water for 24 hours, changing the water twice during this period. This is disinfection.

Place the sterilized seeds in a wet towel, wrap them up, place them in an environment of 28°C, rinse them with clean water once a day, and they will germinate in 1 to 2 days.

2. Planting

Dig a 1 cm small hole in the soil, put the germinated seeds in it, cover with 0.5 cm of soil, and place it in an environment with a temperature of 25°C. After 3 to 4 days, the leaves of the seeds will emerge from the soil. At this time, keep the temperature unchanged during the day, lower the temperature to 20℃ at night and stop watering. Wait until the leaves grow to 4 to 5, then water again. Water when the soil is dry and when the soil is wet.

3. Transplanting

The seedlings can be transplanted when they have 4 to 5 leaves. Dig the seedlings with soil out of the small pot, plant them in a larger pot, and water them thoroughly. In principle, no fertilizer or watering should be done within one week after transplanting. However, depending on the actual situation, watering should be done appropriately if the soil is too dry.

4. Blossom and bear fruit

About 14 days after transplanting, the cherry tomatoes begin to grow in the large pot. After the plants bloom and bear fruit, start watering and fertilizing them once every 7 to 10 days, and loosen the soil. The balcony temperature is controlled at 25~30℃ during the day and 15~20℃ at night. When the plant grows to about 40 cm, it needs a support to support its trunk to prevent it from collapsing due to the weight of the fruit.

Cherry tomatoes are bisexual flowers that can pollinate automatically. Gently tapping the plant when it blooms can promote pollination. The side branches should also be pruned frequently to prevent them from growing wildly and affecting flowering and fruiting.

It takes about three months from sowing to harvesting cherry tomatoes. I can’t help but feel a little excited when I think that I will be able to eat the cherry tomatoes I planted myself in 90 days.