Learn how to grow delicious organic tomatoes in your balcony flowerpots!
My way is not at all .. scientific nor professional.. But it proved practical and effective !
I firstly cut round pieces out of plastic bags and got nutrient-rich soil for vegetable gardens.
I made 3 to 5 small holes at the center of each round plastic piece, then I held it in one palm, squeezed it to become a small bag and put in about 10 cm of soil. Next I planted organic tomato seeds in the bags at a depth of a little less than 1 cm.
I put sieves in the pots that already had drainage holes at the bottom and placed the small bags containing the seeds on. I used various objects, rubber bands, small stones and cups to help the bags stand upright in the pots. The small plants start to grow quickly and as you can see they live happily next to the strawberries.
Please click the photo above (and any other photo) to see the numerous (still green) strawberries!
The reason why I put the seeds in bags wrapped with rubber bands is because, when the time comes to transplant, I just take out the rubber band, the bag opens and the soil ball with the roots comes out intact and firm.
I dig a hole twice the diameter and depth of the tomato root ball into either the outer (the building's) flowerpot or any other pot, then I plant the tomato transplant up to its two top-most set of leaves. It's okay to bury the lowest leaves. Roots will form along the buried stem. I anyway make sure the pots are placed where they'll receive at least six hours of sun per day.
Watering the plants is obviously important, but not too much. A simple way to tell if your plant needs water is to stick your fingers into the soil. It should feel damp several inches below the surface, but there's a saying though, that "tomatoes like to have dry feet"!
Our tomato plants start growing quickly and bear flowers soon but we shouldn't just watch them grow. They need special pruning, that is, removing all suckers below the first flower cluster every so often for several reasons described in the column on the right
Make sure to provide enough room for each plant's growth. One tiny seedling can reach 3 meters height and need at least 50 cubic liters of soil. The final containers should be filled with equal parts planting mix and potting soil. Combined together, the two provide an aerated, medium density environment for roots to expand and access nutrients. A good idea is to apply organic fertilizer every two weeks approx. Also crushed eggshells both fertilize the soil and deter pests (see more on the right).
As for support, humm tomato plants can't make it without it. In the wild, they ramble along the ground but when cultivated vertically in home gardens, they require steady firm support. I use any way or tool I find around, bamboo sticks, plastic or wooden sticks, string etc.
Enjoy the outcome! Click this last picture to get it enlarged. Click once again for more detail. Apart from the red tomatoes you will discover some more that are still green
See this is the perfect proof that these tomatoes are produced on my own balcony! In rather small pots! I regret not having taken more photos of all the plants. There were around 10 of them.. Oh well, next time.