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The passion for growing tomatoes in some people can eventually turn into some kind of obsession, without which they cannot imagine a meaningful existence. In other words, they become fans or collectors of a wide variety of varieties of tomatoes to such an extent that they want to contemplate their favorite fruits not only in the warm summer season, but also at home - on balcony or on the windowsill.
But there is another category of enthusiastic gardeners who, for health reasons or for other reasons, are deprived of the opportunity to visit the country or do not have a personal plot. And they also need to satisfy their desire to grow something not only beautiful, but also edible. For all these people and for many others, a tomato variety called Bonsai was created, a description, photos and reviews, about the cultivation of which you can find in this article.
But for those people who see growing tomatoes at home as a kind of hobby, this variety can be more than interesting. After all, growing tomatoes in indoor conditions is not only completely harmless, but also a very useful hobby. Therefore, if possible, try to involve in this activity both teenage children who have not yet managed to find something to do in life for themselves, and retired people who sometimes cannot find interesting activities for themselves on long winter evenings.
History and description of the variety
Tomato Bonsai was bred in the late 90s by breeders of the Gavrish seed company. This company is known for its development in the field of a variety of plant innovations that can be grown indoors. Therefore, it is not surprising that they were among the first to create a tomato variety specially adapted for growing in rooms and on balconies. In 2001, the variety was officially entered into the State Register of Russia and has been quite popular ever since.
The Bonsai tomato variety, as befits a real home-bearing fruit-bearing plant, has real early maturity - its first ripe fruits can be picked after 85 -90 days from the emergence of shoots. This is important, because at home, you can, if you wish, organize a real conveyor for growing tomatoes, sowing seeds at different times at intervals of a month.
It should also be borne in mind that the very fruiting period of this tomato variety is quite extended, the fruits can ripen and ripen on the bush for several months.
Tomato Bonsai was bred specifically for indoor cultivation, but no one forbids growing it as a regular outdoor tomato. Many gardeners plant it as a curb along the paths or even decorate flower beds with it. One has only to bear in mind that these tomatoes, being true indoor sissies, are not very resistant to the vagaries of the weather and can be easily affected in the open field by late blight and other diseases.
Tomato bushes of this variety are determinant and standard, that is, they grow no more than 30 cm in height, have a strong and even thick stem and do not need a garter at all. But you will most likely have to form the bushes. It is best to pinch the top of the tomato so that the bush can grow in width and not in height due to the stepsons. It is believed that the optimal shape and maximum yield from a Bonsai tomato bush can be achieved by forming it into three or four trunks, no more and no less. That is, despite all the assurances of the manufacturer, you still cannot avoid pinching.
The Bonsai tomato variety cannot be called very productive - it has slightly different priorities. But still, with conscientious care of tomatoes, you can get from 0.5 kg to 1 kg per bush.
But this resistance is only comparative with other varieties and without additional lighting on all windows, except for the southern ones, you are unlikely to be able to grow a full-fledged crop, especially in mid-latitudes.
It has an average resistance to other diseases of tomatoes. In indoor conditions, he most of all can suffer precisely from a lack of lighting, and, as a rule, he is not afraid of other street problems.
Fruit characteristics
A small bush, strewn with beautiful fruits of edible tomatoes in a room or on a balcony, of course, is unlikely to leave anyone indifferent, even very far from plant growing and horticulture. Therefore, it is not surprising that people are ready to make many sacrifices to obtain such a result. Bonsai tomatoes can be characterized as follows:
- The fruits have a regular rounded shape and a smooth attractive surface;
- In an unripe form, tomatoes are light green, after full ripening they become bright red;
- The pulp is quite dense, sometimes even crispy and juicy, the skin is thin;
- The number of seed nests is not more than two;
- Tomatoes are small in size: slightly larger than grapes and weighing about 25-28 grams;
- The flavor characteristics of these tomatoes are somewhat dependent on growing conditions (amount of sun) and care, but on average they are rated as "good" and "excellent". The fruits have a sufficient amount of sugars and dry matter;
- Tomatoes of this variety are best consumed fresh, savoring them directly from the bush. They are also good in salads and twists. Despite the fact that the skins of tomatoes in jars sometimes burst, the dense structure of the fruit remains.
Features of growing in indoor conditions
Bonsai tomato seeds do not fundamentally differ from the seeds of other varieties of tomatoes, except that they can be slightly smaller in size, and are treated with special means for good germination. So, if you notice that the color of the seeds is different from light beige, then they do not need to be subjected to any preliminary treatments and soaking.
Seeds of tomatoes of this variety usually germinate well, amicably and quickly. In the interval from three to seven days, you should have friendly shoots.
As soon as they appear, place the seedlings in a cooler place as much as possible, while providing them with the brightest lighting possible.
This will help you in the future to avoid many problems with the appearance of tomato bushes.
After the appearance of the first two real openwork tomato leaves, it's time to plant your crumbs in separate containers. These can be any plastic jars, in the bottom of which you need to make holes for water to drain. For the first transplant, it is better to take a small 0.2-0.3 liter container.
After unfolding the third pair of leaves, each tomato bush must be carefully transferred into a larger container, with a volume of about a liter. At the same stage, your tomato bushes need to be fed with any fertilizer for indoor flowers or an EM preparation if you are an opponent of chemistry. Literally the next day after transshipment near the bushes, it is advisable to pinch the main stem in order to cause a wave of growth of stepsons or side shoots.
Bonsai tomatoes do not need a large pot volume for full development. They are quite capable of bearing fruit in containers with a volume of about 2-3 liters. Prepare such flowerpots for the final transplant of tomato bushes at the age of 1.5-2 months.
At the age of two months, your bushes should already be actively blooming and, perhaps, even set the first fruits. The flowers of this tomato variety are capable of self-pollination. But if you lightly shake the flower brushes once a day for better fruit setting, then this will not be worse.
The first inflorescence on tomatoes of this variety is traditionally laid after the third pair of leaves, later inflorescences can sometimes be laid in a row, even without separating them with leaves.
Watering tomato bushes grown indoors should be done with warm water. Its frequency is determined by the temperature of the tomato content. The higher the temperature, the more often watering can be done. Overflow both seedlings and adult tomatoes are highly undesirable. It is better to wait until the soil surface is completely dry before the next watering.
The fruits of tomatoes begin to ripen gradually and they can be harvested within several months from the moment the first tomato turns red. This is also the big advantage of indoor tomatoes.
Reviews of gardeners
Many of those who tried to grow this variety of tomatoes, like other indoor varieties, were defeated and disappointed in the opportunity to have indoor tomatoes at home. But others, on the contrary, succeeded, and they were quite pleased with the result of their actions. This suggests that growing tomatoes in rooms is not quite a simple matter, as it might seem at first glance, it is advisable to have some skill in communicating with tomatoes, to know about their characteristics and preferences. And above all, have good quality seeds. After all, seeds that do not correspond to the variety can ruin all undertakings and instill disappointment in any gardener.
Conclusion
Tomato Bonsai is a delicious and highly decorative tomato variety for home cultivation. But, being a kind of "toy", it requires not at all toy attention and care - remember this when trying to grow this variety.
I planted Bonsai tomatoes twice. Initially I wanted to grow on the windowsill, but they stretched out about 50 cm and I planted them in the country. They grew very much and, most importantly, turned out to be unpretentious and very fruitful, although I did not look after them very much. The tomatoes are very tasty and the size of an apple is not very large, on each bush there were about 30 tomatoes. I had to tie it up, although the bush is very stable, as the branches bent to the ground from the harvest. I really liked the variety for its yield, unpretentiousness, it is convenient to grow in a simple greenhouse, since the height of the bush is optimal and it ripens quickly. I advise this variety, at least you can plant a few bushes for the first time, they do not take up much space.