Container tomato Balkonstar is a small-growing tomato variety very suitable for growing in balcony boxes, pots and other small enclosures. It can be grown on balconies, terraces and patios. This makes this tomato variety very suitable for people who like to grow their own tomatoes, but do not have a (large) garden at their disposal. The tomatoes grow to about 3 - 4 cm in size and weigh between 35 and 60 grams each. The small tomatoes ripen from light green to red. This variety produces an abundance of delicious-tasting, slightly sweet tomatoes with a slight acidity.
Balkonstar originates from Germany and Austria and is therefore reasonably resistant to bad weather and rain. The tomatoes are also reasonably resistant to cracking. Container tomato Balkonstar is an early maturing variety that can be harvested as early as the end of July with enough sun.
This tomato plant, like all container tomatoes, requires little maintenance. There is no need to thresh the plant and support is not necessarily necessary, although it can be useful when the plant is full of the delicious, small cherry tomatoes to add a sturdy stick to keep the plant from falling over. This variety is ideal for people who have limited space in the garden or just a balcony. In fact, it can be grown in a large pot. This allows people with limited space to still enjoy home-grown tomatoes. Use these tomatoes in pasta sauces, salads, in soups, ketchup, on bread and straight from the plant as a delicious and healthy snack. Ensure plenty of sun and warmth and support the plant well for best results. Tomatoes are high in vitamin C and lycopene. This is best absorbed into the body when tomatoes have been heated. Non-hardy annual. Height: 40 - 45 cm.
Indoor sowing: February - April
Germination: 6 - 14 days
Germination temp: 20 - 25 °C
Sowing depth: 2 - 3 mm
Transplanting: when the seedlings are about 20 cm tall
Transplanting in garden: in May, after the last night frosts
Plant spacing: 45 - 50 cm
Planting position: sunny - sheltered (greenhouse)
Days till harvest: 60 - 90
Sow indoors from February on in trays filled with moist pottingsoil. Sow shallow and press the seeds gently in the soil, don't cover them with soil, because tomatoes are light germinators. Put the trays away somewhere warm at 20 - 25 °C and cover them with clingfilm or a lid. Keep the temperature as even as possible and don't let the temperature drop during the night. Keep moist, but not to wet to prevent rotting of the seeds. Remove the clingfilm or lid when the seedlings emerge. Transplant the seedlings to seperate pots approx. 10 days after emerging. Put them away a bit cooler at approx. 18 - 20 °C.
Harden the tomatoes of, from the middle of May, when there's no longer any danger of nightfrosts. Put the pots at a temperature of 15 - 18 °C for a week and reduce the amount of water for this week. Put the plants outdoors after this week on a sunny and sheltered plot with well draining soil or put them in a greenhouse. Make sure that there is no longer any nightfrost.
Tomatoes need some maintenance to ensure a good harvest. Give the plants a sturdy support with some sturdy and large bamboo sticks. Remove all suckers that will form in the axils of your plants. Remove all the leaves below the lowest hanging fruits by the end of July till the beginning of August. Remove all the leaves of all plants together with the tops of all plants from the end of August till the beginning of September to ensure the ripening of most of the green tomatoes. Harvest the tomatoes by cutting them with scissors. Tomatoes can't be kept for a long period. Don't keep your harvested tomatoes in the fridge. So use them a soon as possible after harvesting. Tomatoes used in sauces can be kept frozen to store.
