Characteristics and description of the Pinocchio tomato variety, cultivation and yield
The numerous family of dwarf tomato varieties includes the Pinocchio tomato, suitable for growing on a personal plot, balcony, loggia. It is recommended as an ornamental pot plant that grows well and bears fruit even in winter on the windowsill of a city apartment.
Unpretentiousness, excellent taste and unusual appearance of miniature bushes, with bright red tomatoes, have earned positive reviews among gardeners.
Main characteristics and description of the plant
The variety is intended for compact plantings in greenhouses and open field. Due to their decorative appeal, miniature bushes are used as borders when decorating garden space. Pinocchio tomatoes are planted in the base of tall crops.
- The Pinocchio tomato belongs to the category of dwarf tomatoes, the height of which does not exceed 35 cm. The bush is compact, standard type, very decorative - it resembles a small tree with wrinkled, dark green leaves. This characteristic allows the miniature species to be used as a potted plant.
- Fruits are smooth, flatly round, weighing 15-20 g, bright red. Tomatoes taste sweet, juicy, with pronounced tomato notes. The skin is dense, which makes them suitable for canning, preparing salads, decorating dishes.
- Dwarf tomatoes are medium to early ripening. Depending on the conditions, technical maturity occurs 90-105 days after the start of germination. For a small plant, Pinocchio has a good yield - up to 1.5 kg.
- The determinant type of bush does not require the formation and removal of stepchildren, the installation of supports, a garter, which greatly simplifies maintenance. The plant is thermophilic, responsive to timely watering and adequate lighting.
Indoor gardeners, by shifting planting dates, can grow tomatoes and get a harvest regardless of the season.
Features of growing a dwarf variety
Agrotechnical rules for growing Pinocchio tomatoes in open ground or in a greenhouse are not much different from the general rules. All activities for the preparation of seeds, growing seedlings and planting in a permanent place are carried out, like other tomatoes, with reference to local temperature standards.
In many ways, it is less of a hassle than various types of tomatoes that can stretch in low light conditions. But in case you intend to place tomatoes at home, like a potted plant, then you need to consider some features.
It should be borne in mind that this variety gives a friendly, one-time harvest.After the final ripening of the fruits, the plant begins to dry out and dies. If, in addition to the decorative function, it is important to grow fresh tomatoes, then focus on the timing of planting. The duration of the growing season is included in the variety description on the seed package and ranges from 90 to 110 days.
How to choose a landing date
The issue of planting timing is relevant only if you want to get a crop by a certain period of time.
To obtain continuous ripening, the tomatoes should be planted at short intervals. Under this condition and following the rules of cultivation and care, Pinocchio tomatoes can be harvested all year round.
The most suitable planting dates are in early October, then the harvest will just fall on New Year's holidays. If you plant tomatoes in early December, you can get ripe tomatoes by early March.
In addition, dwarf plants can be grown in boxes, pots or pots outside in summer. And place houses on the windowsill only with the onset of frost.
The boxes must be at least 10 cm high for the root system to develop comfortably. The capacity for one, even the smallest tomato bush, should be at least 5 liters.
Soil preparation is the basis for success
An important factor is the composition of the soil, which should provide conditions for the comfortable development of the root system and nutrition for the entire plant. You can prepare a balanced soil composition yourself, at home from:
- 5 pieces of garden land;
- 5 parts of humus;
- 2 parts of peat;
- 2 parts of sand;
- ¼ parts of wood ash;
- 1 tbsp. l. potassium sulfate and urea.
It is better to disinfect the soil from the garden with a manganese solution or warm it up in the oven. Before filling the container with earth, a layer of drainage material is laid on the bottom.
The soil mixture can be purchased ready-made, suitable for this particular crop. The main thing is that the soil should be light, breathable, moisture-absorbing, with a slightly acidic reaction.
Planting and caring for the Pinocchio
Before planting, it is advisable to place the seeds for 20 minutes in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for disinfection. Rinse with warm water and hold for 30 minutes in a growth stimulator.
Then they are placed in prepared soil, to a depth of 1.5-2 cm. The top layer is moistened with a spray bottle and sprinkled with peat. Landings are covered with a film or glass screen.
After 5-7 days, shoots can be expected. Boxes with plants are placed on the windowsill on the south side of the house.
After the appearance of 2-3 true leaves, the tomatoes dive. The hardened stems are planted in a prepared personal container.
Plant care is simple and comes down to regular watering, top dressing, loosening the soil.
- Watering is carried out twice a week. They try to spill a clod of earth around the perimeter, without getting on the leaves and stem. Water is used heated or at room temperature.
- The next day, be sure to loosen the top soil layer, trying to prevent it from drying out.
- Top dressing of indoor tomatoes is carried out with complex fertilizers every 10-15 days. The first one is carried out immediately after transplantation into a constant container. With the appearance of fruits, nitrogen fertilizers are stopped.
- A heat-loving plant prefers a daytime temperature of 23-24 degrees and a nighttime temperature of 16-18 degrees. At lower temperatures, growth is inhibited, fruits are poorly set.
- The lack of light in the winter conditions of a house or apartment must be compensated for with additional lighting, although the variety is not prone to stretching.
Otherwise, growing tomatoes on a windowsill is much easier than in open field conditions. The Pinocchio variety is resistant to most diseases of nightshade crops. Bushes grown on the windowsill do not have to be saved from dangerous pests.The main thing is that there are no sources of mold and fungal infection inside the house. Therefore, it will not be superfluous to conduct backlight sessions with a quartz lamp.
The value of the decorative function
In addition to the practical benefits, the aesthetic factor should be considered. Anyone who has planted an unusual variety of tomatoes celebrates the pleasure of the sight of miniature scarlet fruits against the background of green dense foliage. It is quite easy to grow a dwarf plant, but its appearance invariably causes surprise, positive emotions and genuine interest in others.
You can find a description of this type of tomatoes grown upside down in hanging pots. Your efforts will pay off and become a reason for pride when you hear the rave reviews of friends and family about the unusual pet on the windowsill.
In addition, delicious and beautiful tomatoes look great in assorted blanks and are able to decorate dishes and salads on the festive table with their presence.
