Pinocchio tomato: characteristics and description of the variety, cultivation and care with photo

Pinocchio tomato belongs to the large family of dwarf varieties of tomatoes, 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 compacted plantings in greenhouses and open ground. Due to their decorative appeal, miniature bushes are used as borders when decorating a garden space. Pinocchio tomatoes planted in the base of tall crops.

1. Tomato Pinocchio 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 pot plant.
2. Fruits are smooth, flat round, weighing 15-20 g, bright red. The taste of tomatoes is sweet, juicy, with pronounced tomato notes. The skin is dense, which makes them suitable for canning, preparing salads, decorating dishes.
3. Dwarf tomatoes are medium and early ripening. Depending on the conditions, technical maturity falls on 90-105 days after the start of germination. For a small plant, "Pinocchio" has a good yield - up to 1.5 kg.
4. The determinant type of the bush does not require the formation and removal of stepchildren, the installation of supports, garters, which greatly simplifies care. The plant is thermophilic, responsive to timely watering and sufficient lighting.

Indoor gardening enthusiasts, 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 tomato in the open field or greenhouse are not much different from the general rules. All activities for preparing seeds, growing seedlings and planting in a permanent place are carried out, like with other tomatoes, with reference to local temperature standards.

In many ways, it's less of a hassle than the various types of tomatoes that can stretch out in low light. But in case you intend to place tomatoes at home as a potted plant, then you need to take into account some features.

It should be taken into account that this variety gives a friendly, one-time harvest. After the final ripening of the fruit, the plant begins to dry 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 packaging and ranges from 90 to 110 days.

How to choose pickup date

The issue of planting dates is relevant only if you want to get a crop by a certain period of time.

To obtain continuous ripening, tomatoes should be planted with a small interval in time. 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 at the beginning of October, then the harvest will just fall on the New Year 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 planters in the summer on the street. And place houses on the windowsill only with the onset of frost.

Boxes should be at least 10 cm high so that the root system can develop comfortably. Capacity for one, even the smallest tomato bush, should be at least 5 liters.

Preparing the soil is the basis of success

An important factor is the composition of the soil, which should provide conditions for comfortable development of the root system and nutrition for the whole plant. A balanced soil composition can be prepared independently, at home from:

• 5 pieces of garden soil;
• 5 parts of humus;
• 2 pieces of peat;
• 2 parts of sand;
• ¼ parts of wood ash;
• 1 tbsp. l. potassium sulfate and urea.

It is better to disinfect the earth from the garden with a solution of manganese or warm it in the oven. Before filling the container with earth, a layer of drainage material is laid on the bottom.

Soil mixture can be purchased ready-made, suitable for this particular crop. The main thing is that the soil should be light, breathable, moisture-intensive, with a slightly acidic reaction.

Planting and caring for 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 in growth stimulator for 30 minutes.

Then they are placed in the prepared soil, to a depth of 1.5-2 cm. The top layer is moistened with a spray gun and sprinkled with peat. Landings are covered with a film or glass screen.

After 5-7 days, shoots can be expected. Plant boxes are placed on the windowsill on the south side of the house.

After the appearance of 2-3 true leaves, tomatoes dive. Strengthened stems are planted in prepared personal containers.

Caring for the plant is simple and comes down to regular watering, fertilizing, loosening the soil.

1. Watering is done twice a week. They try to shed a clod of earth around the perimeter, without falling on the leaves and stem. Water is used heated or at room temperature.
2. The next day, the top soil layer must be loosened, trying to prevent it from drying out.
3. Top dressing of indoor tomatoes is carried out with complex fertilizers every 10-15 days. The first is carried out immediately after transplanting into a permanent container. With the advent of fruits stop using nitrogen fertilizers.
4. Heat-loving plant prefers daytime temperatures of 23-24 degrees and night temperatures of 16-18 degrees. At lower temperatures growth is slowed down, fruits are poorly tied.
5. The lack of light in the winter conditions of a house or apartment needs to be compensated for with additional lighting, although the variety is not prone to stretching.

Otherwise, growing tomatoes on a windowsill is much easier than growing them outdoors. Variety "Pinocchio" is resistant to most diseases of nightshade crops. Bushes grown on the windowsill will 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 illumination sessions with a quartz lamp.

The value of the decorative function

In addition to practical use, the aesthetic factor should be taken into account. Everyone who has planted an unusual variety of tomatoes notes the pleasure of seeing miniature scarlet fruits against a background of green dense foliage. Growing a dwarf plant is quite simple, but its appearance invariably causes surprise, positive emotions and genuine interest among others.

You can find a description of tomatoes of this species grown upside down in hanging pots. Your efforts will pay off and become a reason for pride when you hear rave reviews from friends and family about an 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.

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