FRESH PICKED TOMATOES FROM THE BALCONY!

The success of their cultivation depends on good quality potting soil, regular watering and nutrient supply.

Plant leafy greens and small herbs in a balcony box, peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, cucumbers and large herbs in a larger 30-40 cm pot. To plant them, use general potting soil and composted cow manure to replenish the nutrients. Always mix this with potting soil at the bottom of the pot, the plant's root system should not come into direct contact with it when planting, as it may cause scorching. Three to four handfuls of composted cow dung are sufficient for a 30-40 cm pot.

Later on, we can use pelleted organic fertilizer or nitrate-free fertilizer to replenish the nutrients. It is worth choosing complex preparations that also contain microelements. Brown-black spots can appear on peppers and tomatoes, which are called sunburn. However, this is caused by the plant's lack of calcium, so use a calcium foliar fertilizer to treat this.

Leafy vegetables: arugula, lettuce, bird's-eye salad, blood sorrel and some herbs: parsley, dill can also be sown locally in the balcony boxes. If we want to proceed in this way, we fill the box with soil, compact it a little, and then water it thoroughly. The seeds are scattered on the moist soil surface and sifted with earth using a pot. The thickness of the covering layer depends on the seeds, which is always indicated in the information on the back of the seed bags. For example, lettuce seeds germinate in the light, so we only cover them with a thin layer. The sieved soil layer is no longer compacted and watered! The resulting loose surface makes it easier for plants to germinate. The balcony box or pot can be covered with a transparent film, but as soon as the seeds begin to germinate, partially and then completely remove the film cover.

We can also grow vegetable seedlings in the room, in this case we should specifically choose the balcony or varieties with determinate growth. Sow the seeds as described above. The seeds can be sown in small pots one seed at a time or by sowing several seeds in a pot and later pinning them one by one. Do not plant seedlings grown in the room immediately in the hot sun, because the plants will burn. In the beginning, put them only in semi-shade, then after a few days in a sunny place, thus also training them.

Herbs can be planted individually or in groups. But when combining plants, always take into account their growth rate and water requirements! Mints and lemongrass should only be planted in a pot on their own, as they will overwhelm the other plants due to their strong growth. Also, plant the rosemary, sage and basil separately in a larger pot.