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A completely new, unique way of growing seedlings was born in Japan. With the help of this technology, organic products are cultivated at home, which are so appreciated by all residents of Japan. The Japanese got this idea because they have very small planting areas. The land scarcity in Japan is due to too high a price. Thanks to T. Hasegawa, it became possible to grow tomatoes in five-liter bottles.
The student was the first to create a device from a plastic container and grow delicious vegetables in it. Then this method of cultivating vegetables migrated to post-Soviet countries, and an ordinary five-liter eggplant was used as a device. Moreover, the bottles are suitable not only for growing tomato bushes, but also for diving them. We will learn more about how to grow tomatoes in bottles (plastic).
Brief description of the method
Growing tomatoes in a greenhouse in 5 liter bottles is both economical and efficient. The method is that the seeds are not germinated in the ground, but in toilet paper. Seedlings are clean, without clods of soil, which facilitates the removal of lateral shoots from plants and subsequent planting of shoots in the soil. Another advantage of this method is its hygiene. So, even when sowing seeds in an ordinary apartment, the earth will not be scattered anywhere, it will not be necessary to constantly remove dirt from the windowsills.
Tomatoes in plastic bottles
Preparatory stage
First of all, in order to grow tomatoes in five-liter bottles, the seeds must be sorted and disinfected, for which a solution of potassium permanganate is used. You need to soak the seeds in it for a quarter of an hour. Next, you need to prepare the material into which the plant seeds will be sown. This requires:
- polyethylene bags (it is better to use garbage bags);
- toilet paper;
- a 1.5-liter plastic bottle with a pre-cut neck.
It is necessary to carry out the following actions:
- Cut the plastic bags into strips 10 centimeters wide, then do the same with toilet paper - its pieces should be equal to the length of the strips from the bags.
- Each piece of paper must be placed on polyethylene strips and sprinkled with water.
- The seeds are laid out on damp paper, the gap between the seeds should be about 4 cm.
- Next, roll the strips into a roll, the diameter of which should correspond to the bottle.
- Pour 30 ml of water into a container and lower the resulting roll into it.
- The bottle should be placed on a windowsill or other place with plenty of sunlight. The sprouts will appear within a few days.
Tomatoes are also sprouted using the horizontal method.
Grow tomatoes in a greenhouse in 5 liter bottles
The container will be a 5 liter bottle, which must be cut in the longitudinal direction.
- Cover both halves of the bottle with toilet paper, laying it out in several layers.
- You need to put seeds between the layers.
- Moisten the paper by sprinkling it with water.
- It remains only to tightly close the containers with foil to obtain the greenhouse effect and wait for the shoots.
The containers should be placed in a sunny place. Watering is not required with this method.
As soon as 2 leaves appear on the shoots, the shoots are transplanted into separate pots. Usually, 2 plants are placed in one container. However, this rule applies only to high varieties of tomatoes, and for low varieties, each sprout needs an individual pot.
If you use ordinary plastic cups of 0.5 liters or cut bottles with a capacity of 1.5 liters, you will be able to significantly save on cups.
Growing tomatoes in bottles
Bottled tomato seedlings can even be grown in greenhouses. However, wherever the plant is planted, it requires proper care.
In order to grow tomatoes in greenhouse conditions or on a balcony, it is necessary to plant seedlings 50-60 days after germination. Since the plants are cultivated at room temperature, they need not be hardened. Planting tomatoes in five-liter plastic bottles in the greenhouse and on the balcony does not require much effort, the main thing is to do everything right.
Balcony miracle
The first step is to prepare the container. To do this, the bottom is cut off from a 1 liter bottle, its height should be about 1/3 of the total height of the container. For disembarkation, a cut-off part of a bottle with a neck is used. The tomato bush is placed in a container. The tops should be outside, and the roots should be in the container. Next, the bush must be covered with earth and watered. The resulting plant pot is suspended like a flowerpot.
Seedlings can also be transplanted into containers from 5 liters bottles, in which tomatoes will grow until harvest.
Popular varieties for balcony and greenhouse cultivation
Bonsai balcony
Balcony miracle. This variety is undersized, resistant to fungal diseases. It does not require the removal of side shoots, it develops well even on cloudy days.
Room surprise. The variety is distinguished by its compact size, excellent germination and high productivity.
Riddle. The variety belongs to undersized crops with a ripening period of only 85 days. Fruit weight reaches 100 g. The plant is resistant to sunlight deficiency and the most common diseases.
Balcony bonsai. The most compact plant with a height of no more than 30 cm. On an attractive bush there are small round tomatoes with excellent taste.
When cultivating tomatoes in bottles, it must be remembered that they, as well as in open soil, require regular watering and feeding.
Growing tomatoes in a greenhouse and on a balcony in 5 liter plastic bottles was appreciated by both agronomists and summer residents. With the right approach, you can grow a good harvest even on the balcony, providing the whole family with healthy vegetables.
