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Tomato Balconi Red F1

Solanum lycopersicum Balconi Red
Tomato

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The germination was very slow and less than 15 seeds per packet. Nevertheless, I managed to grow 5 plants after a lot of patience, which turned out to be very prolific, beautiful, and tasty tomatoes.

Catherine, 09/03/2018

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This plant carries a 6 months recovery warranty

More information

Balcony variety forming a bush of 30cm (12in) in all directions. It produces numerous ruby red fruits of the Cherry Tomato type, measuring 3cm (1in) in diameter and weighing approximately 15 g, with a very sweet flesh. Sowing from February to April and harvest from June to September.
Ease of cultivation
Beginner
Height at maturity
30 cm
Spread at maturity
30 cm
Soil moisture
Moist soil
Germination time (days)
14 days
Sowing method
Sowing under cover, Sowing under cover with heat
Sowing period February to April
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Harvest time June to September
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Description

The Balconi Red Tomato is a variety originating from the Netherlands, forming a bush about 30cm (12in) in all directions. It produces numerous ruby red fruits, about 3cm (1in) in diameter and weighing approximately 15g, of the Cherry Tomato type. The very sweet flesh allows parents with young children to introduce them to the taste of tomatoes. The plants can be positioned on the balcony, patio, or even a window sill, and take on a Christmas tree-like appearance with a ready-made decoration of red balls. Don't hesitate to hang the Balconi Red Tomato in baskets, letting its stems and leaves hang down languidly. This variety is sown from February to April and harvested from June to September.

The tomato is native to South and Central America. Several varieties were already cultivated by the Incas long before the arrival of the Conquistadors. We are still amazed by the variety of this solanaceous plant. The term 'tomato' comes from the Incas' Tomatl, which refers to both the plant and the fruit it produces. There are fruits of all colours, except perhaps blue, and of all shapes and sizes. Ancient varieties are plants with indeterminate growth and can live for two years. More recent varieties have what is called determinate growth and stop growing at the bush stage, so there is no need to stake or trellis them.

The tomato is one of the many foods that came to us from the New World, along with beans, corn, squash, potatoes, and chili peppers. It took much longer for the tomato to reach our taste buds. For a long time, it was cultivated for its aesthetic and medicinal qualities. It was thought to be toxic because of its resemblance to the fruit of the Mandrake, another solanaceous plant. It only became a regular part of our tables at the beginning of the 20th century.

The tomato plant is a perennial herbaceous plant in tropical climates, cultivated as an annual in European latitudes. It lignifies over time and produces small, insignificant yellow flowers grouped in clusters that will turn into fruits.

Its fruit is very attractive and adds a pleasant colour to the vegetable garden. It also has many nutritional benefits. Low in calories like most vegetables, rich in water, it contains a molecule of great interest: lycopene, a powerful antioxidant. And the longer the tomato is cooked, the more available lycopene it releases. It is also rich in vitamin C, pro-vitamin A, and trace elements.

Today, its taste and nutritional qualities are well established. For gardeners, the tomato is one of the essential summer vegetables. They only need to consider how they want to use it to guide them among all the existing varieties. Is it for salads, sauces, consuming directly on the spot, cooked, etc.? They will also consider when they want to harvest it. The answer will, of course, depend on the average summer sunlight in the region where their garden is located. Rest assured, the choice is vast, and there is a tomato for every situation! And while tomatoes do need a lot of sunlight and warmth, they don't necessarily require a lot of space. That's why you shouldn't hesitate to grow them in containers on your balcony, where you can prioritise varieties with small fruits. Be careful, though, as immature fruits, stems, and leaves contain solanine and should not be consumed.

Harvesting: depending on the variety, it can take 50 to 100 days between the transplanting date and the harvest. There is no foolproof trick to determine in advance when a tomato has reached full ripeness. Harvesting should be done when, at a minimum, it fully displays its fully ripe colour and when its texture, while remaining firm, shows a slight softening. For better storage, be sure to pick the fruit with its peduncle.

Storage: tomatoes do not keep as long when they have a high water content. They can be kept for a few days in the vegetable compartment of your refrigerator or spread out in the open air. To keep them longer, consider culinary methods such as tomato confit, sun-dried tomatoes, sauces, frozen fruits, preserves, jams, or juices. We love to confit them because it's simple and so tasty: cut your tomatoes in half and collect the juice. Place the tomato halves face up on a baking tray. Season with salt, pepper, and sugar, then bake at a very low temperature for at least an hour. Remove your tomatoes and consume immediately, or preserve them in a glass jar and cover with olive oil.

Gardener's Tip: it is recommended to grow several varieties of tomatoes each year to minimise the risk of a complete loss of harvest due to climatic conditions or specific diseases.

To prevent the phenomenon of 'blossom-end rot' - not a disease but a calcium deficiency - spray a comfrey maceration rich in calcium on your plants.

When transplanting, don't hesitate to bury the stem up to the first leaves. This will stimulate the root system, ensuring a bountiful fruit harvest.

Winning combinations in the garden are often the same on the plate -which is a good mnemonic to remember that tomatoes and basil go well together.

 

Harvest

Harvest time June to September
Type of vegetable Fruit vegetable
Vegetable colour red
Size of vegetable Small
Interest Flavour, Nutritional value, Very productive
Flavour Very sweet
Use Table, Patisserie, Cooking

Plant habit

Height at maturity 30 cm
Spread at maturity 30 cm
Growth rate fast

Foliage

Foliage persistence Deciduous
Foliage colour dark green
Aromatic? Fragrant foliage when creased

Botanical data

Genus

Solanum

Species

lycopersicum

Cultivar

Balconi Red

Family

Solanaceae

Other common names

Tomato

Origin

Andes Mountains

Annual / Perennial

Annual

Product reference36931

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Planting and care

Soil preparation: Tomato plants are extremely easy to grow. Sunlight and heat play a crucial role in the success of this crop. However they can grow in any type of soil, although they prefer rich and well-draining soil. You can enrich the substrate with a little sand if it is too compact.

Seed sowing under glass: From mid-February to May, sow your seeds indoors or in heated greenhouses in trays at around 20°C (68°F). Bury the seeds under 5 to 7mm of special seed compost as they need darkness to germinate. Do not use compost at this stage, as it may burn the future roots. Tomato plants grow very quickly, with seeds typically germinating within two weeks. Do not discard a tray if the seeds have not sprouted within this time, as some varieties take longer. Once the plants have reached about 15cm (6in) in height, consider transplanting them.

Transplanting into the ground: Once the risk of frost has passed, usually in mid-May, transplant your seedlings into the ground. Choose the sunniest and warmest spots in your garden. A position at the base of a south-facing wall is ideal. Loosen the soil and dig a hole at least 3 to 4 times the volume of the plant's root system. Add some well-rotted compost at the bottom. Place your plant, burying it up to the first leaves, and then fill in the hole. Firm the soil, create a depression around the base, and water generously. Be careful not to wet the leaves to protect your plants from fungal diseases.

Maintenance: Applying mulch around the base of your plants helps retain some moisture and reduces the need for weeding. Tomato plants do not require a lot of watering, as their root system can access deep water sources. Only water generously in case of prolonged drought.

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Seedlings

Sowing period February to April
Sowing method Sowing under cover, Sowing under cover with heat
Germination time (days) 14 days

Care

Soil moisture Tolerant
Disease resistance Good
Pruning instructions Some gardeners are not in favour of pruning tomato plants. Others recommend removing the leaves in direct contact with the soil to prevent fungal diseases. Some also suggest removing the suckers, which are all the new shoots in the axils of the leaves, as they appear, in order to concentrate the sap on the main branches and fruit clusters. The goal is to obtain fewer but larger fruits. Others also remove the leaves around the fruits to give them permanent access to the sun. We find that systematically practicing one or the other of these methods is not necessarily suitable for the multitude of situations encountered in gardens. Depending on the exposure, the variety planted, the region, the soil, etc., all these methods have their rationale. Above all, we recommend a balanced approach that only you are able to experiment with, considering the constraints that are specific to your situation.
Pruning Pruning recommended once a year

Intended location

Type of use Container, Vegetable garden, Greenhouse
Hardiness Hardy down to 1°C (USDA zone 10b) Show map
Ease of cultivation Beginner
Soil well-draining and rich in organic matter
Exposure Sun
Soil pH Any
Soil type Silty-loamy (rich and light), 130
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