The journey begins. This diary serves to monitor the growth and progress of our latest batch of ‘Balkonzauber’ tomatoes, a determinate variety celebrated for its compact habit. Reaching only around 50cm in height, it is the ideal candidate for limited windowsill space. While its stature is small, the reward is significant: bright red, bite-sized fruits with a reliable, sweet flavour—perfect for sun-warmed snacking or tossing into a summer salad.
The Foundation
To give these seeds the best start, I’ve prepared a custom growing medium designed for drainage and texture. The mix consists of:
- 70% Soil Blend: A rich composite of spent potting soil, garden soil, and fresh compost.
- 30% Grit: Coarse sand and finely crushed shells—a salvaged seaside find to ensure breathability for the roots.
The seed tray has been settled into its primary home: a south-facing window to capture every available drop of spring sunshine.
Observations and running notes
Day 0 - 16th March: Seeds sown at a depth of roughly 0.5cm. Soil moistened and placed in the sun.
Day 6 - 22nd March: 19 seeds germinated. Tray rotated to balance light exposure. Stems appear sturdy; soil moisture remains consistent.
Day 11 - 27th March: I think all the seeds germinated now - I can count 30. Tray rotated to balance light exposure. Stems still appear sturdy; soil moisture remains consistent with regular spraying rather than watering.
Day 16 - 1st April: Quantity of seedlings present: 30. Most of the seedlings are now 2 inches tall with first sets of true leaves are appearing.
Day 19 - 4th April: All 30 seedlings have been individually repotted. Having started their journey in a shallow tray, there has not been a massive development in root-growth. Hopefully individual pots will allow these to strengthen their roots prior to planting out into their final locations.
Day 27 - 12th April: Few seedlings seem to be struggling after their repotting. The chances are I have damaged the stems in the process as the seedlings are still quite young. Due to the quantity seeded in this batch, the loss of a few is insignificant.
Day 45 - 30th April: From initial germination of 30 seeds, there has been a total loss of 6 plants, giving me 24 Balkonzauber seedlings, which have now been placed outside within a repurposed vivarium (visible in the images above - placed on the right). This is providing a sort of shielding from the elements as cold nights although infrequent now, they still occur.
Day 48 - 3rd May: Plants have spent 3 nights outside so far and seem to be managing fine for the time being. Frosty nights can still be expected over the next two weeks, so time will tell how many survive.
Day 57 - 12th May: The little seedlings have finally started making their way out of my care and are getting their spots in other gardens. No measuring tape however, todays image (above) shows the Balkonzauber seedlings being roughly the size of a BIC pen.
