Description of the balcony tomato Yellow Pearl and cultivation guidelines

Cherry tomatoes are becoming increasingly popular among Russian vegetable growers every year. The Yellow Pearl tomato is an unusual small-fruited variety, but it enjoys well-deserved popularity.

Features of the variety

This relatively new series of cherry tomatoes is designed for those without a garden plot. The Yellow Pearl variety is characterized by its compact size: the main stem reaches only 30 cm in height throughout the growing season. The root system is not very developed, making it suitable for planting in flowerpots no larger than 5 liters. These compact, decorative bushes are ideal for growing on a balcony or windowsill.

Small varieties are also suitable for larger-scale gardening. In a garden plot, miniature Yellow Pearl tomatoes can be planted under taller bushes, creating a denser planting and yielding additional yields. This variety is suitable for both open and closed ground.

The Yellow Pearl variety is a determinate variety. These plants do not require staking or pinching; their growth is limited by natural processes, and the bush ceases growing after 4-6 flower and fruit clusters have formed. Most determinate varieties are characterized by early maturity. Yellow Pearl tomatoes are no exception: ripe fruits can be picked as early as 80-85 days after sowing.

The advantage of mini-tomatoes is their low light requirements and resistance to verticillium wilt, fusarium wilt, and late blight, as well as temperature fluctuations. They are an early-ripening variety. If grown in a greenhouse, you can quickly harvest the tomatoes, leaving plenty of time to plant other varieties.

Yellow Pearl Fruits

The characteristics and descriptions of the variety provided by experienced gardeners are consistent with those stated by the seed manufacturer. They note the excellent taste of cherry tomatoes. The fruits contain quite a lot of sugar, so the small tomatoes have a distinctly sweet flavor with a slight tartness, which is often the result of overwatering.

Fruit weight is 15-20 g. During fruiting, the bush looks decorative: it is covered with golden fruit spheres, reminiscent of large pearls. The clusters are multi-locular and branched.

The Yellow Pearl's skin is extremely durable. This quality allows for easy transportation and long-term storage of ripe tomatoes. The skin does not crack during heat treatment during canning. The fruit is golden yellow in color and perfectly rounded and spherical in shape.

The flesh of the Yellow Pearl tomato is tender and juicy. It's lightly colored, making it considered hypoallergenic. The fruit contains two seed chambers with a few small seeds.

These tomatoes are versatile. They can brighten up summer salads, fine spirits, appetizers, and sandwiches. These miniature, vibrant tomatoes look beautiful in a jar with assorted pickled vegetables, and when served, these marinades can also enhance a holiday table.

How to Grow Mini Tomatoes

Growing compact tomato varieties is no different from caring for normal-sized tomato bushes. However, when growing Yellow Pearl seedlings, there are some important considerations:

• for planting in a greenhouse or open ground, sowing is done in early April;
• seedlings tend to stretch and thin out their stems;
• Watering young plants should be light but frequent, so that the soil remains slightly moist at all times.

It is necessary to ensure that water does not stagnate in the tray.

If the bushes have become too elongated, they can be planted horizontally, planting them down to the first flower cluster or leaving 4-5 leaves above the soil. When growing in a pot, the elongated stem can be carefully arranged around the container's circumference.

Compact tomatoes don't need shaping or staking. When grown on a balcony, the stems, drooping under the weight of the fruit, form beautiful cascades of fruit and large leaves. In raised beds, the stems sometimes "lie down," forming a mass of additional roots.

The disadvantage of determinate varieties is that the main stem quickly ceases to grow. Gardeners harvest the crop in 1-2 stages over several weeks. After this, the stems remain bare.

When grown on a balcony, the plants lose their decorative appeal. Fruiting can be prolonged by removing the spent portion of the stem down to the lower leaves at soil level.

If the plant continues to be cared for, lateral shoots begin to form in the leaf axils. Sometimes, side shoots grow from buds hidden beneath a layer of soil. Inflorescences develop on the new stems, and the bush continues to bear fruit after a short break.