TheNaturePlanet

Many people new to tomato gardening may not yet be clear on the concept of "dwarf tomatoes." Common dwarf tomato varieties we often see, such as "Honey Pearl" and "Dwarf Red Bell," have the main characteristics of being "short, sparsely branched, and early-fruiting." Generally, they don’t require intentional topping and can grow to 50–80 cm tall on their own, making them ideal for windowsills or small balconies. With compact branching, they take about 70 days from sowing to harvest and yield well, with each plant producing 30–50 fruits—perfect for beginners.

But Sweet Aperitif tomatoes are different! It actually belongs to the "indeterminate growth type" of tomatoes, meaning simply that its vines keep growing upward. If left unmanaged, it can reach 1.8–2 meters in height, so you need to set up a trellis over 1.5 meters tall in advance for it to climb. Additionally, it has strong branching ability, with lateral shoots emerging from each leaf axil. When planting, you should prune appropriately, leaving only 1–2 robust lateral branches. It also fruits slightly later, taking about 85–90 days from transplanting to the first harvest, but has a long fruiting period that lasts 3–4 months. The fruits have a sugar content of 9.2°, making them exceptionally sweet and delicious.

Some friends may ask, "Can I grow it if my balcony is small?" Here’s a summary: If your balcony space is limited (less than 2㎡), dwarf tomatoes are more suitable—just plant them in pots. If you have a patio or courtyard, Sweet Aperitif is a great choice. Set up a "herringbone" trellis for it to climb, and it will thrive. However, Sweet Aperitif requires a bit more care, such as pruning and suckering, so beginners may need to spend some time learning these techniques.

After discussing the variety types, what everyone cares more about is probably whether they can save their own seeds. Let’s put your mind at ease first: Sweet Aperitif tomatoes are "heirloom tomatoes," meaning traditional open-pollinated varieties, so saving seeds at home is completely feasible! The advantage of these varieties is their stable traits—after several years of continuous planting, the shape, color, and taste of the fruits won’t change. Moreover, home-saved seeds have stronger adaptability, with a germination rate about 15% higher than purchased seeds.

However, there are two situations where you must not save seeds! The first is if the seeds you bought are labeled "F1 hybrid." These are hybrid varieties, and seedlings grown from saved seeds may mutate, even if they’re named Sweet Aperitif. The second situation is when other tomato varieties are planted within 50 meters of your plants in the same year. Since tomatoes easily cross-pollinate, saving seeds in this case may affect the variety’s purity, so it’s best to plant them far away from other tomatoes.

Many people encounter excessive vegetative growth when growing tomatoes. Here’s a small tip for controlling 旺长 (excessive leafy growth): Starting 20 days after transplanting, spray a 500-fold dilution of potassium dihydrogen phosphate every 10 days. This effectively controls internode length and makes the plants sturdier. To make tomatoes sweeter, when the fruits start to turn color, water them weekly with fermented fish protein fertilizer—this can increase the sugar content of individual fruits by 1.5°, making them more delicious!

If you plan to grow Sweet Aperitif long-term, here’s an advanced tip: Each year, select the 3 healthiest plants for seed saving. After three consecutive years of selection, you can cultivate a "customized variety" that’s better adapted to your local climate, making future planting increasingly effortless.

Now you understand: Although Sweet Aperitif isn’t a dwarf variety, as long as you set up a trellis and prune properly, you can still harvest abundantly even when growing it on a balcony. Saving your own seeds not only saves money but also allows this delicious variety to stay in your vegetable garden for generations. Finally, a reminder: If the seedlings from your Sweet Aperitif seeds grow thin and lanky, they’re likely hybrid plants. In this case, it’s recommended to discard them and purchase open-pollinated varieties from formal channels instead.