Growing a tomato plant inside my house-- help me make this successful

[hosspak]

Red Spider Mite. Have looked over 3 plants very carefully and do not see any bugs. For the red spider mite, apparrently holding white paper beneath a leaf, gently shaking, then use a ______glass for a close up look. RX is soapy water.

All the pics showed well established plants. Often healthy ones side by side with a pale green plant.

On my plants, die off starts after true leaves have appreared; Seems to happen to all the plants at once; then tips of true leaves start to wilt.

This is about 60 plants!




If these all die off, I can still try a couple other options.

New pots, perhaps shorter, squatter type.

Microwave or oven treat potting soil.

Set up in new area.

You are taking the fun out of gardening...lol You are definitely over thinking this. Tomatoes are weed plants, they will find a way to grow....anywhere! If your seedlings are getting real leaves, the seeds are not the problem. Plants only need three things to grow; sunlight, water, and nutrients. The fresh soil provides the nutrients, the grower (you) provides the water. What is the last thing missing???? Sunlight! They can't stay indoors without full sun, that's 8 hrs of full sun at least and more is better. That is all they need to grow and propagate fruit. As you have stated above, they die off after they get their true leaves.... they are telling you, They need something; sunlight!

 

[Arielle]

lol You make me laugh!!!

Bright sunshine in the windows. Will put some outside if warm enough-- out day and night temps are more like march: 40-60 days, and below 40 most nights, some nights ice on the waters.

NOw I am wondering if the windows will ba a problem because they have the metal coating for cooling . . . . I am determined to have tomatos!! Even if I can't have an inside plant . . . . . it is almost time to plant outside.

 

[Arielle]

You say you're using red cups. Those plastic red party cups? The mystery failures have grabbed my attention too. I didn't notice if you mentioned where you got your seed.

Tomato Growers in Ft Meyers, FL.

I loved the HUUUUGGGGGE selection-- it was very hard to whittle down to 25 , so I didn't. I did get to 35 though!! lol


Honestly I don't think it is the seeds. When they were fresh 3 years ago, they grew nicely. My technique is probably the cause as I am using the same cups as then too.

 

[hosspak]

lol You make me laugh!!!

Bright sunshine in the windows. Will put some outside if warm enough-- out day and night temps are more like march: 40-60 days, and below 40 most nights, some nights ice on the waters.

NOw I am wondering if the windows will ba a problem because they have the metal coating for cooling . . . . I am determined to have tomatos!! Even if I can't have an inside plant . . . . . it is almost time to plant outside.

Find styrofoam cups to put your plant cups in.... this will help the soil stay warm...

 

[heartsizedfarm]

Sometimes a local seed company tests seeds to make sure they can handle local conditions. Makes for better outdoor growth I find. But shouldn't effect your indoor plantings. Wait, did you say you we're using seed from three years ago?

 

[CassieW]

Visited England MANY years ago--- loved the endless fields, like a crazy quilt bordered by rock walls and shrubs. London was ok-- I'm not a city girl. lol Glad you get to enjoy tomatos, even if it means growing them indoors.As you can see I neeed all the help I can get. lol


Update on the plants--

I put about 7 "pots" in the window sill, and only 2 have plants as of this morning. Looks like someone pulled them out.

So strange. WIll talk to my boys and see if one fesses up.

One plant has shriveled up and is dying. Others are showing signs of dying off again just like the others.

Removed 5-6 that showed no wilt, none at all, and moved those to window sill.

I've run into this once it was my cats. The other time used the wrong type soil composition and or planter plus not stable plant growth needed earlier a cage here is why:

In 1978 a scientific show informed about a amazing invention from Japan using fiber optics --- a worker in a multiple underground office without natural light suffered low light exposure. He created a solar light collector that sent sunlight through fiber optics pumping real natural light into his office. Over time he tweaked it worried about ultra violet rays and cancer well he learned to alter light frequency at end receiving point and created the most powerful grow light. A single tomato plant producing 10,000 tomatoes at once! ......I saved the information and this technology still available but cheaper now my plants exploded so fast that they collapsed (soil turned into loose dry flakes) the root system massive fine thick mop. these were cherokee purples they exploded into maturity in 42 days, the plant height 22 high it fell over 13 ft and each tomato maxed at 2 Ibs and 7 ounces it vined out suckers fast and a lot of vines collapsed insane fighting to feed often and water feared burning the roots. I kept the light but never do again it was too much work to keep up! This light system can make a tomato grow or any plant imitate kudzu growth rate at the plants growth peak cycle. Found out cant use seedling stage the vine grew too fast but thin and weak 7th day after planting 9 inches but all fell over..it may mean only hour or few minute intervals on but how as there was no on off switch it was like a hose transfer sun light? -eh still tweaking it but all that grew with it said the same it explodes growth then collapse under it's own weight ........I wonder has any one else used it and figured out the control light exposure schedule rate??? I love the output but love to manage the plant it's natural life cycle 84 days maturity. it was insane slinging all fruit in pantyhose or dropping fruit, blooms to keep up mad .....

I can't imagine this light with kudzu my guess like a supersonic jet plane on steroids. Serious any one else evet toyed around this fiber optic grow light

please?? I've shelved it some 10 years it works but any options better manage it?? asking found system today in garage the light works..

 

[newfoundland]

I don't think it is either the compost or the containers. I have grown tomatoes in washed out dog food cans before now and had a reasonable crop, (those marble size toms). I use any old compost I have to hand. Sometimes it has been used several times before, so I only rely on it as a material to anchor the plant into, and use plenty of my own fertilizer made from well rotted stable manure and water. Your seeds are germinating so i don't think it's the seed.

My guess it's either cold or overwatering. I don't think it's light, most window ledges are quite suitable for plants provided that they get natural daylight and you haven't got a light excluding structure blocking out the window. Tomatoes really need a bit of heat to start them off, it's helpful if this is below them so a windowledge above a radiator is ideal. They need to grow in the 60 degrees fh range. Sometimes, night time temperatures in a room fall below this so move them away from the window and into the middle of a room or one that maintains it temperature, remembering to return them to the window ledge the next morning.

Once they are a few inches high they can tolerate lower temperatures better. Only water them when you are sure the compost feels fairly dry, as they get bigger, they need more water but to begin with no more than every 3 days or so. If they look a bit droopy of course water them but otherwise, no. I think they might be wilting from cold and I suspect a drop in night time temperatures. I would not put them outside in 40 degrees fh, that is far to cold and will arrest their growth if not kill them. Do not try to put them outside till all danger of frost is over, here that means the beginning of June. I once lived in an old house with tall Edwardian windows and huge overshadowing laurel bushes. The heating was ancient and unpredictable, but I grew lovely tomatoes on the window ledges, removing them every night into the kitchen which stayed a bit warmer and taking them back to the window ledges every day. Have another try and I hope you are luckier this time.

 

[Arielle]

Quote: Holy cow--- holy TOMATOS!!

 

[Arielle]

Sometimes a local seed company tests seeds to make sure they can handle local conditions. Makes for better outdoor growth I find. But shouldn't effect your indoor plantings. Wait, did you say you we're using seed from three years ago?

I like your thinking-- as I didn't have much information on the seeds as for suitability-- afterall they are grown in FLorida, I figured I would do the testing.

Yes, 3 year seeds. Germination rate has varied. About 50% germinated.

 

[Arielle]

I don't think it is either the compost or the containers. I have grown tomatoes in washed out dog food cans before now and had a reasonable crop, (those marble size toms). I use any old compost I have to hand. Sometimes it has been used several times before, so I only rely on it as a material to anchor the plant into, and use plenty of my own fertilizer made from well rotted stable manure and water. Your seeds are germinating so i don't think it's the seed.

My guess it's either cold or overwatering. I don't think it's light, most window ledges are quite suitable for plants provided that they get natural daylight and you haven't got a light excluding structure blocking out the window. Tomatoes really need a bit of heat to start them off, it's helpful if this is below them so a windowledge above a radiator is ideal. They need to grow in the 60 degrees fh range. Sometimes, night time temperatures in a room fall below this so move them away from the window and into the middle of a room or one that maintains it temperature, remembering to return them to the window ledge the next morning.

Once they are a few inches high they can tolerate lower temperatures better. Only water them when you are sure the compost feels fairly dry, as they get bigger, they need more water but to begin with no more than every 3 days or so. If they look a bit droopy of course water them but otherwise, no. I think they might be wilting from cold and I suspect a drop in night time temperatures. I would not put them outside in 40 degrees fh, that is far to cold and will arrest their growth if not kill them. Do not try to put them outside till all danger of frost is over, here that means the beginning of June. I once lived in an old house with tall Edwardian windows and huge overshadowing laurel bushes. The heating was ancient and unpredictable, but I grew lovely tomatoes on the window ledges, removing them every night into the kitchen which stayed a bit warmer and taking them back to the window ledges every day. Have another try and I hope you are luckier this time.

I found my seed packets so I can try this all again if need be.

THe watering is throwing me. I watered at transplant, and one after that-- and not again. THe soil still feels wet in some containers, and almost dry enough to water in others. ( THe same potting soil in both)

Trying to come up with an outside green house quickly; or one for in the house for little money= NONE. Trying to envision a simple set of shelves that I can pull a huge clear plastic bag over . . . .