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

[hosspak]

Looking ahead---

It occurs to me that tomatos are heavy feeders and will need fertilizing while in the house. I would prefer to use something I already have, like rabbit pellets. Can I collect the rabbit poos and then make a tea? Or just mix it into a slurry and pour on top of the 5 gal pot?

I would need to start saving the pellets now instead of dumping out on the lawn . . . .

I would research both ideas first.... I think it might be too much at one time. I understand why you want to use what you have but in container gardening space it tight and there is not a lot of places for strong ferts to dissipate. The smell might also be an issue (indoors). I would use the shake and feed fert in a bottle. It's not expensive and it's time released. Just follow the directions, no fuss or muss!

 

[Arielle]

I worry about over fertilizing and burning plants. Will research further.

 

[bachbach1]

If the plants are slightly deficient in fertilizer, they will be fine. But if you overdo it, they they wont make it. Get some miracle grow and use it by direction, it is real good as far as results, and it prevents overuse if you stick with the directions. As far as the fan, you need to emulate natures winds. Inside where it is still the plants try to grow too high too fast. There is no wind to toughen them. They tend to grow too high without super bright light too. So pour on the light, and some wind (fan) I like to use a small oscillating fan then every day I turn the plants around. If you dont have an oscillating fan just turn them a couple of times a day. If the shot up too tall you can repot them deeper in the pot, try not to disturb the roots. The extra dirt helps to hold them up.

 

[Arielle]

I've been blowing on the seedlings when I roll my hatching eggs. Don't have an occeslating fan . . . just a strong desk fan about 4 inches across-- is that too strong a wind??

Will use commercial fertilizer then on these seedlings as there is little room for error. Perhaps when they are mature rabbit pellets will be ok.

I do like tomatos for the ability to be planted deeply and more roots will grow. My 8 in transplants get buried by laying on their sides in a trench.

 

[Arielle]

I am still blowing on the shoots and it makes me light headed!! lol

THe shoots have turned from white to pale lavender. But grown no higher.

 

[pinusresinosa]

I wanted to comment on the pruning question and dispel a myth. Pruning tomato plants will not encourage larger, sweeter fruit. A healthy tomato plant will produce the same amount of fruit to the same size and same flavor even with all of those suckering branches in full swing- maybe even better fruit with more leaves present. Pruning is good for both indet and det tomato plants only to remove branches that are touching the soil. Removing suckering and extra branches on indet tomatoes will not harm tomato production. It may harm tomato production on determinate types.

 

[hosspak]

I worry about over fertilizing and burning plants. Will research further.

If you are planning to do bucket gardening in the future, I would use Miracle-Gro Moisture release "potting" soil, different from garden soil. It helps maintain an even moisture level and will guard against under/over watering. It also has nutrients for all plants.

 

[hosspak]

I wanted to comment on the pruning question and dispel a myth. Pruning tomato plants will not encourage larger, sweeter fruit. A healthy tomato plant will produce the same amount of fruit to the same size and same flavor even with all of those suckering branches in full swing- maybe even better fruit with more leaves present. Pruning is good for both indet and det tomato plants only to remove branches that are touching the soil. Removing suckering and extra branches on indet tomatoes will not harm tomato production. It may harm tomato production on determinate types.

I guess different things work in different gardens...

 

[pinusresinosa]

I guess different things work in different gardens...

I don't know anyone personally that it works for, plus it's been tested. We even tested this theory in college. Here's some interesting information and discussion on the subject if you're interested- although I don't think I can compete with apparent first hand experience.

http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/cornucop/msg060945275365.html

 

[hosspak]

I don't know anyone personally that it works for, plus it's been tested. We even tested this theory in college. Here's some interesting information and discussion on the subject if you're interested- although I don't think I can compete with apparent first hand experience.

http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/cornucop/msg060945275365.html

I only wish that that were true. In our field experience, both here in Elsinore and also L.A., we both have to prune in order to get better fruit and foliage. I would much rather have a maintenance free garden. Between the two of us, we usually grow over 15 different varieties of tomatoes (which really is too many lol), but some really need pruning or they will easily reach over 8ft tall. Roma tomatoes need to be pruned just to be able to reach through the growth to harvest in addition too allowing more sun into the center of the plant. Thanks for the link, I will be checking it out...