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

[pinusresinosa]

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...

I live waaaaay up north. I wonder if that has a lot to do with it? I find this fascinating to be honest, but I'm seriously nerdy. Overall, the gardenweb community is amazing.

I don't grow that many per season in terms of varieties, but I have been growing them for a while. This was also a theory I grew up with, so seeing what I grew up with, and what was doing well in my own garden, I was confused about this so I did a paper on it, tested it and etc. The tomatoes I grew for this experiment were also greenhouse grown- I did go over that on my paper I remember but it would be interesting to see the difference comparing ones grown outdoors to those grown in a greenhouse and what pruning would do.

What varieties that you grow stand out for you? I have to tell you that Roma, even the variants on the theme, have all just been so terrible for me. I have other paste types that do okay, but overall I don't grow paste types well for some reason in general. I tend to lean towards multi-purpose slicer types, even for sauce and paste, but I have to grow a LOT of them (which really isn't that big of a problem). I also love this heirloom movement, which has encouraged me to be more adventerous with the types I've been trying, but I only have two that I love to the point of growing them year after year. One is a non-labeled one I got for free many, many years ago in a trade off of gardenweb. I've asked what others thought it might be in the past, and "pineapple" seems to be the closest thing I can find to what it might be. I also love stump of the world, the only dark tomato that I've been able to enjoy (and I've tried many). I'm going to try out some regular old big round red tomatoes this year too, as that's what my husband wants. I have a few types of seed in this description.

 

[hosspak]

I live waaaaay up north. I wonder if that has a lot to do with it? I find this fascinating to be honest, but I'm seriously nerdy. Overall, the gardenweb community is amazing.

I don't grow that many per season in terms of varieties, but I have been growing them for a while. This was also a theory I grew up with, so seeing what I grew up with, and what was doing well in my own garden, I was confused about this so I did a paper on it, tested it and etc. The tomatoes I grew for this experiment were also greenhouse grown- I did go over that on my paper I remember but it would be interesting to see the difference comparing ones grown outdoors to those grown in a greenhouse and what pruning would do.

What varieties that you grow stand out for you? I have to tell you that Roma, even the variants on the theme, have all just been so terrible for me. I have other paste types that do okay, but overall I don't grow paste types well for some reason in general. I tend to lean towards multi-purpose slicer types, even for sauce and paste, but I have to grow a LOT of them (which really isn't that big of a problem). I also love this heirloom movement, which has encouraged me to be more adventerous with the types I've been trying, but I only have two that I love to the point of growing them year after year. One is a non-labeled one I got for free many, many years ago in a trade off of gardenweb. I've asked what others thought it might be in the past, and "pineapple" seems to be the closest thing I can find to what it might be. I also love stump of the world, the only dark tomato that I've been able to enjoy (and I've tried many). I'm going to try out some regular old big round red tomatoes this year too, as that's what my husband wants. I have a few types of seed in this description.

Last season was the amazing season. My sister in L.A. started a lot of organic heirlooms which she passed to us the extras. Here goes; Garden Peach, Pink Ponderosa, Tai Pink egg, Dads Sunset, Tigerella, Green Zebra, Beefsteak, Top 100 (cherry), Pomodoro, Big Rainbow, Black Cherry, Yellow pair, Big Boy, and a couple more that I can't remember.

We liked them all but with so many it was hard to take care of them all. Some (determinate) stayed small and produced a lot. All had distinct flavors which my wife loved. We didn't can any sauce but we did can 2 different salsas, one with red tomatoes and one with all the yellow, pink and green tomatoes. And you can imagine all the tomatoes used for salads, burgers, sandwiches, or just given away.

We liked the Sweet 100 cherrys, garden peach, Dads sunset, Tai pinks, tigerellas, and green zebras the best. All had such a diverse flavor range. Many didn't make it out of the garden, lol. And the ones not good for eating were enjoyed by the chickens.

I forgot to plant Romas last year then didn't have the room after Sister's plants arrived. I have started several Romas and Sweet Aromas this year. So we should be canning sauce this year. (fingers crossed). 2 years ago we planted a roma plant that I just left alone except for food and water. I didn't prune it or stake it like the others but I did cage it. It did grow into a good healthy looking nice green plant but it stayed too short and compact, it smothered its own fruit growth because it was so dense and short. We could not reach into the plant to harvest what it did produce. We we be treating it differently this year.

Many of the indeterminate plants grew well over 8ft, that's how far up I could reach to top them off. They would have grown much taller if I let them...

 

[CassieW]

Your Massachusett weather poses a issue starting early. Virginia is milder but still frost potential to May especially the mountains. I start my tomatoes early staggering grow trays a week apart under grow lights (Jan-Mar). Once they get outbound seed starter trays this is my trick I move them into the laundry room/bathroom on a small storage shelf - (Jan - April) I use the dryer & washer so there is warmth and moisture. The seed plugs are transplanted to homemade newspaper peat pots rest in aluminum pans. I keep inside till ready a good 6-8 inches diameter pot and good leaf development then move around in wood crates. If fluke snow occurs pending location needed to bring in then it goes into shed, garage or house crawl space light cover fabric - a light is needed for heat overnight.

Reason stagger we have difficult springs (excessive rain, hail or etc) -things happen even freak snow in late April. I harden outside gradually morn-night inside if snow or temperature drops too low. Frost cover is scrap fabric via thrift/clearance or hobby shops - mine is a heavy semi-sheer valentine lace like fabric got after season cheap it allows light and doubled does the job. Other wise it's sheer plastic such as a heavy disposable clear painters drop cloth added too.. I don't have the room for a cold storage but once planted a set at a time per week -

Back-up rotation replacements necessary till you know what to expect and devise better crop security. Yes had plants stolen, I plant in ground mid-March to May other than weather also local kids, cats, squirrels & etc. I grow early variety get them before the kids get out of school hid among mid season and late season also have issues neighbors helping themselves ........fences mean nothing in my area...... Annoying yes but the weather changes here so wildly, the wildlife has their appetite and the neighbor social graces lack sometimes.

 

[pinusresinosa]

Last season was the amazing season. My sister in L.A. started a lot of organic heirlooms which she passed to us the extras. Here goes; Garden Peach, Pink Ponderosa, Tai Pink egg, Dads Sunset, Tigerella, Green Zebra, Beefsteak, Top 100 (cherry), Pomodoro, Big Rainbow, Black Cherry, Yellow pair, Big Boy, and a couple more that I can't remember.

We liked them all but with so many it was hard to take care of them all. Some (determinate) stayed small and produced a lot. All had distinct flavors which my wife loved. We didn't can any sauce but we did can 2 different salsas, one with red tomatoes and one with all the yellow, pink and green tomatoes. And you can imagine all the tomatoes used for salads, burgers, sandwiches, or just given away.

We liked the Sweet 100 cherrys, garden peach, Dads sunset, Tai pinks, tigerellas, and green zebras the best. All had such a diverse flavor range. Many didn't make it out of the garden, lol. And the ones not good for eating were enjoyed by the chickens.

I forgot to plant Romas last year then didn't have the room after Sister's plants arrived. I have started several Romas and Sweet Aromas this year. So we should be canning sauce this year. (fingers crossed). 2 years ago we planted a roma plant that I just left alone except for food and water. I didn't prune it or stake it like the others but I did cage it. It did grow into a good healthy looking nice green plant but it stayed too short and compact, it smothered its own fruit growth because it was so dense and short. We could not reach into the plant to harvest what it did produce. We we be treating it differently this year.

Many of the indeterminate plants grew well over 8ft, that's how far up I could reach to top them off. They would have grown much taller if I let them...

I love this! Your plants look like mine by the end of my season- just totally gigantic. Let me see if I have some photos...


I keep coming back to this one because it's one of my favorite photos that I've ever taken. But also, it shows how big our un-named favorite tomatoes get.



This was taken in July about last year, and we had a really slow start last season (was frosting at night all the way through May up here). I seem to enjoy taking photos of my flowers and landscaping projects more than my production stuff it seems, although I'm just as happy with them sometimes as I am with my blooms!

Along with stump of the world and our family tomato without a proper name, I tried opalka (a dud, not very productive), and cherokee purple (had too mealy of a texture where there was meat and too watery where there wasn't meat, just a crummy texture all together). We also did both red and yellow pear (too thick of skins to be really pleasant) and green zebra. Green zebra has a nice flavor when you let it get really, really ripe, but it was annoying picking them too early and tasting how sour they can be often. Too much of a pain for us to try again.

There's also another that I grow for my kids since they're the only tomatoes that they'll eat- those currant ones. I got seeds labeled as "spooner" tomatoes from someone, and I've been growing them yearly since. My kids eat them like candy, which surprises me because for such a small tomato, they have a really pungent "adult" flavor for a small tomato. So, I'm going to give some reportedly sweet cherry tomatoes a good run next year, but not the pear types.

The peach type, is that the kind with the fuzzy skin? What do you do with the skins on those? And tai pinks, do you have any photos of them? Thanks!

 

[hosspak]

Quote: Oh no....this was early in the season... This was me during one of the many cuttings in that box. That box had 8 different toms in there.

I don't have any pics of the tai pinks, they were about the size and shape of a small egg, (thus the name) and a lite to dark pink. The darker the better. very sweet.

The garden peach, yes fuzzy skinned and yellow, another very sweet flavor, (the skin???? we ate it too.) rarely made it out of the garden they were so good. Late in the year the birds start to get them before us.

I have never seen any of these in our stores, my sister got them mail ordered...

 

[lazy gardener]

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.

Arielle: You're wasting your breath! I assume you're blowing on them to make them more sturdy? When I have tomato seedlings going, I just run my hand back and forth over the tops to gently sway them. I didn't read the whole thread to get your reference re: blowing on your tomato shoots, so forgive me if I'm assuming something that is totally off base!

 

[lazy gardener]

Hosspak: Love the nasturtiums in the front of your bed. IMO, no veggie garden is complete without flowers! My favs are nasturtium, marigold, and calendula.

 

[hosspak]

Hosspak: Love the nasturtiums in the front of your bed. IMO, no veggie garden is complete without flowers! My favs are nasturtium, marigold, and calendula.

Huh? lol...I don't have flowers in my garden.

 

[pinusresinosa]

Hosspak: Love the nasturtiums in the front of your bed. IMO, no veggie garden is complete without flowers! My favs are nasturtium, marigold, and calendula.

You talkin' to me?

 

[bachbach1]

Arielle: You're wasting your breath! I assume you're blowing on them to make them more sturdy? When I have tomato seedlings going, I just run my hand back and forth over the tops to gently sway them. I didn't read the whole thread to get your reference re: blowing on your tomato shoots, so forgive me if I'm assuming something that is totally off base!

If the plants shoot up to high and get too thin, they will just fall over. A light breeze from a fan emulates wind, and the plants get tougher, and stronger. I had problems years ago with tall spindly plants that just fell over. I was told by an old pro to use a fan, and I haven't had the too tall too fast, and falling over problem in decades.