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

[heartsizedfarm]

Did you ever get that indoor greenhouse you were thinking of?

Some of my indoor tomato onion and okra sprouts have hit the stage at which I need to put them out in a cold frame. Does anyone else use cold frames to transition to the veg garden? In the past I have just propped recycled glass windows up against straw bales, but I'd like something a little more substantial and permanent this year. Any ideas?

 

[Arielle]

Yes, bought the mini green house yesterday on sale for $20. I have HUGE clearish bags but coulnt come up with a reasonable closure system.

Funny, I have been keeping an eye out for a reasonable window to put into use. Otherwise I have the scrap plywood to make a cold frame but may just need to use a huge clearish bag for the window.

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UPDATE
No more plants have . . . you all get the idea-- afraid I may jinx the plants.

Looked at the packets today and have a few of almost all the 25+ varieties. GUess it is time to replant again-- I did heat the previously used potting soil to 250 just in case.

 

[Arielle]

Did you ever get that indoor greenhouse you were thinking of?

Some of my indoor tomato onion and okra sprouts have hit the stage at which I need to put them out in a cold frame. Does anyone else use cold frames to transition to the veg garden? In the past I have just propped recycled glass windows up against straw bales, but I'd like something a little more substantial and permanent this year. Any ideas?

You mean like a square made from bales of straw?? and topped with a window??

 

[Arielle]

I did get the greenhouse, but for now it is outside. Not sure it would be useful inside dirung hte summer.

Overall I'm thinking growing a tom in the house is just a bad idea. I'm down to 6 tomatos again and down 4 mice!!

THese mice are tricky-- eat the PB, licked clean, and off again. A friend suggested wrapping the pedal with cheese . . .

 

[Arielle]

I trapped 2 more fat mice--- me thinks the mice are still getting in somewhere . . .

Meanwhile-- moving the plants outside to green house and then back in at night-- some cold weather in the 40's lately. HOping yesterday is the beginning of warm weather . . .

 

[Arielle]

TOmato plants are thriving in the outside green house--- will keep planting out in the garden area and hope to find one variety that will stay smallish.

 

[CassieW]

Compact tomato plants or short germination to harvest times are usually new varieties.

The best alternatives heirloom varieties that are adaptive indoor, container or space plus volume tomatoes; I recommend classic Roma, Cherry or Pear heirloom tomatoes. They lack size yet make up in volume and/or prolonged harvest time usually through fruit cluster on the vine harvesting.

Only a few heirloom varieties seen respond toward pruning harvesting that increase additional sucker growth, flowering or fruit production. Ideal potted start inside, move outside after threat frost (transplant) and return indoors to harvest late fruits in autumn frost.

The absolute true increase fruit production per regular tomato other than diligence (soil quality, water & fertilizing) is a staked regular tomato plant yields 8 Ibs. per plant- best trained (cage or trellis) tomato plant minimal pruning yields double 12 Ibs or up to 20 Ibs per plant.

Roma/paste tomato yields average 5 Ibs or nearly 2 dozen the yield doubled again trained and minimal pruning over staking ~ Grape/Cherry 5 to 8 pounds average 75 to 150 fruit in hanging baskets or staked but trained again production doubles...

"best hint when desiring increase volume production" through training or use hanging basket ensure they have a heavy and thriving root system. Build the roots this trick: remove bottom suckers about 4-6 inches from soil-line root-base of your starter tomato plant - touch removed suckers with a rooting enzyme powder and transplant to permanent either ground or container covering that additional 4-6 inches of main stem that removed suckers into the ground. It will have a heavier root base it may require added fertilization in the growing season, but essentially better performance per plant or retention in drought.

I will admit swimming in grape or small cherries -- (great daily salads, excess to sell, my favorite feed the chickens it is fun watching them chase and roll them around figured out they love yellow over reds). Hope you t'mater season the best!

 

[Arielle]

Thank you!!

Couple questions---how to train a tomato for higher yield?? I'm all for few plants and higher yield. And how is this extra production supported nutrient wise ( NPK) and water?

 

[CassieW]

Thank you!!

Couple questions---how to train a tomato for higher yield?? I'm all for few plants and higher yield. And how is this extra production supported nutrient wise ( NPK) and water?

I gave it away in my first reply here goes a little simpler:

1) Foundation (soil & rooting system) - your primary investment is soil growing medium and the root structure of tomato plant. As you transplant tomatoes either nursery or starter seeded a permanent growing container or location: do the first initial sucker pruning (lowest suckers at bottom usually first 4"-6" from root). Coat the pruning with a rooting powder compound and plant the stem below the lowest sucker pruning. Where prune & rooting growth powdered will develop new root growth --this increases overall growth per increased vigorous root system enabling efficient absorption nutrients and/or water. Quality soil means less weeds, pest, disease & drought resilience of tomato plants.

2) Support (cage or stable trellis) staking has flimsy support requiring you drop more sucker vines or fruit production. Use a sturdy cage and if the fruit is heavy use the cage as supporting fruit development such as a sling with sheer or flexible fabric- such as pantyhose. When ready to harvest then you take or prune a portion of vine but leave behind as much leaves for supporting energy production for other fruits. The quality (training support vs staking) if the load too heavy in fruit the vines usually break and take out other portions of the plant out.

3) Maintain (better manage quality harvest, pruning, watering & soil rendering) - If you have the first two in place a great foundation & support managing it is simpler reducing maintenance time per plant under a few minutes per day:

a) Pruning a quality cage or trellis means dropping blooms manage vines not loss entire vines production hence this is controlled fruit production.
b) Pruning entire spent vine upon harvesting fruit means your freeing more plant energy developing other fruit/flowering production or extending fruit production time.
b) A great rooting structure means the ability to consume water and soil nutrients efficiently for better fruit production or volume
c) Soil rendering is maintained throughout the growing season you may need to weed, add fertilizer and or mulch to reduce water loss

Added Tips:
-Monitor Primary vine quality the main vine must be very sturdy any shrinking means loss of water & nutrients; root burn, disease or pests. Observe leaves symptoms too often detection corrective action can be done.
-Your foundation is essential (soil & vigorous roots) these anchor the plants resilience toward assault of pests, disease, drought and weeds.
-A bloom means fruit the fewer blooms means less fruit. Prune vines per blooms to reduce stress of fruit production per vine and entire vines harvesting fruit promotes plant energy fruit development or extension.
- A support as cage or trellis supports a heavier or increased vines just watch for crimping by the vines weight against cage or vine rubbing you may have to pad areas with craft foam or added slings. A cage protects against high winds damage, hail if use cage as base for tarp & general collapse under the plants own weight. - More vines means more nutrition and watering needs again start them well and maintain for the best results.
-Maintain the soil quality start to finish, you may have to add nutrients to maintain production - as well as weeds and pests all hinder energy from plants.
- A great foundation and support on base plant also means abundant production in drought - with mulch to reduce weeds ans water loss you can semi-bury 16 oz or 20 oz plastic beverage bottles peppered with holes for slow drip watering.
- Economy and time savings is the strategy - first initial time investment is per plant is wort it (soil, rooting & trellis or cage) means you should consolidate 10 or 15 minutes per day to maintain doing all (water, prune, weed, feed and harvest).

Again this is the best means increase volume and reduce time after first initial time investment.....

Economical Tips:
-Quality Containers & Cages are reusable 5 years or more
-Some quality container/trellis systems use also utilize a terrace or vertical planting for additional space saving or other growing mediums such as green feed for chickens. (ex: strawberry terrace pyramid or vertical grow rack on wheels are great for cherry tomatoes, herbs and greens).
-Containers use less soil investment and water if incorporate a smart drip watering system
-Containers are portable extends growing times (start inside, outside growing & pollination or back inside due early autumn frost) or use trellis or cage to support frost covers or mini-temp greenhouse plastic tarp.
-Save your back from injury; a container can be elevated to prevent stooping & lightened weight using packing foam peanuts for drainage or plant container dollies to move around smarter.
-Working containers are time, money & space savers: placement for ideal optimal sun needs, fits tight spots, reduces need for major landscaping to support a garden and beyond use tomatoes includes plant crop rotations: squash, cucumbers, beans & more.

Items I've grown as hobbyin pots are: tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, squash, lettuces, strawberries, herbs & edible flowers but in half wine barrels dwarf blueberry shrubs, sweet corn, goji berries, pomegrante shrub & dwarf fruit trees. Profit (cash crop subsidize food growing) indoors flat pan rack shelf growing are exotic gourmet mushrooms, saffron crocus, vanilla bean orchids & medicinal herbs.

 

[Arielle]

OK Cassie-- given that you gifted me with a wonderful essay of information, I have needed a little time to absorb it all.

THe tomatos are grwoing well OUTSIDE. THe otion was to ustilize the outside as it is here. Garden space is a bit mishmashed: some is heaps of rotten manure; other is spaded areas removing rocks and moving the topsoils thru the nextlayer.

Picked up about 100 plants for free and with the help of kids got those planted. DIg a 1 foot trnch and lay plant on side, removing all leaves excpt the top 4. Usually makes a great root system.

Planted in rows so support system can be put into place. LEtting the plant fall on the ground flopped over has proven to be a waste from past experience. Lost of fruit but cannot be reached for picking, or rots when it touches the ground. Chooks also love to steal the cherry tomatos.

First focus will be plant and root growth-- do you suggest a general water soluable fertilizer??? OTherwise I have rotten horse manure, and plenty of unrotten chicken manure.