Indoor Winter Tomato Project 2012-2013

[lakelady]

Okay, who's growing winter tomatoes again this year? I am toying with the idea, it was a lot of fun (and a lot of work!) but oh so nice to get a ripe tomato or two in the cold winter here. Well, not so cold last winter.

I would put a few pots in the bay window in the living room again, and maybe one earthtainer in the kitchen against the slider. Those arrangements worked out pretty good for me to hang the LED grow lights over them. This time, I'm growing all short plants , or else it completely takes over.

So, who's in this year? What will you be growing?

I am thinking of Sophie's Choice for one. I have Rosella Purple that I chopped down a while ago meaning to toss it (very bad mite infestation) and the stump regrew two stems that have reflowered and I have one tiny tomato! So that one is being brought indoors at some point.

I trialed Tipsy for Craig this summer and loved that one, so I may toss a few seeds in a pot and see if I can grow that one too.

Most folks don't like Silvery Fir Tree taste but I found it to be very productive indoors (for an indoor plant without too much attention ) and with some salt, was very tasty and delicious. I have grown Lucinda, it's cousin outdoors and I had trouble figuring out when it was ripe so never got it quite right (a green) so that might be an indoor tomato for me.

Just need better control over the fungus gnats before they get out of hand, what a nightmare that was! I'm ready this year though!

Any other suggestions? What are you growing? Again, I'm keeping it simple as possible. If they grow, great, if they don't, oh well.

I'm sure Naysen and Raybo will be growing indoors again I have seen Naysens thread already!

[NickD]

This is my first summer growing tomatoes. After my fourth fantastic BLT with Brandywines from my garden, I decided that I needed to try to grow some this winter (although, Brandywine is a little too massive...)

I have a couple of 18 gallon totes that I converted into SWC for peppers this spring. My *plan* is to bring those indoors next to a sunny(ish) window. This window is in the extra bedroom/guest bedroom, and I haven't cleared it with my wife yet, so, we'll see how that goes

I'll probably have to supplement the light with a grow light (maybe a low-powered HID). So far, four plants are in the works: Rosella Purple, Sleeping Lady, Iditarod Red, and Polish Dwarf. If I have a little extra space under the light, I might try to squeeze some lettuce in there, too.

Do you have a plan for preventing the fungus gnats? Reading through your posts from last year, it seems like they were causing enough issues that I should probably try to take some preventative measures.

*Hopefully* things will grow well and I'll be able to get some decent BLTs this winter!

Nick

[lakelady]

oh yeah. I plan to put a layer of sand on top of the potting mix (they don't seem to like it for some reason) and I do have Gnatrol now, which is a biological larvacide. I also made a spray mixture that killed them dead on contact, which was 1 quart of water, 1 tsp dish soap, and .5 oz of cedarwood essential oil, which is insecticidal. I mixed the oil with the soap first, to help emulsify it, then added the water. When I did see gnats, I sprayed them and they pretty much died within a few seconds. works great. You just don't want to have to keep spraying throughout the day looking for them when it gets out of control .

German Dwarf Bush and Czech's Dwarf Bush both produced tasty little tomatoes outdoors for me all summer long (and continue to do so) in small 1 gallon pots. I think I liked the flavor of German Dwarf Bush a little better, so that might be another option

[coloken]

I too will try a couple in the window. In the past i tried Sophie's choice bur it was not SC. I gripped enough on that well known supplier.
I nave a iditarod red in the green house that is about 18 inches tall and making golf ball sized tomatoes. Looks good. I just started seed from Yukon quest, which is also one one of the new dwarfs and supposed to be a little bigger, fruit that is..
I tend to like red tomatoes and the bigger the better, but take a look at the new dwarf project released ..might be something you like. Titiana's
I am playing with 5gal(4gal?) buckets with various self watering arrangements. Old refrigerator tray under to protect the floor-not to hold water. potting mix plus some perlite. There is probable better mixes, but to keep it simple.
KennyP

[Sun City Linda]

Yes, I think I am in! In my climate, I have so few real frosts and so many sunny days, I may carry some small plants in, and out. Yamul is a nice dwarf I grew this summer, along with German Extreme Dwarf.

I am with you Antoinette, I love Silvery Fir Tree. Will deffinately be growing it. Infact, I chopped one down for mites also, and it has regrown and set fruit!

[RobinB]

I am the only one working on the Plucky dwarves right now (dwarf gold cherries). I found a truly tasty gold cherry in the F2 and really want to advance things another generation, so I've got five plants just starting to bud out. They are outside now, and will be for as long as the weather will let me. Then they wills spend the Winter under lights. I also have two pepper plants that will be inside. I have a very sunny bathroom window which I always grow lettuce in, too... and my herbs will come inside (tarragon, thyme, basil, stevia, savory). My cats get really mad at me in the Winter when they can't reach any of the windowsills!

[bobberman]

I started a dozen pine apple plants from seeds in july for my inside plants for fall to dead of winter! I will grow them in my solar greenhouses in larde pots and have a half dozen directly in the ground inside m small 8 by 12 solar greenhouse!
+++
I am really suprised that more gardeners do not put up a small solar greenhouse. I have had one for about 5 years now and had one 30 years ago where I lived then! I like the soloar greenhouse so much that I built a 12 by 8 foot one last year with 2by 4s. it cost me about $80 for the A frame. The double 6 mill plastic was about $30. I have 150 gallons of water in it now in 3 50 gallon drums and will add one more!. i even have a sweat chamber for starting seeds in ther bigger solar greenhouse! Winter won't be so boring this year!

[lakelady]

Do you grow in the solar greenhouse all winter Bobberman? I wish I had room for a greenhouse, I've been itching for one for ages.

I often wondered if one could build one and use solar panels for heat somehow. Mind you, I am not technical at all lol.....maybe it's a dumb idea.

[bobberman]

I usually keep some flowers from the summer all winter in the greenhouse without any other heat except for the 50 gallon drums of water! this year I am going to pump water through a 100 foo dark colored hose from one 50 gallon drum into several others! I will pump the water during the day when the greenhouse is above 50 degrees and the hse will be in the sun also! I will try to keep the water in the drums above 45 so it never freezes even when the outside temp is below 10! it worked last year without the hose! I have two greenhouses I made from wood that are connected 17 by 20 and 10 by 16 A frame I will try to start seeds all winter this year!!

[stxgardener]

I just brought the tomato project in the garage. Were still getting 90 degree days. My plants are so less stressed out indoors. I'm using 3 earthboxes with some patio,celebrity and betterbush.
6 plants all together. I have a 45w led on top and some side florescent lights.Does anyone
have those led lights from hydro grow?

[jmarconnet]

This fall, in preparation for winter, I've been trying to grow some Tomatoes, Green Beans, and Sugar Snap Peas in my office on two metal shelves with a total of 5 shop lights over them. I thought things were going well till all the beans and peas were killed by Spider Mites, which attacked the Tomatoes too. It's always about 75 in my office, plus the heat from the shop lights, making that area about 80 degrees F. I hear that the optimum temperature for Spider Mites is about 80 degrees.

Has anyone had similar problems and solved them? If so, how?

[Alan Drake]

Just setting up my indoor "earth box", added 1 Quarter Century plant which now has 4 really small tomatoes (largest is <1") Will add a left over plant from 2011 that successfully yielded 1 tomato every week last year, unknown variety, (maybe an Oregon Spring).

[Father'sDaughter]

Given that I'm facing a possibly crazy and stressful winter season at work this year, I'm skipping the indoor tomato effort. Last year I had dwarfs in the basement under shop lights and managed to get a handful of tomatoes despite starting the seeds late. But it was a lot of work staying on top of bugs, finding ways to keep the lights at the right height, etc.

The one plant that produced the most indoors, and was also a heavy producer in a grow bag outdoors was Yaponskiy Karlik. While the tomatoes weren't large, they were pretty tasty.

I think this years indoor growing will be limited to a few pots of basil.

[JLJ_]

Originally Posted by coloken

. . . In the past i tried Sophie's choice bur it was not SC. I gripped enough on that well known supplier.. . .

I think it was a couple of years ago you talked about that?

Did you ever get some Sophie's Choice that actually were SC? Two I really want to grow are Indian Stripe and Sophie's Choice but both seem to have a problem with seeds in circulation that produce offspring not true to original specs. (Of course, only Sophie's Choice is contemplated as a possible indoor plant.)

I feel much as you do about not having time for wrong varieties -- I'm not quite as venerable as you are, but much of my motivation is to grow tomatoes my 88 year old mother wants -- which makes one more cautious about seeds where there seem to be "wrong" versions in circulation.

[lakelady]

I am so behind this year due to a new job search or starting my own business (still haven't decided yet) and craziness at work. This weekend I'm determined to get some seeds sown and setup lights. Not as many as last winter mind you, but just a few plants to remind me winter doesn't last forever ! Going to put that layer of sand on top first thing as soon as they sprout to keep on top of the fungus gnats that were so problematic last year.

I did find a pot outside this week with tons of baby tomatoe seedlings in it! A tomato must have fallen into it and when I removed the shriveled yellowed skin, underneath were all these seedlings. I should probably just take a few of those, but I think they are indeterminates which would be too big for indoors. too bad!