Indoor Grow

Tiny Tim · October 24, 2018

This is my first time trying tomatoes indoors in a tent under a grow light. This is what I'm using and growing. 2'x2'x4' grow tent. I started these plants under a Mars 300 led. Actual watts=135. The variety is Tiny Tim, the breeder is Hudson Valley Seed Co. The 4 plants are 18 days old. I transplanted them last night into 2 gallon fabric pots using Fox Farm Happy Frog soil.
They will be going into the above mentioned tent in one week. They will then be under a QB 135 Led.
Anyone have any advice or tips on an indoor grow?

bower · October 24, 2018

Fungus gnats are a common indoor problem, and the answer is to water the plants with a mosquito dunk liquid before you have any gnats. Or sometimes marketed as "mosquito bits" these can just be dug into the soil or sprinkled on top right from the get go - that way you have BTi leaching into the mix every time you water. It is most effective against only one of the developmental stages of the gnats, which is hard to time if you wait until you know you have a problem. I used the mosquito bits this year for my peppers, and no root devouring gnats this time! (Aphids is another question.. sadly.)
Good luck with your grow, hope you post some more pics as it goes along.

Tiny Tim · October 25, 2018

Thanks bower, I've grown with FoxFarms soil as well as my own organic soil mix I build. I haven't had any large amounts of fungus gnats yet. I spray with neem oil and use sticky traps. I guess I've been lucky so far. I think I'll give the dunks a try. I have had several on the sticky traps and do see them sometimes in my home. Thanks for your help. I'll update this grow in a week or so when it goes into the tent.

greenthumbomaha · October 25, 2018

I was gnat free the year I used coir. Now I am back to using a peat based soilless mix and those nasty fungus gnats fly right up to my mouth and love to climb the computer screen , yuck!

Dunks are pretty pricey. That will be a lot of dunks over the course of several winter months. Natrol , also pricey, did not work, I'm cheap to preemptively strike.

Tiny Tim, are you familiar with the micro dwarf breeding project? Those cherries can prodect on a sunny windowsill without additional lights. I'm giving them another try - last year spider mites invaded.

-Lisa

akgardengirl · October 25, 2018

The yellow sticky traps work just fine for me also. They can be purchased on Amazon which is cheaper than anyplace here in Anchorage.

Nan_PA_6b · October 25, 2018

Amazon has the cheapest price I've found on Mosquito Dunks:
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I put out a yellow sticky trap for the first time. It has THOUSANDS of gnats on it.

Nan

HudsonValley · October 25, 2018

Ditto on the coir being gnat-free. I've grown Tiny Tim indoors on an office windowsill several times, and just started some new ones two weeks ago. They've just put out their first sets of true leaves.

Once they have two sets of true leaves, I feed them with Schultz's liquid plant food every 10-14 days, starting with half-strength and building up to full-strength over a few weeks. (I cannot use organic foods indoors; too smelly.) My last Tiny Tims produced for about 6-7 months and lived for more than a year before I tore them out to reclaim the real estate.

Last year, I started seeds in September and ate my first ripe Tiny Tim in January -- it was a real treat on a frigid day! This year I'm also trying Jochalos, Pinocchio, a dehybridized version of Orange Pixie, and a Dwarf Project developing variety from the Teensy line. Could be an interesting Winter.

Good luck with your namesake, Tiny Tim! Your seedling looks great.

Edited to add -- I am not affiliated with the Hudson Valley Seed Company, though I like the company's seeds and we share a moniker.

Tiny Tim · October 25, 2018

Lisa, I'm not familiar with the micro dwarf breeding project. The tents are my fall-spring indoor hobby. I run two to three fans per tent and also have exhaust vent fans and passive intake for fresh air on the small tent and an intake fan on the other. This may help with my lack of gnats.
I have had the same sticky traps in both of my tents for about 1-1/2 years now and only have a few gnats on each. 2 traps per tent. I sterilize my tents after every harvest. I grow only from seed and don't bring plants from outside into them. Maybe I've just been lucky so far. I will try the dunks as a preventative measure.
As for the tomato's I'm growing.. I was going to top dress with Espoma Tomato tone when I see a need. Anyone have experience with this product. I usually grow with a full organic soil I build or coco-coir with salts. First time using this soil and nutrient combination.
Thank you all for your help and suggestions. Happy gardening.

Tiny Tim · October 25, 2018

Thanks for the reply HudsonValley. I'm growing out 4 of these. I was hoping for Christmas tomatoes. I run my lights 20 hours on 4 hours off. The plants are growing fast. Your varieties sound interesting. I'm a indoor tomato newbee. So I thought I'd start with something easier. I'm growing these organic as I liked the taste of my outdoor container plants better in soil than coco. Here's a better idea of the plant at 19 days from the seed breaking soil. It was transplanted into it's final 2 gallon bag. Hudson Valley seeds are top notch. Happy gardening..20181025_223340.jpg

Salsacharley · October 26, 2018

I'm hoping 2 gal pots are more than you need for a Tiny Tim. I'm growing many, and I have them under T5's right now in 4" pots. I will move them to 1 gal pots in a couple of weeks and I don't plan on any larger pots. I'm using plain MG potting soil. I use Hydrogen Peroxide for gnats but that hasn't been a problem yet.

Tiny Tim · October 26, 2018

Salsacharlie, I do realize that 2 gallons might have been a bit big for this variety. But, I've never grown tomatoes under this QB135 board before. I didn't want to short myself of the potential of the variety. If I made a big mistake, I'll learn from it. Thank you for your input and I hope your tomatoes flourish.

KarenO · October 26, 2018

Quote:

Originally Posted by Salsacharley

I'm hoping 2 gal pots are more than you need for a Tiny Tim. I'm growing many, and I have them under T5's right now in 4" pots. I will move them to 1 gal pots in a couple of weeks and I don't plan on any larger pots. I'm using plain MG potting soil. I use Hydrogen Peroxide for gnats but that hasn't been a problem yet.

One gallon should be fine for any micro Charley.
Enjoy your plants guys, i started a few from my new crosses myself yesterday.

I’ll put up a thread once I have something growing
Karen

Tiny Tim · October 26, 2018

KarenO is there a disadvantage with the 2 gallon pots I used. I do have 1 gallon pots on hand if you think it would improve the growth or yield. I could easily transplant them.

KarenO · October 26, 2018

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tiny Tim

KarenO is there a disadvantage with the 2 gallon pots I used. I do have 1 gallon pots on hand if you think it would improve the growth or yield. I could easily transplant them.

No, definitely no disadvantage, just a matter of space under lights, as well as height if using a shelf style light stand as I do.
You can grow a micro to maturity in a half gallon or even less if you want to and if you are careful with feeding and watering.
KarenO

Tiny Tim · October 26, 2018

Thank you for the clarification KarenO. I'll leave them in these pots, this time around. I have done more research on micros and as you mentioned most folks use 1/2-1 gallon containers. I have the space and lighting so that's not an issue for me. Thanks again.Tim

October 24, 2018	#2
bower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 6,794	Fungus gnats are a common indoor problem, and the answer is to water the plants with a mosquito dunk liquid before you have any gnats. Or sometimes marketed as "mosquito bits" these can just be dug into the soil or sprinkled on top right from the get go - that way you have BTi leaching into the mix every time you water. It is most effective against only one of the developmental stages of the gnats, which is hard to time if you wait until you know you have a problem. I used the mosquito bits this year for my peppers, and no root devouring gnats this time! (Aphids is another question.. sadly.) Good luck with your grow, hope you post some more pics as it goes along.

October 25, 2018	#3
Tiny Tim Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: Near Albany,NY Posts: 90	Thanks bower, I've grown with FoxFarms soil as well as my own organic soil mix I build. I haven't had any large amounts of fungus gnats yet. I spray with neem oil and use sticky traps. I guess I've been lucky so far. I think I'll give the dunks a try. I have had several on the sticky traps and do see them sometimes in my home. Thanks for your help. I'll update this grow in a week or so when it goes into the tent.

October 25, 2018	#4
greenthumbomaha Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Omaha Zone 5 Posts: 2,514	I was gnat free the year I used coir. Now I am back to using a peat based soilless mix and those nasty fungus gnats fly right up to my mouth and love to climb the computer screen , yuck! Dunks are pretty pricey. That will be a lot of dunks over the course of several winter months. Natrol , also pricey, did not work, I'm cheap to preemptively strike. Tiny Tim, are you familiar with the micro dwarf breeding project? Those cherries can prodect on a sunny windowsill without additional lights. I'm giving them another try - last year spider mites invaded. -Lisa

October 25, 2018	#5
akgardengirl Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Anchorage, AK zone 3/4 Posts: 1,410	The yellow sticky traps work just fine for me also. They can be purchased on Amazon which is cheaper than anyplace here in Anchorage.

October 25, 2018	#6
Nan_PA_6b Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 3,194	Amazon has the cheapest price I've found on Mosquito Dunks: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I put out a yellow sticky trap for the first time. It has THOUSANDS of gnats on it. Nan

October 25, 2018	#7
HudsonValley Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Hudson Valley, NY, Zone 6a Posts: 626	Ditto on the coir being gnat-free. I've grown Tiny Tim indoors on an office windowsill several times, and just started some new ones two weeks ago. They've just put out their first sets of true leaves. Once they have two sets of true leaves, I feed them with Schultz's liquid plant food every 10-14 days, starting with half-strength and building up to full-strength over a few weeks. (I cannot use organic foods indoors; too smelly.) My last Tiny Tims produced for about 6-7 months and lived for more than a year before I tore them out to reclaim the real estate. Last year, I started seeds in September and ate my first ripe Tiny Tim in January -- it was a real treat on a frigid day! This year I'm also trying Jochalos, Pinocchio, a dehybridized version of Orange Pixie, and a Dwarf Project developing variety from the Teensy line. Could be an interesting Winter. Good luck with your namesake, Tiny Tim! Your seedling looks great. Edited to add -- I am not affiliated with the Hudson Valley Seed Company, though I like the company's seeds and we share a moniker.

October 26, 2018	#10
Salsacharley Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2013 Location: New Mexico Posts: 2,052	I'm hoping 2 gal pots are more than you need for a Tiny Tim. I'm growing many, and I have them under T5's right now in 4" pots. I will move them to 1 gal pots in a couple of weeks and I don't plan on any larger pots. I'm using plain MG potting soil. I use Hydrogen Peroxide for gnats but that hasn't been a problem yet.