Best and biggest indoor tomato?

dcarch · October 2, 2006

Winter is coming, I am wondering what are the biggest and best tomatoes one can grow indoors on windowsills? (not greenhouse. I don't have one)

I am thinking of giving the following varieties a try:

Pik-Red VF Hybrid #3144
Lime green
Silvery fir
506 Bush #2205
Black prince

Thanks for any suggestions.

dcarch

bizzarbazzar · October 2, 2006

Hi, I am trying silvery fir tree, red robin, canabec super, maskabec, khurma......and maybe about 10 more varieties. (the listed ones I have are about 2 inches tall now) I would love to know how black prince does for you.... If you decide to grow it this winter. I was under the impression it was a fairly large plant.

dcarch · October 2, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by bizzarbazzar

-------I would love to know how black prince does for you.... If you decide to grow it this winter. I was under the impression it was a fairly large plant.

May be you are right. I was going by the following write-up:
"70 days. One of the most intensely 'tomatoey' flavored heirlooms, rich and juicy, a smaller plant, very prolific, easy to grow, it loads up in only 70 days with clusters of gorgeous 6-8 oz. deep, dark mahogany-red fruits the color of rubies at midnight. "
Smaller can still be very big for indoors.

dcarch

bizzarbazzar · October 2, 2006

I got my info from plantfiles on DG (Am I allowed to say that here?) please delete this comment... if I am not.
It says it will grow 4-6 feet ... I have my book in front of me and will list all of the ones I will be doing this year. Some seeds I have and others I am waiting on...like Citron Compact etc. I have the minimum vs maximum height I have found info on in my book....and I am still in the market for the Micro Gemma and Yellow Pygmy
Campbell 1327 ...18-36 inches
Canabec Super ...12-24 inches
First Pick ...24-36 inches
Gem State ...12-18 inches
German Lunchbox.18-36 inches
Gold Medal ...18-36 inches
Gold Nugget ...12-36 inches
Green Zebra ...24-36 inches
Grushovka ...18-36 inches
Khurma
Kootenai ...24-36 inches
Latah ...18-36 inches
Lucky Leprechaun.24-36 inches
Maskabec ...18-36 inches
Mountain Princess..24-36 inches
Northern Delight ...18-24 inches
Northern Lights ...18-36 inches
Oregon Spring ...24-36 inches
Patio Orange ...18-36 inches
Prarie Fire ...18-36 inches
Red Robin ...18-24 inches
Silvery Fir Tree ...36-48 inches
Sophies Choice ...18-24 inches
Totem ...6-18 inches (still waiting to germin.)
Tricoy Chech ...12-24 inches
Urbikany ...18-36 inches
White Beauty ...18-36 inches

Polar_Lace · October 2, 2006

dcarch,

Here a list of Container Sized Tomato Seeds

I prefer the Red Robin & Silvery Fir Tree (to which someone recently sent me seeds of.)

Of course I took cuttings inside; of my Jeff Davis, Black Cherry, Purple Calabash, & Sungold in to see how they'll do growing inside for the winter, as opposed to their taste - grown outside.

The Patio Hybrids were more foilage than tomatoes, so that wasn't a good choice. Last years winter tomato 'Micro Tom' was a definite spitter.

bizzarbazzar · October 2, 2006

Oh and I forgot Tiny Tim and Taxi as they are not in my book, and for the large grow lighted area I will be doing Broad Ripple
Thanks for the link robin>>>>I will check it out too

dcarch · October 2, 2006

Heather,

It’s frustrating sometimes to get correct information. For instance,
Here is what I found for Silvery Fir Tree:
“----red 3" fruits are often the first to ripen on this very small plant. A dwarf determinate variety, this plant reaches 20"-24" tall and is a great choice for containers and small gardens. ----“

Your information says it’s 46” to 48” tall. That’s a big difference!

Your information says G. Zebra is 24-36 inches. I grew GZ this year, and it was over 7 feet tall.

I forgot I have seeds for Sophies. I will start a few now.

Robin,
Thanks for the link. I am not growing any cherry-sized toms indoors this year. I want to see what is the largest size (beefsteak?

) toms I can grow. This will be a very big challenge. I know a normal 24” plant will get very leggy indoors and grows to be 36” to 48”.

I am working on techniques and tricks to control growth. For instance, my SFT now looks like this:

From this --

To this ----

Very cute? Yes?:wink:

dcarch

barkeater · October 2, 2006

If you plan on growing in a windowsill without supplemental light, I doubt anything but a dwarf or cherry like Red Robin will produce over the winter.

Silvery Fir Tree and Sophies Choice may produce, but forget types like Pik Red, Campbells and Black Prince. They both are way too big for a windowsill, over 4' tall in the garden.

cottonpicker · October 2, 2006

I agree with barkeater re: larger plants indoors.
This winter I plan on growing Red Robin & Yellow Canary indoors in pots with supplemental light.

LarryD

bizzarbazzar · October 2, 2006

Yeah I do have a spot for the larger ones inside. I have the big growlight area. Thats just my entire list. When they are small (like now) they will be on the windowsill but I have 5 gallon-12 gallon pots and these other huge containers as well. The info I got came from seed packets/DG plant files and info from other sites. The silvery fir tree info on the packet states it gets to 24 inches. But on DG it states it can be 36-48 inches. So it can be smaller...I assume. I have also found many things incorrect on DG plant files.

dcarch · October 2, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by bizzarbazzar

----------/DG plant files and info from other sites. The silvery fir tree info on the packet states it gets to 24 inches. But on DG it states it can be 36-48 inches. So it can be smaller...I assume. ----------------

The whole idea for me is to come up with ways to grow bigger toms indoors. The picture of my SFT shows a 20" plant only getting to be 5" tall.

dcarch

bizzarbazzar · October 2, 2006

I hope everything works out well for you!

angelique · October 13, 2006

Hi barkeater,

Which dwarfs would you suggest for windowsill growing? I don't have supplemental lighting. Sacto weather is still very sporatic. Today will be in the low 80s.

Hi bizzarbazzar,

Which of those on your list are your favs?

bizzarbazzar · October 13, 2006

Angelique, Canabec Super and Latah are both great. I have both of them as windowsill tomatoes too.

cancolgirl · February 5, 2007

Just wondering how you all made out with these during winter. Any updates you'd like to share? Thanks, I'm hoping I can start now and keep going every 2 weeks with a few tomato plants from here until last frost. And hopefully harvest a few until then. I do have supplementary light as well as a nice windowsill.

October 2, 2006	#1
dcarch Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: NY Posts: 2,618	Best and biggest indoor tomato? Winter is coming, I am wondering what are the biggest and best tomatoes one can grow indoors on windowsills? (not greenhouse. I don't have one) I am thinking of giving the following varieties a try: Pik-Red VF Hybrid #3144 Lime green Silvery fir 506 Bush #2205 Black prince Thanks for any suggestions. dcarch __________________ tomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomato matomato tomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomato matomato tomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomato matomato

October 2, 2006	#5
Polar_Lace Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Z8b, Texas Posts: 657	dcarch, Here a list of Container Sized Tomato Seeds I prefer the Red Robin & Silvery Fir Tree (to which someone recently sent me seeds of.) Of course I took cuttings inside; of my Jeff Davis, Black Cherry, Purple Calabash, & Sungold in to see how they'll do growing inside for the winter, as opposed to their taste - grown outside. The Patio Hybrids were more foilage than tomatoes, so that wasn't a good choice. Last years winter tomato 'Micro Tom' was a definite spitter. __________________ It's not how many seeds you sow. Nor how many plants you transplant. It's about how many of them can survive your treatment of them.

October 2, 2006	#7
dcarch Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: NY Posts: 2,618	Heather, It’s frustrating sometimes to get correct information. For instance, Here is what I found for Silvery Fir Tree: “----red 3" fruits are often the first to ripen on this very small plant. A dwarf determinate variety, this plant reaches 20"-24" tall and is a great choice for containers and small gardens. ----“ Your information says it’s 46” to 48” tall. That’s a big difference! Your information says G. Zebra is 24-36 inches. I grew GZ this year, and it was over 7 feet tall. I forgot I have seeds for Sophies. I will start a few now. Robin, Thanks for the link. I am not growing any cherry-sized toms indoors this year. I want to see what is the largest size (beefsteak? ) toms I can grow. This will be a very big challenge. I know a normal 24” plant will get very leggy indoors and grows to be 36” to 48”. I am working on techniques and tricks to control growth. For instance, my SFT now looks like this: From this -- To this ---- Very cute? Yes?:wink: dcarch __________________ tomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomato matomato tomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomato matomato tomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomato matomato

October 2, 2006	#9
cottonpicker Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: SE PA..near Valley Forge Posts: 839	I agree with barkeater re: larger plants indoors. This winter I plan on growing Red Robin & Yellow Canary indoors in pots with supplemental light. LarryD __________________ "Strong and bitter words indicate a weak cause". Victor Hugo

October 2, 2006	#2
bizzarbazzar Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Butte, MT Posts: 811	Hi, I am trying silvery fir tree, red robin, canabec super, maskabec, khurma......and maybe about 10 more varieties. (the listed ones I have are about 2 inches tall now) I would love to know how black prince does for you.... If you decide to grow it this winter. I was under the impression it was a fairly large plant.

October 2, 2006	#8
barkeater Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NE Kingdom, VT - Zone 3b Posts: 1,439	If you plan on growing in a windowsill without supplemental light, I doubt anything but a dwarf or cherry like Red Robin will produce over the winter. Silvery Fir Tree and Sophies Choice may produce, but forget types like Pik Red, Campbells and Black Prince. They both are way too big for a windowsill, over 4' tall in the garden.

October 13, 2006	#13
angelique Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Rocklin, California Posts: 501	Hi barkeater, Which dwarfs would you suggest for windowsill growing? I don't have supplemental lighting. Sacto weather is still very sporatic. Today will be in the low 80s. Hi bizzarbazzar, Which of those on your list are your favs?

February 5, 2007	#15
cancolgirl Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Vancouver BC Posts: 68	Just wondering how you all made out with these during winter. Any updates you'd like to share? Thanks, I'm hoping I can start now and keep going every 2 weeks with a few tomato plants from here until last frost. And hopefully harvest a few until then. I do have supplementary light as well as a nice windowsill.