If you live in a place where the mercury really dips low in the winter, you may well be resigned to the fact that there’s no alternative to waiting it out till the summer for fresh tomatoes. You may not know that it is perfectly feasible to grow tomatoes indoors all the year round, including winter, with good lighting. The bonus is that you get tomatoes that are tasty being both garden-fresh and organic.
Here’s how to go about it:
Locate Your Tomato ‘Farm’ In the Right Place
Tomato plants require a lot of light to grow well and bear healthy produce. Ideally, you should try and grow the plants near the largest south-facing window in your home so that they can get lots of sunlight.
However, if that is not practical, then you can locate them just about anywhere else with the help of grow lights. It may help to have the surrounding walls paint white to ramp up the brightness level.
Select the Right Variety of Tomato Plant
In an indoor environment, it is quite likely that space will be at a premium so you will need to look for varieties that do not grow to a very large size. The determinate variety is ideal as the size is moderate; however, they tend to produce all the tomatoes at the same time. Guides on how to plant tomatoes at home will invariably suggest staggering the planting for year-round availability.
Plant Them Right
A 12-inch deep container is perfectly okay for tomato plants to grow in. Purchase a potting mix of good quality with only organic elements and put in a quantity in the container that’s sufficient to bury the first set of leaves on the stem.
By doing this, you will have ensured that the plant will develop roots right up to the point the stem is buried, and therefore, will be a healthier and stronger plant. You can lend extra support, if required by the variety, with a tomato cage or a simple stake. Place the plant in the chosen brightly-lit area and water it well.
Caring After Planting
Now that your tomato plant is in place, all you need to do is to ensure that you water it regularly, however, be careful of over watering. If the top knuckle of a finger inserted into the potting soil comes out dry, it time for watering.
To ensure the plant remains healthy and grows well, you need to fertilize it every week with diluted fish emulsion or kelp in a liquid form. If you want your tomatoes to be organic, remember to stay away from all chemical fertilizers. Once the flowers bloom, you can assist the pollination process by shaking the stems gently every day or create a breeze with an electric fan.
Conclusion
There’s nothing too technical about growing tomatoes indoors. The key lies in buying healthy plants or seeds, and by taking good and sensible care, you are sure to have fresh and tasty tomatoes in your kitchen every day.
Susan Ellison is a garden and landscape professional. Her article on how to plant tomatoes at home is one of her many articles on growing common vegetables and fruits by the amateur gardener.
Latest posts by Editorial Team (see all)
- Luxury Christmas Gifts: Elevating the Joy of Giving - November 21, 2023
- 3 Tips For Surviving the “Toddler Years” - November 21, 2023
Recent Comments