Indoor tomatoes

[rusdove]

I do not have a greenhouse and I was thinking of trying to grow tomatoes in a bucket inside the house for harvesting in January. will this be possible and if so any tips?

[Capsid]

You should try to provide as much light as possible. Most toms grown on windowsills that I have seen end up very tall and very thin stemmed with hardly any fruit.

[rusdove]

Thanks, that is why I am asking for advice. If I grow them in a room which is light and airy (not on the window ledge) will this be successfull

[zazen999]

Where are you rusdove?

[Capsid]

Thanks, that is why I am asking for advice. If I grow them in a room which is light and airy (not on the window ledge) will this be successfull

I'm doubtful of success. Tomatoes need sunlight and warmth. You may well get trusses and maybe some small green fruit but I'm not sure they will ripen much. I've never tried it as I always grow mine in a greenhouse, so I have no direct experience. But I have given plants to colleagues who have tried the indoor approach and they've been disappointed.

[Two_Sheds]

It's been hard enough getting tomatoes to grow and ripen in August, let alone in January.

It's a non-starter

[zazen999]

It's been hard enough getting tomatoes to grow and ripen in August, let alone in January.

It's a non-starter

Unless rusdove is in Florida. Or somewhere hot - or warm.

[COMPOST CORNER]

I'd try if possible to put a reflective surfce (tinfoil?) at the side of the plant away from the window(s) or put it next to a pale wall. This should help prevent a leggy plant, and then I suppose it's down to luck but then all gardening is down to luck IMO.
I suppose it will also depend on convincing the plant that it isn't really winter, and daylight hours may be the main factor in that.

Good luck, and let us know how it goes.

[Two_Sheds]

I suppose it's down to luck but then all gardening is down to luck IMO.

er ... it's down to a dollop of common sense, good conditions, and a pinch of luck

If peeps tomatoes are struggling in August, they ain't going to ripen in January, imho

[rustylady]

You would need artificial light and heat, all in all not worth the bother IMHO.

[gojiberry]

I've had enough problems growing tomatoes during the summer, so would not even consider a winter trial.

Ian

[Bren In Pots]

For the past 3 years I've grown 3 toms in my 5ft tall south-ish facing kitchen window they do get leggy and produce only 3 trusses for that height so I can't really see winter ones doing anything.

But saying that if you've already got the seed and some compost it won't cost you anything to give it a go.

[annacruachan]

I have had a wonderful harvest from my tomatoes in the conservatory this summer, but now the remaining fruits are reluctant to ripen, even though the temp has not gone into single figures yet. I can't really see that growing yours in the winter would achieve anything but disappointment. Waiting until next year would give them the chance of doing well in the same situation.

[braders]

I do not have a greenhouse and I was thinking of trying to grow tomatoes in a bucket inside the house for harvesting in January. will this be possible and if so any tips?

Giving this a go...some on here think Im mad but I am going to persist and see how far I get. These were sown on the 25th of July and potted on, on the 2nd of August...see pic. See how it all goes.

[Crosbie]

I've got two Black Russian toms on the go...sowed 11 Aug. I figured that even if our summers have been crap then our winters haven't always been that bad. I read that some Russian tomatoes need "at least 8 hours of daylight".

Crosbie