Tomato plants

[Bill HH]

The main difficulty with overwintering tomato plants indoors is lack of light making them very leggy. Grow lights are better than windowsills. If this does happen, don't despair - harvest some sideshoots in spring and grow them on - they will be earlier than seedlings. You can also let one or two of the bottom sideshoots develop on the original plant and cut down the long leggy winter stem.

Excellent advice.

[Jungle Jane]

The stem I'd cut down is still in the blow away,its about 5 inches tall,it had 3 shoots coming off it,it would be nice if that root system could be overwintered because they do like sending out side shoots,I can't see that being a problem,but how could you make it sterile incase of fungi,hot water shock treatment I don't know? I imagine it would want to rot? Has anyone ever overwintered an actual root system? I could bring it into the hallway where it can be coldish.

[Bigmallly]

Excellent advice.

Yup, I second that, Cheers Pene.

[Thelma Sanders]

I don't mind if they get a bit leggy, as they're only being grown to provide shoots to start next year's plants from ;

If they do get really leggy before Spring, I'll just root some cuttings and throw the old plant away. Simples.

[Scoot]

The main difficulty with overwintering tomato plants indoors is lack of light making them very leggy. Grow lights are better than windowsills. If this does happen, don't despair - harvest some sideshoots in spring and grow them on - they will be earlier than seedlings. You can also let one or two of the bottom sideshoots develop on the original plant and cut down the long leggy winter stem.

Great idea that! Thank you.

Just added a little note to the side of my pot written on masking tape telling my this little tip so i don't forget.

[Bigmallly]

Just added a little note to the side of my pot written on masking tape telling my this little tip so i don't forget.

"For Surrogacy Only"................

[Scoot]

Is it best to leave these side shoots in a sunny window or a not so sunny window?

[Bren In Pots]

Mines on a south facing windowsill.

[skeggijon]

Doh, I was determined not to bother doing this again, but......