Indoor Tomatoes

[abbielu]

I really want to grow tomatoes inside my house but I'm not sure if this is possible... I have tried doing some research and looking on youtube, but I can't find anything that relates specifically to what I want to do.
Is it possible to grow tomatoes inside on a small scale? I thought about doing so in a hanging basket or something like that, but I'm just not sure. I know that tomatoes are hardy, but growing something inside is so different.
Please share if you have ever done this how I can do it as well. Or if for some reason you don't believe it is possible share why that is.

 

[alexiskilgannon]

I've never heard of someone growing tomatoes in their house, but I think it would be completely possible. I think it's possible to grow just about anything in your home with the proper equipment and knowledge. After doing a bit of research, I found that you can grow a tomato plant in a six-inch pot indoors or two plants in larger pots. The link I found this information at is: http://www.colostate.edu/Dept/CoopExt/4dmg/VegFruit/tomatind.htm

It seems pretty simple.

 

[Corzhens]

Like @alexiskilgannon, this is the first time I've heard of an indoor tomatoes. But in fairness, maybe you have seen the tomatoes in the green house that attracted you. The other night when I was watching the Asian Food Channel, the chef also showed where she gets her ingredients. There was this greenhouse that grows tomatoes with vines as long as 50 feet. Whoa, that's too much. What they do is to wrap the vines (carefully, of course) to the post that provides support to the tomato vine which lasts for more than half a year and bear countless of fruits.

 

[Becky]

My friend, who lives in an apartment, grew tomatoes indoors and was very successful! She grew them in pots, and put them in a very sunny spot. She has balcony doors (it's a Juliet balcony, not a proper one) and put the tomatoes on the floor in front of them, and they grew so large the filled the entire doorway! They were very thirsty, I'm pretty sure she was watering them every day.

So yes, it is possible

 

[IcyBC]

My mom kept a cherry tomato plant in a container by her back door throughout the year and she got a few tomatoes now and then since we live in the Northeast. If your house has enough sunlight coming through, I don't see why you can't experience with growing tomatoes.

 

[claudine]

It definitely is possible! You should give it a try
Unfortunately, so far I haven't had much luck with growing tomatoes indoors. My tomato plant grew really large, but didn't bear any fruits

 

[Beth_B]

Tomatoes need at least five hours of direct sun a day; if you can provide that, then I don't see why you can't grow tomatoes indoors. Cherry tomatoes would probably do better.
There's a recent thread about indoor lighting for plants, which would be another option. I say give it a shot and report progress here!

 

[abbielu]

Thank you all for the encouragement, I definitely want to give it a try, no harm in trying!
My only other concern might be bugs, will it attract bugs into the house? Now with herbs, they actual detour bugs, but I don't know if its the same for tomatoes... I do know tomatoes smell divine though, but so does basil and mint etc. so maybe its safe.
Any thoughts on that?

 

[Beth_B]

I wouldn't be concerned about insects, unless you leave your doors and windows wide open all the time.
Indoor vegetables are probably less likely to get insects, or fungus, for that matter, because they're pretty well protected.

 

[ReadmeByAmy]

This is interesting! All I knew is that a tomato is only an outdoor plant. I didn't know that you can grow tomatoes indoor also and it is good to know about this thing. If other people are successful in planting their tomatoes inside their house I think they had planted it in the right location of their house. Nowadays some people are already having indoor plants and with the proper lightning also it is possible that it will surely grow that is why I think many are encourage to do this indoor planting..

 

[headfullofbees]

This is interesting! All I knew is that a tomato is only an outdoor plant. I didn't know that you can grow tomatoes indoor also and it is good to know about this thing. If other people are successful in planting their tomatoes inside their house I think they had planted it in the right location of their house. Nowadays some people are already having indoor plants and with the proper lightning also it is possible that it will surely grow that is why I think many are encourage to do this indoor planting..

I'd imagine the 80% upwards of tomatoes grown in Britain are grown indoors.
We just don't have the length of season to grow large amounts outside.

 

[Beth_B]

I'd imagine the 80% upwards of tomatoes grown in Britain are grown indoors.
We just don't have the length of season to grow large amounts outside.

You mean mostly in greenhouses and cold frames and the like, not actually inside the house, right?

 

[headfullofbees]

You mean mostly in greenhouses and cold frames and the like, not actually inside the house, right?

Yes, but still sheltered from the elements.
A south-facing window, especially a large one, in a reasonably cool room, will suffice though.
Bay window best of all.

 

[Beth_B]

Yes indeed....wish I had more sunny window space here! But I'm in a little old house surrounded by trees and our winters are long and dark.

 

[karadawn]

YES! You can absolutely grow them indoors! I did by accident last year when a tomato seed ended up growing with jalapenos I started in a gallon bucket. It grew for half the summer and all winter long. This past spring I transplanted the pot into a bigger space and cut the whole plant back. It's still growing after well over a year and we just picked a tomato from it the other night. It doesn't produce a whole lot or very big tomatoes, but it's neat because it was never planned in the first place. I also just planted roma tomatoes in the same big bin in the window. I should also mention this is a sunny southern window with florescent lights above that I leave on a good 12 hours a day.