Set them in your sunniest window — one that allows a good deal of natural light, such as a bay window, picture window, or floor-to-ceiling window. If possible, choose a window facing south. How to take care of your windowsill tomatoes Give tomatoes consistent light. Plants need hours a day. Turn plants each day so that all branches get an even amount of light. If plants begin to look weak, consider setting them beneath grow lights.
Give tomatoes consistent heat. If your air temperature falls below that, or if you keep your house cooler overnight, set plants on a seedling heat mat or use a space heater to keep their area warm. Keep tomato plants away from drafts. Water regularly. Check soil daily to keep it evenly moist. Help with pollination. Outdoors, tomato plants get pollination help from insects and breezes.
Indoors, they need a hand. Tap stems each time you water plants or use a fan to move air and help pollinate blossoms. Tomatoes grown indoors are like patio tomatoes in that their roots cannot reach deeply into the soil.
They feed on only what you give them. Well-drained containers mean nutrients leach out into saucers. Feed your indoor tomatoes every days with a balanced tomato fertilizer such as Miracle Gro Tomatoes or Tomato Tone.
Keep your eye out for pests. That's why I'm so happy about my new little place Oak Hill Cottage, where I keep my windowsill tomatoes. Watch the video below to learn more about what tomato varieties I'm growing this year. The varieties I'm growing in my window are quite small, around 11 inches or so around 30 cm. So, you can't use any regular variety if you want to grow windowsill tomatoes. These small varieties are indeed often called potted tomatoes.
There are similar cherry tomato varieties that go very well in hanging baskets for example. I don't think that these will fit in the window though, since they are quite bushy. I'm growing the varieties Vilma, MicroTom and Microbel in my window this year. I have actually been growing Vilma as a potted tomato for several years now.
All of these varieties are very sturdy and compact. MicroTom is supposed to be the smallest variety in the world, height-wise. I have to say that a lot of regular tomatoes taste better than the potted ones, but I still enjoy growing them. Nothing kick starts the spring like harvesting tomatoes indoors! This is an LED panel that you can mount on your window with rubber suckers. It's really easy to adjust once the plants grow. Some of these panels I have at home can be connected too, so it creates an even longer structure.
I'm using a timer for my grow lights, so that my plants are drenched in light for around 12 hours a day. I bought the grow lights you can see in the picture from Nelson Garden. I have lots of different ones though, but I especially like using these for my windowsill tomatoes. The large garden centers usually carry grow lights, but you can probably find even more options online. I sowed the variety MicroTom in the beginning of December. It flowered and then started producing little miniature tomatoes in February.
The varieties Vilma and Microbel were sowed in mid-November. I transplanted my tomato plants to individual pots in late January, but you have to do it more than once of course. No, I never do this for tomatoes. Use scissors to cut all of the others even with the soil to prevent disturbing the root system of the remaining plant.
Place the container in a bright, sunny location, such as on a south-facing windowsill, to ensure that your tomatoes get enough light. A white or light room reflects light, which will also benefit indoor tomatoes.
Make sure the area is in the right temperature range for tomatoes; the best temperature for tomatoes is about 60 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit at night and 75 to 85 degrees during the day, though they can tolerate temperatures a few degrees higher or lower than this. Put a tomato cage in the pot to support the plant as it grows. Even small tomato plants can benefit from this extra support; otherwise the weight of the tomatoes can damage the plants. Water as needed.
0コメント