Like an idiot I planted a determinate tomato plant in a bag in August thinking it would be warm here until December (zone 8, Alabama) and now I have grow lights on it and am hand-pollinating. What are my chances?
Like an idiot I planted a determinate tomato plant in a bag in August thinking it would be warm here until December (zone 8, Alabama) and now I have grow lights on it and am hand-pollinating. What are my chances?
by BetsyMarks
8 Comments
Silas-Miner
I’ve never tried doing this, but I’m loving your commitment to the tomato cause. Honestly, I think most of us feel some sadness at the end of the season, so I admire your efforts. I hope you’ll keep us updated…
CReisch21
I have everything except for time to start indoor tomatoes. I am very jealous! Use a Sonicare toothbrush to pollinate.
LJinBrooklyn
I grew a tomato plant upstate NY in my living room window during the winter time. I hand pollinated the plant and got some tomatoes, but they ended up being real mealy and not tasty. Was fun to grow though in the winter time in the Northeast.
palpatineforever
the biggest mistake people make is the amount of light, they need lots of it for many more hours than people expect. a good 14 hours would be great. most plants know when to fruit etc based on the hours of daylight. The other option you have is to not worry about the fruit. Over winter the plant without fruit and then in feb take nice large cuttings from the plant get them rooted, then harden off and plant out, you will get a really good headstart for next year.
PepperDude42
Beautiful! Best of luck!!
Kingdom-of-books
No need to hand polinate. If you wish, you can shake the branches once in a while as you walk by, but totally not necessary. You can also put a fan pointing at it for air circulation if its indoors. Your chances are great, people grow indoors all the time. Main thing is air circulation, and good grow lights. Edit to add: make sure to fertilize!
SluzzyGFX
I’d say your chances are pretty good, but with the limited light you’ll probably need to do some pruning, even if it is determinate. Im no expert, but I love to experiment. I grow tomatoes in a grow tent with plenty of success. Stay ontop of watering and fertilizing and you should get a harvest. You’ll also want to make sure your plants receiving consistent airflow to help deter pests and diseases from taking hold.
I let this one get a bit out of hand (it was another experiment of mine) but I was still able to get a good harvest.
capitanmine
I wouldn’t even bother with this plant until March or April imo. Yeah you could get some fruit but they’ll be small. Determinates can last a long time if you treat them right, I could see this plant making it to summer, then you can just pop it in the ground and have a nice head start. And if it does start fruiting before then, just use it for cuttings and you’ll get multiples. The whole notion that determinates produce “all at once” is kinda untrue, they more have flushes of fruiting. If you get 1 flush before summer, throw it in the dirt and see what happens. If you get 4 or 5 flushes before then, probably best to use it for cuttings. Either way it’s not a lost cause, I just wouldn’t even worry about it for a while.
8 Comments
I’ve never tried doing this, but I’m loving your commitment to the tomato cause. Honestly, I think most of us feel some sadness at the end of the season, so I admire your efforts. I hope you’ll keep us updated…
I have everything except for time to start indoor tomatoes. I am very jealous! Use a Sonicare toothbrush to pollinate.
I grew a tomato plant upstate NY in my living room window during the winter time.
I hand pollinated the plant and got some tomatoes, but they ended up being real mealy and not tasty.
Was fun to grow though in the winter time in the Northeast.
the biggest mistake people make is the amount of light, they need lots of it for many more hours than people expect. a good 14 hours would be great. most plants know when to fruit etc based on the hours of daylight.
The other option you have is to not worry about the fruit. Over winter the plant without fruit and then in feb take nice large cuttings from the plant get them rooted, then harden off and plant out, you will get a really good headstart for next year.
Beautiful! Best of luck!!
No need to hand polinate. If you wish, you can shake the branches once in a while as you walk by, but totally not necessary. You can also put a fan pointing at it for air circulation if its indoors. Your chances are great, people grow indoors all the time. Main thing is air circulation, and good grow lights. Edit to add: make sure to fertilize!
I’d say your chances are pretty good, but with the limited light you’ll probably need to do some pruning, even if it is determinate. Im no expert, but I love to experiment. I grow tomatoes in a grow tent with plenty of success. Stay ontop of watering and fertilizing and you should get a harvest. You’ll also want to make sure your plants receiving consistent airflow to help deter pests and diseases from taking hold.
https://preview.redd.it/pjyjuh3wuv5g1.jpeg?width=6112&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c217d7e1b9631c5f1f179efddb4f34af21a4a39a
I let this one get a bit out of hand (it was another experiment of mine) but I was still able to get a good harvest.
I wouldn’t even bother with this plant until March or April imo. Yeah you could get some fruit but they’ll be small. Determinates can last a long time if you treat them right, I could see this plant making it to summer, then you can just pop it in the ground and have a nice head start. And if it does start fruiting before then, just use it for cuttings and you’ll get multiples. The whole notion that determinates produce “all at once” is kinda untrue, they more have flushes of fruiting. If you get 1 flush before summer, throw it in the dirt and see what happens. If you get 4 or 5 flushes before then, probably best to use it for cuttings. Either way it’s not a lost cause, I just wouldn’t even worry about it for a while.