Tomatoes are one of the most popular fruits to grow and harvest, but they can be tricky to master. Considered a challenging grow for beginner gardeners, they can be affected by everything from disease to pests and weather conditions.
Tomatoes are best grown in summer, however, it’s possible to produce a bountiful crop by growing them indoors. That’s according to Rebecca Sears, the chief gardening guru for Ferry-Morse, who says you can grow them in your house regardless of the season. According to the expert, you can produce plenty of tomatoes from the comfort of your own home by following five simple rules.
“You will need to mimic the ideal outdoor conditions for the tomato to grow tomatoes successfully and produce fruit. That includes ample space for the root ball to grow, staking to keep the plant upright, good airflow and pruning, regular watering and feeding, and full sun,” she told Martha Stewart.
Varities
Choose a smaller variety that is diesease-free, according to Rebecca. Varities such as Better Boy Hybrid and Big Boy Hybrid produce deep red tomatoes.
Plant the seeds in pots with proper drainage and water the soil regularly, keeping it moist but not damp.
Fertilising
Fertisling is an important aspect when growing tomatoes, whether they’re indoors or outdoors. When planting up tomato seeds, Rebecca suggests mixing in organic slow-release fertiliser into the soil.
When the plant begins to sprout, that’s when you can start adding in a regular fertilisier or a water-soluble plant food once per week.
Sunlight
Tomatoes need the correct sunlight and temperatures in order to thrive. According to the garden expert, you should keep your home at around 21C to 24C.
They also need eight to 10 hours of full sun to grow – if you don’t have direct sunlight you will need to use a grow lamp for 16 to 18 hours a day.
Pollination
Because there are no bees or insects to pollinate plants indoors, you will need to do this yourself.
Rebecca said: “Without bees and wind to do the job, you’ll need to help the process along by either using a small paintbrush to transfer pollen from flower to flower or using an oscillating fan to encourage the pollen to travel.”
Pruning
Tomatoes need regular pruning to produce bountiful fruit. This can be done by pruning any side shoots between the main stem and side stems.
This directs all the energy into growing the tomatoes and stops the plant from becoming too unruly.
Harvesting
When tomatoes turn the colour of tomato soup, they are ready to harverst, according to the expert. Most tomatoes will turn from green to red, and will be ready once they feel soft and are completely ripe.