End of the season for indoor tomato?

[Sheepish]

I have an Alicante tomato plant indoors (not greenhouse - it's at the back of the living room next to the patio doors) down to its last tomato. Over the past few days several new flowers have appeared. Am I right in thinking they won't have time to develop into usable tomatoes this season, so it is time to transfer it to the compost bin?

[rustylady]

If it's away from the frost you could give it a chance. Do you need the room? I'm always reluctant to throw out a plant that is trying to produce fruit.

[Alice]

Welcome to the Vine Sheepish. I really don't think your tomato flowers have any chance now - we are in September. Maybe something else could occupy the space.

[SarzWix]

If it's in your house, so you're not paying extra to heat it, and it's getting plenty of light too, then I can't see why you shouldn't leave it and see what happens. Give it a feed with some liquid tomato food too, that should give it a boost. The only thing that might finish it off is lack of light, but tomatoes are perennials really so it shouldn't die, just go dormant if anything. You never know, if you keep it going, you might be eating tomatoes in March!

The tomato plant itself is an herbaceous perennial. However, tomatoes are grown as annuals in most of the United States since they do not survive fall frosts.

[marigold007]

I have a small organic Falcorosso bush plant abt to go into flower so I put the coldframe over it yesterday in the hopes of giving it a few more weeks' chance at giving me some fruit..

[SarzWix]

It takes about 45-50 days to get a ripe tomato from a fruit which has just 'set' (as in, the flower has dropped & there's a tiny fruit there). I think it's up to 70 days from the flower being pollinated.

[Flummery]

Some varieties are 80 - 85 days from pollination - you need to be patient!

[Rocketron]

We were still picking indoor toms in November last year.

[lynda66]

when it starts getting colder, i'm going to bring some plants in and try keeping them under a grow light this year, and see if i can keep them going (only cos i have only got the first flowers on them this week, so doubt i'll get any otherwise).

[Sheepish]

I had the first of the new set of tomatoes with my lunch today, and there are at least a dozen to follow in various states of ripeness. The only problem has been that the newer growth has made the plant a bit unwieldy but it is surviving for now. If I get a few more ripe fruits out of it I'll consider germinating some plants later than usual next year to give a more manageable late autumn crop.

[BrideXIII]

you could try building it a cane wigwam to tie it too, to help it cope. if you haven't already that is.

[JILLY JACKSON]

I have just picked a small red tomato from my bush plant in my conservatory,there is another one nearly ready and several small ones plus quite a few new flowers on it.Will keep it going if i can!

[Gwen11ian]

I grew cherry tomatoes indoors all winter last year, and I'm doing it again this winter. You don't get much fruit.. but suddenly in February you start to see tons of flowers, and have tomatoes far earlier than anything outside (or the greenhouse).. and they crop all summer long. They do get rather 'leggy'.. but once they reach the top of their canes I just start tying them back down the cane next to it, and often back up again. Trim off the inner leaves in the pot to allow better air circulation, and any leaves that start to yellow. You could keep it pinched off until February, but then let it grow again so it will have tresses to form the new flowers. Last year, despite a liquid tomato feed, mine started to show signs of mineral deficiency, so this year I left about three inches extra space at the top of the pot.. with the idea that in January/February I'll fill it up with fresh potting soil. If nothing else, it's a great smelling house plant.

[FoxHillGardener]

I grew cherry tomatoes indoors all winter last year, and I'm doing it again this winter. You don't get much fruit.. but suddenly in February you start to see tons of flowers, and have tomatoes far earlier than anything outside (or the greenhouse).. and they crop all summer long. They do get rather 'leggy'.. but once they reach the top of their canes I just start tying them back down the cane next to it, and often back up again. Trim off the inner leaves in the pot to allow better air circulation, and any leaves that start to yellow. You could keep it pinched off until February, but then let it grow again so it will have tresses to form the new flowers. Last year, despite a liquid tomato feed, mine started to show signs of mineral deficiency, so this year I left about three inches extra space at the top of the pot.. with the idea that in January/February I'll fill it up with fresh potting soil. If nothing else, it's a great smelling house plant.

what a good idea! and there was me thinking I might clear the plants out of the conservatory soon. No chance, now, they're in it for the duration. all year round toms - fab

[Alice]

Bob Flowerdew says Sub Arctic Plenty can be grown indoors in winter as they were bred to perform in poor light conditions. I think I'll give them a go.