Tomato plant for indoor windowsill ?

[jimmyr]

Hi I am new to any kind of growing, be it in the home or outside. I live in a Flat in Bedfordshire with nowhere to plant outside.
I love Tomatoes and buy lots from shops always on the Vine, i love the smell, but now I really would like to try to grow my own on my windowsill. Being a pensioner I now find because of the amount of toms I eat that it is getting expensive.

So that out of the way, I would like to if possible find a seed/plant to grow on from March, or possibly earlier if that is what I am advised.
I want if possible one that grows fruit just a bit bigger than Cherry size as I do like to slice thinly for sandwiches.
Maybe I am expecting too much, let me know.
Thank you.

Jim

[jackarmy]

I never have but i read somewhere here about someone who does
I believe they said they keep the plants down to one truss, maybe two?, im sure they will be along soon and clarify

[jimmyr]

I have tried to edit this post because of spelling mistakes but it will not allow my edit to save, it takes me to discount gardening page.

Jim

[jackarmy]

Yes it happens to us all Jim, welcome to the vine btw .

Just move the page a bit further down before you save the edit.

[veggiechicken]

Hi Jim and welcome to the Forum.
Don't worry about the spelling mistakes - we all know what you mean! I've edited them for you anyway. Hope I've done it right
Penellype grows tomatoes on her windowsills - have a look for her posts - although I'm sure she'll be along soon to help.

[jimmyr]

Thanks guys for your quick show of interest.

Jim

[rosiepumpkin]

I'm sure someone will be along to say if this is feasible inside, but there is a variety called Tiny Tim which is just how it sounds. Tiny, and would be good for a windowsill.

Tomato 'Tiny Tim' Seeds

Edited to add link

[WilliamD]

I grow Tiny Tim on my desk in work. They're very compact plants but the toms are quite small too - not sure you'd find them suitable for slicing thinly.

[Scarlet]

Hello and welcome to the vine Jim. I don't grow toms indoors so im probably not the best one to answer your question but I think maskotka would do well in a large pot. It is a bush tomato that eventually will flop over the sides of the pot, although the toms are cherry size they are very tasty.
Though as VC has said, Penellype is your girl ! She grows lots indoors. Hopefully she will pop in soon.

[Jungle Jane]

Unless you have grow lights it's best to sow seeds in march,otherwise plants grow thin & leggy searching for light. There are some tomato varieties especially suitable for windowsills. Balconi red & yellow are biggish cherry tomatoes & a compact size,also try vilma,red robin & sweet & neat varieties. They're all cherry sized,if you tried a bigger tomato size,you'd end up with 4 ft plants on your windowsill,it can be done,but with stopping them at two trusses,you might not get many tomatoes for the space used,compared with if you had 10 compact plants?

[chilli_grower]

I grew maskotka this year in my greenhouse. I have had LOADS of them!

Plants grew to approx 1.2m high, in a 10 litre pot

[jimmyr]

Thank you all for your help it is appreciated. I have been reading about Vilma Balcony which seems to be a good starting point as a Newbie as does the Balconi red and yellow, how many plants would you sow exclusivly for the windowsill, my windowsills face south, both Living room and Kitchen, i am in a ground floor flat which never really get overly cold, just one outer wall, other three have flats the other side so i tend to let them warm my place in the winter, rarely need to have my heating on at all.

Jim

[the big lebowski]

hi jimmy i live in bedford in the town center ,i grew 4 diff types of cherry toms in my greenhouse and plan to do so again next year ,if you send me a private message next spring then i can meet you at the bus station (if you live out of town )and give you some seedlings i always plant to many , i dont think you should have a problem on the window sill just keep them to 2-3 trusses otherwise it will be pitch black in your house all summer ,cheers

[Jungle Jane]

The tomatoes final pot size will be bigger than the initial pot size,so depends how many would fit on your windowsill,If it was me,I'd sow too many seeds & have too many plants,but better to have plenty,than not enough. I suppose if each plant has a spread of 12 inches (my windowsill is just under 6ft long) I'd say 5 seeds per windowsill,but you might want to sow a couple extra,incase of weak seedlings?

[jimmyr]

Thanks guys and indeed Girls, all info taken onboard. I have measured my south facing lounge window sill and it measures just under 6ft in lenght and just 7inch in depth.
I am really up for this and would have got back to you earlier but just spent a little time in the hospital, but ready to go for this little project with vast enthusiasum lol.

Thank you the big lebowski for your kind offer mate, i may well take you up on your generocity as i probably will need all the help i can muster.

Jim