growing indoor tomato during winter

[momol]

Hello all,

I am thinking of getting several dwarf tomatoes for winter (growing indoor by the windowsill).
They are :
-Red Robin
-Minibel
-Chibikko
-Polyarnye
-Tiny Tim

Has anyone try growing toms during winter ? what type are they and how was the result ?

Many thanks .

[davefromthechipie]

Never done it but thoght about doing it I cant tell you wot type to grow but i can say
windowsill growing toms arnt great even in the summer you will need some kind of fake light > Fluorescent/SON t or MH Grow Lights

[momol]

Never done it but thoght about doing it I cant tell you wot type to grow but i can say
windowsill growing toms arnt great even in the summer you will need some kind of fake light > Fluorescent/SON t or MH Grow Lights

I really disagree with you when comes to summer windowsill grown toms. My neighbour grew her dwarf toms by the windowsill (as decorations and as edible plant) and she got good result,she harvest all the way to mid December last year.
Too bad we don't know what type of toms they were (she bought them as small plant from the local garden centre).

The above mentioned dwarf toms were breed to bear fruit under artificial light for winter (indoor grown). They can set fruit at low temperatures and at minimun light condition. I have been reading about them but just need an extra confirmation about the result.

My plan is to grow them from july onwards and wait for the fruit for X mas (and if possible New Year). I am very sure during the darkest time, they will need some hours of artificial light to go on but that will be from december or so onwards.

[Snadger]

I really disagree with you when comes to summer windowsill grown toms. My neighbour grew her dwarf toms by the windowsill (as decorations and as edible plant) and she got good result,she harvest all the way to mid December last year.
Too bad we don't know what type of toms they were (she bought them as small plant from the local garden centre).

The above mentioned dwarf toms were breed to bear fruit under artificial light for winter (indoor grown). They can set fruit at low temperatures and at minimun light condition. I have been reading about them but just need an extra confirmation about the result.

My plan is to grow them from july onwards and wait for the fruit for X mas (and if possible New Year). I am very sure during the darkest time, they will need some hours of artificial light to go on but that will be from december or so onwards.

Ahh but will they have any flavour?

I have had tomatoes off the vine into January and they just don't taste the same.
I admit they weren't bred for this purpose, being Gardeners Delight and Ildi that I just let grow without stopping them.
They looked the part, but were a poor relation to the ones I'd harvested during the summer.

Anyway, sorry I can't help with the cultivars you've listed but good luck with your experiment!

[Cutecumber]

The only success I have had with genuinely perennial tomatoes was at work - an office where the heating is on for much longer than in a house, and the heat is retained as it is shut up overnight. Our office was built originally as a college classroom and so is wall-to-wall glass, and is south facing. In latter years, trees have reduced the light, but about four years ago I had a tomato that just wouldn't die. It continued to flower every few months for about three years until I just had to kill it. The fungus gnats were a nightmare. My colleagues hate me, by the way

It was some ordinary bush type like Tumbler, I think. I have tried the "mini" ones like Micro Tom and Tiny Tim but got poor growth and tiny fruit.

I think it's best to experiment with varieties and see what suits your own space and conditions.

[momol]

Snadger, thats why I need confirmation here (about the result and perhaps the flavor too ), it won't surprise me that they will be less flavor but it will be an excitement for me what ever the taste is.

Thanks for the confirmation that it is possible CC . I got 2 south facing window-sills which got lots of sun and 4 big west facing window-sills. I will surely be experimanting this year.
Every toms I can harvest during winter will be very welcome, even if it will be less tasty (IMHO the reward of harvesting toms during that time will makes it feel artificially tastier, you know what I mean ).
What do you mean with fungus gnats, CC ?

[Cutecumber]

sciarid flies - the ones that live in compost and fly around slowly being very annoying.

[momol]

sciarid flies - the ones that live in compost and fly around slowly being very annoying.

I lost some seedling last year due to those flies (sciarid), they are good for composting pile but horrible for seedlings. I will watch for them for my winter toms experiment and hope for the best.
Thanks CC .