indoor tomatoes

[Salina]

I'm going to have a go at growing a tomato plant indoors on the window sill because I don't have a polytunnel (yet!) but still want some nice fresh tomatoes lol. I know of people who have done it before but their dogs killed the poor tomato plant before it produced anything lol, so has anyone on here done it and did you get a good crop?

[JennieAtkinson]

Salina a friend of mine here in Shetand grows three tomato plants indoors on the window sill and most years has had a better crop than I've had in the polytunnel! The window is east facing so I think good in terms of light, but not direct sunlight.

[Flummery]

This sounds like a rambling story but, you know me now! Once a year there is a sort of City Festival in Hull - in August - and a number of Civic buildings not usually accessible to the public are opened up for viewing - great for nosey parkers! One year I went up the Tidal Surge Barrage which protects the Old Town area from tidal flooding (used to be a regular thing apparently). The tidal protection thingy is a big metal sheet which comes down and closes off the river Hull mouth. When in the up position it is suspended between two large towers. These have stairs in them and you can ascend to the very top where a glazed walkway connects the two.

The point of this ramble is that when we went up there, the big glazed corridor was full of tomato plants - all ripening beautifully. I was really pleased to see that this fantastic resource wasn't wasted! This would be the equivalent of indoors rather than greenhouse culture I would think. There weren't loads of windows but obviously there was provision for air flow.

[Salina]

Thanks for the advice, I'm off too order a couple of packets of seeds now hehe.
Interesting place to grow tomatoes, Flummery!

[Alice]

Hello Salina, we're into July now. While I think you could grow tomatoes on the windowsill if you have the space, I think it's maybe a bit late in the year to start from seed. But if you can still find some plants in the garden centre, or get some that have been started by a friend or neighbour, you could be successful.
On the other hand, plant some seeds and go for it. The leftover seeds will be fine for next year.

[Salina]

they are very expensive in the garden centre and since I hate parting with my money I think I'll just have a go at the seeds lol. I usually don't follow the exacts months thats printed on the seed packets and I've plenty of things growing at the moment, beginners luck maybe lol!

[PJB]

I have had wonderful tumbler toms growing on the window sill the last few years...yum! I'd definitely recommend it. The smell of ripening tomatoes when you come home from work is grand!

PJB

[FoxHillGardener]

When I lived in a flat with no garden but really tall windows I had them in growbags on the windowsills with great success. Make sure you put them in a big waterproof container of some sort though, otherwise watering them can be rather a messy affair!