7 Tips for Growing Tasty Tomatoes Indoors

The following is a guest post by garden blog owner Richard Clayton. His website, My Greenery Life, discusses everything about lawn care, DIY gardening, and critter control topics.

If you have a short summer growing season or no place to garden outdoors, you can still grow tomatoes as houseplants. It’s easier than you might think to harvest tasty tomatoes indoors. Read on to find out how.

There are some basic techniques that you need to use to get juicy and yummy indoor tomatoes throughout the year. But first and foremost, choose the right varieties that perform well indoors.

1. Grow the Best Varieties of Indoor Tomatoes

Avoid buying just any tomato for indoor growing. Grow the wrong tomato indoors, and you aren’t likely to have much success. In my experience, upright and small varieties are the best choices. The best tomato varieties for growing indoors in pots are:

• Florida Petite
• Toy Boy
• Tiny Tim
• Red Robin

If you want to grow tomatoes in hanging baskets indoors, choose these cultivars:

• Yellow Pear
• Basket King

2. Plant Tomato Seeds Indoors

If you’re unable to find the best tomatoes for indoor growing, plant from seed. To have the best luck with this, try the following steps:

• Fill a seed starting tray with moistened, lightweight seed-starting mix.
• Place one tomato seed in each cell.
• Cover the tomato seed with a 1/8-inch layer of additional seed-starting mix.
• Spray the tray with a thin mist of water until the seed-starting mix is wet.
• Cover the seeds with plastic wrap, or use a seed-starting tray with a lid.
• Keep the soil and seedlings moist when they come up.
• Place in a warm location, such as on top of the refrigerator, while seeds germinate.
• Once plants appear, place the seedlings under artificial lights or in an eastern or southern window.
• When the seedling gets two sets of true leaves and is at least two inches high, transplant it into a larger pot.
• For a continuous supply of tomatoes, plant seeds monthly.

3. Hand-Pollinate Indoor Grown Tomatoes

Indoor-grown tomatoes don’t have the benefit of pollination from bees and other insects. For that reason, you must hand-pollinate. Stick a Q-tip into each flower when in bloom. This will spread the pollen around and lead to tomatoes.

4. Fertilize Indoor Grown Tomatoes Regularly

Tomatoes, particularly indoor tomatoes, need a steady supply of nutrients. Fertilizing is especially important in containerized tomatoes because nutrients tend to run out the bottom of the pot when you water.

I recommend using organic fertilizer since you are growing edible crops. Organically grown indoor tomatoes also tend to be healthier plants, and the taste is incredible.

5. Provide Adequate Light and Heat to Tomato Houseplants

As a summer, heat-loving crop, tomatoes require at least eight hours of light each day and sufficient warmth.

• For lighting, place the plants under full-spectrum lights for 12 hours a day. If you have access to eastern or southern unobstructed windows, put the plants in front of the windows for 6 to 8 hours of sun a day. For the remaining hours, place the plants under artificial lighting.
• For heat, tomatoes grow best in 75 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit (24 to 30 Celsius). The minimum temperature should be 65 degrees Fahrenheit (18.3 degrees Celsius).

6. Grow Tomatoes Indoors in Terra-cotta Pots

Grow in terra-cotta pots, as they are porous and breathe. This will help ensure that the plants don’t become waterlogged, which can lead to fungal disease and root rot. Place pots on drainage dishes. Make sure to empty the dishes after watering. You don’t ever want the plant roots sitting in water.

7. Manage Pests on Indoor Tomato Plants

Although tomato pests aren’t as common indoors as out, it’s still a good idea to keep an eye open for any intruders. Potential pests include mealybugs and whiteflies.

Manage indoor tomato pests by hand removing them or washing them off with water. If you still have trouble with pests, spray with isopropyl alcohol.

Prevent tomato diseases, such as fusarium wilt, by not overwatering. Water when the soil has started to dry out. Also, maintain good air circulation. If the air in your home is stuffy, run a fan on the tomato plants for at least 6 hours a day.

Good luck with your indoor tomato garden! Leave a comment if you have a question or want to share a story about growing tomatoes as houseplants.