Beginners Guide: How Do You Grow Tomatoes Indoors?

Are you intending to grow tomatoes, but you are limited by your outdoor space? Do not worry, if you have some extra space near your kitchen window, then you are good to go ahead and try indoor tomato gardening. 

Tomatoes can be grown indoors as long as you have ideal conditions that support the healthy growth of a plant. An indoor gardening area is supposed to have enough natural or artificial light, free air circulation, and be accessible to adequate water. Choosing the right tomato variety will also determine the success of your indoor gardening. 

Can You Grow Tomatoes Indoors?

Naturally, tomatoes do well during summer when the weather conditions are warm and sunny. They need at least six hours of direct sunlight. However, you can still enjoy your fresh and natural indoor homegrown tomatoes throughout any season when the following conditions are met: 

1. Sunlight or Artificial Lights

In order to maximize production in tomatoes, it is important to expose the plant to sunlight or artificial lights. Tomato plants require at least six to eight hours of sunlight per day. Therefore, when planting them indoors, you have to select an area that is near a big window or has a transparent glass roof.

If your indoor gardening area doesn’t have enough natural light, you have to consider the installation of artificial lights. Light is very important to any plant as it is necessary in the process of photosynthesis. Tomatoes may become leggy and weak when they are planted in an area with poor light. They will be struggling to stretch towards the source of light.

2. Warmth and Humidity

Temperature is an important factor to consider when intending to grow tomatoes indoors. Tomato plants do well in areas that are warm. Therefore, the room temperature has to range between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Humidity is easily controlled in an indoor area.

3. Watering or Irrigation

Tomato plants require adequate water throughout all stages up to maturity. However, the soil or the planting mixture is not supposed to be too wet or soggy. It is supposed to have good drainage. Adequate and consistent soil moisture helps to prevent the tomato fruits from cracking or splitting, and some diseases like blossom end rot.

4. Free Air Circulation

Tomatoes planted indoors are more susceptible to fungal infections than their counterparts that are grown outdoors.  To avoid such infections, you have to ensure the area has free air circulation. A humidifier or running a small fan can help to circulate air in your indoor garden.

5. Fertilizer

For first and healthy growth, tomatoes require fertilizers. When practicing indoor gardening, you may consider the use of organic fertilizers to produce natural tomato fruits. A tomato plant is a heavy feeder; you may use an organic slow-release fertilizer. Nitrates are important, especially during the flowering stage.

6. Care and Maintenance

Tomato plants require routine care and maintenance that includes: pruning the small branches that are growing on the main stem, rotating the plant to ensure all the sides receive sunlight, checking the dryness of the soil or the planting mix, and inspecting for pests and diseases.

Pruning is only recommended on the tall and vining tomato varieties. However, you are not supposed to prune the micro dwarf tomato varieties. Pruning can be done using your fingernails or pruning shears.

7. Pollination

Naturally, bees and birds help in pollinating your plants when they are grown outdoors. However, when you plant your tomatoes indoors, you have to find a means of helping with pollination.

Although tomatoes are self-pollinating, you can aid the process by gently shaking the stem of the plant during the flowering stage. Alternatively, you can use a cotton ball to dab on the blossom and move from one bloom to the other. 

How to Grow Tomatoes Indoors – Steps

Growing tomatoes indoors can be as easy as outdoor gardening. However, there are several requirements that you will need in setting up your indoor garden. They include the following:

Step 1: Preparing the seedling

Fill the starting trays with a layer of soilless planting mix and dampen it. Avoid using top soil and it may harbor pests and diseases. Plant two or three seeds her hole ¼ inch deep in the planting mix. Transfer the trays to a warm area. Alternatively, you can place them on a heat mat.

Step 2: Allow the seeds to germinate

The germination process can take 5 to 10 days for the seeds to sprout. However, you must ensure they are in an area that is warm, moist, and aerated. Don’t worry about the light during the germination process. Transfer them to an area that has light after germination.

Step 3: After 4 weeks, transplant the seedlings into large pots

Separate the seedlings from the starting tray and transplant them into large pots containing a planting mix. Avoid any damage to the roots during the process of transplanting. Place the transplanted plants in an area that is warm and lit. 

Step 4: Water the tomato plants regularly

After transplanting your seedling, ensure that it gets enough water. You can use your finger to find out if the planting mix is dry before watering. Too little or excessive watering can cause plants to wilt, have stunted growth, poor root development, low yields and even diseases.

Step 5: Apply fertilizer

After transplanting, wait for two weeks before applying any fertilizer. It is recommended to use organic fertilizers if you want natural tomato fruits. Tomato plants are heavy feeders; fertilizer application should be redone every two weeks.

Step 6: Watch for pests and diseases

Tomatoes are prone to different types of pests and diseases. Checking your plants regularly and taking the necessary measures helps to keep them in control. 

Step 7: Use stakes to support your tomato plants

When your tomato plants have outgrown the pots, it is high time to support them using stakes. Drive a stake into the planting mix next to the plant and use twine to tie it. This helps the plant to grow in an upward posture.

Step 8: Prune the tomato plants

There are some tomato varieties that require pruning, while others do not. Pruning helps to ensure there are no excessive branches on the main stem. It also allows the plant to get light in all areas.

Step 9: Harvesting the tomatoes

Harvest your tomatoes before ripening fully. Allowing them to mature fully before harvesting can cause a crack, which may attract insects. To harvest your tomatoes, you simply hold the tomato at the stem and twist it. Place the harvested tomatoes in a cabinet and allow them to ripen fully before use.

Which Tomatoes Grow Best Indoors?

There are different varieties of tomatoes. Some like Cherokee purple tomatoes can grow upward to over 10 feet tall. Therefore, when having a limited indoor space, you can go for the dwarf varieties that grow between six inches and one foot tall.  The common varieties for indoor gardening include:

• Red robin
• Florida petite
• Tiny Tim
• Toy boy
• Sun Gold
• Jelly Bean
• Juliet
• Pear.

The dwarf tomatoes are ideal for indoor gardening. You can purchase the seeds online or near an agrovet shop near your locality. The micro dwarf tomatoes can vary in color from red to orange, or purple to green. 

How Long Do Tomatoes Take to Grow Indoors?

Tomatoes do well when grown outdoors in warm climates, and it only takes three to five months to mature into fruit-producing plants. Its shorter maturity period is the reason why you may consider planting them indoors.

Rather than waiting for a full year until summer arrives to plant tomatoes, you can simply use some part of your indoor space to do all-season tomato gardening. However, successful indoor gardening requires some specific conditions. The gardening area needs to have sufficient light, warmth, and free air circulation. 

Final thoughts

To conclude, I can confidently tell you that it is possible to grow tomatoes indoors as long as you choose the best variety and provide them with adequate sunlight or artificial lighting, warmth, water, fertilizer and other maintenance. Rather than buying tomatoes from a grocery during winter, you can simply garden yours using a minimal space near your kitchen window.