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Best Indoor Tomatoes

JennyJ71JennyJ71 Posts: 3
in Fruit & veg
Hello!
In anticipation of the 'watery-supermarket-tomato-season', I am hoping to grow my own indoors this winter. 
As a novice, I would very much appreciate some advice re-the type of tomato plant I try. I am after something fairly prolific (if possible!) and am willing to lavish them with plenty of tlc.
Thanks. 

Posts

  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    If you mean in the house, don't bother. To grow them out of season you will need additional lighting  for them to fruit, otherwise they just get drawn and lanky. Even if you have a conservatory tacked on a wall of the house, you will need additional lighting and heating to keep them growing.  If you're still wanting to do it, I would try tumbling tom in a large pot, but with "daylight" full spectrum lights set up on a timer to give adequate day length. The normal flourescent lights in a house just don't give enough light of the correct wavelength.
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    If you're in the UK then it can't really be done.
    You could build somewhere to put them indoors, but even for a 1m square area (so 1 plant) you'd need a powerful LED lamp (probably £500+) and a heater of some sort.
    Overall, the costs are prohibitive unless you're a commercial grower.
    Due to a lack of pollinators, you'd also need to pollinate them by hand.

    I don't buy tomatoes once mine have finished until I get a harvest the following year for the reasons you give.
    Sorry for the bad news, but welcome to the forum :)

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • JennyJ71JennyJ71 Posts: 3
    Thank you both - much appreciated. Glad I found this forum - it's so much better than trying to navigate the general advice online. I will just have to be patient and wait until next year.😊
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    edited October 2023
    If you want some advice in the Spring on the best varieties to grow in a hanging basket or on the patio I'm sure we can help.
    Gardening is a hobby that requires a HUGE amount of patience - but it's worth it in the end - usually :)

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • JennyJ71JennyJ71 Posts: 3
    Thank you! ☺️👍🏻
  • diggersjodiggersjo Posts: 172
    If you are prepared to pay for them then the likes of Ocado sell datterini or Sainsbury's Cheriplum. I'm sure Lidls and Aldi must do some equivalent, just at a cost... We simply can't do without them as we are spoilt! There is very little time that reasonable quality Sicilian tomatoes are not available, it's just harder to get them in recent years. 
    Yorkshire, ex Italy and North East coast. Growing too old for it!
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