GROWING TOMATOES INDOORS

[WINDY]

Is anyone familiar with growing Tomatoes from seed.
I have been trying to do this without success for some time.
I would like to get them started indoors and then transplant them
to some acreage I have.

Any suggesstions?

[bali]

Yes
I do that yearly.........
Start inside and gradually move them out as the sun warms.

What is your problem?

Try some yogurt cups of dirt , around April. lay seeds on top an water.

Soon as they germinate, they need a sunny window or indoor lights to grow. I put mine in the south window upstairs. Soon as it gets warm like 65 I sneak them outside for a few minutes each day to harden them off.

Not hard to do.

Goodluck....

[Bina]

I have my tomatoes in the kitchen window right now and it is -35 below outside but I like to think they enjoy the view.
Anyway I have had issues starting mine too and I think it was more light issues more than anything else. This time around it worked beautifully but I had them under lights in the basement. My one complaint was all my vegies were "Thin" so I put a fan on them and they all thickened up. This was all apart of growing my own vegies in the house. My tomatoes are upstairs in the kitchen and then there are some downstairs under the lights they get switched out every week cause the little devils are growing like weeds but I have flower buds and I will have tomatoes by the end of January in Alberta.
So back to your question. sorry bout that I got sidetracked.
First I planted my seeds in a covered container I used an old plastic salad container with tropical plant potting soil just the stuff you get at your local wally mart or hardware store with some perlite added for drainage. I filled the container about 2/3's full, scattered the seed, sprinkled some more potting soil to cover the seed and then watered it in, put the cover on to keep the humidity inside and stuck it up on the shelf under the lights and in about a week I had sprouts. I waited till the sprouts were up a couple of inches and then gently separated them 4-5 to a 8 inch pot, planted just a "tich" deeper than they were and put them back under the lights. Keep up on the water and mist fairly frequently because inside is so dry and wait for spring.
If I were going to put these guys outside I would put them in a low box with an open lid in a semi shady sheltered spot during the day and bring them back in in the evening until they hardened off then plant them in their spots. and watch the weather like a hawk cause that is when we would get a frost. I hope that answers what is going on with yours.
Bina

[bali]

Now the reason the plants are thin, they are hunting for light.. Makes them tall and skinny.....
Most windows, southern exposure , just doesnt supply the all day hours it needs to thicken.

Sounds like you pretty good at it..

[FredDuggan]

Try starting them under fluorescents. You can get the light close and it'll help prevent them stretching for light and make them sturdier for when they go outdoors.

[bali]

I buy the gro lights at lowes.......

SOme are stronger then the others.

bali

[FredDuggan]

Just check the wats on the package. Don't buy an expensive fixture either. Go over to the outdoor lighting section and get a cheap fixture, they can be found under 5 bucks.

[bali]

It is a round flattish bulb, you have to buy the cable also to run it with .
More$ but ask them which one to use for the size of bulb.. They do get hot..
Careful where they are hung and how..