2014-15 Winter Indoor Tomatoes... + sugar snaps and cucumber

[Lindsaylew82]

Look how well these are doing!!! I've been away too long...

Looks so nice! Congrats on your winter tomatoes!!!

[applestar]

Thanks, Lindsay. Missed you, too!

[applestar]

Did I already say I'm sold on growing dwarf snap peas in my winter garden? I'm LOVING IT!

These Solstice broccoli are getting way huge. I'm going to try to either add an extension to the container or just plop it on top of a larger container of potting mix and remove the bottom from the KFC bucket which is already falling apart.

[applestar]

I noticed this evening how much this Tatjana that I had given up on had re-grown. It has two floral trusses that are almost ready to bloom.

The Sugar Sprint in the same container had two pods ready to pick

[applestar]

Subject: Embrace Your INNER APE –dealing with APHIDS >> got ladybugs

Look what I found yesterday!

There were a few more but I think I accidentally brushed against them

I hope there are some other mated couples laying eggs. This is one of the last green fruits on top of a rapidly declining Orange Pixie in Cool Gang -- it's been down to 50's°F here at tabletop level, so on the floor it's probably even colder and stressing the already TRM infested plant. It gave us about half dozen tasty fruits. Since it's a prime spot in front of the vertical double T-12 shop light fixture, I'll probably replace it with one of the overwintered peppers that I'm going to try to revive by bringing inside.

^^^
Actually more since I gave some of the fruits away.

[applestar]

Can you believe this is the Dwarf Arctic Rose that had the mega fruit on terminating main trunk?

I kept it in an isolated but less ideal location, so it's a bit spindly but the new sucker is free of TRM. I buried the rootball that was in the 1/2 gal rice milk container all the way at the bottom of this 2 gal bucket, so I think it will sit and take stock, then take off in this new location in the upstairs SE facing window. I'll top the container with additional fresh potting mix in another month or so.

You can also see the double-OJ containers planted with Utyonok which has replaced the Coyote. It has two tiny floral trusses starting to grow.

...and perhaps you can also see that the outer window is frosted this 14°F morning and there is snow on the ground outside.

[applestar]

I've double-deckered the first Sugar Sprint peas/Solstice broccoli growing in the former Maglia Rose tomato's KFC bucket by simple expedient of (easily) pulling the bottom panel off. The container was full of roots and root mass was pretty solid. They should be happy to make their way down into the new basement level of rich potting mix

[Lindsaylew82]

That was a GREAT idea!

[applestar]

...I think the roots found the new soil. Sugar Sprint snap peas are blooming all over!


Now I thought I should post an update about the Winter Indoor Tomatoes. I have about a dozen Coyote cherry tomatoes ripening or developing on the vines. The Coyote lost a couple of the vines to the TRMS but the two other vines have nearly reached the ceiling and are growing THICK side shoots with floral clusters that have just finished blooming. I expect less blossoms (and fruits) if the lower leaves continue to dry up from the TRM's since it's getting to the point where lower vines have no leaves and the healthy leaves are ABOVE the light fixture where it's not so bright On the other hand, the room temperature has been dropping to 50's at night at sofa table level, so the Coyote might be finding warmer conditions up there near the ceiling.

The Dwarf Arctic Rose and Utyonok that were moved upstairs have settled into their uppotted 2 gallon containers and are blooming.

Utyonok:


Dwarf Arctic Rose:


I also have a smaller Utyonok growing in a 1/2 gallon Rice Milk container, and the Tatjana has resurrected downstairs despite what must be even cooler temperature on the Cool Gang floor level and are sporting about a half dozen green fruits.

In the mean time, those Dwarf Orange Pixie seeds that had started to germinate in the seed fermentation cup have been growing and I uppotted them today to 2L soda bottle SWC's (effectively approx. 1L soil capacity):

[Lindsaylew82]

They're stocky! These newbies don't look even a bit bronzed either! TRM must be suffering!

[applestar]

Utyonok in *technically* a 2 gallon container (bottomless OJ's lashed together with zip ties) . I think it doesn't like the cold windowsill and window. This is an uncovered SE window so it gets a fair amount of sun, but the supplemental double CFL light isn't close enough for it to really benefit. From past experience, Utyonok needs more light than some of the other early determinate varieties and possibly more heat as well. Taller bamboo support is exactly 24" from top of soil level.

~~ I'm convinced Utyonok is better suited for the summer garden. ~~

Dwarf Arctic Rose in a 2 gallon bucket (already fruited and harvested once plant with 1/2 gallon rootball was put in the very bottom of the bucket when uppotting)

~~ my first year growing this -- it fruits early and lower to the ground in true dwarf growth, tolerant of smaller containers, and lower temp and light, amazingly prolific floral truss, larger than cherry fruit size with potential for mega (2 to 3x fruit size). Tasty. ~~

[rainbowgardener]

Your winter garden is so beautiful, applestar. The idea of growing FOOD, indoors in winter just amazes me! The most I've ever done in that regard is some herbs in my aerogarden. Otherwise the indoor plants are just ornamentals.

[applestar]

Thank you, Rainbowgardener.
You should start, too... You KNOW you want to....

Oh, and THIS is what happens when you try to grow an indeterminate cherry like Coyote in the Winter Indoor Garden

...but remember, this is already sitting on a 34" H surface

[rainbowgardener]

No, unfortunately I really don't want to. I kind of like my routine, which is that between end of garden time and Christmas, I devote myself to making garden-based Christmas presents. After Christmas I go through catalogs and do my seed order and then mid to late Jan, I start the indoor seed starting, which is pretty much time / work the way I do it. I have a bunch of house plants but they get minimal care. I really can't get up the motivation for fussing a lot with indoor tomatoes and stuff, even though the rewards would be high.

What I really do want to follow your lead on is growing bananas and figs. That isn't seed starting and when I get a chance I will make a separate thread about that, suggestions for varieties and what to start with. I would like to start this spring (buying plants) and have something well established for bringing in in the fall. And of course, I am thinking that I may possibly be moving to TN late fall, so garden efforts will be a little curtailed by house hunting, getting our current house ready to sell, moving, etc.

[applestar]

So, this year's Winter Indoor Tomato Lineup was mostly determinate varieties and they produced and faded away in turn. I did have some trouble with TRM (tomato russet mites) also as mentioned earlier. But these two later started varieties are now producing, so my Winter Indoor Tomato Garden isn't done yet

Utyonok on the windowsill with Dwarf Arctic Rose to the left on the window bench below... Utyonok fruit cluster on the right:

Dwarf Arctic Rose fruit clusters:

[imafan26]

Rainbow may have to relearn some things about the garden when you find a new place. The soil will be different, you should have a longer growing season and some of the varieties will probably be different too.

[applestar]

A little update on those Winter Indoor Sugar Sprint snap peas:

TOP LEFT: Peas in ice cream tub was ousted to the garage to make room in the warmer indoor location.
TOP RIGHT: New plants in the OJ container extension for Utyonok tomato are starting to bloom.

BOTTOM RIGHT: Peas planted in the same container after Tatjana tomayo went down has fully mature(and probably starchy) peas. DD likes the peas more than the pods and prefers to let them mature. Tatjana grew a new vine from the stump and even fruited, but it's been overwhelmed by the TRM again.

BOTTOM LEFT: The peas in the KFC containers are pretty much done, but the Solstice broccoli and Japanise Sharaku "spinach" I planted are growing wild. I'm not expecting the broccoli to form heads under the limited condition, so I have been harvesting and eating the leaves when they get too close to the lights as they are now. Next year, I think will plant Kale and maybe spinach instead.

Since the Whippersnapper tomato in this hanging basket finished up, and two later planted ones keep dying from TRM, I've been using it for other purposes. But the peas have been growing and are starting to bloom and set pods.

...in the mean time... pea seeds for the spring garden outside is being readied for planting

[applestar]

My daughter harvested the Sugar Sprint sugar snap pods from this windowsill last night or I would have taken pictures. These Utyonok tomato fruits look almost ready for my other daughter who loves tomatoes

[applestar]

Dwarf Arctic Rose is blushing and ripening

But there has been a whitefly infestation on these plants that they had been resisting all winter. With the advent of warmer temps and stronger sunlight warming this windowsill, the infestation has gotten worse.

Also, Utyonok being determinate or semi-determinate, it went ahead and died, while the upper truss fruits were still green -- but they are blushing now. Dwarf Arctic Rose is also determinate and is rapidly going down despite these green fruits still on the vines.

[Lindsaylew82]

You would think that the usual pests wouldn't be such a hassle with the indoor plants! Still, look at those tomatoes!!!

[applestar]

Almost done with this thread -- but here are a couple of fruits from the Dwarf Arctic Rose including the biggest one which is pretty lumpy and ugly but HUGE

[Lindsaylew82]

Look at those!!!! I'd say this was a complete success! Even with the struggles.

Awesome looking produce there. I like the uglies!

How was flavor compared to outdoor tomatoes?

[applestar]

@lindsay, these Dwarf Arctic Rose fruits have excellent flavor for a winter indoor tomato. Definitely deep tomato flavor and zing. Difficult to get the sweetness when temperature is cold but since it's been hot lately, they have been more sweet.

I have three more mega fruits and about 1/2 dozen singles, but the most anticipated fruit I'm waiting for it to blush is a cross I made with Utyonok.

two singles in the truss with the three megas, and three more blushing below, and the one green medium sized Dwarf Arctic Rose x Utyonok fruit....

The other crosses I made with Maglia Rosa didn't develop ...and I would have had more fruits but one branch with 6 still-tiny green fruits on it broke off -- I suspect one of the cats pushed it over when trying to get on or off the windowsill.

[applestar]

DH picked up sandwiches from a newly discovered italian deli today. For me, he selected sliced roast turkey breast with avocado and mixed baby greens, red onions, and tomato, liberally sprinkled with dried oregano on focaccia bread. It looked wonderful until I noticed the "imitation tomato" -- you know the kind that actually look yellowish green to pale mealy pink, obviously gassed into forced color on the extreme outside epidermis of the skin?

I could not get rid of them fast enough ...luckily I had these REAL tomatoes to take their place.

[applestar]

I thought I'd post these photos --

* Winter Indoor Tatjana went down twice -- dried up all the way to the soil level due to TRM (tomato russet mites) and aphids. I put it outside under the trees with others after last frost for initial hardening off, and kind of forgot about it though it got watered along with everybody else in this group. It grew a new shoot and some fruits.
* Winter Indoor Dwarf Arctic Rose was still hanging on to life when I put it outside, and have grown one more fruit. I thought this is it ...though... I see a new side shoot.

[Lindsaylew82]

Amazing how resilient they are! I wonder if you are creating some seriously mite resistant strains of these plants that just keep on growing and growing! Are you gonna try to overwinter these same plants?

[applestar]

They grew And ripened one more fruit truss then gave up due mostly to foliage disease.

I have new seedlings started in the garage for this winter.

I'm not do sure the plants are resisting the mites -- I think it's more likely that there are predatorial mites, etc. outside that help control the TRM, and, because I'm not spraying to kill the mites in hopes that the predatory Garden Patrol are brought inside along with the plants in the fall, they are also present indoors.

[krinix]

Is it common for the lower leaves turning yellow on Sugar Snaps?