2012-2013 Winter indoor tomatoes

[zebraman]

This place carries really inexpensive full-spectrum plant lights.
https://www.littlegreenhouse.com/accessory/lights.shtml/

[gixxerific]

Awesome apple. I'm jealous I have a ways to go before I see any fruit.

Winter is a good time to do crosses, it is much harder when it is warm out. Sophies Choice and Black Krim would be alright together. Maybe getting some of the darkness of BK into a smaller plant like SC. Also SC is much earlier than BK so and earlier DTM could be obtained.

[PunkRotten]

Cool thread I may try Sophies Choice next Fall. Sounds like a good candidate for a fall sowing.

[prettygurl]

Has anyone used a feather instead of an electric toothbrush?

[gixxerific]

Has anyone used a feather instead of an electric toothbrush?

Why? A toothbrush will shake it real good. Some people use tuning forks, the middle C is supposed to be right about the same freqeuncy as bee wings. Never heard of a feather. Please elaborate.

Dono

[prettygurl]

I saw a video on youtube of a man who used a feather to pollinate indoor tomatoes. I was curious if anyone had experience with that method.

[prettygurl]

Nevermind. I read that the flower can be damaged and the toothbrush method is better.

[applestar]

Update photos -- It's ONLY November and it already feels like they're taking over the house....
[img]https://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll272/applesbucket/286C1EFD-C6E7-4A2C-8F72-F1AD243FAECF-7716-0000049A5408FA25.jpg[/img]

These Donomaters will be outgrowing the Seed Starting Area
[img]https://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll272/applesbucket/424E0EA0-FC21-46E2-B721-4B59A72AB63D-7716-0000049A67FECA13.jpg[/img]

These Black Krim plants have outpaced any of the others despite having been started later, and are heftier in growth and leaf sizes compared to Sophie's Choice or Zarnitsa. I hope I can find places to keep them....
[img]https://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll272/applesbucket/6D7195CC-2C67-4668-AFC2-C4B7660732CF-7716-0000049A2E32B83A.jpg[/img]

Sophie's Choice first fruit progress:
[img]https://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll272/applesbucket/6DF110C8-5FB8-448B-849C-8EE86662B3D2-7716-0000049A3D343944.jpg[/img]

Zarnitsa first fruit
[img]https://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll272/applesbucket/8DD0FFF6-03F9-4867-A978-D671E56F8C43-7716-0000049A489A5EA3.jpg[/img]

[gixxerific]

looking good Apple like I said at the Depot I can't beleive how far along Sophie's Choice is. You are doing a wonderful job.

Do you mind if I put some pics of mine in here as well?

? on Donomater: how many buds per truss are you getting. Most of mine have 7 per truss one plant has 4-5. Could be early on that one. I have fruit on it but they are just baby's right now. Cant wait to see what happens with this one.

[applestar]

Thanks and Post your pics, Gixx!
We wanna see how your jungle is growing

[rainbowgardener]

Beautiful!!

[james_coale]

Looks like you're well on your way to a great crop there!

There is this great guide I use for my tomato growing.

[url]https://bestjuicytomatoes.com/[/url]

[PunkRotten]

Hey Applestar could you save some seeds from the Sophie's choice and Zarnitsa? I'll trade you something from my list for them.

[applestar]

Sent you a PM, PunkRotten.

[applestar]

Another week, another update

Same Sophie's Choice fruit getting bigger (that's a regular width yellow duct tape)...
[img]https://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll272/applesbucket/285279EE-5B23-419A-A2B3-DC091EF835F8-9441-0000061083D5441E.jpg[/img][img]https://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll272/applesbucket/0B01641B-5AA2-4097-AE13-BCD695E13933-9441-0000061077D8C8FD.jpg[/img]
This plant is slowing down -- foliage spotting and wilting (older leaves dry up still green and die -- I've no clue what this is) issues have become evident, I see some discoloration on the trunk that worries me:?, and fungus gnat issues as you can see, but also many new trusses of blooms have opened, have been buzzed, and faded. Hard to tell yet if they took, but at least two more babies are on their way :

2nd Sophie's with fruit. This one is still in a 2L soda bottle and you can see the roots starting to show (should have moved the banana leaf hiding the fruit )
[img]https://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll272/applesbucket/1E7D275E-E3F0-4761-9DF0-591E161BA619-9441-000006106EA040B1.jpg[/img][img]https://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll272/applesbucket/3BCAD96E-E890-4A87-8454-5D45D730BAA0-9441-000006106487CEC3.jpg[/img]

Zarnitsa's have started to load up on blooming trusses and have started to fruit. (I think previously posted photo was mistake -- that was a Sophie's) It's interesting to see that this one in the double-1/2 gal=1gal box is pretty compact like Sophie's, but the other one in the OxiClean box is somewhat lanky. Both were just uppotted this weekend so it's not the size of the container but the way they have grown so far:
[img]https://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll272/applesbucket/20D04587-EF8C-4302-A91F-5C0CC1679AAE-9441-000006104AA01793.jpg[/img][img]https://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll272/applesbucket/D5BFA8DE-55F5-4D56-B5D0-C0ECA41DB30B-9441-00000610415B3F62.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll272/applesbucket/E729FF9F-5D6A-4310-AE82-896BEC4A781B-9441-00000610246E533C.jpg[/img][img]https://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll272/applesbucket/B52CF9C1-1839-4168-995F-34BA074BDE1A-9441-000006101B6C0D0C.jpg[/img]

Another Zarnitsa gamely trying to fruit in an oatmeal box. This one is in front of a SW window with 2 T-12 tubes about 24 in. away (I.e. barely any supplemental light):
[img]https://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll272/applesbucket/7478ED8F-6195-478A-BA71-8FDFC48E1999-9441-0000060FF77259A9.jpg[/img][img]https://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll272/applesbucket/817DC251-8990-4618-A061-88D9C2280F5F-9441-0000060FEDA52731.jpg[/img]

Two biggest of the Donomaters are just starting to form trusses:
[img]https://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll272/applesbucket/6661A565-B6AB-4B77-9DB2-87E881556B94-9441-000006100AF5329E.jpg[/img][img]https://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll272/applesbucket/6EDC6615-E8F9-470D-ABD6-33FC00B6E5FE-9441-0000061001F9CD3E.jpg[/img]

I'm going to pot some of each variety in 2-3 gal containers and set them up upstairs where it will be warmer. I didn't take photos this time, but Black Krims are getting bigger too -- I had to put one in SE window and another is currently on the floor with a shoplight sitting upright on the floor. I may Uppot one or more in 4 gal container. Space, light, and temperature are the most difficult limitations and the dwarf, small container capable varieties are DEFINITELY the varieties of choice in the future. I'm also still hopeful that Sophie's Choice which is cool weather tolerant and is in fact intolerant of hot weather would do better under the winter indoor conditions despite the foliage disease issues. I also have a cloned Yellow Brandywine that I'm going to just try to keep alive to see if I can get an earlier fruit from it next spring.

[gixxerific]

Hows it going with you Apple?

Just up-potted a few things and put up another light. I had to scrounge around to find a good wiring alternative.
[img]https://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj185/gixxerific/DSC06315.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj185/gixxerific/DSC06314.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj185/gixxerific/DSC06313.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj185/gixxerific/DSC06311.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj185/gixxerific/DSC06307.jpg[/img]

[ElizabethB]

Wow! I am so impressed by the effort all of you are making to grow vegetables indoors. You make me feel ashamed for being too busy (lazy) to plant my fall garden. Consequently the only thing I have left are sweet banana peppers, bell peppers and green onions. I should have fall tomatoes, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, beets, turnips, carrots, lettuce, mustard greens and spinach. Ow well I will just be jealous of your effort and wait until February to plant seeds and March for transplants.

So impressed by all of your pictures.

[prettygurl]

I love all of that green that you guys have going. Great job.

[applestar]

Looks amazing Gixx! All dwarfs right? Very sturdy and hefty looking.

Mine are wimpy compared to yours because I'm not giving them all big enough containers, but all of them including Black Krim are now starting to bloom and Zarnitsa more than any of them. Some of the non-dwarfs are beginning to show their unwieldy nature by being too tall and spindly.

As I mentioned, some Zarnitsa's are remaining compact while others are not. I'll be "selecting" -- I.e. only saving seeds from -- the compact plants.

Incidentally, my Brazillian Hot Lemon and Jalapeño peppers are starting to bloom too. Perhaps because I've picked all of the fully colored fruits that were left on the plants. -- electric toothbrush has been busy

[rainbowgardener]

Looks beautiful, gixx, Applestar! You guys keep tempting me to want to try. I have all that space under my lights that is "only" being used as my Christmas basket factory right now. The only trouble is a few weeks after the Christmas baskets are given away, it will be seed starting time again and I will start needing the space for seeds - not all at once of course, but it is usually all filled up with seedlings earlier than the tomatoes can go out. ...

[Ozark Lady]

Looks great Dono and Apple!

One question... will they ripen to taste like a real tomato?
Or will you need to use apples and their gases to promote ripening?

Is ripening after growth is completed influenced by time, temp, sunlight, or something else?

One thing for sure, you two will have the record for 2013 earliest tomatoes!

[applestar]

Ozark Lady! LTNS! So happy to have you join this discussion!
I'll wait for Gixx's input. I've always had one "volunteered in a indoor container" tomato over the winter (usually a cherry), but I've always given the ripened -- yes they do eventually ripen on the vine though it takes longer -- fruit to my younger daughter who loves tomatoes. She was always excited to see them color up and ready to eat though.

My winter tomato project this year is more planned but still not optimum I think. Gixx has lined me up with wide assortment of dwarf tomato varieties, and they are varieties he picked for superior flavor, but I had to see how these do. I'll be growing many of them next summer (so many! ) and choosing next winter's best varieties

[gixxerific]

Apple without looking at my notes most of the tomatoes I gave you were not dwarfs.

Ozark Lady where the heck have you been. Nice to see you.

As far as raipening and taste with indoor tomatoes. It does take a while longer to ripen indoors, take into consideration the weaker light and other than optimal temperatures. I have kicked around the idea of using heat but so far I have not done anything with that idea.

[applestar]

Look at your notes (your PM under "so far") I'm well set thanks to you -- though of course I've developed an itch for a certain few more varieties....

[gixxerific]

Maybe I should check my notes. Lol. It's hard to say I have sent out about 250 packs of seed. Hard to remember.

As far as your itch there might be some cream for that. If not the Depot can hook you up.

[ReptileAddiction]

It might be beneficial to add a very bright normal socket light pointed at an angle to the sides of the plant to aid in ripening fruit and giving the lower leaves more light.

[rainbowgardener]

gixx, are your plants getting any natural light or just the fluoros? If they are getting natural light, do you think it is very important compared to the artificial (e.g. do they tend to lean toward the window, do better in sunnier weather etc)?

[applestar]

Here we go -- this week's photo update:

Green fruits and trusses:




Here is a representative photo of Donomater floral trusses -- almost!


Another view of plants on the floor


As you can see all of mine are in front of SE or SW facing windows and get brief couple hours of wintry sun, but all have supplemental lights on them for up to 16 hrs. But my seed starting area in the windowless garage gets zero natural light, and the inside seed starting shelves sit in front of NW-facing windows and only get some setting sun during the summer months -- none at all during winter.

[gixxerific]

Looking good Apple your fruit are farther along than mine. I wonder if it has to do with some of the natural light you are getting where mine get none.

Is it me Apple or do those Donomater flowers look odd. Mine are the same as yours but they are Sooooo slender when they come out. With the base of some them being yellow long before they open up? Maybe I just never noticed it but they seem odd to me.

[gixxerific]

gixx, are your plants getting any natural light or just the fluoros? If they are getting natural light, do you think it is very important compared to the artificial (e.g. do they tend to lean toward the window, do better in sunnier weather etc)?

RBG no mine get no real sunlight. They are backed up against a concrete wall. The only sunlight the get is diffused light but nothing direct. Unless I take them out to play outside on a nice day like I have had them for a few day's. Been around 70 for the past few day's and tommorow as well.

Here is Balkan Tiger F2 basking in the sun.



Rainbow see the lettuce,spinach in the background. They have been there for several months. I did this after you said something in a post a while back to someone else that sparked this idea.

Working great. Fresh salad when ever I want.

[ElizabethB]

So impressive!

[applestar]

Rainbow see the lettuce,spinach in the background. They have been there for several months. I did this after you said something in a post a while back to someone else that sparked this idea.

Working great. Fresh salad when ever I want.

I had the same idea, but you're ahead of me there. I started some new salad green seeds over the weekend, and I just uppotted salad greens that were started back in Oct and left outside until now. I discovered they were doing OK in their little community seed starting containers last week, so I uppotted them today


They should be ready and harvesting by the time the winter tomatoes ripen

[applestar]

Had to add this photo of mega/fused bloom Black Krim

[gixxerific]

OH MY! Apple the Black Krim is gonna get big.

[applestar]

First Donomater blossom opened today! Gave it a buzz with the toothbrush and it made a satisfactory pollen burst.

[gixxerific]

Awesome Apple. I have several fruits myself. Now if only they will ripen.

[applestar]

Was out all day... Barely had time to mist thoroughly and open the blinds this morning... And note that we're having a sunny day for once with full sun streaming in the window with most of the leaves finally gone from the trees behind our property while giving open blossoms a quick buzz with the ultrasonic toothbrush.

So imagine my thrill on finally getting around to checking on them to see that the first Sophie's Choice fruit is BLUSHING!!!


At 2" diameter, it's much smaller than its supposed to be, but I DON'T CARE -- IT'S BLUSHING!!!

[gixxerific]

That looks great Apple, I am jealous,

[rainbowgardener]

WOW! Beautiful... I finally broke down and bought some supermarket tomatoes to cook with and was disgusted when I cut in to them... hard and pale and tasteless.

And you are doing all this with window light and fluorescents, right? I mean no metal halide or anything fancy like that? Because I know in past years I have told people here that it couldn't be done, to get them to fruit and ripen without high intensity lighting. I will be more careful in the future! But I think it is possible that only some one like you, Applestar (and gixx!) with green thumbs up to your elbows could do it.

[DoubleDogFarm]

Hey, I have green armpits. I'm not sure it's worth the time and energy.

I could spend x on pale tasteless store bought or x on time / energy. Apple can you fill in the second X

Very nice Apple

Eric