I've been experimenting with growing cherry tomatoes in my apartment windows, and I'm doing better than I thought! I have 29 healthy seedlings, and while I have some five-gallon pots, I don't have enough for all of them. They're currently in about one-cup containers, and I'm concerned about them getting root bound. Can I keep them in gallon water jugs or small plastic totes until I'm ready to transplant them? Also, my apartment has four east-facing windows, which get some sunlight in the morning, but I'm unsure if that's enough for healthy growth. What's the smallest size container I should aim for if I want to grow them indoors successfully?
2 Answers
Growing indoors can be tricky! If you want to grow within smaller pots, I’ve heard some successes with dwarf varieties like Tiny Tim, which might thrive in one-gallon pots if well taken care of. Just make sure your tomatoes are the right type; compact/dwarf varieties are your best bet for limited space. Otherwise, stick with the larger sizes for optimal growth!
Tomatoes are pretty picky about light, and they really prefer at least 8 hours of direct sunlight daily. Since you're growing them indoors, you might need to get some extra grow lights to help them out. I'd suggest maximizing your space by keeping 6 to 8 plants and giving away or composting the others. As for pot size, a 5-gallon container is the smallest you'd want for one tomato plant, but ideally, each plant should have around 10 gallons for the best results. Don't forget to check out some pruning tips for cherry tomatoes, as this helps them focus energy on producing fruit instead of just growing too big!
Yeah, and when you do start pruning, make sure to remove those suckers to help your plants grow better. They can really take off when you manage them right!
Great advice! I also noticed that too many seedlings can crowd each other and limit their sunlight, so definitely stick to fewer plants if possible.