Year-Round Tomato Plants

Tomatoes are the most popular subject for home gardeners in the United States. Millions of people enjoy growing their own juicy tomatoes. While most tomatoes are unsuitable for year-round cultivation, it is possible to keep certain types alive for as long as three years under the proper conditions.

Choosing the Right Type

Choosing the right variety is paramount in any plan to grow year-round tomatoes. Tomatoes fall into two broad growth-habit categories; determinate and indeterminate. Indeterminate tomatoes will continue to grow and produce fruit until killed by pests, disease or hostile weather conditions. These types may survive for up to three years if properly cared for. Determinate tomato varieties will produce most or all of its fruit in a very short period, and will die at the end of the season, regardless of care. Only indeterminate varieties should be used as a subject for year-round cultivation.

Selecting a Variety

While many commercial growers have at their disposal large greenhouses which allow for large, vining varieties to be grown, the average home gardener has limited space to grow tomatoes indoors. Some home growers may be fortunate enough to have a greenhouse, but for those with only a sunny window sill available, there are fewer varieties which are suited to year-round growing. Selecting an indeterminate type with a bushy growth habit is paramount. Try varieties like "Dwarf Champion," "Dwarf Champion Improved," "New Big Dwarf," "Yellow Pygmy" or any other type with similar growth characteristics.

Plant in a Container

Use a large container, at least 3-gallon size, that has holes for drainage. Add 2 inches of some type of rough rock, like lava rock or pottery shards. Add a quality potting mix; one with a moisture control element is helpful, but not absolutely necessary. Strip all but the top rosette of leaves and the next pair down from the seedling. Add soil so that the foliage sits just above the rim of the container when the plant is placed in it and pour soil around the plant, filling in around the stem until the container is full.

Place in a sunny location and keep well watered, but not soggy. Tomatoes grown in containers will dry out faster than those grown in the ground. Stake or cage the tomato for support. Fertilize with an appropriate tomato or vegetable fertilizer every two or three weeks, following the directions for container plants.

Bringing it Inside

Any frost will kill the tomato, so bring the plant inside before any danger of frost. Place the tomato plant where it will get the maximum amount of natural light; a south-facing window or under a skylight is best. Add supplemental light in the form of two or three compact fluorescent replacement bulbs aimed at the plant and keep them on about 16 hours a day.

Indoor Care

Indoor care differs from outdoor care mainly in that you will need to pollinate the flowers yourself. Use a cotton swab or small paint brush and go from flower to flower, brushing the inside and outside of each flower to pollinate. Tapping the stems as you do so will help the flowers release pollen. A small fan aimed at the plant will help circulate air and keep the plant growing well. Plants grown indoors can also use more water than the same plant would outside, as air inside the home can be quite dry, especially in winter. Keep ripe tomatoes picked to encourage continued production. In the spring, after all danger of frost, put the plant back outside. Some plants may survive up to three years if handled correctly.

References

• Tatiana's Tomato Base: Dwarf Varieties
• Helpful Gardener: Basic Tomato Cultivation