How to Grow Organic Tomatoes Indoors

Grow organic tomatoes indoors successfully.

Organic tomatoes are grown without the use of chemical or commercial pesticides and fertilizers. Although tomatoes thrive in the hot sun, gardeners can successfully grow organic tomatoes indoors with the proper tools and techniques. After seeing the thriving organic tomato plants you can grow indoors, you will want to grow these plants indoors year-round to have an abundant stock of fresh tomatoes to enjoy.

Things You'll Need

• Organic tomato plants
• Containers
• Watering tray
• Organic potting mix with amended compost
• Wooden stakes
• Adjustable grow lights
• Organic tomato fertilizer
• Cotton swab
• Kitchen or garden twine

Instructions

1. Purchase healthy organic tomato plants with green leaves and thick stems. Avoid tomato plants that appear to have yellowing and/or wilted leaves.

2. Prepare the planting containers for the organic tomato plants. Refer to the planting requirements listed on the individual tomato plant's label to determine the container size for each plant. The bigger the maturity size of the plant, the bigger the container you will need.

3. Place the organic tomato containers on a watering tray. Fill the tomato containers with organic potting mix amended with organic compost material. Create a planting hole in the potting mix with your hand that is two times deeper and wider than the tomato plant's root ball.

4. Insert a tall wooden stake near the planting hole to support the growing tomato plants.

5. Place the organic tomato plants into their respective planting holes and backfill with potting mix to bury the plant stems, leaving 2 to 3 inches of stem above the mix. Burying the tomato plants deeper than they were in their original containers will encourage the growth of a stronger root system.

6. Set adjustable grow lights over the organic tomato containers, 6 or more inches above the top of the tomato plants. As the tomato plants grow taller, you can raise the grow lights as well.

7. Fill the watering tray with clean water. Use a watering can to water the tomato containers around the edges of the rim to avoid soaking the plant stem. Refill the watering tray as soon as it empties of water to keep the potting mix moist.

8. Keep the tomato grow lights on for at least 12 hours per day or according to grow light instructions.

9. Tie the tomato plants to the stakes with garden or kitchen twine as they grow taller to provide the necessary support.

10. Feed the tomato plants with organic tomato fertilizer once or twice per month or according to the label directions.

11. Rub a cotton swab into the center of a tomato flower bloom and rub it into the center of the other flower blooms to hand-pollinate. Continue to hand-pollinate until you have placed pollen in all the flowers.

12. Harvest the organic tomatoes as they ripen.

References

• Learn 2 Grow: The Versatile Tomato Moves Indoors