Tomato Growing Tips For A Noobie

Hey guys I am thinking about starting to grow Cherry Tomatoes indoors and I would like some Help/Tips. Lemme just tell you what I think I should do then you guys can add/correct anything.

Ok first off I have plenty of cherry tomato seeds and I plan on growing them in some Miracle Grow potting soil (or whatever I find at the Home Depot).

That was the part I got down Now This is what I would like the tips on... Lighting... I plan on using CFLs for growing...Now I understand for growing weed you use Cool White for Germinating/Veg for 16-18 hours a day and Warm White for Flowering at 12 hours a day... Is this concept the same for Tomatoes?

Also if I want to keep my tomato plant from flowering i just keep it under the Cool White bulbs and it should be fine? Or do they automaticly flower at the end of its life no matter the bulbs? Im just asking cause I would like to make it grow pretty big and try and clone it if possible.

Thanks for your help/tips.

with tomatoes the red will promote elongation ... use blue light ... (6500 K) all the time ... that will keep your bloom locations tight ...

be certain when you spend your money on a cf you get the right one ..

- spectrum
- and size

you need to select a pretty large bulb ... maybe a 125 / but at least an 85 watt

I would recommend getting some quality nutes..... like a nice foxfarm organic 3 part .... that will allow you to control the plant more ...



hope that helps...

What is the lighting plan for it then?
18/6? or just whenever?

Is cherry tomato some sort of new strain?

they are just little tomatoes, the size of cherrys

Use 1 tablespoon of dolomite lime per gallon of mix. This is essential for the plant, it provides the tomatoes with calcium and magnesium. I have Super 100, and Husky Cherry Red, and Jelly Bean Hybrid cherry tomatoes going outside . I use 1/3 peat moss, 1/3 perlite (both non-miracle grow), and mushroom compost with the lime. I use water soluble MG fertilizer for my tomatoes only and they are doing well. I live down south and I put them outside and the end of feb, they are now 5 ft tall and going strong!

i hav grown tomatoes in hydro with cfl they were flowering and producing tomatoes at 8 in tall,was using a 3x3 with mylar walls had 6 13w 3000k and 6 23w6500k bulbs on 18 6 light cycles but the heat was awful plants stayed less than a foot tall. till i put them in a ebb flow with 400w hps shot to 4 ft in two weeks. with 12 12 light cycles

do the tomatoes grow no matter the lighting scedule? or do they need a flowering 12/12 to produce....becacuse i noticed you said they were flowering

I assume 18/6 is what is really needed.. but please correct me

i found they flower when ever they want, i put them out side and i have tomatoes still,polinating them is a pain,bell pepers do the same too.

well its pretty late to be starting seeds, my seedlings are almost a foot tall right now, tomatos are pretty care free, any general soil or even soil from your yard with some peatmoss will keep them happy, a healthy fertalizer now and again and plenty of water. going to screenofgreen a few this year outdoors see if i get more tomatos.

Tomatoes flower no matter what, so don't worry. Just make sure you get a determinate strain if you're growing in limited space with limited light.

I have some Tomato Food mix. It's 17-19-29 ratio.

17% Nitrogen
19% Phosphate
29% Potash

I would dilute it a crapload, but that is about the ratio that you want for tomatoes in my opinion.