Key Facts

Very easy system for growing tomatoes indoors all year around. Ideal if you want to

• Grow speciality tomatoes at home
• Such as Roma or San Marzano Tomatoes
• Using very little space.
• Very easy to use & install

Background

Roma and San Marzano tomatoes are the ideal ingredient for Italian recipes and will add authentic Italian flavour to items like Passata, Tomato Paste, etc.

However, if you’ve ever tried to buy them fresh then you will know they are virtually impossible to get. But there is a very easy way for growing tomatoes indoors at home.

The growing tomatoes indoors system

The key to growing tomatoes indoors is to focus on 3 items:

1. What you grow them in – Giving them the right amount of nutrients & water
2. Light – Especially if you want to grow them in Autumn or Winter.
3. Size – They tend to be taller than herbs so you will support.

Taking them in turn

Item1 – How to grow tomatoes indoors

There are 2 ways for growing tomatoes indoors:

• Either in soil in a pot or tub
• Or using hydroponics

1a – Using soil in a pot

This is by far and way the easiest option. All you will need is to buy a plastic pot and some soil.

The key is to then make sure you water them regularly and ideally at some stage also provide some extra tomato plant food. (most garden centres and amazon sell them)

Alternatively a self watering pot (like the one on the right) does make an indoor tomato growing system a lot easier and will also help you get better results.

1b – Using Hydroponics

Many commercial growers use hydroponic systems for growing tomatoes indoors. For example many of the tomatoes you will buy in a shop will have been grown using hydroponics.

In a hydroponic system you don’t use soil but instead grow the tomatoes with the roots hanging in water. For example like the one on the right.

The reason why hydroponics is so appealing is because

• Hydroponically grown tomatoes will grow faster with better yields. Compared to those grown in soil.
• It is easier to control key items like nutrients & ph levels.
• And of course it’s easier to water them.

To grow them you willaking the key elements in turn:

Item 2 – light

Tomatoes like lots of sunshine & warmth.

Most houses (kitchen, etc) tend to be warm which will be great for your plants.

But (especially when growing them in Autumn or Winter) you will need to provide the right type of extra light.

The advantage of using a specialised grow light (like the one on the right) is you will be able to provide exactly the right type of light for your plants.

The advantage is that the best grow lights can be programmed so that they automatically switch on for optimum number of hours.

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Item 3 – support

The final element for growing tomatoes indoors is to provide support for your plants as they grow.

This can sometimes be a challenge indoors – outside (when growing in soil) you can often simply use a bamboo rod in the ground.

But indoors – especially when using hydroponics or aquaponics – that is not as easy.

In addition it helps to use a support system that you can grow, as the plants get bigger and need some support.

The only one we’ve found that seems to fit the bill, is the one on the right.

How to start growing tomatoes indoors

Tomatoes like Roma or San Marzano are very easy & satisfying to grow indoors at home.

2 Items you will need

If you want to start growing tomatoes indoors you will need

• Either soil & a plant pot or a hydroponic system – 2 example units are shown below.
• And a growing light, example below.

For more details of our indoor tomato growing system have a look at the items below: