Tomato Bushes for the Indoors

Bush vs. Vine

• There are two variations that determine what tomato plants look like as they grow. Determinate tomato varieties resemble and grow as bushes with a maximum height of 4 feet; fruits appear within a two- week time frame. Indeterminate tomatoes grow on vines and continue to produce fruit randomly until the plant dies, with new tomatoes appearing on the new ends of the vine as the season progresses. Indeterminate planting can reach lengths between 6 and 10 feet. Semi-determinate plants combine the best of both variations, with the sturdy bush producing fruit continuously throughout the plant’s life.

Small Tomatoes

• Because they do not need pruning, determinate and semi-determinate varieties of tomatoes are the best choice for an indoor garden. Cherry- and grape-size fruits grow well in containers; select varieties based on color and sweetness.

  Golden Nugget plants produce yellow cherry tomatoes with few seeds; Small Fry plants produce a hybrid 1-inch red cherry tomato that grows in clusters of seven or eight fruits; Cream Sausage tomatoes are 3 inches long, shaped like a small sausage are a whitish-yellow color; Alaska Heirlooms are bright red cherry tomatoes.

Large Tomatoes

• When selecting larger varieties of tomatoes, keep in mind that additional care is needed to support the fruit on the bush. Stakes and wire tomato cages are necessary, but even with additional support, indoor plants may not reach the full size as stated on seed packets. Because of their larger skin surface, bigger tomatoes do not ripen as early as cherry tomatoes. Among the larger determinate and semi-determinate tomatoes are the red Burbank Slicing tomato, which grows to medium size and is rich in amino acids; the Amber Color Russian heirloom, which produces sweet yellow 2-inch fruits; and the organic Beaverlodge Slicer, which grows to 2 inches.

Container Gardening

• Tomatoes can be started from seeds or plantings in smaller containers before transplanting them into plastic pots at least 12 inches in diameter. Place drainage holes in the bottom to prevent root rot; the potting soil can be mixed with composting materials or growth formulas as desired. Place stakes when preparing a container for large-producing plants so plant roots are not damaged by stakes inserted later. Place the plants in an area with full sun, and water as needed, checking daily on the soil’s moisture.

  Hanging tomato baskets like the Topsy Turvy (topsyturvy.com) device remove the need for stakes and wires and work well with indeterminate varieties as the plant grows upside down.