I had high hopes, salsas, fresh tomatoes, spaghetti sauce, salads, and fresh slices on every sandwich. But, things did not turn out the way I had hoped with the dwarf roma tomatoes. I have had these growing in this grow bed for almost 6 months with little production what so ever and I have tried all that I can to get the tomatoes to produce here. I think it is time for a change.
At first they were flowering and some fruit was setting, not much but some. I was pollinating the flowers by hand and not having much luck. Three tomatoes appeared and I was excited, was this finally the beginning of a steady harvest of tomatoes grown right here in year round in the basement? More flowers continued to grow and the plants were growing like weeds but no more fruit would set. I though it might be nutrients or pH at first but all were within range as far as I could tell. The peppers in the neighboring grow bed were growing perfectly, flowering, and producing more and more peppers with each round of growth. Maybe it was calcium? I added some of my home made calcium supplement and nothing. Maybe phosphorous? I added some organic phosphorous supplement and also some iron for good measure, nothing. I cut the plants way back and let them regrow from about 6 inches tall back up to 24 inches tall. More flowers but no fruit, the flowers even stopped opening all the way up.
At this point I think that it is time to throw out my indoor tomato hopes and dreams and settle for something less involved. I have a feeling that the temps in the basement are not high enough to induce good fruit setting in the plants but that is the only theory I have come up with. the tomatoes also grow so quickly in the aquaponics that they quickly get out of control and I am having to cut them back every couple of weeks.
After several attempts with tomatoes in this small indoor system I think that this will be my last. I am on to greener and less tomatoey pastures. So what is next? What should I grow? The kale and bell peppers are a huge success so what should be next? Any ideas are welcome and I will take the most popular suggestion and get it planted!
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