Growing Tomatoes In A Greenhouse

By: Bill Rowe
Tuesday, 7:43 pm

I think most of us would agree that there is nothing better than a tomato picked ripe, straight from the vine. A vine ripened, juicy red tomato in the middle of winter may sound a little like a dream but with a greenhouse and a little research you can enjoy fresh tomatoes year round.

Whether it is for the pure enjoyment of growing your own tomatoes or out of concern for the types of toxins most store bought produce has been exposed to, a greenhouse offers you the chance to nurture and harvest your own home-grown tomatoes. Tomatoes can be a little quirky and finicky to grow so a little research will help you avoid the most common pitfalls of growing tomatoes in a greenhouse.

Get the Right Seeds when Growing Tomatoes in a Greenhouse

It is important to get off to the right start with your greenhouse tomatoes. You don’t want to use just any seed such as the ones you saved from last year’s outdoor garden. There are certain strains of tomato seeds that have been especially developed for use in greenhouses; look in any seed catalog or online for these special seeds to help you avoid some of the common problems encountered with greenhouse tomatoes.

Is your Environment Right for Growing Tomatoes in a Greenhouse?

Start your tomato seeds under heat mats or in constant warm conditions. Let them grow for a couple of weeks and then transplant them into large containers (at least 10 gal size) to ensure plenty of room to grow. Note: Before you re-use a container, rinse and sanitize with bleach to stop the threat of any disease that may be present in the container from previous use. Also, always use fresh soil to prevent disease from passing from previous plantings.  Be sure to add bone meal to the new container soil following package directions. Bone meal is a good source of calcium which protects the tomato plants from Blossom End-Rot, a deficiency caused by a lack of calcium that causes the tomatoes to turn black at the blossom end.

Before you place the tomato plant in the greenhouse, be sure the greenhouse environment is disease and pest free. If you notice problems, treat them before placing your tomatoes in the greenhouse. To further protect the tomato plants, plants herbs like lavender and basil at the same time to deter pests such as white fly and other bugs. Place the tomatoes in a space where they will receive plenty of sunshine and also will be bear the heat source during the cold months.

Lighting is Important too!

Artificial lighting will likely be necessary to keep the tomatoes growing during the winter. Without adequate hours of light each day, tomatoes will not grow. Sodium lights are the best type to use since they encourage blooms and setting. For optimal results, use supplemental lighting 16-18 hours a day; be sure to use the correct watt light for the electric set up.

Keep the greenhouse temperature between 60°F and 90°F otherwise the plants will refuse to produce fruit.

Now your tomatoes are planted, all you need to do is water them and provide them a little TLC. Before long you will be enjoying tomatoes you grew in your greenhouse.

Tagged as: growing tomatoes, growing tomatoesin a greenhouse