I have determined that growing tomatoes indoors, in the off-season, is entirely do-able.

Over this past weekend, I discovered that one of my cherry tomatoes was actually beginning to change colors.   A second one followed suit shortly enough, and now I have a pair of cherries marching on towards perfect ripeness.

These plants will be taken down and moved in just two days.  I’m not confident at all that they will survive the moving process, but boy, has this experiment process been fun!

Here is a picture taken just now of the two plants in my bedroom.

Yes, my gardening friends, these plants really are all the way up to the ceiling.  They are nothing short of amazing!  The sheer volume of blossoms and fruit in various stages is mind-boggling.  These plants each take 1/2 gallon of water a day- and probably could stand to be watered more than that, but I don’t want to take a risk of water leaking all over the carpet.

In contrast, here is the third tomato plant.  This one is on the first floor, and is drastically smaller than the two that are upstairs.

Crazy to think that all three seeds came from the same packet, and were started at the same time.  The one by itself is a much smaller plant, and I have better hopes that it will take kindly to the moving process.  This one is a good 2 1/2 feet shorter than the other ones, with the very tip of the longest branch reaching just to the top of the patio door.  This one also takes half a gallon of water a day.

There are just two difference between these plants.  One is geography.  The two are upstairs, the one is downstairs.  Otherwise they are in the exact same windows, receiving the same amount of sunshine.  The biggest difference?  When I potted up the upper plants, I blessed them.  I spoke encouraging words to them and told them to bear abundant fruit and be blessed.   Is that really what makes the big difference?  That’s hard to say, but for my trial run in that regard, I would say that further experimentation of this kind would be well worth the effort.

For now I am very pleased with my efforts to grow tomatoes indoors.  I have already determined that for next year’s experiments, I would like Andy to build me a pair of self-watering containers for the indoor garden.  Imagine the possibilities that could come from having fresh, home grown tomatoes year round?  And that’s only the beginning! Why, I just saw today a fellow gardener shared photos of his tomato plants that look a lot like mine.  He also had a pepper garden indoors- hot peppers and chiles year round?  That sounds just as wonderful.

Hopefully when you next hear from me it will be from my new garden home.  Two days and counting.  I can’t wait.