In article , Pat Meadows
wrote:

On Fri, 08 Aug 2003 04:35:02 -0800, (Jan
Flora) wrote:

They'll just get real leggy if they have to reach for light. My
cousin grows 'maters in her south facing window all winter long
up here in Alaska. (And peppers.) We get down to about 7 hours
of real daylight at winter solstice (Dec. 21) at this latitude, so
tomatoes must not be too picky about day-length. I know Bernie
doesn't use any grow lights, but her south facing window is big
and doesn't have any obstructions (trees/shrubs) shading it.

She grows indeterminates, that threaten to take her living room
over by spring. (Winter lasts from Halloween to May Day here.)


Thanks, Jan. That's good to know. We have a huge bay
window facing southeast, and our days aren't as short as
yours so my winter tomatoes should be OK.

I'm starting indeterminate seeds - mini-plants - Yellow
Canary. I'll also start a few more Red Robins for winter,
they are determinate, but have been very productive for me.

In the big bay window, I'll have:

Spicy Globe Bush Basil
Yellow Canary Tomatoes (miniature plants)
Red Robin Tomatoes (miniature plants)
A miniature pepper - I forget the variety name at the moment
Tom Thumb Lettuce
My big rosemary plant (can't survive winter outdoors)
Cilantro - I grow cilantro indoors a lot

Anyway, that's the theory. The window ledge is 8' x 2', so
I think all those plants will fit there. I have plant
shelves with fluorescent lights too, in case some don't fit.

Pat

I'll be starting my indoor winter tomatoes tonight, along with
stuff that'll go out in the greenhouse when the 'maters are done
out there.

For the kitchen window, I'm starting:
Siberia tomato - 2-1/2' tall plant
Gold Nugget tomato - compact determinate
Oregon Spring - compact determinate
Northern Lights - same, same
Grandpa's something or other Pepper - a cute plant w/semi-hot peppers

I'm going to cut a couple of slips off the Tumbler tomato that's
been on the windowsill, cranking out 'maters since May, and see
if I can keep that going.

Several sweet basil plants have been doing great on the
windowsill all summer. They'll usually last all winter, if I
keep the blooms picked off.

For the greenhouse, I'm starting more lettuce, sweet peas, snow peas,
broccali, radishes, and whatever else looks good. It's an unheated
greenhouse, so far. (That could change.)

Jan