Cleanshirtru wrote:
Hi,

This summer I embarked on growing tomatoes inside from seed - I live
in Scotland where harsh weather conditions prevented these from ever
going outside. By the end of the summer I had no fruit but plenty of
tall green plants that grew up against a south facing window.

It seemed a bit of a waste to give up on the plants so I have
continued to grow these with plenty of water and a bit of plant food.
They have gotten taller, about 4ft high - but no fruit!

Can someone tell me if there is any point to continue to grow these
plants through the winter? Are they supposed to die off instead? Also,
whilst their height is impressive, why have I not got any fruit?

It would be a shame just to get rid of these, I have 11 plants
altogether. But if I am continuing to water and feed in earnest, I'd
rather know now.

In good conditions tomatoes will begin to flower and fruit when the plant is
quite small, I have some that were planted only a few weeks ago that have
small green fruit at about 30cm high.

Did yours flower? Are they flowering now? I am guessing they did not and
the reason is either lack of sun or it is too cold even in the house.

Are your plants bushy and lush with many growing points and dense leaves or
are they thin and spindly? Tall thin plants are a sign of too little light.

Any plant that is grown to produce fruit needs hours of direct sun per day
and preferably full sun to bear well.

If they have no flowers or fruit now you will not get any this year. There
is no point growing them through winter as the light will be even less. My
garden now gets about 14 hours a day of sun at a high angle (less atmosphere
to go though), by mid winter Glasgow will get about 7 hours and much of that
will be at a low angle and very weak.

Unless you are prepared to pay for heavy duty sun lamps and to keep the
room warm (but not too dry) I think you are not getting any tomatoes in
future years either.

David