Clipper's Tomatoes

Mother nature has not been on my side among other things this summer. I have three tomato plants left that are not dead. They are the Canning/Catsup tomatoes from the seed team.

• I transplanted them into a 20 gallon reptile tank with about 3 inches of solution inside. The tank is about 3 feet long.
• I cut a piece of white, two inch Styrofoam to fit loosely inside and it floats on the water. I cut three 2 inch square holes in the center of the foam.
• I then cut three pieces of panty hose leg about 4 inches long (don't tell my wife) and tied a knot in one end. I then stuck the panty hose pieces through the holes in the foam and held the top of it to the foam with toothpicks.
• I took each plant and gently cleaned all dirt from the roots and put one plant in it's panty hose holder. The plants are propped up in the holes with smaller pieces of foam.
• I have a fish tank pump, pumping air from two lines under the foam to aerate the water.
• I am using plant food called Schultz. A liquid food. It is 10-15-10. The water from our water tank is very basic on the scale. I wanted it neutral. I boiled some pine cones in a pan of water for about 1/2 hour and let it set until it was cool. I poured off the liquid (very acidic) into a cup and poured it into the solution. The water is a little cloudy now, but that's okay. It is neutral now.

I planted them on the 25th of August. The plants have grown about two inches so far since being put into the house. The new leaves that are coming out look great. Healthy and very green. The tank came with a full spectrum reptile light and that is what I am using. (The tank came from the Salvation Army and I paid $10 for the whole thing). If I learned anything this summer, it is how to dwarf plants for extended periods of time. These plants are only 4 to 6 inches tall and still alive. They were planted as seeds about Easter time. If these guys make it, they should be put into the Guinness book of records for the longest life span against all odds for tomatoes.

Clipper

Tomatoes need support. I don't see how you get that with what you describe. I'm just starting the indoor stuff again today, and I'm going almost exclusively with vermiculite, perlite and a little top soil in rubbermaid containers (10&18gallon) with a spigot near the bottom so they don't get waterlogged. I've found this to be much simpler than the "true hydroponics" described in all the literature. It also requires considerably less energy from an electric perspective and personal perspective. I've got to tell you. I haven't read anywhere where anyone has been successful doing tomatoes the way you're doing them.

John