Alaska Tomato

30 days

This is a determinate tomato at 63 days for maturity, it grows into a bushy plant with cherry size tomatoes. It's good for indoor growing, so that is where I am growing it. I put it into a self-watering 3 gallon pot from Ikea, which I love.

37 days

It took 7 days to germinate. At day 17 I transplanted it to a compostable 3" pot. At day 30 I planted it in the 3 gallon pot. At day 37 we left on vacation for two weeks. It was about 12" tall, and very healthy.

What we came back to on day 55 was a monster of a plant. It was very bushy, and full of flowers, only problem was that its weight had snapped the main stem 2/3 of the way through at the base of the plant. While we were gone it had grown so much and there wasn't anybody to take care of it, to tie it to a stake or anything for support when it needed it. I could have tried to see if 1/3 of the stem would be enough to sustain it through fruiting, but it was likely to get more damaged and die.

55 days

I will be growing this again from seed very soon to see how it grows at various times of the year.

For now, I am rooting several branches in water along 10" of their stems to replant and see how well rooted branches will produce, being a determinate, it is likely not to be nearly as much as a full plant. I also cleaned off the main branch that was severed and replanted 16" of it in hopes that it will root and somewhat recover as well.

Time to restart this experiment!

65 days: The branches in water have developed roots yesterday, well, two of them. The potted main stem seems to be coming back to life. Most of the flowers have died, but the pneumatics of the plant are becoming stronger, and the stems rigid again. There are several tomatoes growing, probably pollinated before the stem broke.

66 days: I planted some more seeds in the same pot, just in case the lifespan of the current one is cut short.

74 days: The main plant has recovered, and is making new blossoms. I took the cuttings that were rooting in water, and planted 4 of them in a new container.

Recovered plant

Rooted cuttings in new container

107 days: We have now harvested several  tomatoes from the main plant, it is now close to 6' tall. The flavor is your standard cherry tomato, nothing exciting. Given the size of the plant, being a "determinate", and the flavor, this isn't a good choice for indoors. I probably won't grow it again.

Recovered plant

Rooted cuttings with flowers