should I get my tomato plant inside and if so what kind of light should I use for it because the shade of light won’t be enough

Question

for the plant. I planted the tomato plant in August 24 and fall is here, it’s cold in the morning but gets a bit hot in the evening, I live in Virginia and right now the weather temperature in morning are 67 degrees and 70 degrees and up in the evening, should I get the plant inside or no. If so what kind of light bulb should I use for the plant since shade is not enouph. Thank you.

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Answer 1

Tomatoes will flourish as long as you have at least 100 watts of horticultural lighting per plant. 200 watts is ideal, and using a Ceramic Metal Halide (CMH 315) bulb and fixture will be the best option. The CMH fixture is a perfect medium among cost to run, heat production, and cost of fixture and bulb. It is also the most efficient without being expensive. It runs at 315 watts, while performing something similar to 400 watts. It will light a 4x4 area, so anything that you can fit under that will grow as if it were in full sun.

The pinnacle of lighting will be a High End LED fixture. You will not find a good one for under $1000, though, so it isn't lucrative for small experiments such as this.

Otherwise, care for tomatoes indoors is straightforward. This article will help: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/tomato/growing-indoor-tomatoes.htm