Fertilizer NPK ratios are widely debated. From my research on the topic, I've found that the most "factual" research, meaning ones with scientific facts, say that most all plants, from trees, shrubs, flowers, houseplants, vegetables, and more, use nutrients in roughly the same ratios; 3-1-2. Sure, there may be a slight variable, but not much. Using a fertilizer with a 3-1-2 ratio will provide for everything you have. This would include Miracle Grow types with the numbers 12-4-8 and 24-8-16, which are very popular. Using a fertilizer with 10-10-10 provides too much phosphorous and potash, which will go to waste, or accumulate in the soil. Beware also that most fertilizers don't contain ALL of the trace elements like calcium and magnesium, which are essential for plants. Compost will cover that, especially leaves. Joe

Wow so many wonderful suggestions!! I love you guys!! Coconut Head -- many thanks for the offer of sending seeds (!!) but I think it might be expensive since it would be an international rate and they might be confiscated by customs. I do have some little volunteer tomato plants from the compost pile that I've put into paper cups but currently don't have any garden space to transplant them to. I'm limited not only by space but by water -- all the water for the plants has to come from the free water that drops out of air conditioning units from the 3 apartments that can afford an air-conditioner in our apartment building (sadly, not mine) and the 4 apartments next door that I am guerrilla water-harvesting from. Edie -- I'm going to try the newspaper idea! Actually, will use some cut up paper towel and toilet paper cardboard rolls as we have those leftovers pretty regularly! Djole -- I am using that exact method for compost. I've got 3 little hidden "pits" in the yard, each about 6 inches deep and 8-10 inches wide. Capoman -- could you use dried beans from the grocery to do this? I wanted to plant some (green) beans but I could only find seeds here for some (not many) herbs and the basics of lettuce, toms, squash, peppers and cucumbers. It might be worthwhile to rip out the cucumbers since each vine has so far produced only 1-2 (or none) tiny cukes and all the leaves are turning yellow and dying and replace with beans for the soil in hopes of a better spring...

I assume you understand that given the unusual and artificial indoor growing methods you are using that the flavor and productivity of any variety will be affected and in most cases reduced? Just as one cannot expect field-grown flavor from greenhouse grown tomatoes, one cannot expect nearly the same levels of production from container grown plants. And your methods of leaf reduction, spectrum alteration, and containerized soil moisture control would have even more effects. As someone who does all three - GH, container, and field growing - I learned years ago that you have to learn to keep the expectations in line with the methodology regardless of the variety used. Dave

Hot and dry here as well (Southern California), Cherokee Purple does horribly for me. Horrible to the point where if I get one small ripe tomato out of 5 plants I'm lucky. I've tried quite a few heirlooms and only keep the ones that taste good and produce well. I was curious this morning, went out and counted tomatoes. My best Black Krim (since the OP mentioned it) has 48 tomatoes on it right now, minus 3 we've already eaten. My best Black from Tula, I stopped counting at 50. Most others are averaging between 30-50+ tomatoes, except my Kellogg's Breakfast, which have about 15-20 each (I consider that pretty good for that variety). They've mostly been in ground since February, just so it can be put into perspective - didn't start them last month and they're already sitting at those numbers ;) So, anyway, heirlooms definitely can produce more than 5-6 tomatoes. I do "toothbrush" them, and it does help with production, here. Don't fall for the "heirlooms don't produce" hype. You just have to find the ones that produce in your conditions.