An early near frost damaged my tomato plants

Elliot · May 12, 2010

I used the rule of thumb and put out my tomato plants Mothers Day. In my geographic area this is the time of Spring that it is safe to put out plants.

The last few days we had night temperatures in the upper thirties and fourties and some of my tomato plants have dead branches.

Should I discard these plants and buy new ones or should I try to salvage what I have in the ground by cutting off the dead branches and seeing what happens. They are all very small seedlings at this point in time maybe 6 inches tall.

Elliot

Long Island, NY

coloken · May 12, 2010

I would suggest that you just leave them alone for a while. I have never know cold, that was not a frost to kill a tomato. I might think that your problem comes from not hardening them off enough before putting them out.
As for dead leaves, cut them off or leave tham alone, makes no difference.
As far as planting on mother's day..countless people here in Colorado did that. I guess they do not have radio or TV and never listen to weather reports. Yes! Colorado had from 2 to 12 inches of snow last night.

Elliot · May 12, 2010

Quote:

Yes! Colorado had from 2 to 12 inches of snow last night.

Oh my God! Did they lose all of their plants?

Frog · May 12, 2010

We've had snow in parts of the UK today, crazy weather.

lj in ny · May 12, 2010

I wait to plant out tomatoes, eggplants and peppers until night time temps are consistently in the mid 50's. I learned the hard way in years past, putting them in early seems to freak them out and it takes them longer to catch up.

kath · May 12, 2010

Hey, Elliot, sorry to hear about your tomato plants- I sympathize as about 1/2 of mine are in various stages of frost burn after Monday night's unseasonable cold. It only registered 36.2 on our min/max thermometer, but it apparently was cold enough to do the damage to covered plants. Did some googling about it today and saw suggestions to leave plants as is if they have any green left and to wait up to a couple weeks, as apparently they can still generate new growth from the sucker points if the root system and stem are ok. Some warned against removing damaged foliage, while others suggested leaving it so as not to open up wounds to disease. Best of luck to you.

camochef · May 12, 2010

Elliot,
Sorry to hear of your misfortune! We've been unusually cold here this past week (on the Maryland border), and two mornings ago it was below freezing when we awoke and it looked like it had snowed the frost was so heavy!
Fortunately I had all my plants inside. Any other year I would have lost hundreds but I'm beginning to listen to my gut feelings as I get older. I would leave the plants alone for now, cover again if more cold weather rolls in. It's amazing what plants can survive. I've had plants break off at the soil line and still grow back and produce tomatoes.
Good Luck!
Camo

Elliot · May 13, 2010

I took a look at the tomato plants. Some of them have dead branches. They are all small,. I have two choices. I could re-order new plants or I could plant them deeper in the soil. ?

amideutch · May 13, 2010

Right now in Germany is the EisHeilige or the Cold Sophie. This is regarded as the last day of frost period and the onset of milder spring weather. I will be planting out after the 15th of this month. Ami

http://translate.google.com/translat...Den%26prmd%3Dv

Elliot · May 13, 2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by amideutch

Right now in Germany is the EisHeilige or the Cold Sophie. This is regarded as the last day of frost period and the onset of milder spring weather. I will be planting out after the 15th of this month. Ami

http://translate.google.com/translat...Den%26prmd%3Dv

What part of Germany do you live in? Are there different planting zones there? I have visited Germany twice.

Elliot

amideutch · May 13, 2010

Elliot, check out the link below. I live in Rheinland Pfalz by Kaiserslatern. My zone is equivalent to your zone 7. Ami
http://www.gardenweb.com/zones/europe/

rsg2001 · May 16, 2010

Elliot, sorry about your plants. I was very tempted to plant out when the temps were rising but, I guess fortunately for me, just didn't have the time the last couple of weeks to get planting. I would say let the plants try to recover. If you want to look for some interesting heirloom plants, I'd recommend you try Dee's garden center in Oceanside.They usually have a good selection beyond the ones that the big box store garden centers carry.

Elliot · May 16, 2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by rsg2001

Elliot, sorry about your plants. I was very tempted to plant out when the temps were rising but, I guess fortunately for me, just didn't have the time the last couple of weeks to get planting. I would say let the plants try to recover. If you want to look for some interesting heirloom plants, I'd recommend you try Dee's garden center in Oceanside.They usually have a good selection beyond the ones that the big box store garden centers carry.

Where in Oceanside. I live in Hicksville. I actually have been going to Hicks to buy a lot of my plants. They have amazing plants for sale but they are pricey

rsg2001 · May 21, 2010

http://www.deesnursery.com/

Elliot, see link for Dee's nursery above. Good luck!!!

Elliot · May 21, 2010

Dees nursery is in my area. Thanks

May 12, 2010	#1
Elliot Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Hicksville, New York Posts: 503	An early near frost damaged my tomato plants I used the rule of thumb and put out my tomato plants Mothers Day. In my geographic area this is the time of Spring that it is safe to put out plants. The last few days we had night temperatures in the upper thirties and fourties and some of my tomato plants have dead branches. Should I discard these plants and buy new ones or should I try to salvage what I have in the ground by cutting off the dead branches and seeing what happens. They are all very small seedlings at this point in time maybe 6 inches tall. Elliot Long Island, NY

May 13, 2010	#9
amideutch Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Germany 49°26"N 07°36"E Posts: 5,041	Right now in Germany is the EisHeilige or the Cold Sophie. This is regarded as the last day of frost period and the onset of milder spring weather. I will be planting out after the 15th of this month. Ami http://translate.google.com/translat...Den%26prmd%3Dv __________________ Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting ‘...Holy Crap .....What a ride!'

May 13, 2010	#11
amideutch Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Germany 49°26"N 07°36"E Posts: 5,041	Elliot, check out the link below. I live in Rheinland Pfalz by Kaiserslatern. My zone is equivalent to your zone 7. Ami http://www.gardenweb.com/zones/europe/ __________________ Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting ‘...Holy Crap .....What a ride!'

May 12, 2010	#2
coloken Tomatovillian™ Honoree Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: NE Co Posts: 303	I would suggest that you just leave them alone for a while. I have never know cold, that was not a frost to kill a tomato. I might think that your problem comes from not hardening them off enough before putting them out. As for dead leaves, cut them off or leave tham alone, makes no difference. As far as planting on mother's day..countless people here in Colorado did that. I guess they do not have radio or TV and never listen to weather reports. Yes! Colorado had from 2 to 12 inches of snow last night.

May 12, 2010	#4
Frog Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2009 Location: Kent, UK Posts: 141	We've had snow in parts of the UK today, crazy weather.

May 12, 2010	#5
lj in ny Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: NY Posts: 58	I wait to plant out tomatoes, eggplants and peppers until night time temps are consistently in the mid 50's. I learned the hard way in years past, putting them in early seems to freak them out and it takes them longer to catch up.

May 12, 2010	#6
kath Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: zone 6b, PA Posts: 5,664	Hey, Elliot, sorry to hear about your tomato plants- I sympathize as about 1/2 of mine are in various stages of frost burn after Monday night's unseasonable cold. It only registered 36.2 on our min/max thermometer, but it apparently was cold enough to do the damage to covered plants. Did some googling about it today and saw suggestions to leave plants as is if they have any green left and to wait up to a couple weeks, as apparently they can still generate new growth from the sucker points if the root system and stem are ok. Some warned against removing damaged foliage, while others suggested leaving it so as not to open up wounds to disease. Best of luck to you.

May 12, 2010	#7
camochef Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Gettysburg, Pennsylvania Posts: 707	Elliot, Sorry to hear of your misfortune! We've been unusually cold here this past week (on the Maryland border), and two mornings ago it was below freezing when we awoke and it looked like it had snowed the frost was so heavy! Fortunately I had all my plants inside. Any other year I would have lost hundreds but I'm beginning to listen to my gut feelings as I get older. I would leave the plants alone for now, cover again if more cold weather rolls in. It's amazing what plants can survive. I've had plants break off at the soil line and still grow back and produce tomatoes. Good Luck! Camo

May 16, 2010	#12
rsg2001 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: New York Zone 6 Posts: 479	Elliot, sorry about your plants. I was very tempted to plant out when the temps were rising but, I guess fortunately for me, just didn't have the time the last couple of weeks to get planting. I would say let the plants try to recover. If you want to look for some interesting heirloom plants, I'd recommend you try Dee's garden center in Oceanside.They usually have a good selection beyond the ones that the big box store garden centers carry.

May 21, 2010	#14
rsg2001 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: New York Zone 6 Posts: 479	http://www.deesnursery.com/ Elliot, see link for Dee's nursery above. Good luck!!!