A Thought for Fall Tomatoes

[AlittleSalt]

When growing tomatoes from seeds, some seem to grow lanky no matter what you do. I found this out in the first three months this year, and again while starting seeds back in early June.

My thought for getting Fall tomato plants started is to purposely grow them lanky (To a point). In the Summer, diseases, funguses, mold, etc. really gets after low hanging stem/leaf parts. I'm thinking a tall - thick stemmed tomato plant would have a better chance of surviving those conditions that seem so bad in the Summer.

What do you think?

[Dewayne mater]

In Spring, I don't grow lanky tomatoes from seed because I put the grow lights within 1 inch of the plants, grow in a cool garage and use only very diluted fertilizer to encourage slow growth. I do get more of fast growth in fall transplants because of the warmer temps and faster growth is inevitable. I think you are better off with larger transplants in summer for the reasons you state, but, I don't know that lanky is better, just taller/larger plants overall, in my opinion.

Dewayne Mater

[b54red]

It really doesn't matter too much how they look when you set them out because they will tend to grow more tall and lanky in the intense summer heat and will fill out better once the cooler nights of fall get here. I always keep everything pruned off on the bottom of the plant to avoid as much early disease as possible.

Bill

[AlittleSalt]

I finished pruning the lower parts this morning. I'm shading them from noon till dusk. I have 14 plants that will stay in their solo cups until August 1. Our tomato plant out is August 1-7. I just wanted to see if plants planted a month earlier would do better/worse/same? I am also spraying them down with Garden Safe every Sunday night.

[b54red]

Originally Posted by AlittleSalt

I finished pruning the lower parts this morning. I'm shading them from noon till dusk. I have 14 plants that will stay in their solo cups until August 1. Our tomato plant out is August 1-7. I just wanted to see if plants planted a month earlier would do better/worse/same? I am also spraying them down with Garden Safe every Sunday night.

I have had much better luck with plants set out no later than mid July. The ones set out in early August always risk an early frost or freeze like we had last year just as the first fruits were ripening on the ones set out the first week of August. Remember it takes fall tomatoes much longer to ripen due to the cooler nights than it does earlier in the season. My fall tomatoes for this year were actually set out on the 22nd of June and unless we have a really late winter they should be fine and still producing when the freezes hit. I like to set some out in mid July but didn't get around to grafting any this year for that late so I'll take my chances with the dozen or so set out in June. I usually have pretty good luck with plants set out just past mid July but have many more failures with plants set out in August. I have gotten tomatoes ripe off plants set out as late as the first week in September but only in years where the cold is delayed til around Christmas.

Bill