How late into the fall do you let your tomatoes grow?

LK2016 · September 28, 2016

Hi, I'm asking this question because my tomatoes - especially the cherries - are still going. Some are flowering because they like it a bit cooler now than our August heat. I usually let everything go well into October, because the first frost is around October 15 here in NJ.

But I have a plot in a community garden, and just got the word that everything must be pulled up by October 1st! After a discussion with the powers that be, it is clear that the person in charge is ... shall we say ... very rigid.

I'm not sure yet whether we will actually "accomplish" this by Oct. 1st (the penalty is $30 or something). I hate to rip up plants I have been nourishing since May in this garden, which includes peppers and eggplant and beets that are going strong.

But I was curious about how long people harvest tomatoes in the Northeast ...

Thanks!

Cole_Robbie · September 28, 2016

As soon as the nights dip into the 40's, I notice a big decrease in flavor. Fruit tend to be mealy or mushy, and not as sweet.

kath · September 28, 2016

I agree with Cole about the changes brought about by cold temps, but I leave the best tomato plants in until frost- usually Oct. 10-20th here. That's a shame about the Oct. 1 deadline- I still have carrots, beets, lettuce, brassicas, spinach, pole beans, zucchini and peppers in the ground in addition to the tomatoes. What's the rush? It's not like they can't clean up, rototill, etc. until the ground freezes in Nov. or Dec.

AlittleSalt · September 28, 2016

I also agree with Cole. For here in this part of Texas, that's somewhere between Halloween and Thanksgiving (US).

We have two Big Beef plants producing green tomatoes now and I am hoping we get to eat at least one tomato from them.

JosephineRose · September 28, 2016

End of October - but our hottest months tend to be September and October.

ContainerTed · September 28, 2016

This year I just don't know. They are still going. But, I'll have to kill them pretty soon. I'm just plum tuckered out. Been a lotta work this year.

efisakov · September 28, 2016

It depends where you are. In Morris town they had 47 degree few days ago. But near river and ocean we have sometimes plants keeping well until November. I have cucumbers (pickling type) producing right now. Have being picking few avery day.

slugworth · September 28, 2016

I have tomatoes until the frost kills them.
I do clone plants and bring them indoors,ones that were disease resistant in the garden.

Father'sDaughter · September 29, 2016

I usually have some tomato plants still healthy into early October, but unless we're having an unusually warm fall I pick all the greenies and yank the plants around this time. We've already had a few nights in the 40s so they will probably all be pulled this weekend.

Peppers, however, are still packed with fruit and those will be left until there is a threat of frost.

Zucchini and eggplant are still producing as well.

The fall lettuce is about a week away from being ready to begin harvests.

I'm waiting for the beans I let go to seed to dry then I'll pick them and pull the vines.

The basil, if it's still alive by this weekend, will get picked and turned into pesto to be frozen, and the sage, thyme and oregano will soon be harvested and dried.

And if the cold kills the bugs soon, I'm hoping my kale recovers and produces for at least another month or two. It was eaten pretty badly when we got back from our vacation on Monday.

If you continue growing at the community garden, consider only planting things you know will be done by October 1st there, and plant all the cold hardy veggies in your home garden so you can control when they get pulled.

bower · September 29, 2016

Quality issues and frost tolerance aside, I've read that pretty much all vegetables require 10 hours daylength to grow. That is, even with frost tolerance or protection for temperature, you won't get any actual growth when the days are shorter than that.

For us the growing cutoff date is October 31st. And usually the day we see first flakes of snow as well, often a hard frost.

In Jersey City, New Jersey, you still have ten hours of daylight until November 12!
https://www.timeanddate.com/sun/usa/...-city?month=11
Should be close to that anywhere in NJ.

October 1st is pretty early to be pulling ALL your veggies with six weeks left in the growing season... Especially your fall greens, beets etc which don't mind the cold.

Tomatoes nominally need temperatures above 55 F to ripen normally, but I really don't see much ripening down in the 50's. And nights by then are in the 40's which is not good either.
My outdoor tomatoes and peppers this year just hung there full grown and not ripening many at all, that is with high temperatures in the 60's and 70's. I cut fruiting branches off the peppers a couple of days ago and hung the whole thing indoors. 50 - 80 % of them are turning color after 2-3 days.

You could pull your tomato plants or just cut them off at a suitable fruitbearing point and bring them home and put them in a bucket of water in a warm or sheltered place - they can finish ripening on the vine if the stems are not rotten and the sun shines.

I've kept a few tomato plants in the greenhouse this year, that had good stems and small fruit, and just letting them continue to set to see what they put out. But past experience tells me they likely will not be as sweet, there just aren't enough hours of sunshine.

peppero · September 29, 2016

I'll let them stay on the vine till the night of the killer.

Jon

brownrexx · September 29, 2016

I also keep picking enough for fresh eating until frost which is around October 15. The taste does change to what we call "Fall Tomatoes" but they still taste better than store tomatoes.

NarnianGarden · September 29, 2016

I should pull mine soon and have already done so with a few plants. But several seem to thrive, so i allow them to stay until frost.. under a cover. I know they can't all make it, but I am picking many greenies that look like they've finished growing in size, and eat them as they have ripened indoors... Not too bad at all.

NarnianGarden · September 29, 2016

Just adding that it was a surprise to see some new growth and green nobs on my Pearly Pink Orange: as it's an early variety, it was supposed to kick the bucket already and allow me to throw it away ..

But no, it just keeps on producing, so I might have to take the pot indoors and allow it to ripen on the windowsill ..
No, it's not going to get much sunlight when October comes, but at least the remaining fruits will mature..

ContainerTed · September 29, 2016

Just adding a look at what's still putting out the tasty tidbits.

September 28, 2016	#1
LK2016 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Northeast USA Posts: 68	How late into the fall do you let your tomatoes grow? Hi, I'm asking this question because my tomatoes - especially the cherries - are still going. Some are flowering because they like it a bit cooler now than our August heat. I usually let everything go well into October, because the first frost is around October 15 here in NJ. But I have a plot in a community garden, and just got the word that everything must be pulled up by October 1st! After a discussion with the powers that be, it is clear that the person in charge is ... shall we say ... very rigid. I'm not sure yet whether we will actually "accomplish" this by Oct. 1st (the penalty is $30 or something). I hate to rip up plants I have been nourishing since May in this garden, which includes peppers and eggplant and beets that are going strong. But I was curious about how long people harvest tomatoes in the Northeast ... Thanks!

September 28, 2016	#6
ContainerTed Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: 6a - NE Tennessee Posts: 4,538	This year I just don't know. They are still going. But, I'll have to kill them pretty soon. I'm just plum tuckered out. Been a lotta work this year. __________________ Ted ________________________ Owner & Sole Operator Of The Muddy Bucket Farm and Tomato Ranch

September 28, 2016	#7
efisakov Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: NJ, zone 7 Posts: 3,162	It depends where you are. In Morris town they had 47 degree few days ago. But near river and ocean we have sometimes plants keeping well until November. I have cucumbers (pickling type) producing right now. Have being picking few avery day. __________________ Ella God comes along and says, "I think I'm going to create THE tomato!”

September 28, 2016	#2
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	As soon as the nights dip into the 40's, I notice a big decrease in flavor. Fruit tend to be mealy or mushy, and not as sweet.

September 28, 2016	#3
kath Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: zone 6b, PA Posts: 5,664	I agree with Cole about the changes brought about by cold temps, but I leave the best tomato plants in until frost- usually Oct. 10-20th here. That's a shame about the Oct. 1 deadline- I still have carrots, beets, lettuce, brassicas, spinach, pole beans, zucchini and peppers in the ground in addition to the tomatoes. What's the rush? It's not like they can't clean up, rototill, etc. until the ground freezes in Nov. or Dec.

September 28, 2016	#4
AlittleSalt BANNED FOR LIFE Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 13,333	I also agree with Cole. For here in this part of Texas, that's somewhere between Halloween and Thanksgiving (US). We have two Big Beef plants producing green tomatoes now and I am hoping we get to eat at least one tomato from them.

September 28, 2016	#5
JosephineRose Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: California Posts: 383	End of October - but our hottest months tend to be September and October.

September 28, 2016	#8
slugworth Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: connecticut,usa Posts: 1,152	I have tomatoes until the frost kills them. I do clone plants and bring them indoors,ones that were disease resistant in the garden.

September 29, 2016	#9
Father'sDaughter Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: MA/NH Border Posts: 4,919	I usually have some tomato plants still healthy into early October, but unless we're having an unusually warm fall I pick all the greenies and yank the plants around this time. We've already had a few nights in the 40s so they will probably all be pulled this weekend. Peppers, however, are still packed with fruit and those will be left until there is a threat of frost. Zucchini and eggplant are still producing as well. The fall lettuce is about a week away from being ready to begin harvests. I'm waiting for the beans I let go to seed to dry then I'll pick them and pull the vines. The basil, if it's still alive by this weekend, will get picked and turned into pesto to be frozen, and the sage, thyme and oregano will soon be harvested and dried. And if the cold kills the bugs soon, I'm hoping my kale recovers and produces for at least another month or two. It was eaten pretty badly when we got back from our vacation on Monday. If you continue growing at the community garden, consider only planting things you know will be done by October 1st there, and plant all the cold hardy veggies in your home garden so you can control when they get pulled.

September 29, 2016	#10
bower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 6,794	Quality issues and frost tolerance aside, I've read that pretty much all vegetables require 10 hours daylength to grow. That is, even with frost tolerance or protection for temperature, you won't get any actual growth when the days are shorter than that. For us the growing cutoff date is October 31st. And usually the day we see first flakes of snow as well, often a hard frost. In Jersey City, New Jersey, you still have ten hours of daylight until November 12! https://www.timeanddate.com/sun/usa/...-city?month=11 Should be close to that anywhere in NJ. October 1st is pretty early to be pulling ALL your veggies with six weeks left in the growing season... Especially your fall greens, beets etc which don't mind the cold. Tomatoes nominally need temperatures above 55 F to ripen normally, but I really don't see much ripening down in the 50's. And nights by then are in the 40's which is not good either. My outdoor tomatoes and peppers this year just hung there full grown and not ripening many at all, that is with high temperatures in the 60's and 70's. I cut fruiting branches off the peppers a couple of days ago and hung the whole thing indoors. 50 - 80 % of them are turning color after 2-3 days. You could pull your tomato plants or just cut them off at a suitable fruitbearing point and bring them home and put them in a bucket of water in a warm or sheltered place - they can finish ripening on the vine if the stems are not rotten and the sun shines. I've kept a few tomato plants in the greenhouse this year, that had good stems and small fruit, and just letting them continue to set to see what they put out. But past experience tells me they likely will not be as sweet, there just aren't enough hours of sunshine.

September 29, 2016	#11
peppero Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: selmer, tn Posts: 2,944	I'll let them stay on the vine till the night of the killer. Jon

September 29, 2016	#12
brownrexx Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Southeastern PA Posts: 1,420	I also keep picking enough for fresh eating until frost which is around October 15. The taste does change to what we call "Fall Tomatoes" but they still taste better than store tomatoes.

September 29, 2016	#13
NarnianGarden Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Finland, EU Posts: 2,550	I should pull mine soon and have already done so with a few plants. But several seem to thrive, so i allow them to stay until frost.. under a cover. I know they can't all make it, but I am picking many greenies that look like they've finished growing in size, and eat them as they have ripened indoors... Not too bad at all.