Tomatoes hit by frost:

[Sam]

Hello,

We passed our frost date and the lowest forecast temperature for 10 days was in the mid-50's, but we got hit with two night frosts (dropped to 36) right after transplanting 180 tomatoes. Even though they were row covered, it looked like we lost all of them. Their foliage was decimated, but the base of the stalks on most of them were still firm, so I left them to see what would happen. I also immediately restarted 150 tomatoes in the grow room, but that sets us back a bit over a month because the transplants were fairly large. Anyway, I've noticed yesterday (a week after the damage) that there is some new growth at the base of a lot of plants and quite a few of them are starting to send out suckers. Does anybody know what might happen if these plants are left to their own devices? I'm still going to transplant the new ones I started when they're ready, but I'm wondering if I should leave some of the old ones, too, so we might still get an early flush. They're indeterminate, if that makes any difference.

Thanks in advance!
- Sam

 

[Chuck]

Hello,

We passed our frost date and the lowest forecast temperature for 10 days was in the mid-50's, but we got hit with two night frosts (dropped to 36) right after transplanting 180 tomatoes. Even though they were row covered, it looked like we lost all of them. Their foliage was decimated, but the base of the stalks on most of them were still firm, so I left them to see what would happen. I also immediately restarted 150 tomatoes in the grow room, but that sets us back a bit over a month because the transplants were fairly large. Anyway, I've noticed yesterday (a week after the damage) that there is some new growth at the base of a lot of plants and quite a few of them are starting to send out suckers. Does anybody know what might happen if these plants are left to their own devices? I'm still going to transplant the new ones I started when they're ready, but I'm wondering if I should leave some of the old ones, too, so we might still get an early flush. They're indeterminate, if that makes any difference.

Thanks in advance!
- Sam

Being indeterminates does make a difference, a big one. They will come back, probably even stronger but you will loose time. Tomatoes only reliably set fruit between 68F- 74F NIGHTTIME LOW TEMPERATURES. I don't know where you are located or if this will severely curtail fruit set. If they were determinates you may as well have pulled them

 

[Beverly]

Hello @Sam and a warm welcome to the GF forums. When posting questions it really helps people who want to help to know what part of the country you are growing in, or you can just add your USDA climate zone. If you add this information to your personal profile page it will show up under your profile photo and people will immediately know what kind of climate you are growing in without having to tell them over and over again. Just a little tip, i see you joined just today

 

[Durgan]

Losing all the tomato plants to frost is a real calamity. Usually there is only one window of opportunity for growing-meaning there is seldom enough time for growing from scratch twice in one year. certainly not in my Zone 5.

My view is once tomato plants are severely frozen, they are toast. Get new plants if you can and replant.

 

[Beth_B]

Welcome @Sam. And ouch. Agree with Durgan et al...your tomatoes are probably toast, the suckers might evolve into mature plants eventually but it sounds like you're in a northern zone? So the chances of your babies bearing fruit are probably between slim and zero.

But I'd do the same as you...let a few of the damaged ones grow just to see how they do. Last year I had many volunteers from the previous year show up in mid-late June. I pulled almost every one but gave a few to a friend and they produced quite heavily in her garden. They were cherry toms (Sweet 100s) so didnt need a long growing season.

Definitely would help to know what zone you're in though.

http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/

 

[headfullofbees]

Durgan is right abouIf your tomatoes had had it, they would not be attempting a comeback.
36f is survivable if it's not for a long period, and at this time of year, that's likely to be the case.
They will take time to recover, but the advantage they have over re-starting is their developed root system.
The new suckers are their new stems, and it's possible, and indeed probable (if there are no further setbacks) that they'll do better than new transplants, which I'd hold in reserve as long as feasible.

 

[Sam]

Ooops, sorry. I'm zone in 6a. I'm not really sure how the frost hit us as hard as it did. It was patchy around the community. My neighbors didn't lose anything, but even some of my cabbage got hit. Also, it's just been a strange season around here, with late frosts and huge temperature swings since February. Thanks everyone for your helpful replies and the warm welcome!