end of tomato season?

[darkstar8907]

I am a newbie gardener that lives in central Florida. I am told that tomato season is over. What do I do with the current tomato plants I have planted? do I trash them, or leave them in my garden and keep watering them waiting for the next tomato season? thanks!

 

[Chuck]

I am a newbie gardener that lives in central Florida. I am told that tomato season is over. What do I do with the current tomato plants I have planted? do I trash them, or leave them in my garden and keep watering them waiting for the next tomato season? thanks!

Tomato season actually ends when the plants are no longer able to set fruit. Tomatoes, with the exception of cherry varieties will not set fruit when the nighttime low temperature is above 76F. Tomato breeders have been trying forever to breed a tomato that will set in the heat. In your case if the plants are cherry varieties they will still produce or if they aren't cherrys you can try to keep them alive until fall and have a fall crop.

 

[darkstar8907]

Thank you so much for the info. I clearly have a lot to learn. I have also heard about growing cuttings indoors until the next season to get a headstart instead of starting from seeds. is this accurate?

 

[Chuck]

Thank you so much for the info. I clearly have a lot to learn. I have also heard about growing cuttings indoors until the next season to get a headstart instead of starting from seeds. is this accurate?

You do that now. Take the suckers off and root them now. They will probably be large enough to produce by fall. But you don't do anything now for next years spring garden. It isn't too late now to plant seeds for a fall garden. Isn't your average first frost about mid December?

 

[darkstar8907]

so just take the suckers and put them in water until they grow roots? then what? mid December sounds about right for the first frost.

 

[Chuck]

so just take the suckers and put them in water until they grow roots? then what? mid December sounds about right for the first frost.

Maybe this will help better than I can describe
http://www.vegetablegardener.com/item/4207/how-to-start-tomato-plants-from-cuttings

 

[zigs]

I've overwintered tomatoes by keeping them indoors, gives you a head start in the spring.

 

[darkstar8907]

I've overwintered tomatoes by keeping them indoors, gives you a head start in the spring.

what does overwintered mean?

 

[zigs]

what does overwintered mean?

It means keeping them alive over winter by keeping them frost free and above 10 celcius

 

[Chuck]

And 10C is 50F. Below that they stop growing and go into a sort of, not exactly hibernation, but into a state that they are very susceptible to diseases. They must be kept warm, at least mid 60's. And if you do this the plant will grow and probably make buds before it is warm enough to set fruit or to place in the garden. This is OK with indeterminates but not so much with hybrid determinates. In Florida you will be much better off by planting seeds around the end of December. By the time of last frost your plants should be putting on buds and when you stick them in the ground you will have a head start on setting fruit

 

[headfullofbees]

In Mediterranean countries, they cut plants to the ground, to reduce risk of disease, and the plants produce a second crop in the autumn, when the heat is less extreme.