Is there any point in keeping tomatoes alive?

[nellie923]

Here is Arkansas we have had a couple of weeks of 101-105 temps during the day. I have tomatoes planted in containers on my west facing deck that look very bedraggled. I trim off the sunburned parts only to find more each day. Some flowers but no fruits and the fruits on the vine are very small. Each day I water these poor folks, thinking that if I can keep them alive they might produce when the weather cools. But the water bills are rising, and I'm wondering if I should just put them in the compost pile and call it a day. The extreme heat is predicted to go on for a few more weeks here. On the other hand, I have a volunteer red cherry tomato on the front side of the house that sprouted up from my hydrangea, and it is doing quite well. Lots of fruits and flowers. Maybe next year I'll plant veggies on that side of the house!

 

[Esther Knapicius]

My dad would toss them all into the chicken manure pile, they would sprout up the next year.
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[Meadowlark]

Is there any point in keeping tomatoes alive? Yes.​

In September the temps will become favorable again for the tomatoes to set fruit. Then the game is whether or not you can go long enough without a killing frost to get that fruit ripe. Often protection is required.

I always keep a few indeterminate plants going for that purpose as well as start some new ones in early August. Some years it is successful, some not, but in general I find it very worthwhile to nurse a few of the spring plants along

 

[nellie923]

Thanks. I will keep a couple going then, just to see.

 

[big rockpile]

Sounds like nellie23 has determinate Tomatoes. They should have done their thing.

I have a couple. Was going to cut them but the boss said no because I’m still getting a few but do still have some from cuttings coming along.

big rockpile

 

[nellie923]

Actually, the ones that I'm trying to keep alive are indeterminate. The determinate ones have almost done. I keep thinking of composting my Early Girl bush, but each time, I find another tomato growing on it! I moved the tomatoes under the overhead roof so at least they won't get direct sun for a while. Supposed to get to 109 today. Not much to be done about that.

 

[nellie923]

Can you grow new tomato plants from cuttings? I have not tried that. How does it work?

 

[Chuck]

Can you grow new tomato plants from cuttings? I have not tried that. How does it work?

Yes, you can but according to AI it is not recommended for determinates because of a limited life cycle of the plant,lower yields and stunted growth. I have tried it and found all of the above to be true. And not only that but I found the cuttings very prone to disease. I have not tried it with semi-determinate plants such as the Celebrity variety. It works very well on indeterminate plants.

 

[Meadowlark]

Supposed to get to 109 today. Not much to be done about that.

Shade cloth. I use 50% shade cloth on my spring indeterminates to help keep them going through this heat wave. Works for me!

I am using it also on my Cherokee Dogwood which was showing some heat stress. I noticed your post on your Cherokee Dogwood, and you might want to try that. Amazon has 3x6 shade cloths for less than $10...other sizes also.

 

[big rockpile]

Yes, you can but according to AI it is not recommended for determinates because of a limited life cycle of the plant,lower yields and stunted growth. I have tried it and found all of the above to be true. And not only that but I found the cuttings very prone to disease. I have not tried it with semi-determinate plants such as the Celebrity variety. It works very well on indeterminate plants.

Well I took cuttings of Marglob and they are blooming doing fine. We shall see!

big rockpile

 

[big rockpile]

Yes, you can but according to AI it is not recommended for determinates because of a limited life cycle of the plant,lower yields and stunted growth. I have tried it and found all of the above to be true. And not only that but I found the cuttings very prone to disease. I have not tried it with semi-determinate plants such as the Celebrity variety. It works very well on indeterminate plants.

You know it really don’t make sense. It should be as good as the Mother Plant.

But like I say we shall see!

big rockpile

 

[Meadowlark]

You know it really don’t make sense. It should be as good as the Mother Plant.

It actually does @big rockpile when you consider determinate tomato plants are NOT programmed to continuously produce. A reference from "House Digest" explains it better than I can...

"Cuttings from determinate tomato plants do root and grow, but they are not as productive or long‑lasting as cuttings taken from indeterminate plants. The core difference comes from their biology: determinate tomatoes are genetically programmed to stop growing once they reach a set size, while indeterminate tomatoes keep growing and producing all season."

I've used a form of cuttings from indeterminate plants for years...just lay some dirt on the limb of an indeterminate plant and you have a new plant that often outperforms the original plant later in the season because they’re younger and more vigorous. I use this to produce a lot of fall tomatoes here.

 

[big rockpile]

I see your point. Really too late now my cuttings are blooming and I just tied them up.

I’ll just have to wait.

big rockpile

 

[Oliver Buckle]

Depends a bit on climate too. I stop my tomatoes by pinching them out when I have three or four trusses, any more than that and they don't make any sort of size fruit. Then I grow cuttings on for later Summer for a second crop and do the same.

 

[Darth Griffin]

I trim off the sunburned parts only to find more each day.

Is it harmful to leave them on? Then they could at least provided shade to the leaves below.