Tomatoes in So Cal

[nhraziano7]

So, because of the many days in the upper 70s and low 80s we've had my tomato plants have never stopped producing. My heirloom beefsteak is doing especially well (I just put some in the grilled cheese I made for lunch so I know the flavor is still great). My question is that the plants are still alive and producing but don't look GREAT. Should I just pull them in a month and get the beds ready for new plants or do I try and save them? I know it seems silly but I feel bad for killing them when they've been so good to me, lol.

 

[DirtMechanic]

I read a book called "The Botany of Desire" by an author named Pollan where the author argued quite forcefully that the population of pigs on the planet has exploded because pigs allowed humans to eat them and use humans to propogate their species to the point that there are more pigs than humans, a situation that would not exist in a natural environment. I was humbled by that book , thinking I was in charge at the top of the food chain. I learned from the author how little I know about nature. My suggestion is, hands off and learn.

 

[Chuck]

So, because of the many days in the upper 70s and low 80s we've had my tomato plants have never stopped producing. My heirloom beefsteak is doing especially well (I just put some in the grilled cheese I made for lunch so I know the flavor is still great). My question is that the plants are still alive and producing but don't look GREAT. Should I just pull them in a month and get the beds ready for new plants or do I try and save them? I know it seems silly but I feel bad for killing them when they've been so good to me, lol.

Yes, for production pull them up. They will still produce a few but remember that tomatoes are annuals and have a limited lifespan, no matter what you do for them. Congratulate yourself for having them produce this long.

 

[headfullofbees]

Vine tomatoes are perennials; they're just grown as annuals because they're so susceptible to disease that it's usually just simpler to start again from seed.
Trim off any non-productive stems and cut a few down to the ground, and they'll come again.

 

[TomatoTango]

I’d put new ones in and don’t forget to add some nutrients. The plants may begin to act fatigued and produce inferior fruits. If it makes you feel better take seeds from the current fruits to make new plants. That said, my tomatoes die in December every year so I can’t say for certain.

 

[headfullofbees]

I’d put new ones in and don’t forget to add some nutrients. The plants may begin to act fatigued and produce inferior fruits. If it makes you feel better take seeds from the current fruits to make new plants. That said, my tomatoes die in December every year so I can’t say for certain.

Do you chop down apple trees after their first fruit crop?

 

[TomatoTango]

Do you chop down apple trees after their first fruit crop?

No one does that. And the soil conditions for an Apple tree are prepared differently than a tomato; apples are long term, tomatoes are short term. Not the same comparison.

Everyone puts new tomatoes in, cus they usually die. Mine put out awful fruit in December before perishing. I’d be shocked if anyone can produce good tomatoes in the off season. Furthermore keeping the same tomato plant alive for multiple seasons seems like an open invite to disease.

 

[Chuck]

Technically @headfullofbees is correct in stating that tomatoes are perennials but in all actuality they are annuals. In PERFECT conditions a tomato can live for years. I think the longevity record holder was about 6 years. But who among us has perfect conditions for tomatoes. It is either too hot, too cold, too dry, too wet, too anything you can think of. A tomato after its first growing season is a weakened plant. Sure, you can cut it in half and get a fair, not great, fall crop. You can even cut the plant all the way down and regrow it the following year but unless conditions have been perfect your harvest will be even less than the fall crop. Trying to save a tomato plant is a waste of time and money IMO.

 

[headfullofbees]

Technically @headfullofbees is correct in stating that tomatoes are perennials but in all actuality they are annuals. In PERFECT conditions a tomato can live for years. I think the longevity record holder was about 6 years. But who among us has perfect conditions for tomatoes. It is either too hot, too cold, too dry, too wet, too anything you can think of. A tomato after its first growing season is a weakened plant. Sure, you can cut it in half and get a fair, not great, fall crop. You can even cut the plant all the way down and regrow it the following year but unless conditions have been perfect your harvest will be even less than the fall crop. Trying to save a tomato plant is a waste of time and money IMO.

I agree, but it seems that, since nhraziano7's plants seem to be making it through by themselves, keeping a few going will give them a continuous crop

 

[Chuck]

I agree, but it seems that, since nhraziano7's plants seem to be making it through by themselves, keeping a few going will give them a continuous crop

Excellent idea. Hope he has room.

 

[nhraziano7]

No one does that. And the soil conditions for an Apple tree are prepared differently than a tomato; apples are long term, tomatoes are short term. Not the same comparison.

Everyone puts new tomatoes in, cus they usually die. Mine put out awful fruit in December before perishing. I’d be shocked if anyone can produce good tomatoes in the off season. Furthermore keeping the same tomato plant alive for multiple seasons seems like an open invite to disease.

Mine usually die too. And if they hang on the fruit usually isn't great. But strangely these are hanging on and the fruit was still amazing. I cut them back a little and they're starting to fill out again. *shrugs* I've decided to let them be. I have a half whiskey barrel I'll put another plant in so that I have one new one just in case, lol. I also for sure will pull them up after this season but I thought, why not just see what happens if I try to let them go? What do I have to lose?

 

[TomatoTango]

If the tomatoes taste good enough then whatever floats your boat. I would recommend giving your older tomatoes some organic liquid fertilizer to help them along in case they’ve nearing exhaustion or depletion. I feed mine a couple times throughout the season anyhow.