When/If to Pinch Fall Tomato Blooms?

[Johntlewis]

I have three indeterminates which we've nursed through July and August with many 100F+ days along the way. They actually look pretty good now that it has cooled down a bit and they have set oodles of new little tomatoes. But there will come a time at which the newest blooms will not be able to make it till the first frost/freeze. My research indicates for my area that I can expect the first frost/freeze no later than the 1st or 2nd week in December. This being true, if I have, for example, an 80 day indeterminate, should I start pinching off blooms when I know they won't come anywhere close to making it to the first frost? If i pinch blooms, will it focus more energy on the tomatoes which are already developing? I have learned that you can pick some tomato varieties just before the first frost and they will still ripen, but is pinching blooms a recommended method at all?

PS, and when I say "pinch" I don't mean that literally. I use cutters for my pruning.

 

[headfullofbees]

With the light you get, I'd leave them another month.
At worst you'll have a few green tomatoes that you can process.

 

[Chuck]

I have three indeterminates which we've nursed through July and August with many 100F+ days along the way. They actually look pretty good now that it has cooled down a bit and they have set oodles of new little tomatoes. But there will come a time at which the newest blooms will not be able to make it till the first frost/freeze. My research indicates for my area that I can expect the first frost/freeze no later than the 1st or 2nd week in December. This being true, if I have, for example, an 80 day indeterminate, should I start pinching off blooms when I know they won't come anywhere close to making it to the first frost? If i pinch blooms, will it focus more energy on the tomatoes which are already developing? I have learned that you can pick some tomato varieties just before the first frost and they will still ripen, but is pinching blooms a recommended method at all?

PS, and when I say "pinch" I don't mean that literally. I use cutters for my pruning.

Temperature is what determines if a bloom will set fruit. If the temperature isn't right the plant will abort the blooms itself. I have found that while trying to grow fall tomatoes not to do anything with the blooms. You stated you live in zone 7b. I live in 8b and my average first frost is in the middle of November. After a little research on first frost in OK. it seems as though your first frost is in the middle to late October. If your tomatoes have turned from the solid light green color to the whitish green color you will be able to reliably pick those tomatoes, store them inside and they will ripen perfectly. If not a whitish color they are not mature enough for complete ripening and are best used for other purposes like fried green tomatoes or chow chow or mixed with salsa verde