16,949 Garden Web Discussions | Growing Tomatoes

You can look up WOW, wall of water, good option. My last frost date is around same time and generally my plants are going into WOW around May 1. I have hoop house so plants have been in and out of it for couple of weeks, unfortunately our night temps drop pretty low yet. You might need to play around with moving in and out of cold frame for a bit as posted above.

There is no "best" way to do this and the odds are you will lose some of the plants, especially given their size and age. Make note of that for next year so you do't start so early. :)

All of them will have to be hardened off first and that is a gradual process over several days. There is a BIG difference between the protected environment of in the house vs. out in a cold frame

Then, assuming your cold frame is already up and running and warming the soil, I'd suggest planting a couple of them directly in the ground there and see how they do. Leave the rest in their pots.

Assuming you can be there to monitor them carefully throughout the day - and it it doesn't have auto venting for heat and some source of heat for warmth you will need to be - you'll know within a couple of days which approach is tolerated best.

Personally if I already had 12" tall plants and still 5-6 weeks before I could plant them out I'd root cuttings from those plants to plant in the garden at the proper time, keep them indoors, and pitch the rest of the existing plants. That way I'd have proper sized transplants without all the problems and work of the cold frame.

Dave

Agree. Pot them up, much safer approach than letting them get root bound.

Dave

OK. I potted up to 4" pots. I had to put together a kind of cold frame against a south facing wall because the newly potted up plants were not going to fit back in my indoor plant rack. Had a couple of glass patio doors and some translucent plastic sheet, so the toms have a kind of greenhouse now. I think they'd be safe in there even if we have a mild frost. Thanks for the advice.

Chuck

If I may suggest something... Plant 2 of the weaker-looking ones at one spot outside when the weather warms. One will probably do better. Snip the other.

They're all in the ground now, and seem to be surviving the transplant process. The smaller ones are improving.

Thanks for the advice.

I think you will have to replace them. Tomatoes are tropical plants and cannot stand frost.

But IF you really want to try and save the ones you have, see what wilts the next couple days and snip that off. You may get regrowth from the remaining plant.

But I'd go with new ones. Sometimes cold stunts tomatoes the whole season.

It all depend on how bad the frost bite was. I think it is worth to baby them for a while and see what happens. Chances are that they might bounce back.

Probably, by the time you read this post you've already determined the fate of your plants.

Carolyn

I'd be very grateful if you'd share with us which varieties are those "many other large pinks, tastier & more productive" than Caspian Pink?

BTW, any advice (books, info., etc.) too on growing cucumbers?

Looking forward to your response to this, Thanks a Lot in advance,

Iñaki Aguirre

Caspian Pink is a fine tomato. I've grown it. I just like Brandywine and (especially) Cherokee Purple better. Among the pinks, I recall Ponderosa Pink (from my Dad's garden) being a bit better. But he had decades of saved seeds adapted to the spot (sadly lost) so I'm not sure it is what you could find today.

Here's my simple approach.

I also use 72-cell Jiffy pellets. Follow directions about how much water. Heat under pads, about 5-6 days after majority have germinated. Remove pad, place entire tray 2 inches below 16-hour fluorescents. The late ones will come up eventually if you keep each cell watered regularly...not soaked, but moisturized. Once most have
developed 4-6 total leaves, transplant to 100% MG potting
soil with "6 months fertilizer". Ideal room temps 60-70 F.
After 7-8 weeks, will look like heaven. Good luck !

How warm does your heating pad make the water in your trays? If it is over 75, you are cooking them. While tomato seeds germinate at 75 well, the seedling grow best at 60-something.

They don't want serious fertilizer when young. None until a couple inches, 1/2 strength after that, full when you transplant them deeper to larger 3" pots when they are 6" tall.

Heres a photo of my tomatoes in cages wrapped with row covers. They made it through two nights of temps in the mid-30s and went on to produce very well. We discussed this in another thread I'll link to from last year.

Here is a link that might be useful: Tomatoes at 37 degrees

I used to use wall o waters and other "warmers", but now I have my doubts. It seems to me that they get stunted for the whole season by being chilled just once. So, I think it is better to just wait a couple weeks. Let the tomatoes be transplanted into warm soil on warm days.

So many seeds planted directly outdoors after it is warm seem to catch up and surpass those planted inside and transplanted out too early. Best to plant them inside and delay transplanting a bit...

That's ok even tho it is organic. Organic liquids can work in containers even without the soil food web most require to be effective. Dilute it to 1/2 strength.

Dave

Could be a matter of warmth when they were planted. Tomatoes germinate best above 70 but grow as seedlings best at 60-something. So I germinate mine upstairs and bring them to the plant stand in the 60ish basement after that.

But I disagree about size of planting area. Plants don't know how much soil they are in. The only thing a small container does is cause the roots to circle and that's never a good thing.

Thank you so much for the help. I will dig in the compost,

I don't have much rotation space either. From what I've read, good healthy compost is the best remedy. I add a few inches each year, fork it gently and let it fall in the holes (because I think there are benefits of not disturbing the soil TOO much each year).

It depends how tall they are. If they are about 8", I would bury them just below the first set of true leaves. If 10" or taller will snip the lower leaves and plant deeper.

It is just a matter of personal choice and there is no set rules for it.

Happy Plant out !

I always pluck leaves that will be below ground. It just seems to me that they will rot and that can't be a good thing. But I pluck them a week ahead of planting so the stem can heal.

There is no single answer to your question. But I would go by some indicators:

a) if you are buying plants or have room inside , wait a while but if your plants are over grown and you are itching (as was my case) , check these:

1- are your plants hardened off ?
2- is your LFD passed ?
3- has there been lows in low 30s lately ?
4- How do the 10 days extended forecasts look? Any lows in mid 30s and/or lower?
5- what is your soil temperature ? 50F plus ?

If you get favorable answers to above indicators, then if I were you I would go ahead and do it. BUT still be on the look out and be prepared for the " JUST IN CASE".

I have followed those steps myself and have planted mine about 5 days after our LFD (about 10 days ago). Since then the lows have been around 42F and few nights of 38 and 39F. Tonight's low will be 39F again. But as longs as lows are over 36F I am not worried. My tomatoes are already COLD HARDENED. Believe it or not, the are actually growing now.

So, I took a chance and followed my "ITCH FACTOR" and things are ok. YMMV

I used to push the season. But I'm waiting 2 weeks past LFD this year. Unless you can seriously warm the soil with plastic.

I have seen two types of bags being used. Simple plastic bags, second brown paper bag. You fill these with soil, poke some holes in the bottom, set them in a tray. The bags mold next to each other and fit nicely in the tray. The plastic bags can be clear or black. Advantage of paper, to transplant you just make few slits on the side with a knife and just set the whole bag in.

I plan to try the paper bags next year.

I bought a big box of trays and a big box of 36-cells 15 years ago and they were cheap in bulk. I still have half of them, so they may last my gardening life.

And I bought a gross of medical specimen vials too. They are great to keep seeds in, in the fridge.

Another vintage thread with interesting topic.

I grew sweet 100 last season. I didn't like it because the fruits were TOO small and the vine was growing like crazy that I hardly could keep up with pruning.

I plant my tomatoes in tight spacing ( about 18" apart, 2.5 sqr-ft per plant ). This way I plant 3 in place of 2. Therefor I do prune systematically.

I am growing Sungold for the first time this year. I will definitely prune to 2 stems, max 3. Also, at the near end of season ( early September) start topping all new growth and flowers. Because I know that the new growth and flowers will not produce any ripe fruits .

In short , there are different gardening styles. As a gardener I believe in being in charge rather than letting plants do as they naturally do.

Sweet 100 is our all time favorite - very hardy plant with good sized fruit - not many splits and very tasty. We grow in a GH out of necessity. I let them grow crazy but train largest branches laterally as well as vertically because they are so vigorous and prolific - we give them plenty of space. Last year we tried Sweet Baby Girl which we thought was a good variety but we switched back to Sweet 100 this year. Sungold did not do as well for us and seemed to have lots of splits and early on - so for now - Sweet 100 it is!