Will tomatoes that haven't flowered/set fruit be kept

13 years ago

through the summer in hopes of possibly producing when it cools down again? It's already reached early to mid 90's during the day and 70's at night here.

I've got two heirlooms that, for different reasons, haven't flowered and it seems like it may be getting too hot even if they did. One was planted only 5 weeks ago (Cherokee Purple...hey it only cost a quarter!) and the other was planted in late March and is 3-4 feet tall but may have been planted in a place that doesn't get quite enough hours of sun (mortgage lifter).

So my question is, if I nurse them through the summer, is it possible they'll produce in the early Fall? Or are they a lost cause?

A related question has to do with my cool weather greens.

Believe it or not my chard and kale are still growing. They are somewhat shaded, and I have been taking the leaves when they are young and small and have been enjoying them immensely. As a result of this constant trimming they keep putting out new leaves. I don't know how long this will continue, but should I just keep it going through Fall if they stay productive? Or is it best to just pull them up and plant anew? I'm still so new to gardening I don't know if plants are cut back and left in the bed all year or are pulled up after their peek.

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Comments (8)

anney
13 years ago
If you'd list your growing zone on your member page, that would be extremely helpful!

Go to the bottom of the forum page and click on Members and then Edit personal information.

Most of us rely on the zone information to answer questions as the one you've asked!
User
13 years ago
dragonfly - Where do you live (closest major city). USDA zones don't distinguish between Phoenix AZ and Tampa FL.

Tomatoes - "indeterminate kinds" will slow or stop production in the heat of the summer and start again in the fall. If you protect them from frost they can produce well into November, and start again in the spring.

"Cool weather crops" ... just keep harvesting until they turn bitter or shoot up a flower stalk, then yank them out. Replant them in late summer for your fall eating.
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I have attempted to allow all to come and speak civily. If I have done nothing else. Yes I can send out what I recieve and I can even take from everyone else the information they give because it dose make for my benefit as well as dose my information for some. If I held every answer in the book I would not have come to this forum or to any other forum to ask questions or to simply make a statement of my experiance, be it with tomatoes or with a tree. As to those un named who simply can not see past thier own actions in conversations. I post for those who want to try and work as a community here through the true exchange of ideas not through arrogance . that hostility towards new or old ideas and methods makes any thread of knowledge mute to others. I have seen over my fifty years thousands of crops and gardens lost to blights late freezes or other factors including droughts. so Is it a gamble every year you plant? you bet ya. but as gardeners and farmers we go out every year and plant our gardens and fields. and we wait and we harvest from our toils. Is my way the only way out there as we can plainly see it is not. dose it make me a better gardener or farmer if I make no effort to allow others to give to me knowledge of some kind towards a different idea in gardening no it dose not. But to jump up and treat people the way I have been treated by some in this post may amuse some but with it comes the loss to others who really are thirsting for knowledge. to that end for those who really want a civil conversation please feel free to have one. and please do use the almanac to get if not just the basics for those new to gardening but to those here who truely have the ability to give thier views with out malice. because the only thing I learned from most of you here is you have grown too set in your ways to let in information even if it was just part of what was given in total. I was asked to introduce my self several times and did so including where i live and my experiances including in many of the areas of you here in this post. but instead I recieve a continual out pouring of arrogance from those just wanting to see just how far they can push some one. I can bark back or I can set back and listen to ideas and pick up some new methods including those that may infact make me wonder. If the way you grow your crop works for you by all means share it. it may make some one else actually have a crop or garden that has exceptional yields we as gardeners and farmers pray for three things an early spring with out a freeze, plenty of water, and a great harvest season- long and fruitful. We as a group need to stop the nonsence and try to reach for those goals instead.
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dragonfly_wings
Original Author
13 years ago
Hi anney,
That's good advice and I've edited my page. Thanks!

Lazygardens:
I'm hoping that if these two heirlooms don't produce anything this summer that they'll last and produce in the fall. From what you've said it sounds like that will be possible providing I can keep them alive this summer.
I don't know if it would be too disruptive to move my Mortgage Lifter to a sunnier location at this point or not.
But I'm guessing that's why it hasn't done better.
shebear
13 years ago
If you can keep the tomatoes alive over the summer and in good shape they should flower and set fruit in the fall. As for the chard, it will grow all summer and through the winter if you protect it. Next year it will go to seed in the spring as it is a biennial. I think the kale will not grow well much longer but you'll be starting a new batch for fall in 2 or 3 months so don't fret too much.
dragonfly_wings
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks shebear! Predictions are we're due a particularly hot, dry summer here so I'm guessing it will be a challenge to get the plants through to fall. Temps already reaching for triple digits and it's not even officially summer! Ugh.
But I'm really enjoying my other tomatoes while they last.
User
13 years ago
chard: Next year it will go to seed in the spring as it is a biennial

Mine lasted a few months, then went to seed. Not reliably biennial.
Bets
13 years ago
Hi Dragonfly,

Temperatures in excess of 95 degrees can affect pollen viability, but they should pick up again when the weather cools down. We have had summers that the temps stayed in the upper 90s and lower 100s and production did slow down during the summer (had a lot of blossom drop) but when it cooled off, they started loading up!

You may wish to invest in some shade cloth and some method to put it over your tomatoes. I do know that some of the growers from Arizona and other hot spots in the southwest use it, and you might be able to get some tips from them or gowers in Texas and Nevada.

Texas Gardening Forum

Arizona Gardening Forum

Another "hot spot" to grow: Nevada

Hope that helps!

Betsy
umayamla
13 years ago
I have the same problem with one tomato plant. It's a Caspian Pink Heirloom and while the other three tomato plants I put into the ground are getting huge with plenty of flowers and some small fruit, the Caspian Pink has lagged behind. We had a lot of rain the week I put them into the ground so I think that and possibly too much fertilizer (organic blood meal) in the soil around the Caspian Pink could have slowed its growth. It has gotten bigger in the last week or two and here in Northern VA, temperature are just getting into the 80's steadily. I think there is still time for it to take off and produce flowers.

Will tomatoes that haven't flowered/set fruit be kept

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anney

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Will tomatoes that haven't flowered/set fruit be kept

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anney

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