How late is too late for cherry tomato plant to flower?
miscel
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
I live in NY, Zone 7.
I impulsively purchased 4 small cherry tomato plants a few weeks ago. Two of the 4 plants already had at least one tiny tomato. This week I noticed that the third one had also flowered and now has a few very tiny tomatoes. All the tomatoes are still green. The problem is the fourth plant which is at least a foot taller than the other 3 and keeps growing taller like a vine. This fourth plant has yet to flower. I was wondering but how late is too late for a cherry tomato plant to flower? The plants are in containers on my window sill which faces SE.
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (8)
Molex 7a NYC
8 years ago
goodground
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoRelated Discussions
It's not too late to plant tomatoes is it?
Comments (2)No, it is not too late. That's the answer you want, right? : ) It is the correct answer since you're wanting to replace a cherry tomato plant. The pollination/fertilization of bite-sized tomatoes generally is not affected by high heat and high humidity as much as larger tomato type varieties are affected. If you were wanting to plant a large-fruited variety this late, it technically would be too late for a small transplant to get large enough to blossom and set fruit before the heat sets in, but even then I'd likely take the risk and plant one anyway. Sometimes tomato plants that are planted late almost catch up with those that were planted on time. Technically, the correct answer per OSU is that the recommended planting time for spring tomatoes is April 10th through April 30th. A lot of folks plant both earlier than that and later than that with very good results. Do watch your plants carefully. Sudden wilting can indicate disease as well as environmental issues. It is likely the wind whipped your plant around and caused a wound and then a bacterial infection might have set in. You want to keep an eye on the stems of all your plants to make sure that, if it is a disease, it is not continuing to spread over the next couple of weeks....See MoreHow late is too late in zone 5?
Comments (39)Summersrhythm, Houses built before refrigeration/electricity often had an unheated room off the basement in which perishable food items were stored to keep them cold and hydrated since these cellars were humid as well as cold. Iceboxes were kept in the kitchen for perishables like fresh meat, eggs and milk to keep at hand for ready availability. Root/fruit cellars were used for storage of perishables that had a longer shelf life but needed cold, but not as cold as an icebox. Foods were stored in them such as: apples, potatoes, carrots, cabbage, winter squash, cheese, cured meats, and bad little boys...just kidding! Put a couple bushels of local, fresh picked McIntosh or Cortland apples in a root cellar at harvest time. Leave then there until they have turned fully ripe when they actually have a glow and feel like they have been rubbed with olive oil. This could be as late as December/January. They're slippery! Now, make applesauce from them, no sugar needed, just a little nutmeg and/or cinnamon. Freeze or can the sauce. You NEVER tasted a better, super healthy, more delicious applesauce in your life!...See MoreHow late is too late to plant in a bed?
Comments (15)Seasoning time for bulbs is like onions and garlic- you can eat onions and garlic right out of the ground, but if you want to store or ship it, you need to let it cure a bit first. Bulbs are like that too. If you plan on transplanting them quickly, you can pull them and use them fresh. But if you want to hold them for replanting later, you need to give them time to season and really go on hiatus before storing them. I've moved around daffodils, crocuses, and hyacinths no problem without seasoning if I do it directly. I also don't treat bulbs like a lot of folk do. When I get a package, I pot them up and grow them out for a year first before putting them into garden spots. After their blooming time is done, I empty out the pot and let the bulbs season till it's planting time in the garden later that year. It takes a year of patience, but most pots divide a lot, so I end up buying half the bulbs I would otherwise. Anyway.. I came to give an update. I planted in the first bed with plants, and the second bed will be finished by the end of the weekend. I haven't done any bulbs yet, because I figure I'll do all those at once when I'm doing other bulbs in the yard....See MoreHow late is too late?
Comments (31)jc, I think she means temporarily, as in until she can get them planted into the ground. I have done the same thing. It’s kind of a compromise between keeping them potted on the patio, (where they dry out quickly and need water twice per day in summer) and planting them in the ground. It keeps the roots cooler(summer) without actually planting the rose. In my case, I use this trick when my sons have dug the hole for me, but I’m not physically up to planting the rose yet. I just pop the container into the hole, mulch the top, and water as needed. It works great! I just need to remember that the rose isn’t actually planted in the ground yet. I once had a rose grow it’s roots right through the drainage holes and continue growing on its merry way! Oops! I ended up just leaving it. Roses grow enormous here, and it helped keep it “mannerly”, for a while:). Lisa...See Morewormgirl_8a_WA
8 years ago
digdirt2
8 years agomiscel
8 years agolast modified: 8 years ago
Seysonn_ 8a-NC/HZ-7
8 years agomiscel
8 years ago
Related Stories
GARDENING GUIDES12 Edibles Perfect to Plant in Late Summer
Keep those homegrown vegetables and greens coming well into fall
Full Story
FLOWERS AND PLANTSRudbeckia Laciniata Enlivens Late-Season Shady and Sunny Sites
Give long-blooming, towering cutleaf coneflower room to spread in U.S. gardens for maximum rewards
Full Story
SHRUBS5 Glorious Late-Season Shrubs
Spilling over with berries or bursting with blooms, these stunning underused shrubs keep the garden party going through fall
Full Story
GARDENING GUIDES10 Late-Winter and Early-Spring Bloomers for the West
Tired of waiting for spring to arrive? Try these drought-tolerant, flowering plants for color that starts in late winter
Full Story
FLOWERSBest Cutting-Garden Beauties for Late Summer
Pick blooms bursting with color or in classic white for bouquets to give away or keep all to yourself
Full Story
FALL AND THANKSGIVINGIt's Not Too Late to Decorate: Minimalist Fall Decor
No need to go all-out with autumn decorations. Nod to the season with just a few well-placed pumpkins and flowers
Full Story
BEDROOMSRoom of the Day: A Cocoon for Late-Night Crashing
Moodily masculine and warmly enveloping, this loft bedroom welcomes the owner after his long hours in the music studio
Full Story
PRODUCT PICKSGuest Picks: Host a Late-Summer Soiree
Have a beachy but elegant summer fling with serveware, glasses and accessories that nod to nautical
Full Story
EDIBLE GARDENSSummer Crops: How to Grow Tomatoes
Plant tomato seedlings in spring for one of the best tastes of summer, fresh from your backyard
Full Story
GARDENING GUIDESPlant Black Cherry Trees for the Birds and Bees
Plant Prunus serotina in the Central and Eastern U.S. for spring flowers, interesting bark and beautiful fall color
Full Story
tarolli2011