BERRYHILL
Full Member
Posts: 16
Joined: Wed May 19, 2010 6:34 am
Location: Jessieville Arkansas

A second (late)tomato planting or not

I live in zone 7 and am thinking about starting some seeds for a second (late) tomato garden. I am thinking about an early determinate tomato, maybe celebrity or early girl, what do you think, has anyone ever had any luck with a second planting? Or am I just wasting my time. Thanks Loretta

pizzarrhea
Cool Member
Posts: 83
Joined: Mon May 24, 2010 2:33 pm
Location: Boston

I just put in some seedlings in today. I don't know if starting from seeds this late in the season is gonna work out well, here atleast. I'm in zone 5.
But over there might work out well!

User avatar
soil
Greener Thumb
Posts: 1855
Joined: Thu Jan 22, 2009 8:40 pm
Location: N. California

direct sow the seeds in the ground. the taproot will go deep and help a TON compared to if you started them in pots. some of my volunteer tomatoes are germinating here now in borderline zone 7/8 and by the end of the season will out pass the ones started in February.

User avatar
rainbowgardener
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 25279
Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
Location: TN/GA 7b

Use search the forum to find some of hendi_alex's posts on succession plantings of tomatoes. Here's one:

https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=97542&highlight=tomatoes#97542

Alex gardens in NC in zone 8. He starts his tomatoes VERY early (has a greenhouse) and has ripe tomatoes already now. But he also always does a second planting to have new younger tomato plants for later in the season.

I think this makes sense for people with a long growing season and a hot summer. By the end of summer the tomato plants have been producing for a long time and are kind of wiped out by the heat, but you still have a long time left before hard frost, so having some fresh plants ready probably really does give you a good production boost. Not as important for those of us with cooler summers and shorter growing seasons.

User avatar
lakngulf
Greener Thumb
Posts: 1294
Joined: Mon May 10, 2010 4:34 pm
Location: Lake Martin, AL

I just put some new plants in the ground, and have 5 little Brandwine ready to transfer to 4 inch pots. Each year I want to have continuous plants but just cannot get it done. This year looks promising.



Return to “TOMATO FORUM”