Veggie Gardener Forum banner
1 - 1 of 16 Posts

· Registered
Joined
·
232 Posts
Angel, if you have a short growing season, you need a tomato that has 52 to 75 days maturity. Of course I guess you start the plants 8 weeks before you last frost, about 2 weeks before you set your tomatoes out, put down black plastic to warm the soil, I don't know how many tomatoes you set out but if its just a few, I would set them out about 10 days BEFORE your last frost. don't mulch yet..but make some cloches to cover the tomatoes with gallon jugs, 2 litter soda bottle, anything that will keep the frost off of the plant. be sure and chesk during the day so as not to get to hot under the cover. just keep the black plastic right where you started. this will keep the ground warm. when you have tomatoes and you see some are still green and the first frost coming, then about 4 weeks before a suspected frost, , "top' the tomato plant (indet) so it will stop growing up and producing flowers, this will force the plant to put all its attention to ripen the tomatoes . another way to get green tomatoes to ripen faster is to take a kitchen knife, about 8 inches from the tomato plant, put the knife in the ground about 6-8 inches deep and cut a half circle around the plant. this will not harm the plant but with a few roots cut, the plant thinks its life cycle is almost over and I assure you the tomatoes will ripen in a short time. An old timer (older then me and I'm 71) showed me this trick and it works and he is thought of in this part of the country a great tomato farmer and gardener
you might want to try a Tigerella tomato, its an heirloom, 52-58 days to maturity, indet, size 2-4 inches, is a very bright red with orange stripes, a very delicious and beautiful tomato. Sorry for being so long winded but I get excited when talking gardening
good luck
errol
 
1 - 1 of 16 Posts
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top