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Post by Deleted on Dec 9, 2019 17:46:09 GMT -5
Cleaning up the back end of the garden today where I had some asparagus and a few tomato plants. Grass had grown high, and asparagus foliage had fallen over on a couple of the tomato plants. Tops were frozen and dead, but down near the ground,. under the dead grass and asparagus foliage there were green stems. Is it possible to mulch a tomato plant and carry it thru the winter? I have a fig tree that I have heavily mulched--It will be uncovered next Spring and the new shoots will bear figs.
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Post by paquebot on Dec 9, 2019 18:12:02 GMT -5
As you know, there are determinate and indeterminate types. Determinates have a programmed length of life. They grow, produce fruit, and die. Indeterminates grow, produce fruit, and live until something kills them. So, if the root systems are not frozen or otherwise killed, they should live to produce for another season.
Martin
The truth is more important than the facts.
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dirtguy50
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My avatar got in trouble for digging in the garden
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Post by dirtguy50 on Dec 9, 2019 20:12:33 GMT -5
oxankle2, where are you located? Tomatoes won't overwinter where I live so maybe you are in a mild climate.
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Post by farmerjack41 on Dec 9, 2019 22:52:49 GMT -5
Another tomato question. In the summer volunteers come up from the past years tomato that was left laying on the ground. If a person took one of those mushy tomatoes and buried it in a pot, now and brought it inside, will a new plant start? Would like to have some earlier tomatoes. Maybe do this in February and keep the pot inside till after frost time is over. (At least mid May for me) hope am explaining this clearly.
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Post by paquebot on Dec 9, 2019 23:44:57 GMT -5
A "mushy" tomato may have hundreds of seeds. Thus there could be that many seedlings. depth is important so buried is not a good word. If they are an inch or more deep, few will come up. But overall the answer would be yes as long as the seeds are still good.
Martin
The truth is more important than the facts.
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Post by brownrexx on Dec 10, 2019 8:47:14 GMT -5
farmerjack41, that sounds like a great idea. I would just put the tomato on the surface and lightly add some soil on top of it. I would keep it in a very cool place until spring.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 10, 2019 10:04:37 GMT -5
LOL; such questions!!!!! Martin, these were indeterminate types, 8 foot trailers, some on the ground, some on the trellis and some in the asparagus. I think that next season I will mulch one just after frost and see what happens. As for the mushy tomatoes---lol, just leave one lying on the ground and watch them sprout next season. Or watch them sprout in the compost pile, or the cold frame, or anywhere else you drop a tomato.
Now; Martin: Should a tomato overwinter, would you expect it to continue growing its root system larger and deeper? Would it be a super-plant or just and "old" plant? Have you any idea how they grow in sub-tropical climates where temps never go below freezing?
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Dec 10, 2019 10:50:36 GMT -5
You mean tropical climates. In sub-tropical climates, temperatures do go below freezing - they just don't go below freezing very often and they don't stay below freezing very long.
Tomatoes are perennials, and indeterminate tomatoes will, as Martin said, grow on for years if they are kept warm enough.
I have never seriously tried to overwinter a tomato in a dormant or near-dormant state - such as under mulch outdoors, or cool, dry and dark in a garage or shed. Maybe it is possible, but I don't know.
I do know that here in subtropical North Florida even in our mildest winters with very little frost, tomato plants decline and die outside when there is an extended period of cool weather, even if I protect the tomato plants from frost. As long as it is warm most of the time, they can deal with occasional very cool nights, as long as they don't get frosted/frozen. But come late December or January when we have a few weeks of quite cool weather, they die. I have yet to see one overwinter outside even in the mildest years.
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