How to encourage late September tomato production - Ask Extension
Greetings and thank you for this service! Would it be possible to “encourage” tomatoes to produce more tomatoes in late September, weather permit...
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How to encourage late September tomato production #872753
Asked June 12, 2024, 9:32 AM EDT
Greetings and thank you for this service! Would it be possible to “encourage” tomatoes to produce more tomatoes in late September, weather permitting with some intervention ? We are trying to provide homegrown tomatoes to cooks for a late September wedding. Last year we wondered if underwatering in the early season for several weeks postponed tomato production until later than our neighbors’ (into late August and September). Might pinching flowers now and for a few weeks help? Advice welcome and appreciated!
Washington County Oregon
Expert Response
Hi Kristi and thanks for your very interesting question about prolonging tomato production. I think your best bet is to plant indeterminate varieties that produce all summer long, sometimes until killed by a frost.
I do like your idea of underwatering (only slightly though) in the early season. Last year I had tomatoes growing in a dryland garden which did not get ANY water from June until September.
It rained sometime in early September and I ended up with 30 pounds of green tomatoes to deal with in late September. The timing might be tricky, but if there is a specific variety you want to try, just read the details of how long it takes to produce a tomato and count backwards from the wedding date.
I will finally share a wedding story from my own daughter. I wanted to grow the potatoes for her early August wedding and planted enough to satisfy a large party. When it came time to dig them up, they all had terrible scab and looked horrible! The caterers who were going to use them were very nice and peeled them anyway, but I guess my point is... have a backup plan!
Good luck and congratulations on the wedding!
I do like your idea of underwatering (only slightly though) in the early season. Last year I had tomatoes growing in a dryland garden which did not get ANY water from June until September.
It rained sometime in early September and I ended up with 30 pounds of green tomatoes to deal with in late September. The timing might be tricky, but if there is a specific variety you want to try, just read the details of how long it takes to produce a tomato and count backwards from the wedding date.
I will finally share a wedding story from my own daughter. I wanted to grow the potatoes for her early August wedding and planted enough to satisfy a large party. When it came time to dig them up, they all had terrible scab and looked horrible! The caterers who were going to use them were very nice and peeled them anyway, but I guess my point is... have a backup plan!
Good luck and congratulations on the wedding!
