Your Tomatoes Are Doomed!

Autumn is near. This morning the blankets didn't keep my toes as warm as I'd like and I had to put on a light jacket to water the garden. Our nights have been dipping into the 40s (F). A few of the aspen leaves look like they may be turning and I have dozens of tomatoes that are still green.

That last one is a major indicator that summer is drawing to a close. The shorter growing season in our high altitude gardens means that we'll still have tomatoes ready to harvest at the first frost. I'm ready this year and will do all I can to lengthen the season and gain a few extra days; I'll chat about that in an upcoming blog. For those of us who check daily on the reddening process of tomatoes it's much akin to the watchpot boiling. It seems to take forever for the dozens of green fruits to turn color. Coincidentally, the changing season plays a role in that.

Tomatoes are more reactive to temperature changes than many other plants in our gardens. Ideally they would love for the temperature to stay between 65 and 85 degrees F. Believe it or not, a tomato is a perennial plant, but in our typical household gardens it becomes an annual because temperatures get too cold; they can't handle any frost. You may be aware that if the daytime temperature gets too hot, above 90 degrees F, flowers will start to drop off and fruit won't set. The same thing happens when the night temperatures are above 70 or begin dropping below 55 degrees F. Normal color development also falters as the temperature cools below 50 F (10 degrees C).

So just about this time of year when you have a bumper crop of green tomatoes you'll be standing in the hot sun inspecting all the greenness and anticipating the redness. And you'll be standing there the next day waiting again. The heat is a good thing and can give you a false sense of security, but it's the cool at night that is the culprit.

When the nights start dropping below the magic number 50, you can throw a blanket or plastic sheet over your plants each night; that will gain you a few degrees of heat and may help the color set. If you have your tomatoes in pots you can bring them inside to stay warm; just be sure to put them out again to get at least six hours of full sun. Or you can be very patient and wait for the ripening to happen eventually.

Make sure your tomato plants have good air circulation. You'll want the warming morning air to reach the fruit as early as possible. Warm soil will help keep the plants warm as the sun goes down so avoid watering in the evening; that can cool the soil and add to the problem of color change.

Whatever you try or whatever you don't, your tomato plants will succumb to the forces of climate at some point. Hopefully you will have enjoyed some fresh salads or pasta sauce along the way. For now, keep watching, keep waiting, and pray it warms up just a little more.

Autumn is near. This morning the blankets didn't keep my toes as warm as I'd like and I had to put on a light jacket to water the garden. Our nights have been dipping into the 40s (F). A few of the aspen leaves look like they may be turning and I have dozens of tomatoes that are still green.

That last one is a major indicator that summer is drawing to a close. The shorter growing season in our high altitude gardens means that we'll still have tomatoes ready to harvest at the first frost. I'm ready this year and will do all I can to lengthen the season and gain a few extra days; I'll chat about that in an upcoming blog. For those of us who check daily on the reddening process of tomatoes it's much akin to the watchpot boiling. It seems to take forever for the dozens of green fruits to turn color. Coincidentally, the changing season plays a role in that.

Tomatoes are more reactive to temperature changes than many other plants in our gardens. Ideally they would love for the temperature to stay between 65 and 85 degrees F. Believe it or not, a tomato is a perennial plant, but in our typical household gardens it becomes an annual because temperatures get too cold; they can't handle any frost. You may be aware that if the daytime temperature gets too hot, above 90 degrees F, flowers will start to drop off and fruit won't set. The same thing happens when the night temperatures are above 70 or begin dropping below 55 degrees F. Normal color development also falters as the temperature cools below 50 F (10 degrees C).

So just about this time of year when you have a bumper crop of green tomatoes you'll be standing in the hot sun inspecting all the greenness and anticipating the redness. And you'll be standing there the next day waiting again. The heat is a good thing and can give you a false sense of security, but it's the cool at night that is the culprit.

When the nights start dropping below the magic number 50, you can throw a blanket or plastic sheet over your plants each night; that will gain you a few degrees of heat and may help the color set. If you have your tomatoes in pots you can bring them inside to stay warm; just be sure to put them out again to get at least six hours of full sun. Or you can be very patient and wait for the ripening to happen eventually.

Make sure your tomato plants have good air circulation. You'll want the warming morning air to reach the fruit as early as possible. Warm soil will help keep the plants warm as the sun goes down so avoid watering in the evening; that can cool the soil and add to the problem of color change.

Whatever you try or whatever you don't, your tomato plants will succumb to the forces of climate at some point. Hopefully you will have enjoyed some fresh salads or pasta sauce along the way. For now, keep watching, keep waiting, and pray it warms up just a little more.