Tomato shoot rooting question

[Glenna Rose]

Because of a branch-breaking accident, I have started a tomato branch, rooted in water and planted it, with good luck.

However, that is the only reason I've done it as by the time plants are prolific enough to start another one, there is no need.

It seems the suggestion for doing this is to extend the season for harvesting tomatoes. What am I missing here? The tomatoes in my garden, in the Portland, Oregon, area, is done with the first freeze with no matter to when anything was planted. The plants are still bearing well at that time.

Is it the varieties I plant (mostly heirlooms) that would make starts impractical and unnecessary because they bear as long as weather allows, or am I missing something?

Glenna

[Steve]

It is your climate. I would have no reason to do that either, because, here, the season is so short that some years, my best plants barely produce ripe tomatoes before the end of the summer. (this may be one of those years) Your growing season is much longer, but not hot enough to make the plants stop bearing. There also may be the matter of determinate vs indeterminate plants. I guess a determinate plant can pretty much finish growing after is produces all its fruit. Again, I wouldn't know since my season is short.

Steve (in the Adirondacks)

[Frogleg]

We have a very long growing season here (SE Virginia), but plants often seem to become exhausted after a period of heavy bearing, and/or when the weather reaches its hottest. Also, by mid-season, some plants may have become damaged or diseased, and a 'free' new plant on hand is a Good Thing.

[nutNhoney]

Our tomato growing season ends with the first freeze too. I bring as many of the green tomatoes as possible and let them ripen on window sills. I'm planning on extending the season this year by growing a couple of tomato plants in the greenhouse. One website suggested starting tomato plants in August to have for a late fall crop.

[Mary]

Wouldn't it be nice to have a greenhouse to extend the season! Does anyone here grow greenhouse tomatoes in Zone 5?

Mary

[nutNhoney]

It sure would be. My greenhouse is only 6' x 8' and I haven't decided how to provide additional heat during the real cold months. I'm hoping it will extend the growing season by a couple of months on each end. I'm on the edge of Zones 6a and 6b which is a little warmer than Zone 5. BTW, there are several commercial greenhouses within our region. One grower has a series of 5 greenhouses that are simply delightful to wander through on a cold winter day.

[Mary]

I'd be interested in hearing about the solution that you come up with, a 6' X 8' space shouldn't be too difficult to heat.

Mary

[NoPatience]

HEAT INPUT: Try to redirect the "Clothes- Dryer Exhaust" into the green house (if it is nearby). The heated air is moist and will add some heat.

HEAT LOSS: More than heat input- heat losses must be checked. I saw this in China as I traveled from Baotou to Beijing in last December. The Chinese farmers don't have "the American style fancy green houses". The just have little plastic covered half tunnels. What they do is cover the plastic in a "rollable" blanket made of what looked like straw from the train. They just roll it out in the morning. So think of something to cover your greenhouse space with tarp or a blanket.

good luck

[Tyler Hopper]

A small ~1500 watt electric heater should do it. Largish containers of water will absorb heat in the day and provide ambient heat during the night.