Start your second crop 10 weeks before a frost... with small cuttings
from the suckers. If you know someone who has nice Tomato
plants, ask them for a cutting or two or three,
etc. Make sure the cuttings go immediately in a glass of water.
Some people experiment with plant cuttings and extend the Tomato
season throughout the year.
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Going
for a Fall
Crop!
Extending
your Season - Your summer
game plan...
People have asked, "Can I extend the tomato
growing season?" If you feel, you have at least two months warm climate
conditions before the first frost, then you can go for a Fall Crop.
This is what you can do for the 2nd
Crop...
-
Look for some of the sucker shoots on your tomato plants that have a bud
on them,
-
Cut approximately 8" of the sucker which includes the bud,
-
Remove the leaves from the shoot, don't touch the bud,
-
Put the stem in water for a couple of hours,
-
Plant these suckers directly into your garden. Make sure the soil is loose
and moist. Mound the soil around the shoots,
-
Put a basket over the top of the cuttings (@5days) to protect it from the
sun.
-
Water constantly for four days.
In the second week of your new plant growth... liquefy an organic
fertilizer and feed once a week. If you live in N.E. US , figure mid October
you will start getting tomatoes. They will be smaller but should taste
great! If it starts getting too cool at night, think of putting a protective
plastic to cover the plants at night. Remember, don't keep the cover on
during the daylight hours. Also try staying away from the synthetic fertilizers...
use organic nutrients!. By utilizing organic fertilizer, you will start
a great base for next year's tomatoes!
As far as your initial cuttings are concerned, I have seen growers cut
10" off the top of the original plant, place the cutting in water for a
couple of hours, plant, water and weekly fertilize. Try both ways, experiment,
you'll like the results. |
