OR at least I TRY to grow all year round

Since I retired 2 year a ago I decide to attempt to grow tomatoes all year long so as to avoid eating those red things they have in stores that they call tomatoes, here in sunny southern Ca. technically a low desert location
(if you have a "job" , don't try this)

plenty of R & D since I started.
tomatoes are a FINICKY veggie.

Plenty of challenges (and here I thought all I had to do was put them in the ground and they would just grow)

too hot in the summer, too humid sometimes, not humid enough at others, too cold in the winter.
HUGE temp swings of 40 degrees in a day, summer and winter.

Two years into my project, they now live in the "Tomato Palace"
it's a 12x6 green house that I have modified. sits in the best place for winter sun.

In the summer, the clear panels are out and I have a 65% shade cloth that can be put in place to give shade on too hot days, but pulled back for morning sun, evening cool air. (considering putting in a fan to fight humidity once I figure out how to make it do a full 360 blow)

fortunately Ca in not usually a high humidity place.
I feel sorry for tomato growers in humid country.

In winter the panels all go back in the greenhouse structure.
then the Palace gets wrapped in plastic, first layer, then a removable second layer for the real cold events. we get low 30's here all the time.

unfortunately some days in winter get very warm and then you have to ventilate or humidity and heat become your enemy again, even though it's in the 60's outside.

to make it interesting, we had some 80 degree days in Dec followed by 35 degree nights.
so it's imperative that you be able to open up the grow area to cool it.

pests are also a constant threat.
mice, rats, moles, squirrels and birds all LOVE ripe tomatoes.

another benefit of the "Tomato Palace", to restrict access to little creatures.

I have an electrified fence surrounding the entire perimeter of the Palace. anything that crawls or walks over the fence has a bad day.
and since installing about a year ago, I haven't lost a tomato since (and no bodies either)

birds are kept away with the shiny reflective tape hung everywhere. (though the neighbors may hate me)

Indeterminate tomatoes do grow forever but I have a feeling that is not such a good idea.
I have some that are 18 months old, but the old growth has bud failure A LOT versus "new growth".

NEW RULE, cut back old growth to stimulate new growth CONSTANTLY.

NEW RULE, rotate in "new" plants every 3-6 months.

early spring I added some Hot weather tolerant plants, Super sioux and Ace 55.
bred in HOT zones, they can handle the heat better.

if too hot, buds don't set, too humid, buds don't set too cold, buds don't set.

then in may I added "early girl" and "celebrity".
these are the "winter" plants since they are used to cooler temps and have a short period to maturity.

LOVE to know if anyone else has attempted this.

LOVE to talk to a real tomato pro cause I am just faking it so far.

pics of the palace with and without sun shade.

That basket of tomatoes is from Feb 1st. this year.

Not a chance here !
Even the commercial growers close down over the winter.
Would be too costly to heat greenhouse over our winters.

Good idea for warmer climates !

I did that for about a year here using my greenhouse. I had a hard time because they grew so quickly, I was pruning every day. The insects were a problem, and we don't have enough nearby people to give away the tomatoes. It was too much for just the 2 of us so I gave up. I may do it again sometime and try it with more air circulation which would help cut down on the bugs.

I'm going to try to grow tomatoes year round if I ever get a handle on how to do it right. So far I have finally got my seeding bed working right and have a new little batch of tomato and pepper plants. I have succeeded at starting several new tomato plants from trimmings. I tried 7 different shoots from other plants and 3 did really well, 2 are still in the water, no roots yet, and 2 wilted and died. I'm pretty proud of that (see pictures) At any rate, I still have no fruit to show for my efforts, and am confronting new problems every day. Right now if I get 2 tomatoes from the 2 buds left on my celebrity plant they will have cost me about $137 each. A little high for my 1st try but I expected some set backs.

Oh yeah, here are my pictures. I guess I should admit that the new tomato plants that I have restarted the roots in water are from my Patio tomato that I broke off at the ground while adding new grow lights to the frame. Still proud though.

CarolineScott said:Not a chance here !
Even the commercial growers close down over the winter.
Would be too costly to heat greenhouse over our winters.

Good idea for warmer climates !

Funny
I am from Calgary.
born and raised.

the film industry took me to Calif.

been here since 79.

the weather keeps me here.
my blood is too thin for Calgary now.

AND I stay here for the tomatoes.

my project is going well.

the pic from feb 1st this year is the "left overs" that get smushed for sauces and then frozen

the odd part is that right now, first Aug I am producing just enough to use for salads

I think my error was thinking indeterminate tomatoes would just keep producing at the same rate.
they do not.

my current theory is:

if the stalk is brown and woody looking, it's old and buds drop is rampant.
I had massive flowering all spring, yet here I am in low supply.

lots of research and development to do.

plantmanager said:It was too much for just the 2 of us so I gave up. I may do it again sometime and try it with more air circulation which would help cut down on the bugs.

indeed there is some work involved. (I am not going to mention bugs lest I irritate the Gods and get some.)
I spend time each day.

usually morning maintenance I water/feed and mid afternoon to shake some branches for pollination purpose.

they also have to have their shade cloth added as the heat of the day builds and removed every night so they can breathe

it's serious.
I needed a hobby. when I retired I went nuts.

I tell myself that when I go to farmers market and can get half a dozen tomatoes for $5

Jaszman said:Oh yeah, here are my pictures. I guess I should admit that the new tomato plants that I have restarted the roots in water are from my Patio tomato that I broke off at the ground while adding new grow lights to the frame. Still proud though

Right now if I get 2 tomatoes from the 2 buds left on my celebrity plant they will have cost me about $137 each

I feel your pain on the cost per tomato.
that is why I call it the Tomato Palace.
it cost that much.

that is very adventurous grow you have there.

what are you using as a light source?
LED's?

are you growing hydro?

I do have a complete indoor grow that I can now talk about since it's legal here in Ca now.
I have a 400 watt Metal hylide/ sodium setup that lives in a space not much bigger than your setup (closet)

I've done it before I am going to try again. It's been a long time since I have tried growing tomatoes. Due to summer failure I stopped trying. We are very hot, very humid here in the Houston area. I was gifted 6 hanging cherry tomato varieties in March that have somehow not only lived through out hot humid summer, but also produced!

We had some construction done on our home in May-June and I had to move the tomatoes out of their full sun area. They still got sun, but not the intense 3-4 pm sun. Well! That must be the secret here? They sit in mostly shade by 3 pm and seem to love it. I continue to feed them and water by hand since they are not at their original drip system station. They seem to be happy.

If they continue to do well in the fall and are alive by winter, I will put them in the heated greenhouse to see what they can do in cold weather. And then maybe come spring I will consider growing large tomatoes.

I suggest you people interested in greenhouse gardening to check the work of Dr Pedro Ponce Cruz. I think at the moment he's the foremost worldwide authority on the design of integrated moisture/temperature management systems for commercial greenhouses: he's been involved in designing dozens of large commercial greenhouses worldwide in a variety of climates, from The Netherlands to India.
I won't spoil the fun, but suffice to say your pains are widely felt by large scale commercial growers everywhere.

Regarding the tomatoes themselves: there are several cultivars, often indicated by a code alone, which were developed specifically for greenhouse growing, meaning they have a steady yield over a long season instead of concentrating production after a given time, good disease tolerance (especially to molds and powdery mildew) and a compact habit.
A very popular commercial greenhouse cultivar is DRW-7749, whose seeds you can sometimes find for sale in small quantities as "Rebelski". Despite the commercial name it's not one of the Eastern European varieties I favor but a Monsanto product, hence prepare to drop a lot of money for a few F1 seeds.
A lot of people swear by several Marmande hybrids, but my personal experience with both said hybrids and (supposedly) purebred Marmande has been underwhelming. The plant are vigorous, too vigorous for greenhouse growing in my opinion and hence requiring a lot of pruning, yield is disappointing and they are extremely prone to blossom end rot, thus requiring a lot of slacked lime to be worked into the ground before planting.

I begin growing tomatoes in March and finish with the frosts of October. That is plenty of time for me. I even looked into a greenhouse so that I COULD go year around, but since I have been retired for thirteen years there are other interests that take my time and energy. To baby a winter tomato crop is beyond my scope of imagination.

I grow year around here in Central FL. I'm finishing planting seeds for peppers and tomatoes. My peppers yield 12 mo of the year and tomatoes only yield about 10 months. Guess I have to be happy with that!

I grew up in Denver where some summers were so cool that tomatoes never set fruit. I really do appreciate where I live!!

florange said:I grow year around here in Central FL. I'm finishing planting seeds for peppers and tomatoes. My peppers yield 12 mo of the year and tomatoes only yield about 10 months. Guess I have to be happy with that!

I grew up in Denver where some summers were so cool that tomatoes never set fruit. I really do appreciate where I live!!

It sounds great to me. Fresh tomatoes and peppers practically all year round.

florange said:I grow year around here in Central FL. I'm finishing planting seeds for peppers and tomatoes. My peppers yield 12 mo of the year and tomatoes only yield about 10 months. Guess I have to be happy with that!

you just finished planting? how often do you plant? rotate source plants?

Do you use a green house or is it warm enough in winter to go without protection?

Jan and Feb this year I had low 30's every night.
without my greenhouse, it would be over.

I built the "Tomato Palace", right after all my tomatoes died one night when covered in a plastic tent.

this year I am adding a second "wall" to create an air barrier for cold nights.
removable of course since it will be 85 during the day and 35 at night.

I am only a 18 months into this version of my tomato grow.
so far, I always have tomatoes.

PaulF said: To baby a winter tomato crop is beyond my scope of imagination.

I just can't eat those red things in the grocery store they call tomatoes.
it's offensive.

I don't grow any other food because they are not worth my time and effort.
did you see the pic of what I had on Feb 1st?

ElPolloDiablo said:I suggest you people interested in greenhouse gardening to check the work of Dr Pedro Ponce Cruz.

Thanks for all the tips

what are you using as a light source?
LED's?


Yeah, I am trying LEDs in the hope that they might do the job while cutting electrical costs. They are 24" long 20W (not even close to your system) 1100LM, 6500K, T-5 replacements. They have a coverage area of 180 degrees so it works well on the trellis frames. Even though these LED's have a light range of 380NM - 780NM I have added some 12" UV 450NM and IR 660NM lights to help with flowering and fruit setting but I think I need not have bothered because it seems to be the good old summer Florida heat that is giving me a problem with that.
I am growing indoors in a 12' X 20' florida room because I was in a car accident 6 years ago and lost my leg, got busted up bad, and a lot of crap no longer worth going into. I have been toying with the idea of adding a 36" wide stone pathway in back of the house that would allow my wheelchair to access an outside 20' long garden bed that I can try to grow some other vegetables in. I don't know how well plants will do there because that is right in under the florida room windows and that is North facing with 3 huge Oak trees, but we will see.
I wish you luck with your new project, but with that sodium rig of yours, I don't think you'll need it. I am glad to speak with someone who is working with grow lights as the more we talk the more we will learn. I don't think a lot of us are professional greenhouse growers and it can't hurt to compare notes.

I planted 3 different kinds of tomatoes on August 6 and now have 46 tomato plants, some of which are getting their first real leaves. From August 2-6, I planted 5 different kinds of chili seeds and now have 32 chili peppers, the earlier ones are also getting their first leaves. I also have 2 kinds of Italian sweet peppers--25 plants. I started all of them under 24" fluorescent grow lights with JumpStart heat mats below the seed cells. The seed cells are 2.5x2x3 inches so I won't have to transplant all these little guys before I gift them to new homes. Right now they are sitting on the back screened-in patio enjoying Florida sunshine. I try to keep critters off the patio but I do bring the plants in for the night. I'm still using a heat mat on the flat of cells that have the peppers in them that are just coming up. But the tomatoes and the other peppers are just under lights and no heat until about 10:30 or 11 pm when we go to bed. I just took them off of heat mats 2 days ago. I'll take pictures and post tomorrow.

When I start seeds for the spring garden, I'll start in late Dec. or early Jan. I use a thermostat to keep the peppers because the house is colder at that time of year. I won't have to replace peppers--they live over the winter, giving us more peppers than we can ever eat. I have 5 pepper plants in the garden right now that were set out in Oct. after the hurricane and they are yielding wonderful peppers! They are replaced once a year!

Winter temperatures in Central Florida. Well January 2018 had the first 30 degree night in ten years. I usually keep track of temperatures and here's what it looked like in January 2016. I usually put my plants outside in January too because they enjoy the light and the sun and I bring them in at night. Like now, I have some mesh domes I use to let the seedlings stay outside at night. They keep the plants safe. I don't ever have to worry about "hardening off plants". They grow up that way.

Jan 1 high 83/low 73
Jan 8 high 72/low 66
Jan 15 high 72/low 64
Jan 22 high 71/low 59
Jan 29 high 66/low 66

florange said:I planted 3 different kinds of tomatoes on August 6 and now have 46 tomato plants, some of which are getting their first real leaves. From August 2-6, I planted 5 different kinds of chili seeds and now have 32 chili peppers, the earlier ones are also getting their first leaves. I also have 2 kinds of Italian sweet peppers--25 plants. I started all of them under 24" fluorescent grow lights with JumpStart heat mats below the seed cells. The seed cells are 2.5x2x3 inches so I won't have to transplant all these little guys before I gift them to new homes. Right now they are sitting on the back screened-in patio enjoying Florida sunshine. I try to keep critters off the patio but I do bring the plants in for the night. I'm still using a heat mat on the flat of cells that have the peppers in them that are just coming up. But the tomatoes and the other peppers are just under lights and no heat until about 10:30 or 11 pm when we go to bed. I just took them off of heat mats 2 days ago. I'll take pictures and post tomorrow.

When I start seeds for the spring garden, I'll start in late Dec. or early Jan. I use a thermostat to keep the peppers because the house is colder at that time of year. I won't have to replace peppers--they live over the winter, giving us more peppers than we can ever eat. I have 5 pepper plants in the garden right now that were set out in Oct. after the hurricane and they are yielding wonderful peppers! They are replaced once a year!

Winter temperatures in Central Florida. Well January 2018 had the first 30 degree night in ten years. I usually keep track of temperatures and here's what it looked like in January 2016. I usually put my plants outside in January too because they enjoy the light and the sun and I bring them in at night. Like now, I have some mesh domes I use to let the seedlings stay outside at night. They keep the plants safe. I don't ever have to worry about "hardening off plants". They grow up that way.

Jan 1 high 83/low 73
Jan 8 high 72/low 66
Jan 15 high 72/low 64
Jan 22 high 71/low 59
Jan 29 high 66/low 66

Beautiful day here on the beach! Evening temperatures have been declining for the past week so that means that fall is on it's way!

I promised pictures and here they are:

These are my first planting of peppers and tomato seedlings under light in my guest bedroom


This is the second planting of peppers. They still have the heat mat under them


Here are the seedlings stretching up to the sun on the screened in patio. Hey folks, gimme light!!!


Remember these plants were seeded in the first week of August. I think they look pretty good. Luckily, weather is cooperating.