When do tomatoes quit producing in Durham, NC? (growing, frost, planting) - Garden -Trees, Grass, Lawn, Flowers, Irrigation, Landscaping... - City-Data Forum

GotHereQuickAsICould · 06-23-2016, 11:12 AM

Gorgeous tomatoes are growing alongside our home. Due to hail damage, we need to replace our Mansard roof. Roofer wants to wait until after the tomatoes quit producing as his crew will likely ruin the tomatoes.

So when do tomatoes quit producing in Durham?

Zone 7, if that helps.

Gerania · 06-23-2016, 11:55 AM

October? Don't wait for the tomato plants. There's always next year.

NickMan7 · 06-23-2016, 12:03 PM

If you're talking about the tomato plants being taken down by cold weather, I'd bet that you'd have until at least the end of October. I am in the Denver area, zone 5b, and depending on how mild our fall season is, I am often still harvesting tomatoes into mid-October. Of course, zones are only determined by the coldest temperatures possible in a given location, not the location itself. We've had frosts as early as the first week of September or the last week in November. Durham's average first frost is around October 27. It all just depends on the season.

GotHereQuickAsICould · 06-23-2016, 01:10 PM

I wish I had written it down. As I recall, tomatoes stop setting during the hot spells and then just sort of sputter along for awhile after that.

Definitely don't want to wait until October.

Maybe we'll just do it August and let the tomatoes fall where they may.

NY to LA · 06-23-2016, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GotHereQuickAsICould

I wish I had written it down. As I recall, tomatoes stop setting during the hot spells and then just sort of sputter along for awhile after that.

Definitely don't want to wait until October.

Maybe we'll just do it August and let the tomatoes fall where they may.

Can you try transferring them to a different location right before? Maybe there will be a slight chance of survival.

phonelady61 · 06-23-2016, 01:57 PM

or if your tomatoes are big enough you can put them in a brown paper bag and they will ripen that way too . If you are talking about waiting until they ripen and yeah I would not put off getting a roof because of some tomatoe plants ...

GotHereQuickAsICould · 06-23-2016, 04:51 PM

You guys are right. Plants are bushy and over six feet tall. (I use a lot of rabbit poop.

) Transplanting them isn't happening. I'll cover them up the best I can and hope they aren't beat up too bad andl recover before frost.

No sense waiting until fall storms to replace the roof. That doesn't make sense.

Thanks for weighing in. Love my tomatoes. But need a roof.