What about extending harvest in Zone 6?

lakelady · August 20, 2011

I've been searching but all I seem to find are posts about greenhouses to extend harvest. What about just keeping those tomato plants going another month or two outdoors...is there anything anyone has used...outdoors, over a full mature tomato plant (or 3 or 4) that has allowed them to extend the harvest long enough to get all of their tomatoes ripened? Covers of any kind? I'm talking about 5' tall plants.

If you pull up tomato plants and bring them indoors, doesn't it shock the plant? Just dig them up and put into pots or 5 gallon buckets? Any and all suggestions are welcome!

I do have a screened in porch with glass but very little of it gets southern exposure and there's a lot of tree cover. Not sure it would work as a "greenhouse" of any kind, so I'm looking for any suggestions or tips that anyone else has used. thanks!

August 20, 2011	#1
lakelady Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: northern NJ zone 6b Posts: 1,862	What about extending harvest in Zone 6? I've been searching but all I seem to find are posts about greenhouses to extend harvest. What about just keeping those tomato plants going another month or two outdoors...is there anything anyone has used...outdoors, over a full mature tomato plant (or 3 or 4) that has allowed them to extend the harvest long enough to get all of their tomatoes ripened? Covers of any kind? I'm talking about 5' tall plants. If you pull up tomato plants and bring them indoors, doesn't it shock the plant? Just dig them up and put into pots or 5 gallon buckets? Any and all suggestions are welcome! I do have a screened in porch with glass but very little of it gets southern exposure and there's a lot of tree cover. Not sure it would work as a "greenhouse" of any kind, so I'm looking for any suggestions or tips that anyone else has used. thanks!