How cold is too cold for tomatoes?

[Patrick Smith]

We've covered how hot is too hot.......
Now, what about the other extreme? I have heard about how tomatoes won't
set fruit below 50F, but that is not my experience. Every year near SF, CA.
I plant tomatoes around the end of Feb. while the low temps are around 45 on
average. These last 12 months have been way colder than normal and we've
had no frost since Dec, but some nights have been down to 40 inland even
last week. I planted some 3 inch ones a month ago and they have all
flowered (several early varieties) and some already have small fruit. They
look great and are growing moderately. They are in an open and unprotected
area. One Alaskan cold front after another, and they're fine. I even put
some orange pepper seeds in the ground last month and I have a bunch of 4
inch plants.

Patrick Smith
sha...@crl.com

[Curtis Brothers]

Patrick Smith wrote:

My tomato seedlings are in a cool greenhouse which hits the low 40's and seem
very happy, except for the hot weather varieties - Jeff Davis and Sojourner.
Both of them are small and miserable looking. Both my reading and experience
point to 38 F- 40 F as being the bottom limit.

--
Pat Brothers
The Powell House
Wake Forest, NC
USDA Zone 7b

[Beth Pierce]

Place clear plastic around them, making a minigreenhouse. I have lived
in California for years, and have seen this done as I grew up. NO
matter how cold it got, the plastic kept them warm. I now am using it
in a shady part of my garden.

Patrick Smith wrote:
>
> We've covered how hot is too hot.......
> Now, what about the other extreme? I have heard about how tomatoes won't
> set fruit below 50F, but that is not my experience. Every year near SF, CA.
> I plant tomatoes around the end of Feb. while the low temps are around 45 on
> average. These last 12 months have been way colder than normal and we've
> had no frost since Dec, but some nights have been down to 40 inland even
> last week. I planted some 3 inch ones a month ago and they have all
> flowered (several early varieties) and some already have small fruit. They
> look great and are growing moderately. They are in an open and unprotected
> area. One Alaskan cold front after another, and they're fine. I even put
> some orange pepper seeds in the ground last month and I have a bunch of 4
> inch plants.
>
> Patrick Smith
> sha...@crl.com

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