Tomato plant life expectancy

[BoFuller]

I’ve always had outdoor gardens and when the frost and cold weather came, the growing season was over. Now I have a green house, so I’m wondering how long a tomato plant can last if it continues to stay warm and is weather protected.

Any experiences?

 

[ultrarunner]

We have the same cherry tomatoes that self propagate year after year...

They are outside in the mild climate of Oakland California...

 

[jaxs]

I grow tomatoes outdoors in NC Texas. You will have healthier and more productive plants starting new plants than carrying old plants through a second production cycle. You can get a second crop or even 3 or 4 but the effort isn't worth it. If you want to try some plants I suggest using indeterminate varieties. As long as plants aren't diseased cuttings work well.

 

[Yander]

If it is an indeterminate variety it may continue to grow and grow. I know I planted a single cherry tomato plant in a large hügelkultur mound and it grew and grew all summer and into the fall until it got frosted about a week ago.

I don't know how long it would have grown but it wasn't stopping. It was about 20 feet in circumference before frost got it.

 

[jyoutz]

Tomatoes are perennial, but of course not frost tolerant. Mine froze two weeks ago. But in their native locations in Central America they grow year long.

 

[CADplans]

snip off the suckers, stick them in the soil, and watch a new plant take off.
Not much different than the original, except lower to the ground.

My wife said she plans to start dozens of suckers next year, and find out what the plants can do,,

 

[MossRoad]

I’ve always had outdoor gardens and when the frost and cold weather came, the growing season was over. Now I have a green house, so I’m wondering how long a tomato plant can last if it continues to stay warm and is weather protected.

Any experiences?

Fascinating....

These plants are up to 15 meters long. That's close to 50'.

 

[BoFuller]

Thanks all.

 

[MapleLeafFarmer]

depends a lot of variety and quality of green house and how they are managed.

We maybe get only 95 days frost free days per year here in a row so greenhouses common.
Generally most varieties will start producing fruit in about 80 days (+/- 15).
Not uncommon for plants to last 2 - 3 years before culled.
After 3 years my experience is the younger generation plants almost always outperform on yield so good decision to replace the old with new cuttings.
We grow mostly indeterminate tomatoes. Small amount of cherry and vine as well.

 

[Sonny580]

Tomatoes here are WEEDS! LOL! They take over everything! Have not planted any plants for 10 years! We just transplant volunteer plants to a row and till/hoe out the rest!
We have several kinds and all do well for us.
As for greenhouse,--cant answer that one, (yet)! Plan on building a small one before spring to start plants other than tomatoes in.
I would think they would go til it froze them in there unless you have some heat in there. Taste will be off cause the sun is too low in the sky in the winter to ripen them! Ya they will turn red BUT not much taste!