Can I Overwinter Tomatoes Without Bringing Them Inside?
Asked by SunnySideGardener88
I'm located in zone 9 in California, and I'm interested in overwintering my tomato plants without moving them indoors. I don't have access to a greenhouse. It doesn't get too cold in my area during the winter, and it seems like the winters are getting shorter with rainy days, but they aren't usually excessively rainy. Has anyone tried this before?
Answers
From my experience, it's usually better to replant tomatoes each year. They tend to lose vigor if left alone through winter, so you might not get the best results if you're aiming for a bustling garden.
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I tried overwintering tomatoes in zone 10b a few years back. As an experiment, it worked but my plants weren’t as productive the second year. They definitely don’t produce as much if you leave them through the winter without freshening up the stock.
NatureNerd73: What did you do to overwinter them? Did you prune or leave them untouched?
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I have tried this in Southern California too, where I had a decent yield through the fall and winter. However, just like others mentioned, my plants weren't super productive the second year. Still, having those fresh tomatoes here and there was a nice bonus during the cooler months.
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FloraFriend101: Totally agree! Starting fresh seems to yield better tomatoes.