Hi all, I have a quick question about overwintering Tomatoes as I am starting to think about my fall garden. Long story short is I plant two crops of tomatoes(from seeds) Once in March (which I harvest in Fall and Winter) and once in September (which I harvest in Spring and Summer) and this is the first year I have done this and have had tomatoes since January but in the fall it will be time to replant in the fall. Now last time I built a greenhouse around them and put a portable heater inside, which kept them warm. However, this year I am also going to have to build a greenhouse around my second crop and I would like to not have to heat two big greenhouse areas. So my question is if I just build individual cold frames for the young tomatoes out of greenhouse plastic (which will keep them for freezing) will it keep the tomato plants healthy enough until it warms up when they can take of and start producing in the spring? For example, I know that if corn is exposed to too much cold it will stunt its growth and mess up the growth patterns. FYI I live in Phoenix where last year it froze once and the year before it froze about 3 times so its not like two months of consistent freezing.

Thanks

Usually tomatoes are perennial plants and require water in proper quantity. Overwintering tomatoes with high density of 4c so that water stays warmer long time.

Look at your most healthy heavily cropping plants; and take some cuttings from them. Pop them into modules around about now, and let them recover. They flop for a week, then stand up and carry on growing. Slow down the watering and when late autumn comes, take the strongest few indoors, and grow them on in a cool not too warm position.