Are tomatoes annual or perennial? Instructions for wintering

When growing tomato plants, there are a number of different factors to watch out for in order to allow for a generous harvest of the popular fruit vegetable. In addition to the right location, plenty of sun and pest control, wintering is an important point in order to get the plant safely through the year. Winter can hit them hard and many gardeners who are planting tomatoes for the first time wonder whether these are only annuals.

tomatoes

sorts

Tomatoes: annual or perennial?

The common assumption that it is Solanum lycopersicum annual nightshade family is due to the cool temperatures in Central Europe. The tomato itself comes from Central and South America. Brought to Europe in the 18th century, probably by Christopher Columbus. For this reason it is used to high temperatures and sunny locations and grows for several years in its original range and comparable regions. In Central Europe, on the other hand, tomato plants only grow

annual due to the combination of lack of light and cold. However, it is also possible to keep perennial paradise apples in the local latitudes if you choose the appropriate varieties.

'Red Robin'

• fruit-ripe after about 55 days, compact, limited growth
• high yield and sweet cherry tomatoes

'Primabell'

• fruit ripe after about 60 to 80 days
• very compact
• easy to care for with high harvest yield

'Balconi Red'

• forms fruits with a mild taste
• fits on every window sill

'Minibel'

• forms extremely sweet fruits with a maximum diameter of 2.5 cm

'Vilma'

• maximum growth height of 60 cm with fruits that weigh an average of 20 g

'Amish Cherry'

• equipped with fruits in orange, which are very small and tasty

'Red Pearl'

• very cute
• red fruits that are very small

All of these strains have one common ground: they are small-growing wild or bush tomatoes that are compact and have small fruits. Tomatoes put a lot of energy into the development of the fruiting bodies and towards the end of the year they are fully occupied and need rest. If there is not enough sun and heat available afterwards, they die. the small varieties have the advantage that they do not consume too much energy and can therefore happily overwinter in a suitable quarter. Their robust nature gives the varieties a great advantage over other tomatoes, but the survival of the plant is not guaranteed.

Tip: As an alternative to the varieties mentioned above, you can use old German tomato varieties such as 'Besser' or 'K 54-84'. These varieties are very resistant, even to little sunlight, and are therefore perfect for you if you want to keep your tomatoes perennial rather than annual.

Location

The location of the tomato plants is particularly important for the roost in winter. This is heavily dependent on the Amount of lightthat can be made available to the plants. If there is an acute lack of light, new leaves and flowers are no longer formed and the previously existing parts of the plant perish, which in the end leads to the death of the plant. The location must be as follows.

• flooded with light
• Temperature from 22 ° C to 24 ° C in the greenhouse
• Temperature of around 15 ° C in the house, not higher

A lot of light is what the tomatoes need in order to be able to grow for several years and not to perish as an annual. Wintering is therefore best suited and particularly recommended in the following rooms.

• bright hallways or stairwells
• large rooms with lots of windows
• Winter gardens
• Rooms with south-facing windows
• Greenhouses

Lighting conditions

It is best to either place it directly on the windowsill or in close proximity to the windows so that a lot of light can get into the room. All southerly directions are particularly suitable, as well as skylights, if these are so that the tomato plants have a lot sunlight is available. The above varieties are great for a winter on the windowsill. If the location has too little light, you have to help with a lamp. The following variants are available for this.

• special plant lightsthat allow the plants the necessary amount of light
• High pressure sodium vapor lamps: a lot of light, quite a lot of heat, expensive in the long run due to high power consumption
• Led Lamps: Sufficient light, low heat generation, expensive to buy, but cheaper to use

Do not use energy-saving lamps or fluorescent tubes with the lamps. Even in large numbers, these do not provide enough light and are therefore in no way suitable for winter quarters. In addition, energy-saving lamps are expensive to buy. Be careful when purchasing one suitable lamp on the spectrum that should resemble daylight. In Kelvin, this corresponds to a value of 5,300 K to 6,500 K. You do not have to orientate yourself according to the wattage or the specified lumens, because during the winter for tomatoes only the light spectrum is important so that they do not only have to grow as an annual.

Tip: If you want to keep your tomato plants perennial, you can use a mirror to provide more and, in many cases, sufficient light. Simply place it behind your tomatoes, as this will also provide the sunlight from the side facing away from the window.

wintering

In rooms

Hibernating tomato plants in living spaces for several years: Instructions

Once you've decided on a lamp or have plenty of sunlight, the farther south you live the better, you can start preparing for winter. Cuttings are best suited for wintering in the apartment or on the windowsill, as they will save more in the following year Plants available than last year and because the cuttings do not have quite as much light as the fully grown tomatoes require.

Proceed as follows:

1. In August, separate cuttings from the tomato plants to a length of eight to ten centimeters. You then have to defoliate the lower part of the cuttings.

2. Now the cuttings are each placed in a dark glass filled with water.

3. Wait until the cuttings develop roots and plant them in a pot or tub filled with fresh substrate that is beneficial for tomatoes.

4. Now place the tomatoes on the windowsill or another suitable place and take care of the tomatoes as usual. Alternatively, you can place the plants on a turntable so that all sides are illuminated with daylight.

You can also try to get adult plants through the winter.

Proceed as follows:

• bring the plants indoors in late summer or early fall
• spray the tomato plants with neem oil to prevent pests
• use the space with the most light
• do not remove the stingy shoots over the winter
• these help absorb light
• the earth must be moist, but not wet, throughout the cold season
• fertilize only a little
• frequently check for pests

In the greenhouse

Hibernating tomato plants for several years in a greenhouse: Instructions

The greenhouse is ideal winter quarters. You use this for the Solanum lycopersicum during the winter time in the following way.

• Only transport healthy specimens into the greenhouse
• Diseases and pests can severely affect tomato plants over the winter
• you can also choose the place with the most light here or help with lights
• The temperature must be between 22 ° C and 24 ° C
• reduce the water and fertilizer additions
• check the crops for diseases or pests as often as possible

Do not be surprised, but the leaves of the tomato bleach heavily over the winter time, but the fruits themselves can continue to ripen. The plant recovers in spring.

Tip: If you decide to overwinter in a greenhouse, you should definitely check it for possible weak points or damage before winter. You should insulate the greenhouse, clean the panes to let in more light and close cracks or holes so that sufficient heat remains in the greenhouse.