When to Pull Up Tomato Plants: Timing is Everything

As a tomato gardener knowing when to pull up your plants is an important part of maximizing your harvest. While it may be tempting to leave the plants in the ground as long as possible, timing is everything when it comes to getting the most out of your tomato crop. In this article, we’ll go over the signs that indicate it’s time to pull up your plants, as well as tips for harvesting green tomatoes and prepping your garden for next year.

Watch the Calendar

The first indication it’s nearing time to pull up tomato plants is the calendar Tomatoes thrive in warm weather, but most varieties will stop setting fruit when nighttime temperatures regularly drop below 55°F This is a sign that your tomato season is coming to an end.

Pay attention to the average first frost date for your region, which is when temperatures dip below 32°F. Tomato plants will not survive a frost. Most gardeners aim to pull plants up 2-3 weeks before the first expected frost to allow time for green tomatoes to ripen indoors.

Monitor Plant Health

Your plants themselves will also show signs it’s time to call it a season. As daylength shortens in late summer and fall, tomato plants begin to decline. You’ll notice slower growth, smaller fruit, flowering tapering off, and leaves yellowing or browning.

Once your tomatoes have stopped flowering and fruiting, it won’t be long before the first frost hits. Go ahead and pull up the plants while they still have some life left in them.

Check for Disease and Pests

Diseases like early blight, septoria leaf spot, and fusarium wilt intensify as plants age and the weather cools. Inspect leaves and stems for spots, wilting, mold, and dieback. Infestations of tomato hornworms and other pests also increase later in the season.

The presence of disease or major pest damage is a sign your plants have reached the end of their productive life. Pull them up to prevent issues from spreading spores and pests to other parts of your garden.

Harvest Green Tomatoes

When pulling up tomato plants, don’t discard green tomatoes still clinging to the vines! These can be ripened indoors or used in recipes like fried green tomatoes and chutneys.

Pick green tomatoes just before or immediately after pulling plants. Store at 55-70°F out of direct sunlight for 2-6 weeks. The ripening process slows in cooler temperatures. You can place tomatoes in a paper bag or cardboard box with a ripe banana to speed things up. Ethylene gas released by the banana will hasten ripening.

Check tomatoes every 2-3 days and remove any that become soft or start rotting. Ripe tomatoes should be moved to the fridge. With care, you can ripen a final handful of tomatoes from your summer garden!

Prepare for Next Season

Once tomato plants are pulled up, the work isn’t done. Take steps to promote a healthy crop next year:

• Clear all plant debris from the garden to remove places where pests and diseases survive winter. Put diseased plants in the trash, not the compost pile.

• Amend soil with compost or fertilizer to replenish nutrients used by this year’s crop.

• Consider crop rotation if diseases were a problem this year. Don’t plant tomatoes in the same spot as this season.

• Disinfect any cages or trellises before storing to kill bacteria and fungi.

• Save seeds from open-pollinated varieties if desired. Store in a cool, dry place over winter.

With some strategic timing and care when pulling up your tomato plants, you can maximize harvest, minimize disease issues, and give your garden a healthy start next tomato season. Pay close attention a few weeks before your first fall frost and be ready to take action once those key signs appear.