Plant age

[golddustpeak]

How long do you keep your tomato plants.

One of my plants is 265 days old and beginning to produce smaller tomatoes.

Do I keep it or replace it?

[Shawn]

I am a bad person to ask as when I get tired of a plant I will terminate to start new.  However, I think this this a personal preference.    Some keep them going and going, while others may end if they get bitter or produce less.

So I say, if you want to keep them going, go for it.  But if you want to start something fresh then end.  I am sure some "tomato" growers will chime in with their thoughts.

Keep us posted on what you decide to do

[campingcorgis]

You didn't say what kind of tomato plant it is?  I would say yours has had a very good run, but sounds like it is winding down.  I would start looking for something new to plant, or if you really liked these tomatoes, why not replant it.  

What kind of machine(s) do you have?  If you have something smaller, like a Sprout, maybe you could go ahead and plant in that one and move it to the larger one after a couple of weeks.  

[golddustpeak]

I have been planting two AG heirloom tomato pods in each of my two bounties.

I try to rotate them so we always have a few tomatoes to harvest.

We've tried peppers and several egg plants but find tomatoes and lettuce to be the most plentiful.

[lynnee]

golddustpeak , The Aerogarden blog says that the typical life cycle for a tomato plant is 12 months (365 days), but that an individual plant can produce longer. I start a new tomato garden whenever the plant(s) stop growing reasonably well, or start producing fewer blooms on the growing tips.

If you feel like experimenting with keeping your tomato going longer, you could try adding tiny amounts of CalMag and or Koolbloom along with the AG nutrients at each feeding. CalMag and Koolbloom are available on Amazon.

From the AG blog:

How long do plants typically last in an AeroGarden?

Growing in an AeroGarden is similar to growing plants in any environment. Plants have a lifespan and a life cycle as they grow and mature. The type of plant you are growing and the tending and harvesting it receives will impact the life expectancy of any plant.

Flower varieties typically grow for 4-5 months and can last much longer depending on tending and care.

Lettuces & Greens typically grow for about 4 months.

Herbs typically grow for about 3-4 months and can last 6 months or more. Some herbs, such as basil, can last longer than that, especially with regular pruning and harvesting.

Fruiting vegetable plants (such as tomatoes or peppers) will start to flower and set fruit after they reach a level of maturity. The average lifespan for fruiting vegetables is about 12 months. With continued tending and care, fruiting vegetables can certainly maintain plant growth for longer.