Shade Grown Florida Tomatoes

[Galatians522]

One of the things I enjoy about gardening and growing fruit is the opportunity to learn new things from other people who do things differently. For years I only grew tomatoes in full sun, but due to the influence of an older gentleman in my community, I decided to try growing some in part shade. The original plan was to grow 1/2 a row of indeterminate cherry, grape, and Campari tomatoes in part shade. The other half of the row in full shade would be planted with peppers. Apparently, an armadillo had other plans. Somehow he managed to destroy all the pepper plants but left the tomatoes almost untouched. Since I had great germination on the tomatoes, I filled in the now vacted pepper spots with transplanted tomatoes. To my great surprise the half in full dapled shade produced just fine. I would estimate about a 20% reduction in yield compared with full sun, but with all the tomatoes that were produced I did not miss them. The canopy also helped protect the plants from frost. Below is a picture of an unidentified "black" (really mahogany) grape tomato growing on the shaded end of the row. To the right is an Everglades tomato that I threw in to finish off the row. You can see the oak trees in the background and the trusses loaded with fruit and blooms (20-40 fruits per truss). My last observation is that full sun plants start fruiting sooner but the shaded plants fruit longer. What has your experience been?

[okaycrossbow]

One of the things I enjoy about gardening and growing fruit is the opportunity to learn new things from other people who do things differently. For years I only grew tomatoes in full sun, but due to the influence of an older gentleman in my community, I decided to try growing some in part shade. The original plan was to grow 1/2 a row of indeterminate cherry, grape, and Campari tomatoes in part shade. The other half of the row in full shade would be planted with peppers. Apparently, an armadillo had other plans. Somehow he managed to destroy all the pepper plants but left the tomatoes almost untouched. Since I had great germination on the tomatoes, I filled in the now vacted pepper spots with transplanted tomatoes. To my great surprise the half in full dapled shade produced just fine. I would estimate about a 20% reduction in yield compared with full sun, but with all the tomatoes that were produced I did not miss them. The canopy also helped protect the plants from frost. Below is a picture of an unidentified "black" (really mahogany) grape tomato growing on the shaded end of the row. To the right is an Everglades tomato that I threw in to finish off the row. You can see the oak trees in the background and the trusses loaded with fruit and blooms (20-40 fruits per truss). My last observation is that full sun plants start fruiting sooner but the shaded plants fruit longer. What has your experience been?snow rider

Your experience with gardening tomatoes in both full sun and part shade is quite interesting and aligns with some general observations about tomato growth and fruiting under different light conditions. While full sun generally results in higher yields initially, tomatoes can still thrive and produce well in part shade, especially with the added benefit of extended fruiting and protection from adverse weather conditions. It's a great example of how gardening allows us to continuously learn and adapt our practices based on observation and experimentation.

[Green _ScienX]

One of the things I enjoy about gardening and growing fruit is the opportunity to learn new things from other people who do things differently. For years I only grew tomatoes in full sun, but due to the influence of an older gentleman in my community, I decided to try growing some in part shade. The original plan was to grow 1/2 a row of indeterminate cherry, grape, and Campari tomatoes in part shade. The other half of the row in full shade would be planted with peppers. Apparently, an armadillo had other plans. Somehow he managed to destroy all the pepper plants but left the tomatoes almost untouched. Since I had great germination on the tomatoes, I filled in the now vacted pepper spots with transplanted tomatoes. To my great surprise the half in full dapled shade produced just fine. I would estimate about a 20% reduction in yield compared with full sun, but with all the tomatoes that were produced I did not miss them. The canopy also helped protect the plants from frost. Below is a picture of an unidentified "black" (really mahogany) grape tomato growing on the shaded end of the row. To the right is an Everglades tomato that I threw in to finish off the row. You can see the oak trees in the background and the trusses loaded with fruit and blooms (20-40 fruits per truss). My last observation is that full sun plants start fruiting sooner but the shaded plants fruit longer. What has your experience been?snow rider

Your experience with gardening tomatoes in both full sun and part shade is quite interesting and aligns with some general observations about tomato growth and fruiting under different light conditions. While full sun generally results in higher yields initially, tomatoes can still thrive and produce well in part shade, especially with the added benefit of extended fruiting and protection from adverse weather conditions. It's a great example of how gardening allows us to continuously learn and adapt our practices based on observation and experimentation.

It's amazing to see how adaptable tomatoes can be! Your experiment with growing them in part shade is really intriguing. The unexpected bonus of frost protection from the canopy is a great insight. I've found that different conditions can sometimes yield surprising benefits. Your story about the armadillo and the resilience of your tomatoes is inspiring. Thanks for sharing your experience—it's always great to learn from fellow gardeners! Have you tried different substrates or soil amendments to see how they impact growth and yield in various light conditions? Looking forward to hearing more about your gardening adventures!

Thanks,
Suganya
+91 73050 92965
Green ScienX

[Green _ScienX]

One of the things I enjoy about gardening and growing fruit is the opportunity to learn new things from other people who do things differently. For years I only grew tomatoes in full sun, but due to the influence of an older gentleman in my community, I decided to try growing some in part shade. The original plan was to grow 1/2 a row of indeterminate cherry, grape, and Campari tomatoes in part shade. The other half of the row in full shade would be planted with peppers. Apparently, an armadillo had other plans. Somehow he managed to destroy all the pepper plants but left the tomatoes almost untouched. Since I had great germination on the tomatoes, I filled in the now vacted pepper spots with transplanted tomatoes. To my great surprise the half in full dapled shade produced just fine. I would estimate about a 20% reduction in yield compared with full sun, but with all the tomatoes that were produced I did not miss them. The canopy also helped protect the plants from frost. Below is a picture of an unidentified "black" (really mahogany) grape tomato growing on the shaded end of the row. To the right is an Everglades tomato that I threw in to finish off the row. You can see the oak trees in the background and the trusses loaded with fruit and blooms (20-40 fruits per truss). My last observation is that full sun plants start fruiting sooner but the shaded plants fruit longer. What has your experience been?

It's amazing to see how adaptable tomatoes can be! Your experiment with growing them in part shade is really intriguing. The unexpected bonus of frost protection from the canopy is a great insight. I've found that different conditions can sometimes yield surprising benefits. Your story about the armadillo and the resilience of your tomatoes is inspiring. Thanks for sharing your experience—it's always great to learn from fellow gardeners! Have you tried different substrates or soil amendments to see how they impact growth and yield in various light conditions? Looking forward to hearing more about your gardening adventures!

Thanks,
Suganya
+91 73050 92965
Green ScienX

[Galatians522]

Suganya, I think this forum is a great way to share information.

[Altrexy]

Some of my shaded tomatoes are still kicking out flowers and looking good in the middle of summer!

[Green _ScienX]

Suganya, I think this forum is a great way to share information.

Thank you so much for your input @Galatians522

[DavidBYE]

Yes! Thank you for bringing this up. I plant under trees as well. May get fewer fruits and veggies in each season but they are more health and longer lived. This allows peppers to live for years. End result is higher yield with less input. That I like!

Summer heat and sun are brutal on veggies. Leads to plant failure, disappointment and even a lot of people abandoning gardening all together. When asked, my first advice is to grow veggies in fall/winter season or with shade in the hottest part of the day.

[stevejobb]

Tomatoes are sun-loving plants, but they are susceptible to sun exposure in very hot and sunny environments, especially if their foliage is sparse. The solution given is to provide a black net to shade the tomatoes. Shade for tomatoes can actually increase their yield. In fact, a study of tomatoes in a commercial growing environment found that sun-shaded tomatoes had a 40% increase in leaf area and a nearly 50% increase in yield. Sun protection of tomatoes also produces beautiful, succulent fruits.

[Green _ScienX]

Hi @DavidBYE,

Thanks for sharing your experience! 🌿 I completely agree with you and like about the benefits of planting under trees. It's amazing how much healthier and longer-lived the plants can be with a bit of shade.

The summer heat can indeed be harsh on veggies, causing stress and disappointment. Growing veggies in the fall/winter or providing some shade during the hottest part of the day sounds like a smart approach. It’s all about finding ways to make gardening enjoyable and sustainable.

Have you ever tried using coco peat for your plants? It helps retain moisture and keeps the roots cool, making it great for managing heat stress. Green ScienX offers fantastic coir grow bags that could be a perfect addition to your gardening setup. Happy gardening!

Thanks,
Suganya
+91 73050 92965
Green ScienX

[DavidBYE]

@Green _ScienX I have not tried coco peat. Will look into it. Here in Florida we are farming in sand... Organic material breaks down quickly. It disappears or is washed away in less than a year. Seems like over night. This is one of the reasons I began planting under trees. The leaf litter covers the ground, suppresses weeds and adds organic material to the soil. It is like a ready made bed for veggies.