yardenman,

OK do I understand you correctly - you have the tomato plants growing next a south facing cinderblock wall and were successful in keeping plants alive until December. Did you cover the plants when you got a freeze? Did the radiated warmth from the masonry keep the plants warm? I've got a brick wall facing south and I'm in Virginia which is a tiny bit warmer than Maryland. I can move my plants around because they are in EarthBoxes. More details please :-))

This is my first time growing CP's and they are putting on new toms and the plant looks fantastic.

DL

Besides the issue of heat absorbed by masonry (which I don't know enough about to say anything), it's quite common for there to be a warmer microclimate (in winter) close to a building, regardless of the type of building material.

For instance, years ago in suburban Chicago we often had some petunias survive the winter without any protection. They were in beds adjacent to the front porch (western exposure).

I had aphids and mites ravage my tomatoes. With some heavy pruining and a different support system they seems to be coming along nicely and my Early Girls actually are loaded with blooms and I swear I saw a couple of started tomatoes (tho I can't find them now). But It's been almost a MONTH without tomatoes. My Brandywines are pulling out of it pretty good too as are the Homesteads and Beefsteaks....

Crossing my fingers I'll have tomatoes soon!

I certainly am hoping for my "warmer microclimate" to work this year.

DL

Dancinglemons - I did not use season extenders like covers or artificial warming devices. The tomatoes were simply in cages up against the house foundation walls and stayed warm enough to survive into the first week of December.

That one plant just stayed alive longest from the reflected sunlight of the white cinderblock wall and the heat from the house.