AMKuska
Garden Master
My tomatoes and peppers are still green, but it looks like Wednesday it is going to get down to 33F in my area. That's just one degree away from freezing. Should I pick it now or wait and risk it dipping one degree lower?
Should I pick my tomatoes?
- Thread starter AMKuska
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Zeedman
Garden Master
Personally, if they are all green & the wind will be calm, I would try to cover the plants. That would be especially true if warmer days will be following, which would give them a chance to ripen once they get past the frost.
digitS'
Garden Master
Wednesday is quite a ways off, AMK.
If the fruit has changed color in the slightest, they will ripen nicely indoors over several days time.
I have rescued tomatoes after a frost because the plants were in a sprawl. The plant itself can afford some protection. Of course, Zeedman's option of covering them - a tarp provides an impressive amount of heat retention.
But ... wouldn't it be a shame to lose the tomatoes? And, still I'd wait a few more days.
Steve
If the fruit has changed color in the slightest, they will ripen nicely indoors over several days time.
I have rescued tomatoes after a frost because the plants were in a sprawl. The plant itself can afford some protection. Of course, Zeedman's option of covering them - a tarp provides an impressive amount of heat retention.
But ... wouldn't it be a shame to lose the tomatoes? And, still I'd wait a few more days.
Steve
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AMKuska
Garden Master
I will keep an eye on the weather. It's now saying it will dip down to freezing two days in a row. There's also an atmospheric river poised to dump on us. D:
)
flowerbug
Garden Master
i'd just bring them in. two nights of frost will do in the plants.
we got frosted pretty well here last night but that's been going on for the past several weeks off and on.
tomatoes were all harvested and any green ones were brought in to ripen.
we got frosted pretty well here last night but that's been going on for the past several weeks off and on.
tomatoes were all harvested and any green ones were brought in to ripen.
digitS'
Garden Master
I can hardly imagine how we end up in about the same place, re First Frost.
Perhaps, it's coming "early" for AMK's location maybe 100 feet above ocean water in, what, about zone 7-8? Here we are 100's of miles from the ocean a couple of thousand feet higher, between 2 ranges of the Rocky Mountains and we still haven't had a first frost.
Many mornings in the 30's but never quite cold enough to freeze. Many plants are in a suspended state. Horticulturists use Growing Degrees Units to gauge plant development. Different plants - different temperature thresholds for growth. Daily temperature averages and with many plants, 50°f (10°C) is the daily average said to be required. I.wonder how.many.weeks it has been here since we have had that temperature average.
Steve
Perhaps, it's coming "early" for AMK's location maybe 100 feet above ocean water in, what, about zone 7-8? Here we are 100's of miles from the ocean a couple of thousand feet higher, between 2 ranges of the Rocky Mountains and we still haven't had a first frost.
Many mornings in the 30's but never quite cold enough to freeze. Many plants are in a suspended state. Horticulturists use Growing Degrees Units to gauge plant development. Different plants - different temperature thresholds for growth. Daily temperature averages and with many plants, 50°f (10°C) is the daily average said to be required. I.wonder how.many.weeks it has been here since we have had that temperature average.
Steve
ducks4you
Garden Master
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YES! Bring them in! It's only a matter of time before you Will get your first frost. I do this every year and fill my kitchen table with (this year) bottoms and tops of my roasters and other containers and I segregate them according to ripest.
Posts#728, #729, #761 & #777
So, far I have canned 23 1/2 quarts and I will probably get another 5-6 quarts from the freeze fright harvest on October 7th and 10th.
TOTALLY worth it.
They won't taste as good if they get frosted. They will turn mushy, which is fine if you are freezing them on purpose, but lousy if you want to snack on any of them.
Family has eaten about 20 tomatoes since I brought all of them inside.
Ducks4you for 2022
Brousing my email I saw that Eden Brothers has free shipping today, so I spent about $5 on cherry tomato seeds. I miss the cherry tomato volunteers.
www.theeasygarden.com
So, far I have canned 23 1/2 quarts and I will probably get another 5-6 quarts from the freeze fright harvest on October 7th and 10th.
TOTALLY worth it.
They won't taste as good if they get frosted. They will turn mushy, which is fine if you are freezing them on purpose, but lousy if you want to snack on any of them.
Family has eaten about 20 tomatoes since I brought all of them inside.
