Tomatoes still green, but it will freeze tonight - what to do?

[DianeS]

I knew my tomatoes were taking a loooong time to produce, but now it may be too late!

I have one tomato plant that is just HUGE. It turned into a BUSH. And there are dozens and dozens of small green tomatoes on it. Some look about to turn red, others are still tiny and won't be ripe for a couple weeks.

And the weatherman expects it to frost and possibly freeze tonight.

The tomato plant is in a pot - should I move it inside? Will the reduction in natural light hours keep the tomatoes from ripening and make the move pointless? I can't move it in and out every night/day, it's just too huge and heavy.

Would covering it be enough? If so, what with?

I've nursed this tomato plant along all season, I'd hate to lose the harvest now!

 

[hoodat]

Pick them right away. Even if they are still on the plant after the frost they will be too damaged to ripen. Those large enough can be held to ripen and the smaller ones turned into relish or pickled green tomatos

 

[HLAC]

If it's an isolated frost, I'd move it indoors and then put it back out or at least cover it. The bushier the plant, the more heat it will hold in. I've heard you can put a gallon jug of hot water under the cover to help fend off the frost but I've never tried that.

I would also cover it before dark so that it still has the warmth of the day on it.

We had some scattered frosts early this month. I only had minor damage to my plants and the tomatoes are ripening nicely in the warm weather we've had since.

Of course, if your forecast is for more frosts, you probably need to write off the plant and pick the tomatoes now like hoodat wrote.

 

[wifezilla]

We are going to get close to freezing tonight. I am just going to cover my plants in plastic. The water jug trick works but you need more than one.

 

[vfem]

Here's what I did:

http://www.theeasygarden.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=29749

Some of them are already ripe, and few are turning now already!

I should have used a paper bag, but the box and paper are fine.

 

[DianeS]

Well I covered them in heavy plastic, so we'll see what happens!

Unfortunately I don't like any green tomato recipies, so I either have to get them ripe (and preferably larger), or throw the whole bush to the chickens. If I need things I can do with half-frozen tomatoes I'll let you know tomorrow.