Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Next Summer's Tomatoes

This is actually a little note to myself, so that I remember a nifty tip that a friend told me yesterday. Connie was making a Taco Salad and discovered she was out of tomatoes. She added extra avocado and olives to make up for them, but that got us discussing the subject of garden tomatoes. In our area, frost has killed off the tomato plants, and this just when our plants were starting to produce well. There have been so many green tomatoes that have gone to waste. Connie's sister shared with her a tip that we are planning on trying next year (thus, the note to self here on my blog).

Right before a deep freeze, pull up the entire plant, tomatoes, roots and all. Don't worry about leaving dirt on the roots, but make sure the entire plant is whole. Put the tomato plant in a sheltered place like the garage. Over time, the green tomatoes will continue to gain nourishment from the plant and will continue to ripen to red. You should be able to extend the 'garden tomatoes' in your cooking repertoire for another month or so. This works not only with regular garden tomatoes, but with grape, cheery, and pear tomatoes too.

Since I am sharing a picture of some of Dad's and Alma's beautiful tomatoes, I thought I would share a few pictures of their garden as well. Dad has built several of these gated gardens to protect their plants from deer and raccoons. Each raised bed is made with treated lumber and is wrapped with wire mesh. The areas within the raised beds are soil enhanced with compost that Alma creates with household scraps. I like the compactness and orderly appearance of their raised garden beds. Because things are planted close together, weeds don't have much room to grow, thus ---- less work!

Happy garden dreams with me!

28 comments:

  1. I'm just starting to leave a comment and I see on your sidebar. ..Lovella's friends know how to cook .. you are too cute. I love it and I certainly agree with you . . I cant' stop drooling over that Pumpkin Trifle that Ellen made. .
    Oh. .but back to your post, oh that garden of your Dad's and Alma's is so wonderful. . it just makes me want one like it next year.
    Thank you for that wonderful tip, it makes so much sense, since tomatoes that are green ripen so well anyways, how much better they must ripen when left on the stem.
    This is a note to remember for all of us.

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  5. I'm just starting to leave a comment and I see on your sidebar. ..Lovella's friends know how to cook .. you are too cute. I love it and I certainly agree with you . . I cant' stop drooling over that Pumpkin Trifle that Ellen made. .
    Oh. .but back to your post, oh that garden of your Dad's and Alma's is so wonderful. . it just makes me want one like it next year.
    Thank you for that wonderful tip, it makes so much sense, since tomatoes that are green ripen so well anyways, how much better they must ripen when left on the stem.
    This is a note to remember for all of us.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I'm just starting to leave a comment and I see on your sidebar. ..Lovella's friends know how to cook .. you are too cute. I love it and I certainly agree with you . . I cant' stop drooling over that Pumpkin Trifle that Ellen made. .
    Oh. .but back to your post, oh that garden of your Dad's and Alma's is so wonderful. . it just makes me want one like it next year.
    Thank you for that wonderful tip, it makes so much sense, since tomatoes that are green ripen so well anyways, how much better they must ripen when left on the stem.
    This is a note to remember for all of us.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I'm just starting to leave a comment and I see on your sidebar. ..Lovella's friends know how to cook .. you are too cute. I love it and I certainly agree with you . . I cant' stop drooling over that Pumpkin Trifle that Ellen made. .
    Oh. .but back to your post, oh that garden of your Dad's and Alma's is so wonderful. . it just makes me want one like it next year.
    Thank you for that wonderful tip, it makes so much sense, since tomatoes that are green ripen so well anyways, how much better they must ripen when left on the stem.
    This is a note to remember for all of us.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I'm just starting to leave a comment and I see on your sidebar. ..Lovella's friends know how to cook .. you are too cute. I love it and I certainly agree with you . . I cant' stop drooling over that Pumpkin Trifle that Ellen made. .
    Oh. .but back to your post, oh that garden of your Dad's and Alma's is so wonderful. . it just makes me want one like it next year.
    Thank you for that wonderful tip, it makes so much sense, since tomatoes that are green ripen so well anyways, how much better they must ripen when left on the stem.
    This is a note to remember for all of us.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I'm just starting to leave a comment and I see on your sidebar. ..Lovella's friends know how to cook .. you are too cute. I love it and I certainly agree with you . . I cant' stop drooling over that Pumpkin Trifle that Ellen made. .
    Oh. .but back to your post, oh that garden of your Dad's and Alma's is so wonderful. . it just makes me want one like it next year.
    Thank you for that wonderful tip, it makes so much sense, since tomatoes that are green ripen so well anyways, how much better they must ripen when left on the stem.
    This is a note to remember for all of us.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I'm just starting to leave a comment and I see on your sidebar. ..Lovella's friends know how to cook .. you are too cute. I love it and I certainly agree with you . . I cant' stop drooling over that Pumpkin Trifle that Ellen made. .
    Oh. .but back to your post, oh that garden of your Dad's and Alma's is so wonderful. . it just makes me want one like it next year.
    Thank you for that wonderful tip, it makes so much sense, since tomatoes that are green ripen so well anyways, how much better they must ripen when left on the stem.
    This is a note to remember for all of us.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I'm just starting to leave a comment and I see on your sidebar. ..Lovella's friends know how to cook .. you are too cute. I love it and I certainly agree with you . . I cant' stop drooling over that Pumpkin Trifle that Ellen made. .
    Oh. .but back to your post, oh that garden of your Dad's and Alma's is so wonderful. . it just makes me want one like it next year.
    Thank you for that wonderful tip, it makes so much sense, since tomatoes that are green ripen so well anyways, how much better they must ripen when left on the stem.
    This is a note to remember for all of us.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I'm just starting to leave a comment and I see on your sidebar. ..Lovella's friends know how to cook .. you are too cute. I love it and I certainly agree with you . . I cant' stop drooling over that Pumpkin Trifle that Ellen made. .
    Oh. .but back to your post, oh that garden of your Dad's and Alma's is so wonderful. . it just makes me want one like it next year.
    Thank you for that wonderful tip, it makes so much sense, since tomatoes that are green ripen so well anyways, how much better they must ripen when left on the stem.
    This is a note to remember for all of us.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I'm just starting to leave a comment and I see on your sidebar. ..Lovella's friends know how to cook .. you are too cute. I love it and I certainly agree with you . . I cant' stop drooling over that Pumpkin Trifle that Ellen made. .
    Oh. .but back to your post, oh that garden of your Dad's and Alma's is so wonderful. . it just makes me want one like it next year.
    Thank you for that wonderful tip, it makes so much sense, since tomatoes that are green ripen so well anyways, how much better they must ripen when left on the stem.
    This is a note to remember for all of us.

    ReplyDelete
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  19. oh my goodness, I left 18 identical comments. .so sorry, I'll go delete them now. . .my computer had seemingly frozen and I kept pressing publish ...

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  20. I can't delete them . .I'm trying. . .so sorry. .

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  21. Lovella, don't worry about all the comments. It was quite fun to receive 20 comments all at once! I deleted some, but then it just leaves blanks --- so I'm just not going to worry about them. Thank you for commenting!!!!!

    LaTeaDah

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  22. Hilarious...all those above posts...anyway that idea about the tomato plants is a good one and I will have to try it. And your dad's gardens are amazing...

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  23. Your father's garden is so beautiful. I love a neat and tidy garden.

    You can also turn the tomatoes upside down in a box to ripen. In the past I have made mock mincemeat and chow-chow relish with the green tomatoes. There is also fried green tomatoes.

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  24. Anonymous4:50 PM

    Thanks you for a lovely tip and I had never heard of his! I have daisy trees (really a plant cut into a topiary) in front of my store. At $35.00 each and I have three - I decided to cut them back this year and put them in pots down in the basement. Maybe it won't work till next spring but it was worth a try!

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  25. Anonymous11:41 PM

    What fun here tonight!

    I remember my dad used to pick the green tomatoes just before the first frost and wrap them each in newspaper and store in a cool place to ripen to extend the season and save the remaining crop.

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  26. Those are two fantastic tips! I might have to return to growing some tomatoes...had left it for the very reasons that you describe...frost killing off plants that had really just begun producing. Your dad and Alma's gated garden is just fantastic. Very neat and tidy. It must keep a lot of critters at bay. Wonder if it actually prevents some bugs...slugs from getting in with that treated lumber.

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  27. Lovely pictures.
    My brother was telling me about purple tomatoes? I'm not familiar with them but they are suppose to be delicious and super healthy for you. I am hoping to plant some in the spring.

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  28. Anonymous6:51 PM

    Hi ,
    I have enjoyed catching up with you. I just love all the pretty pictures. I am going to leave my blog open so if you want to add me back that would be ok. It is just to much work to be private.
    Hugs,
    Elizabeth

    ReplyDelete

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