Picking the last outdoor tomatoes
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Primrose
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The recent sun has helped a few more of mine ripen but I still have lots of green ones left and find it difficult to judge how late I dare leave them before picking the remainder to let them ripen indoors. I know this will vary around the country but could for anybody lucky enough to still have some blight free plants let me know when you've decided to bite the bullet and not risk leaving them out any longer. Thanks.
Hi Primrose,
The five day forecast for farmers says that we will have a frost tonight. I has not been far off for days here and Saturday night fell to 4C.
If you can cover your Tomatoes you may get away with it but is it really worth the risk.
I have the canopy erected over my French Climbing and Runner beans. By doing so last year I actually picked some runners on 1st December which is something that I had never done before.
JB.
The five day forecast for farmers says that we will have a frost tonight. I has not been far off for days here and Saturday night fell to 4C.
If you can cover your Tomatoes you may get away with it but is it really worth the risk.
I have the canopy erected over my French Climbing and Runner beans. By doing so last year I actually picked some runners on 1st December which is something that I had never done before.
JB.
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Primrose
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Johnboy, I've dithered all day but at 6 p.m. this evening having rechecked the weather forecast I chickened out and picked them all. So now I have about 30 lbs of mostly green tomatoes. Far too many to try "putting in a drawer" so I've got them laid out on newspaper on several large trays. If we get some warm sunshine later in the week they can go out for a last sunbathe; otherwise we'll be tripping over them on the living room floor ! Having survived the blight, I decided it was not worth tempting the Gods further !
Hi Primrose,
It is 5.20am and the thermometer outside my back door reads almost zero and there is an hour to dawn when the temperature drops even further.
I really think you did the right thing.
Green Tomato Chutney is wonderful! There was another recipe strangely in the Recipe Section for Green Tomatoes last week.
Have fun!
JB.
It is 5.20am and the thermometer outside my back door reads almost zero and there is an hour to dawn when the temperature drops even further.
I really think you did the right thing.
Green Tomato Chutney is wonderful! There was another recipe strangely in the Recipe Section for Green Tomatoes last week.
Have fun!
JB.
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Primrose
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Yes Johnboy, it was pretty cold here around 3 a.m. but when I got up this morning the temperature had shot up and my outdoor peppers & the last 2 aubergine plants, which I'd covered with fleece were fine. But I didn't have enough fleece to cover the tomatoes, which is why I picked them. But damn it - the sun has been shining brilliantly here all day, so at least the trays have been put outside to make the most of it.As I have a cupboard full of chutney I'm going to try out frying slices of green tomato coated in polenta until they're all crispy.
Hi Primrose,
My thermometer ended up just below zero and I have two more and they both registered -2C so that would not have done Tomatoes any good. I have just popped out and looked at the one in the back porch and that is 11C which is 10C higher than last night.
We have been having very low night temperatures most of the year and once Tomatoes have been frosted that generally speaking is the end of them as they then seem to break down internally. They may look fine but they will not ripen off the plant once frosted
they just rot. Annoying as it may seem I am of the opinion that you did the right thing.
I like the recipe you mention sounds scrummy!
I lost all my outdoor Tomatoes but still have plenty left in the Greenhouse. I am hoping to take some to Malvern as there should be a few trusses ready about then.
JB.
My thermometer ended up just below zero and I have two more and they both registered -2C so that would not have done Tomatoes any good. I have just popped out and looked at the one in the back porch and that is 11C which is 10C higher than last night.
We have been having very low night temperatures most of the year and once Tomatoes have been frosted that generally speaking is the end of them as they then seem to break down internally. They may look fine but they will not ripen off the plant once frosted
they just rot. Annoying as it may seem I am of the opinion that you did the right thing.
I like the recipe you mention sounds scrummy!
I lost all my outdoor Tomatoes but still have plenty left in the Greenhouse. I am hoping to take some to Malvern as there should be a few trusses ready about then.
JB.