Tomato tips

[Fee]

Hello again fellow growers
Having lived in the city for many years and recently moving to countryside in the middle of nowhere, I am hopelessly struggling to understand the finer points of veg growing - could someone help me out? My tomatoes (not in a greenhouse, growing in pots up the side of my wall) are doing very well and are now starting to ripen. However, if I leave them out in the frost will it kill them? Or should I just pick them all now and put them in a drawer with a ripe banana?
And is a tomato a fruit or a vegetable?
Many thanks in advance.

[dragonz]

I have read that if you cover the ground in straw, then lay the tomato plants down and cover them with something to protect from the frost they will continue to ripen. or you could pick them and ripen them or make green tomato chutney which is lush on a cheese sandwich

[Lesley Jay]

I have also got tons of green tomatoes and I have been advised to cut the whole stem off the plant - leaves, tomatoes the lot. Put the stems in a cardboard box and keep in a cool dark place. Bring out enough tomatoes for what you need and ripen them in a bowl. They will not stand up to a frost and this weekend I think I will have to cut mine and store them in a box. You could try making Fried Green Tomatoes I could post the recipe if you like. Or I do have 2 recipes for Green Tomato Pie Filling. I know it sounds strange but I am going to give it a go. If you want the recipe I will post it. Don't be put off by your tomatoes not ripening this year. It has happened to alot of people - just down to the weather.

[Fee]

Many thanks, I think I shall pick them shortly before the frost arrives!

[andrewo]

Ripening

I always have a glut of green tomatoes, put them in a dark drawer and they will ripen, however, laying them down and covering them with a cloche also works but takes up alot of space.

Apologies, I have only just noticed this thread!

Andrewo

[Acorn]

You could try making Fried Green Tomatoes I could post the recipe if you like.

Lesley Jay
Could I please have the recipe for Fried Green Tomatoes?

Thanks!

[Looloobowers]

Frost

Hi all,

I see no-one answered the fact that tomatoes are fruits. But also, where are you all to have not had a frost yet? I am in North Lincolnshire and 1.5 weeks ago we had -5° on a number of nights!

Regards
Louise (green with envy).

[Lesley Jay]

We've had frosts but I was still picking tomatoes in the middle of November until the frosts hit them.

[andrewo]

Up on Pennines

They have to be off the bush by mid October as the rain belts come in. I have sadly used the last of my toms this week in a lovely sauce, absolutely scrumptious - who needs ragu?

Andrewo

[Lesley Jay]

Here you go Acorn - Fried Green Tomatoes. Slice the tomatoes about 1/3 inch thick. Dip in beaten egg and then coat in flour and fry in butter until golden. Or you can do a flour and parmesan mixture. Serve warm.

[dni_dave]

Under snow

I was at home for 4 days (18th Nov - 22nd) and couldn't work our plot as it was under a dusting of snow and we had a frost everynight. Advantage was that the days were lovely and sunny - just not very warm.

Had to fill the manure heap instead (always jobs to do on the allotment).