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I've finally got some green tomatoes -- now what?
We've had a dreadful year! It rained almost non-stop throughout June and July, and our garden is mostly a no-show. Over the past couple weeks, however, we've gotten more zucchini than we can shake a stick at and some snow peas and snap peas.
But for the longest time, no tomatoes. Just in this last week, we got hundreds -- several varieties, from beefsteak to Tiny Tim's. They don't seem to be ripening, though. No evidence of blossom end rot, but they're all still quite green and firm.
What will it take to get them from here to something we can eat? We've been having an unusually warm spell this past week, but I doubt it will continue much longer. Once they reach this stage, how many bright sunny days (approx.) will it take? If the weather turns sour again, is there anything we can do to recover what we've got?
We were so looking forward to making our own tomato sauces, ketchup, salsas and chili sauce to get us through the winter! I'd hate to lose them now while we're so close!
Thanks for any advice!
..c..
Views: 91
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Debbie Byrd on -
Have you tried fried green tomatoes. Simply dip slices in an egg bath, then dredge in flour, salt, and pepper. Fry until crispy - I use coconut oil.
Green tomato relish..oh yum. You can find many good recipes on the internet. So SO good with beans/peas/cornbread.
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Permalink Reply by JoyfulC on -
Yes, I love fried green tomatoes! But I am really hoping I'll have enough sun and weather left to ripen most of them. I wish I could get some idea of how much and for how long, though!
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Permalink Reply by Troy Anderson on -
Many of my tomatoes stayed green for almost 4 weeks then once they started to turn thye were ripe in about 3 days. I have tried to wait until they were fully ripe before picking. Green tomato salsa is great too. If you have peppers ready just add the peppers of your choice t peeled and de-seeded tomatoes, add lime and cilantro and enjoy. It will keep about a week.
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Permalink Reply by JoyfulC on
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4 weeks??? Oh no! I have a feeling this isn't going to end well. I'm all for eating green tomatoes, but I need ripe ones to make the tomato sauce, ketchup, salsa and sun dried tomatoes I am hoping to put up to get us through the winter.
Our season got off to a really slow start.
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Permalink Reply by Troy Anderson on
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How large are the ones you have now? I mean 4 weeks from the time I first saw an actual tomato.
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Permalink Reply by JoyfulC on
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A few are probably as big as my fist (and I've got huge hands and feet for a woman). We probably first saw tomatoes maybe a week or more ago. (Perhaps I'm panicking for nothing....) It's just that this season has been so weird. It rained just about every day in June and July, then the last two weeks have been unusually hot (~ 30 C), then this morning it was 7 C and it's only going to get up to 18 C.
Our weather here in Eastern Ontario is usually stabler than, say, Alberta where they'll get frosts and snow in July and August on occasions. But this year is so weird, I'm just holding my breath that our tomatoes ripen and we get them in before we have a freak frost or something.
..Christine..
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Permalink Reply by Troy Anderson on
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I thinkn you will be fine. If things have not progressed by the time you are in danger of frost, you might be able to construct a temporary frost shelter to give you a few more weeks. This would be cheep and easy with a small hoop house for say 12 - 15 plants. If you have much more than that it may not be possable for you to do that. Good luck!!
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Permalink Reply by JoyfulC on
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Oh thanks! You've given me an idea! They're actually growing in containers. Worse comes to worst, perhaps we could bring them into the sun porch if we got a frost warning.
(Duh!I'm new at this -- does it show?? :-/ )
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Permalink Reply by Torry on -
Green tomatoes also make a great pickle mix, along with some onions, cayenne peppers, garlic cloves, etc.
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Permalink Reply by Carrie Seal-Stahl on -
Fried green tomatoes, salsa verde, pickled... Sky is the limit!
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Permalink Reply by JoyfulC on
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Perhaps my message was a bit confusing. I wasn't asking what I could do with green tomatoes, but rather what to expect between now and when the tomatoes ripen. What needs to happen? Do they need so much sunlight? So much warmth? Our season got off to a really late start, and so I'm wondering what it will take to get them from here to ripe.
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Permalink Reply by Torry on
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Patience.
JoyfulC said:Perhaps my message was a bit confusing. I wasn't asking what I could do with green tomatoes, but rather what to expect between now and when the tomatoes ripen. What needs to happen? Do they need so much sunlight? So much warmth? Our season got off to a really late start, and so I'm wondering what it will take to get them from here to ripe.
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