# So many green tomatoes on my FROZEN plants...what to do?



## CNCfamily (Sep 13, 2010)

TONS and TONS of green tomatoes on my plants that have frozen three times now. The first frost didn't get them too bad, but these last couple nights got them beyond recovery.

I've read about pulling them out of the ground by the roots and hanging them upside down in a warm place to ripen them? Does that really work? Is there any other way to ripen them?

What else can i do with all these green toms? Other than the fried green tomatoes well be having for the next couple weeks! Lol!


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## ai731 (Sep 11, 2007)

Green Tomato Chutney (aka relish)

8 lbs green tomatoes
6 onions
3 cups vinegar (regular or apple cider)
1 tablespoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon EACH ground cloves, mace, and cinnamon

Chop the tomatoes & onions reasonably small (bigger is OK for chutney, small for relish)
Bring to a boil in their own juice
Simmer for 30 mins
Add remaining ingredients and stir well
Let simmer, uncovered until thickened

Ladle hot chutney into hot jars, process 20 mins in a boiling water bath.


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## Cliff (Jun 30, 2007)

We always pick ours before they freeze because I've always heard that if the vine freezes the green tomatoes are no longer good to eat. Idk if that's actually true, it might be an old wives tale. Anybody know?


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## Raeven (Oct 11, 2011)

Pulling them out by the roots and hanging them in a warm place does work. So does harvesting them with about an inch of stem and leaving them in a warm dry place. I find the latter method a lot less messy. In some years, my kitchen countertops are covered with tomatoes ripening in various stages. Kind of pretty. 

Otherwise, you can pickle them after soaking in slack lime or as suggested, make chutney. If you want my pickled tomato recipe, just say the word.

Sorry your tomatoes got frosted!!


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## sdnapier (Aug 13, 2010)

What is slack lime????


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## Raeven (Oct 11, 2011)

Sorry -- also known as pickling lime. You soak your tomatoes in it before pickling. It firms them up so they don't end up all mushy after the pickling process. 

Pickling Lime - Kitchen Dictionary - Food.com


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## frankva (May 21, 2009)

I try to get them picked before any frosting. Might try a few in a paper bag with an apple tossed in.


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## geo in mi (Nov 14, 2008)

From what I saw on the Weather Channel, it didn't look like a 'hard' freeze, rather, a frost....so, hanging them might be worth a try. If the tomatoes had already turned(started whitening or reddening) it might be possible, but I would put a piece of plastic under them, just in case they turn to slime.....

geo


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## DW (May 10, 2002)

We have picked MANY green tomatoes over the years. Check for any bad spots, wrap in paper (we buy newspaper roll ends) and load up a box. They will ripen.


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## CNCfamily (Sep 13, 2010)

I've got a bunch in paper sacks right now. I only have the lunch size ones, so i'm going to stop at Winco tonight and grab some big ones. I don't get the newspaper, and paper bags don't get the dang ink all over you hands anyways!


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## a'ightthen (Mar 17, 2012)

Always try to pull mine before the last frost. I'm thinking that the freezing temps ( as frost is) caused cellular damage and they will go down fast.

Thinking that there is a difference between pulling green tomatoes and tomatoes that have been killed.

But I have never gone there so it will be interesting to see your findings. Closest that I have seen is 2 yrs ago when I found out that my greenhouse heating capabilities end at 11 degrees ( thought a ripe mater in Jan would be nice) .... it was not pretty at all 

Please let us know how it turns out!


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## Paquebot (May 10, 2002)

There really is a point where a green tomato may as well be used for the lowest point of salvage as versus something good. If the norm for a variety is 4" to 6" fruit and there's some 2" green rocks, they will never be nice salad tomatoes. They have to be just about to the breaker stage. That's where they may still be green on the outside but the interior is at a stage where the entire fruit will ripen to maturity. Learned that on my own years ago when garden space was limited and post-frost harvest critical. Remember many trays of tomatoes with more rotten ones removed than ripe. 

In harvesting fruit for seed production, I need only see a little color to know that the seeds are almost 100% viable. As a reliable bit of advice from beyond me, little good can come to a tomato after it reaches the breaker stage. That should be your clue as to what you'll be eating later. 

Martin


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## SueMc (Jan 10, 2010)

Paquebot said:


> In harvesting fruit for seed production, I need only see a little color to know that the seeds are almost 100% viable.
> Martin


Thanks for posting that. I had no idea.


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## frankva (May 21, 2009)

You still let the fruit ripen off the vine before gathering seed from the "breaker" colored fruit?


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