The focus has shifted…we are on Week 2 of Saving the crop of tomatoes from frost/ ruin.

We are practicing 8 different ways to ripen tomatoes in cold climates. We are focusing on these ways to elongate the crop, grown from organic seed. Naturally, we have have irritation system because all were grown from Organic seed! If you haven’t grown from organic seed, you’re in for a treat! Organic seedlings, Heirloom, or whatever you call them, they are not easy. I’d give them a 9.9999 of 1-10 difficult.

Let’s get to the harvest!Let’s explore 8 ways to push harvest!

1) Pull the plant “out of the ground” and put it in a grow tent with synthetic light schedules: We experimented with 2 plants. After 24 hours, the Brandywine had some pink skin and the plant leaves perked up! It was on its way to a vine ripen! Unfortunatly, the Golden Jubilee’s leaves drooped. Well, both seemed promising for a sweet tomato, compared to box ripened. With greater risk of frost, we are considering this method on more plants. If they can ripen in the tent, they should result in the juiciness of a vine ripened tomato!

2) Pulled on roots. Yep, we probably ripped 50% off! Those Black Cherries were going dark! I yanked on them 4 days ago. I’d have a photo of the Black Cherry, but in haste, finding 2 split from the incessant rain on top of the irrigation, I promptly ate them! I’ll attempt a photo tomorrow.

3) Picking the barely ripe a day ago and get green bananas to gas them in a box in the basement! Again, I picked all the pink and yellowed babies and paired them with boxes of green bananas. 

Yep, I had to buy more green bananas! With ample bananas we had some go pink or fully yellow overnight! The phrase that sticks with me is that, “grocery store veggies are picked non-ripe and are forced to ripen”. Alas, that’s the truth! There’s no harm in the grocery store way! Many in this photograph were forced by the banana and I’d place bets that you can’t tell!

4) Picking early forces other greens to ripen earlier: Yep, all the yellow and pink babies were green yesterday! Note to self, no worries if we find an overripe under the overgrowth because the Fluffy one still likes to eat the split cherries.

5) Install temporary grow tents and cover with blankets!

Yep, we have 1 more temporary greenhouse installed. It broke my back and we ran out of light in the midst of a double rainbow. Thankfully, someone gifted me pain relievers. I stretched my back 4x today and put the pain patches on every 4 hrs.

6) Trim, trim, trim!

Yep, it was addicting to trim the unnecessary growth in the Roma bed. It was still depressing to trim off flowering buds and dime sized tomatoes, but I reminded myself the bigger tomatoes were going to die if the babies weren’t removed. I spent over an hour nipping, but I know from experience, this works! Check out the bursting wheelbarrow!

7) Gassing!

I spent $6 on green bananas at our local supermarket. I placed them in boxes and the green houses. I saw a few bites on yesterday’s bananas so I said a prayer that it wouldn’t come back.

8) Cut the water! The fall rain came and went. Finally, I turned it off entirely. They were spoiled in thinking that it was still summertime. I cut the irritation entirely.

Test it! I love to test what plants and nature can do. I planted cherry tomatoes in May, in planters and watered them till June. I didn’t have the strength to move them out of the greenhouse. I got bored with them because they were stemmy and produced dime size fruit. Natrurally, I cut the water and forgot about them. Interestingly, they produced fruit till October! It was tiny, but the sweetest of my entire garden! I learned that healthy seedlings can survive a entire summer without watering. Does the water come from the air? No idea, but I now realize that water can be cut and produce can be had!

Overall, I’m still learning to trust the Lord that inspired me, to undergo this Pandemic project. We have donated over 200 pounds of produce to our local pantry. It was a journey and our family has enjoyed every minute. We thank our Lord for this wonderful opportunity to serve our local community. Who knows, what if we can donate another 200 lbs? Or more?