[1shotwade]

I've got tons of them and now they are calling for 36* Saturday night.I'm not going to even try saving the plants,they wouldn't ripen up good in the cooler weather anyway.I guess I'll go pull the plants and go from there.
I used to think I pretty much had it together with most farm related things but since I found this site I realize there is a lot of things i could be doing better. Y'all collectively are a pretty smart bunch of people.Sooooo---- give me some ideas as to what to do with these tomatoes.Hang the plants in the barn,wrap in news paper,all that kind of stuff and I'll try a variety of things and see how they come out!

Thanks y'all!


Wade

 

[CraterCove]

I might start canning a good few of them as green tomato salsa and pickles instead of trying to ripen them. There are lots of ways to to use the tomatoes green and then one'd not have to worry further about them.

 

[Maura]

Cover the plants. You can buy row cover, which is a light white sheet used to cover garden crops early in the season or late in the season. We have used it and it works pretty well. Otherwise, use newspaper and tape to make tents around the plants.

Any tomato that has started to turn orange will ripen to red, go ahead and pick those and put on a windowsill. The ones that are truly green will not really ripen, which is why you want them to stay on the vine as long as possible.

We solved this problem by building a small greenhouse. Tomatoes are dependent on length of day, so at some point they stop making flowers no matter what you do. But, we can leave the plants in the ground long enough for them to finish the tommys they started.

 

[bigjon]

canned mine-garlic/dill

 

[Use Less]

When I just can't pamper the plants along any more, I lay out the green tomatoes on cookie sheets lined with a pad of newspaper. I have a big old-fashioned clothes-drying rack that I can slide those on, so it's a shelf unit of sorts. I check every few days and pitch any that are squishy or swelling. I enjoy fried green tomatoes, so I take a few nice ones, slice, freeze on a cookie sheet, then drop in zip bags. I egg & flour the frozen slices and lay in the hot fat. Works fine.

 

[sniper69]

Here is one recipe for green tomato salsa http://www.freshpreserving.com/recipes/green-tomato-salsa-verde-recipe

Green tomato relish is another idea. http://www.cooks.com/recipe/2e4ju1cy/green-tomato-relish.html
Or I make a relish variation called green tomato chow chow - here is the recipe I made with green tomatoes last year http://southernfood.about.com/od/picklesrelishes/r/r80810b.htm

Here are a couple links for canning green tomatoes (for frying). http://cowgirlscountry.blogspot.com/2011/08/canning-green-tomatoes-for-frying.html or http://www.cooks.com/recipe/m96t264p/canning-green-tomatoes.html and http://www.cooks.com/recipe/i14b44rg/canning-green-tomatoes-for-frying.html

Green tomato pickles are good - there are various recipes online. Here is one with pictures http://www.gardenbetty.com/2011/08/four-ways-to-pickled-green-tomatoes/

 

[geo in mi]

Green tomato salsa. Takes onions, jalapenoes, peppers, and lots of green tomatoes--(and tortilla chips)...

geo

 

[MullersLaneFarm]

I canned up the last of my green tomatoes in slices.

In pint jars, use 1/4 tsp sugar, 1/8 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp citric acid & 1/4 tsp calcium chloride (pickle crisp).

1/2" headspace. Add sliced tomatoes & fill with boiling water. Hot water bath for 40 minutes.

 

[wogglebug]

1. If they've started to colour, pick them and they'll ripen off the vine. The more reasonable light and warmth, the better. Long-term, though, wrap in newspaper with tissue or a paper towel on the inside, store in the proverbial cool, dry, dark place, and they'll ripen slow and steady. Store a few apples around them and they'll ripen a lot faster and better.
2. Green tomato pickles.
3. Green tomato chutney (Yum!).
4. Green tomato sauce.
5. Green tomato salsa.
6. Green tomato jam.
7. Sweet green tomato pie, tart, cobbler.
8. Savoury meat or fruit or vegetable pie with green tomato, sugar or molasses or honey and lemon juice or vinegar or citric acid.
9. Opportunity shops - buy sheets and shower curtains, protect the vines until... see points 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 & 8.

 

[Nimrod]

Cry havoc and let slip the chickens. (or just leave the garden gate open for the free rangers)

 

[Fetherhd]

If you like fried green tomatoes...slice and can them like you would a reg. tomato...then drain dip and fry...they are excellent this way!!