Frost, Freeze and Green Tomatoes

by Carol Kagan, Franklin County Master Gardeners

Frost on the Pumpkin (WKTY-TV, Lexington, KY)

We are fast approaching the last frost free date of October 15 in Franklin County and many home gardeners, eager to either have homegrown tomatoes for Thanksgiving or loath to discard any possible foodstuff, are looking at their green tomatoes.
 
FROST VS. FREEZE

Frost, “killing frost,” freeze warnings, a “killing freeze” - what is the difference? In casual conversation the terms frost and freeze are often interchangeable but there is a very real difference. Frost and freeze are two distinct phenomena. These terms take on significance when they are associated with the growing season.

North Carolina State

FROST

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), frost is the formation of thin ice crystals on the ground or other surfaces in the form of scales, needles, feathers, or fans. Frost develops under conditions similar to dew, except the temperatures of the Earth's surface and earthbound objects falls below 32°F. A frost advisory is issued when widespread frost formation is expected over an extensive area. Surface temperatures are usually in the mid-30’s. If a frost period is sufficiently severe to end the growing season (or delay its beginning), it is commonly referred to as a "killing frost."

 Dr. Katharine B. Perry, North Carolina Extension Service, has compared frost and freeze conditions for protection of horticultural crops noting frost and freeze protection methods are based on preventing or replacing radiant heat loss.

Frost on Lettuce- Gary Bachman, Mississippi State University



Because frost is primarily an event that occurs as the result of radiational cooling  - heat loss at night - it frequently occurs with a thermometer temperature in the mid-30’s. A radiation frost happens when a clear sky and calm winds (less than 5 mph) allow an inversion to develop. An inversion occurs when the heat radiating from the earth rises and causes the cooler air above to be pushed down, and temperatures near the surface drop below freezing.

North Carolina State University

Covering plants before the sun sets may be protection from frost as this can help retain heat near the plants.

Frost damaged tomatoes, squash and peppers-
Gordon Johnson, Kent County, Delaware

FREEZE

According to NOAA, a freeze is when the surface air temperature is expected to be 32° F or below over a widespread area for a significant period of time. Use of the term is usually restricted to advective situations or to occasions when wind or other conditions prevent frost.

Dr. Perry explains than an advective, or windborne, freeze occurs when a cold air mass moves into an area bringing freezing temperatures. Wind speeds are usually above 5 mph and clouds may be present. Attempts to protect plants are very limited under these conditions.

 A "killing freeze" may be used during the growing season when the temperature is expected to be low enough for a sufficient duration to kill all but the hardiest herbaceous crops.



According to NOAA, freeze warning are issued during the growing season when surface temperatures are expected to drop below freezing over a large area for an extended period of time, regardless whether or not frost develops.

Green tomatoes - Carol Kagan

GREEN TOMATOES

Tomato Flower-Carol Kagan

We are less than two weeks away from the first average frost. Since it takes about six weeks for a tomato to go from flower blossom to ripe fruit, you should have pruned back your tomato plants in mid-September (cutting the growing tip off all the vines and any new blossoms to redirect the plant’s energy toward ripening up the existing fruit).


 

Oops! Okay, you were enjoying the weather and forgot. Now what?

There's always fried green tomatoes or you can store them to ripen up later.

Pan-Fried Green Tomatoes (From PS WPSU Local Food Journey)

Ingredients:
   2 large green tomatoes       1/4 cup bread crumbs
   1 egg salt                            1/4 cup milk black pepper
   1/2 cup all-purpose flour    Peanut oil for frying
   1/4 cup cornmeal

Directions: Slice the tomatoes 1/4- to 1/2-inch thick.

Whisk together the egg and milk. Place the flour and a little salt and pepper into another bowl. In a third bowl combine the cornmeal, bread crumbs, salt, and pepper.

Bread the tomatoes by first dusting them with flour, then dipping them into the egg, and finally coating with the bread crumb mixture. *

Heat the oil (1-2 cups) in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Cook until the tomatoes are golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels.

* An online blog (Tadpole's Outdoor Blog) suggests that these can be put in a single layer, frozen and then stored in a plastic bag in the freezer to use later. Perhaps fried green tomatoes for Christmas!

Tadpole's Outdoor Blog

STORE TO RIPEN

Pick and store your green tomatoes and let them ripen up. Ron Wolford, University of Illinois Extension horticulturist, notes that green tomatoes can be harvested before a predicted frost.

“You can tell when a tomato is nearing maturity by its light green, almost translucent, appearance,” according to Barb Fick, horticulturist with the Oregon State University Extension Service. “Tomatoes that are not in this 'mature green' stage won't ripen.”

Fick notes that a green tomato is mature if its interior is yellowish and the tissues are gelatinous, or sticky, when the tomato is cut. Mature green tomatoes also have a pink or reddish tinge on the blossom end.

Check for maturity by cutting a green tomato in half. If the pulp filling the compartments is jelly-like, it is mature green. In immature green tomatoes, seeds are easily cut through and the jelly-like pulp has not yet developed.

Checking maturity in green tomatoes - Courtesy of Lowes.com

Wolford recommends removing the stems, washing and drying the fruit. Wrap each tomato in newspaper and place them in a single layer on a shelf or in a box. You can also put them in deep straw or just lay them in a box so that they are not touching. Check tomatoes every few days and discard any that show signs of rot.

Wrap tomatoes in newspaper - Carol O'Meara,
Colorado State Univ. Extension Service

Tomatoes will ripen satisfactorily in the dark, according to Fick, and sunlight is not needed; however, temperature is important. Storage temperature should range from 60 to 70 degrees. They will ripen over a period of three to four weeks.

Picking and storing the mature green tomatoes in mid-October means there's a good chance you can have some tasty, home-grown tomatoes for the Thanksgiving celebration.

For more information, check these links:

North Carolina State University: Frost/Freeze Protection for Horticultural Crops

Cornell Cooperative Extension, Chemung County: Understanding Frost

University of Illinois Extension Service: Getting Ready for Frost

Mississippi State University: Winter’s frost, freeze can damage landscape

Franklin County Blogspot: Final Tomato Pruning

Penn State WPSU Local Food Journey: Field Notes and A Recipe for Pan-Fried Green Tomatoes

Lehigh Valley Master Gardeners: What to do with late season green tomatoes

PSU Preserving Your Harvest - Tomatoes

Colorado State University Extension Service: Ripening that Huge Crop of Green Tomatoes (Carl Wilson, Colo. State Coop Extension Agent)

Clemson Cooperative Extension: Using and Storing Tomatoes

Cornell Cooperative Extension, Chemung County: Guidelines for Harvesting Vegetables
Compiled by Eric de Long

Oregon State University Extension Service: Green tomatoes can ripen off the vine

Edible Front Range: Time to Store Green Tomatoes, Carol O'Meara

Tadpole's Outdoor Blog: Fried Green Tomatoes

First Day of Autumn

by Carol Kagan, Franklin County Master Gardener

Summer is gently sliding into autumn here in South Central PA. I like it. Do you?

The Planted Stumps are Thriving

Here are the two stumps that ended up with Patti Nitterhouse at the PN golf course.

It's Not Too Late

...to enjoy some time with your favorite plants.  Some of them are almost at their peak...

And whether you're looking for critters...

Or flowers...

or just some interesting blooms...

They are yours for the enjoying in the Herb Demonstration Garden...

So come sit and take it all in...

Visit to Hershey Gardens

by Carol Kagan, Franklin County Master Gardener

Hershey Gardens

Since this weekend was the last for the Butterfly House at Hershey Gardens and the weather was fantastic, we headed out Friday. The gardens are only 1 ½ hours away and well worth the trip.There are over 23 acres of garden including a beautiful Rose Garden of over 3 acres started in 1937.

Only a few of the 5,600 roses of 275 species

Areas include ornamental grasses, Japanese garden, herb gardens, Native American, rock garden, nut and oak groves, and arboretum. The extensive Children’s garden has many interactive stations, hideaways and a hedge maze that is so much better for youngsters than the challenging commercial corn mazes. 

Ornamental Grasses

We headed to the Butterfly House first and spent over an hour, mostly with me chasing butterflies around or patiently waiting for the Malachite butterfly to get warm enough to open its wings. My favorite was the Malachite, beautiful on the underside with wings closed. I’ve included an Internet picture of it open. Oh, I wish I could have waited.

Malacite with wings closed

Malacite with wings open (from the Internet)

Others that I enjoyed were the Julia (Dryas iulia Fabricius), native to south Texas, Florida and Brazil,

Julia

the Great Southern White (Ascia monuste), native to south Texas, Florida and Gulf Coast,

Great Southern White

the Zebra (Heliconius charithonia), official butterfly of Florida,


Zebra butterflies feeding on brown-eyed Susan seed heads

the Mexican Bluewing (Myscelia ethusa), native to Central America but obviously enamored of my blue pants that day,

Mexican Bluewing

the White Peacock (Anartia jatrophae), native to the southeastern U.S. and Central/South America,

White Peacock

and the Atala (Eumaeus atala), native to Florida, the Bahamas and Cuba, and like the Malacite, refused to open but was beautiful when closed. It is their smallest butterfly.

Atala with closed wings

Atala with open wings from Internet

A fun event coming up is the Pumpkin Glow nights in October, geared toward kids 12 and under, costumes and flashlights encouraged. Over 150 illuminated pumpkins throughout the garden and floating. Check the link below for more information. There is also a Bonsai exhibition from October 10 to November 10.

Here’s a sampling of flowers currently in bloom.

For more information about Hershey Gardens

Hershey Gardens

Pumpkin Glow at Hershey Gardens

Tomato Tasting Day - Wet but Successful

Compiled by Carol Kagan, Franklin County Master Gardener

No age or height requirement at Tomato Tasting Day

Over 170 people ignored drizzling rain, and the threat of thunderstorms to participate in the 13th annual Penn State Extension Tomato Tasting Day, sponsored by the Franklin County Master Gardeners on Wednesday, August 28, 2013. That total represents the 2nd highest attendance figure in the history of the event.

Rain did not deter people determined to taste tomatoes

Twenty-four different varieties of tomatoes were sampled, and the winner was Old Brooks, an heirloom variety, described in the catalog Totally Tomatoes, where the seeds were purchased, as “Smooth, blemish-free fruits known for their superior resistance to blossom end-rot as well as to early and late blights. Gourmet quality flesh, with a fine, even texture. The taste is somewhat acidic, which proves to be an asset in home canning. Good all-around variety.”

Second place honors went to Maglia Rosa, a recently introduced open pollinated variety by tomato breeder Fred Hempel of Baia Nicchia Farm in the Bay area of California, who licenses his seeds to Seeds of Change, where the Master Gardeners purchased the seed last winter. Seeds of Change describes the variety as, “This cherry tomato produces truly unique, mottled pink, long, egg-shaped fruits with bright, lightly sweet acidic flavor. Harvest just as the fruit turns light pink for optimum flavor. The small plants are perfect for growing in hanging baskets or patio containers.”

And the third place finisher was Rose, another heirloom sourced from Johnny’s Selected Seeds, whose catalog describes it as, “Deep pink and smoother than Brandywine, Rose is every bit as meaty and flavorful. Fruits weigh 10+ oz. Good yielding.” Here’s the whole list:

Angela Weathers of Blue Ridge Summit submitted an entry in the largest tomato grown with a Striped German variety weighing in at almost 2 pounds. Brenda Baumgardner of Dillsburg was also a prize winner on Wednesday. Her green salsa, dubbed Salsa Verde at the event, won the people's choice award.

Salsa Verde

 

Photos included are from the Public Opinion Website.

WHAG Channel 21 News (includes video interviews)

Public Opinion Story
Public Opinion Photos

Update - October 20, 2013 - The breeder of Blush and Maglia Rosa - Fred Hempel of Baia Nicchia Farm and Artisan Seeds informs us in the comments section that the seeds are freely available to all seed companies, and will be available from Johnny's and others this winter.  Check out Fred's introductions for 2014.

Discovered in the Rock Today

By Franklin County Master Gardener Carol Kagan

Oh, how gently summer is sliding into autumn. I took a stroll around the yard in the cool of the morning, carrying my hot tea (known as checking the back 40 at our house).

Weeds are persistent little devils – they pop up in sidewalk cracks,in splits in the road tar,

in a miniscule spot between towering skyscrapers –

even without our help.

I discovered, behind the tall and wide ornamental grass, that my sedum has managed to find several small niches in the rock and has flourished there.

It’s good to know, at the end of the day, that even the good stuff is persistent.