Killing Frost

admin @ 9 November 2007
Filed in Categories: Garden Planning

http://donnayoung.org

tomato The temperatures dipped below freezing a couple of nights ago. It was inevitable and it killed most of my garden plants. I chose 2 pepper plants and 1 tomato plant to save. I wrapped their cages with moving blankets and so far, they are still alive. That is one of the advantages of growing plants in sturdy cages.

Before the first killing frost, I picked tomatoes from the doomed plants – the two tomato plants and one of the cherry tomato plants. This is what I have.

tomatoes

They are still in the basket because I have not had time to do anything with them. I’ve not had time because I have been drying mint, freezing bell peppers, cooking, cleaning, school, working on donnayoung.org, and something I didn't need to do working on this new autumn blog theme. I will make time for the tomatoes today.

Mint is hardier than the peppers and tomatoes, but I covered up one of the mint patches just to make certain that the plants would live. The day of the frost, I picked two batches of mint. The mint is important to us because Holly and I drink mint tea just about every day. tea The picture below is the evening mint harvest. It was too much for my dehydrator so I stripped the leaves from the stems and dried the stems in the oven. Dried mint stems taste just like the leaves. I tested them first by making a pot of tea just from mint stems.

mint

In the background you can see some of the bell peppers that I picked from the doomed pepper plants – I saved only two of the five pepper plants. The peppers are mostly green yuck but I put them in the freezer anyway.

Other than the other things that I have been up to, this garden chore is another thing I have been doing. On the next almost warm day, I will need to clear out the garden – except for the saved plants of course – and get it ready for next year. I want to plant more herbs. smile

Happy Homeschooling (and gardening),

I just really, really, really need to say that I have so missed you!

— chocolatechic · Nov 9, 12:15 PM · #

You have some amazing garden talents, Donna!

— Sheri · Nov 9, 01:19 PM · #

That is a lot of green tomatoes. I am just curious what you will do with those? smile

Your mint looks amazing. I think that I would like to grow some, but I do not know what I would do with it. Hmmm..I bet it smells wonderful. I also really like the new skin of your blog. Makes it very festive. smile

— Tressa · Nov 9, 07:35 PM · #

Tressa, some of the tomatoes will be laid out somewhere and covered with something like newspaper, I think, to ripen. I used to ripen tomatoes inside, but haven`t done it in a long time so I will have to read about it in one of the books I have here at home.

Some of the tomatoes will get prepared for freezing to make into fried green tomatoes. I`ve never done that, but since they can be purchased at the store, I know it can be done. I might make a green tomato pie, just haven`t decided on that yet. I did not get around to doing any of it today. I was tired and decided to do next to nothing. smile

The mint makes good tea after it is dried. I powder it with a large stone mortar and pestle before brewing it.

— Donna Young · Nov 10, 03:32 AM · #

I have heard of a chocolate green tomato cake. Never tried it, though. Everything looks good, even those green tomatoes. :) Those grape tomatoes are the best. razz

You sure have been busy. I have missed you. poke

— appliejuice · Nov 11, 12:23 AM · #

Thank you Applie and CC. I have missed you all too.

Those grape tomatoes are so good. I grew two varieties and the ones shown in the image make tiny ones.. around the diameter of a finger nail. The other kind were larger, around an inch to inch and a quarter in diameter.

I have never heard of a chocolate green tomato cake. razz

— Donna Young · Nov 11, 03:04 AM · #

I`ve missed you as well, Donna. I really need to go to your site to see what you`ve done there, or is it up yet?

The produce from your garden looks divine love