Never cover a plant with just plastic, however, as the plastic will damage the plant. The best answer is to plant frost-resistant tomatoes or plant tomatoes following the passing of frost’s danger since most tomatoes are warm-season plants, according to University of California Agriculture & Natural Resources. Use frost cloth, burlap, drop cloths, sheets, blankets, or even newspapers to cover plants. Lay a sheet of newspaper over the top and store at 55º to 70º F. Check ripening tomatoes every few days, and cook or compost any that develop soft spots before ripening. Due to the excessive heat underneath, your tomato plants may cook if you don’t remove the cover in the morning. If you cover your tomato plants at night to prevent frostbite, remove the coverings during the day. To keep warm-season vegetables like tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant from succumbing to a frost, try these methods: Plant after danger of frost has passed. When inspiration grows all around you, you can’t help but create masterpieces. You can grow your tomatoes exclusively indoors. But while just about any fruit with even the slightest hint of red should ripen off the vine, green tomatoes will only do so if they’re sufficiently mature. For most gardeners, covering tomato plants as fall’s first chilly nights arrive is second nature. What to Do With Your Tomatoes When the Plant Freezes? Use a thermometer to determine the actual temperature. Most damage to tomato plants is as a result of longer frost duration on the plants and not necessarily the cold temperatures. (That doesn’t mean you have to give them up for lost, though—fry them, or use them in green tomato salsa, relish, jelly, or pie, or make pickles.). Cold is the #1 reason for blossom drop. Most At-Risk Plants during Freeze (KCRG). If you wait to cover it until after nightfall, the heat may have dissipated. A cloche is the best way to protect a young tomato plant from frost. If you have tomato plants that are in a pot, you will want to bring those inside. This makes water unavailable to plant tissues and disrupts the movement of fluids. Arrange them in a single layer in a shallow cardboard box, grouping them by color stage if you have more than one box’s worth. Fine Gardening found that pruning for plant health and structure may help. It's as true for plants as it is for real estate: location, location, … It's worth noting that covering your plants only protects them from lights frosts, not hard frosts. When there is a threat of frost, cover your plants before sunset. Frost may cover the blanket or upper surface of the leaves in the morning, and the heat held under the blanket or leaves will prevent damage to the fruit. Find your favorite — try our interactive tomato chooser. You need two things to protect your tomato and pepper plants from frost: tomato cages (wood or metal is fine) or sturdy garden stakes, and bubble wrap. Cardboard box: Use a cardboard box to cover plants—you could even cut in some holes on the sides for air. I am a freelance writer with a degree in Comparative Literature from the University of California, Berkeley.

I will appreciate the prospect of working as part of a vibrant group like yours, where I could make a remarkable input while building my talent yet further. If you have small children and watch a lot of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse then … Exciting flavors. If there are warm temperatures in the daytime during the spring, blossom drop will occur with night temperatures dropping below 55 degrees. Growing tomatoes in pots levels the home garden playing field, bringing a crop of homegrown…, Each Bonnie tomato label urges you to plant tomatoes deep, so that a full 2/3…, Perhaps more than any other vegetable, tomatoes depend on proper planting so they can provide…, The free gardening app you've been waiting for. Consider adding some lights under the covers nights are forecast precautions during times of frost, your... To cover plants—you could even cut in some holes on the vine if warmer days and are... 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