Thanksgiving Tomato

Several posts ago, as I was writing about the last days of my garden, I made a statement that I was going to try and have fresh garden tomatoes on my plate at Thanksgiving. The news is, I succeeded!

In mid-October, I dug up a tomato plant that was a "volunteer" sprout. The plant was maybe 2 months old and had just started to produce tomatoes when I found it growing in the spot where my bed of tomatoes had been in 2004. I took the plant inside and have watered it faithfully. The 3 tomatoes on it began to ripen during the week of November 14th, and I waited to pluck them from the vine at 4 p.m., November 24th. I sliced them up for garnishings on the green salad I served with all the turkey, dressing, greenbean casserole, pie...etc. etc.

The hoop green houses that I placed over my tomato plants in the backyard helped extend their life up until about Nov. 13th. We took them down - or should I say the wind took them down - and with heavy frost/snow forecast, I knew that the plastic was not going to protect them any longer. I picked the green tomatoes on Sunday afternoon, Nov. 13th, and the many (mostly cherry size) left are now ripening. I'm pleased I extended the season to this extent! Now my goal is to keep alive the tomato plants I've taken inside. In the Oct. 2004 Mother Earth News, there's an article about wintering over tomato plants inside and then starting cuttings for the summer. Rooted cuttings from an adult plant result in quick harvest - according to the article.

So...for the November garden report: I picked fresh tomatoes on Thanksgiving Day!

~S