Tomatoes not ripening

My tomatoes are bearing well but are not ripening. Good vegetation, the ones that have ripened appear healthy, loads hanging on the vines green as grass. It’s October! Is there anything to do? Do you suspect weather or soil?

Dr. Denise Ballinger
Hartville, Ohio

I definitely blame the weather. This summer’s drought and heat combined to delay the tomato harvest this year. We didn’t have many ripe ones until September, a month late. If frost threatens, pick them all and bring them into the house. You don’t need to do anything special. We just leave them in buckets and plastic totes until they ripen. Nearly all will ripen nicely with no extra “help.” — Jackie

First time pressure canner

Last night my DH and I did PRESSURE canning for the first time! We did pinto beans. And yes, we made a couple of mistakes, one easily correctable, and one that may play havoc in the future with this particular batch. However, we learned from those mistakes and you know they won’t be repeated again.

What I guess I should say is that the whole process was a bit fiddley but really easy! I was terrified, stood across the kitchen wondering where I would go if the bloomin’ thing exploded, but all in all it was EASY. So now I am happily planning my NEXT canning adventure, and I have another “prep skill” to add to my arsenal.

Believe me, I read your Growing and Canning book from start to finish, over and over, and kept it handy on the table while canning (along with my Presto instruction booklet). So thank you, thank you for writing that. It made me brave enough to try, and having tried, it’s something I WILL do again.

Kathleen in Illinois

Congratulations! It’s hard to overcome fears, but it certainly can be done. I’m so glad you went ahead and gave it a whirl. I can tell people how easy canning is but until they try, no one believes it. Once you do a couple of different foods, you’ll be off and running, canning up everything under the sun. Good for you! — Jackie

4 COMMENTS

  1. April,

    Good ideas. I read my recipes for each food, too, every single time I can something. Just in case I’ve mixed something up in my mind. It’s easy to mix up processing times.

    Jackie

  2. 10 or more years ago I took a class at the cooperative extension on pressure canning. It helped to make the unfamiliar become familiar, and I have no fear of pressure canning. I also recommend reading through canning directions every year or so, just to jog your memory. It’s easy to forget something if you haven’t done it for a year.

  3. Jackie, another thing Dr. Denise can do with her tomatoes, if frost is imminent, is to uproot the entire plant and hang it by the roots in her garage (or some other protected place) and those ‘maters will ripen very nicely on the vine. I’ve heard the nutrition is a little better that way, too, as the vine still gives some sustenance. Of course, if she has more than a half dozen plants or so it may be tough to find room for ’em all…

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