The Cool Down
Expert gardener reveals simple hack to maximize your late-season tomato harvest…
One gardening expert shared a TikTok video explaining how you can help speed up your tomatoes' ripening.
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Master Gardener Reveals Simple Hack to Save Your Late-Season Tomato Harvest from Frost
As autumn leaves begin to turn, gardeners face a common dilemma: how to ripen remaining green tomatoes before the first frost. A certified Master Gardener, known as 'TheFruitfulFoodscape,' recently shared a practical solution on social media, advising a technique called 'topping' tomato plants. The gardener explains that as temperatures drop and daylight hours decrease, plants naturally reduce their energy allocation to new growth. By cutting the main stem above the highest existing fruit cluster, gardeners can signal the plant to redirect its limited energy towards ripening the fruits already on the vine. This method aims to prevent a significant portion of the harvest from being lost to cold weather. The expert recommends implementing this hack as soon as local tree leaves show signs of changing color, indicating that the first frost is approximately a month away.
