What to Do With Tomatoes Nipped By Frost

Foliage

• A few leaves nipped by Jack Frost won't kill your tomato plants entirely, although the cold weather will slow their growth. Trimming away the affected leaves often restores your plants to good health. Remove wilted or blackened foliage by clipping them back to the nearest leaf node. The amount of foliage affected by the frost varies, depending on the severity of the frost the hardiness of the plant.

Eating Fresh

• Although you may not notice it for a day or two, tomato fruit suffers damage from the effects of frost. Spots darken to black, soften and eventually rot. However, if you harvest them as soon as the suspected frost has hit, they can still be eaten. Making a batch of fresh salsa or adding them to your favorite recipes and eating within a day or two is an effect way to use tomatoes hit by frost.

Tomato Sauce

• Making your own tomato sauce from frostbitten tomatoes allows you to preserve them before they go bad. Once the sauce is made, allow it to cool and freeze it for winter use. Adding your own blend of herbs and spices to make a tasty blend for pasta during chilly winter nights. Because frostbitten tomatoes lose some of the acid content, they cannot be canned safely.

Green Tomatoes

• If frost strikes before your tomatoes are ripe, use the green tomatoes right away. Making fried green tomatoes or using them in casseroles is about the only option for saving them. Green tomatoes hit by frost will not ripen.