Chris_Dunn's Blog

Backyard gardeners beware!  If you have escaped the few frosts and freezes we have experienced along the front range earlier in the season, your time has finally run out.  The weekend storm system moving in (late Saturday night and Sunday) has some pretty chilly air along with it.  That is one reason we are forecasting snow for the Denver area on Sunday.  By Sunday night into Monday morning, I'm expecting overnight temperatures to drop into the 20s just about everywhere around Denver.  That will effectively kill off the rest of our gardens, especially for warm-loving veggies like tomatoes and squash. 

   Since most of our gardens are still growing strong, it is a shame to waste the produce that isn't quite ripe. Here is a trick that has served me well the past several years:  Pick those tomatoes, even the green ones,  and place them either in a brown paper bag or on newspaper in a cool, dark place.  A basement or garage will do well, as long as is doesn't get below freezing.  You'll find that the 'maters will gradually ripen and you'll be able to enjoy the fruits of your gardening labors well into November!