By Michelle Fabio

When Southwest Florida was hit with a rare freeze over the holidays, citrus and vegetable growers did whatever they could to keep their plants warm.

Although there was no mass devastation, one particular tomato grower outside of Immokalee felt the frost—and may have lost as much as 40 percent of the farm’s 350 acres of plants.

Ed Tuten, manager of the Taylor and Fulton Immokalee Farm, credits the “V-ditch” irrigation system used by some farmers as saving many of his neighbors crops; his farm, on the other hand, uses mostly drip irrigation, which conserves water up to 50 percent but leaves tomatoes Read the rest of this entry »

By Amelia Tucker

Most people think that a frost is sudden death to a tomato patch.

They watch the frost dates carefully and consider the season over as soon as the forecast warns of impending cold weather.

This is not always the case.

With a little careful planning, you can continue to harvest tomatoes after the frost of fall comes knocking on your door.

A very light frost will usually kill a few leaves but leave the plant and fruit untouched.

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