Tomato Harvest Mode Picking, Ripening, and Pressure Canning for Winter

We’re officially in full harvest mode—and this week the star of the kitchen is tomatoes. Susan and Sarah walk through how they’re picking, washing, sorting, and rotating tomatoes as they come in (and why “if it’s red, it’s getting pulled” saves you from split, overripe fruit on the vine). They share their simple system for grading tomatoes: which ones get processed right away, which ones go on flats to finish ripening, and how they keep them covered and rotating so nothing gets missed. Susan also explains two different approaches for busy gardeners: processing tomatoes as you go—or freezing Romas/tomatoes now and canning later when life slows down. You’ll also hear what else is coming in fast—corn, squash, peppers, and even a big watermelon harvest on the way—plus why they planted hot peppers near sweet peppers (pest pressure), and how they share extra produce with neighbors. Finally, Susan talks canning safety and why she pressure cans tomatoes, encouraging new canners to stick with tested recipes and follow the canner manual for times/pressure. In this episode: Harvesting tomatoes: when to pick and why Washing, sorting, and ripening on flats Cooking tomatoes down ahead of salsa day Pepper harvest update (jalapeños, serranos, cayenne, bell) Freezing tomatoes now vs canning later Sharing produce with neighbors End-of-season green tomatoes + green salsa for chili Pressure canning tomatoes + safety reminders Cookbook recommendation: using tested, reliable canning recipes Next up: salsa + peppers. Tell us in the comments: what are you harvesting this week where you live? Don’t forget to like, comment, subscribe, and share for more Garden Talk. Preserving cookbooks we love: ❤️Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving: https://amzn.to/4gpn8UX ❤️WATER BATH CANNING AND PRESERVING COOKBOOK FOR BEGINNERS: https://amzn.to/3U4Q4tU ❤️Water Bath Canning & Preserving Cookbook for Beginners: https://amzn.to/4wBIjt2 Like, subscribe, and follow so you don’t miss the next video. We’re aiming to post at least once a week. 🎵 All music by Epidemic Sound | https://www.epidemicsound.com 📘 Follow us on Facebook: @PotsToTable 📸 Follow us on Instagram: @PotsToTable 💊 Vitamins & supplements we use: Member link: www.lifeplus.com/SHA4LR/M/ Shopper link: www.lifeplus.com/SHA4LR/S/ Site details — Shop ID: SHA4LR