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jennieboyer

Left tomatoes on ground - mushy, smelly mess!

jennieboyer
9 years ago

So, I pulled my tomato plants up a few weeks ago right before our first freeze. I left them on the ground, planning to go back to them the next day or so. Well, that didn't happen, and now I have a mess!

The temps have rebounded in to the 70's, and these tomatoes have been on the ground for a few weeks. When I try to pick them up (the actual fruit, not the plant), they are a mushy, smelly, pulpy mess. There is absolutely no way I will be able to get them all up - they just fall apart when I try - they are not firm anymore - more like stewed tomatoes :-(

The area where they are is in the yard, not the vegetable garden. So the good news is that I won't be planting anything where they are. But my question is, should I do anything to them now while they lay on the ground? I have cleaned them up the best I can, but there are lots of pulpy, squishy tomatoes on the ground molding and smelling bad. Will they just decompose into the grass? Is there anything I can/should put on them at this point?

Thanks!

Jennie

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