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Posted by first_timer1980 (U13970469) on Friday, 16th July 2010
I have loads of green tomatoes both inside the greenhouse and outside. However there is no sign of them going red? Is anyone else having this trouble and what can I do?
Thanks
I have been growing tomatoes on my patio every year since 2002 and I have never picked a ripe tomato before 1st August. Last year I was eating home grown tomatoes from August to November because we had all that lovely weather in the autumn.
My Sweet Olives are just starting to look a lighter shad of green but the Gardeners Delight are still dark green.
Mine are starting to go red and yellow this week. Once they start they will soon all be ripening. Just be patient there is nothing you can do to speed up the process.
Try picking the larger green toms and put them in a bowl with a few bananas, the chemicle in the banana speeds the colour change up without any effect on the taste.(not a lot of people know that)
Oh yes we do -punpun!
, in reply to message 5.
Posted by grandcottagegardener (U14258183) on Friday, 16th July 2010
Tomatoes usually ripen in August, but this year I put 10inch pots out containing Sweet Millions against a south facing fence. This week I have managed to pick 8 ripe toms and 4 more will be picked at the weekend. Not sure whether it's the variety of tom i.e early fruiting perhaps or the location that has made them ripen earlier. The Golden Sunrise, Moneymaker and Tigerella planted in the same postion are still to ripen.
Punpun - I only learnt about the banana trick from these message boards last year, and yes - it does work
If First-timer trys that before the tomatoes are nearly ripe, he/she will be very disappointed with the results. All it requires is patience.
It is far too early to consider doing this.
Tomatoes ripened this way do not have the same flavour as those allowed to ripen naturally on the plant.
Tomatoes are just starting to ripening for most people so be patient. If left on the plant ot is possible to pick ripe tomatoes from the plants in the GH in October and November without any adverse effect on the flavour.
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This was the photo I took on the last day of October last year. I wanted to tidy up the patio so picked the last 3lb of tomatoes and brought them indoors. They weren't all ripe at the time, but they carried on going red on the worktop by the sink and still tasted good.
Just been to my allotment and picked 20 toms from different varieties all ripe. So its best to be patient as i said. Speeding them up is not the same thats o.k if you have to pick them. There is so much heat and sun this year they taste far better picked ripe off the plant.
good morning,i am a 1st timer myself and like yrself im waiting for my toms to ripen,time doesn`t seem to go quick enough whilst waiting for them but when i pick the 1st one i think everyone in the neighbourhood will know,happy gardening regards chris
The message is definitely patience as others have said, but once they do start there'll be no stopping them. You're lucky to be at the stage you are - my toms are still very small and several weeks off being anything like ready.
Sun light hours is what they need to ripen. Do what you can to prevent them from being shaded. I usually pick my first red toms from the green house at the end of June. The old banana trick is best used at the end of season when there is reducing sun light and they take forever to ripen.
, in reply to message 13.
Posted by Global_Worming (U14532104) on Saturday, 17th July 2010
We must be lucky with the sun in North Wales, we have been eating our massive Momartres and the more petite Gardeners Delight's for the last two weeks, I estimate our 10 outdoor Roma toms will be ready in about two weeks give or take a month.
, in reply to message 14.
Posted by londonplantmad (U2392946) on Saturday, 17th July 2010
All my toms are outside. Some in shady spots others in sunny spots. I have kept them fed and watered through this hot weather. Its the heat that has ripened them. I have eaten some for lunch today and they were delicious.
Hello, my Tigerella tomatoes are just starting to go red. I might even pick one tommorrow. I suppose its just a case of bide your time.
my tigers are about to turn as well. Just hope the other types take their cue :D
hey pun pun!! i'll reply to this one as my brother global_worming is probably checking out his neighbour's naughties on her washing line....ah the joy's of the monday morning laundry routine!when i was a teenager a friend of mine's father had an exotics nursery.around christmas he used to pump ethylene gas into the houses to get the winter cherries,miniature citrus & pineapple etc to colour(ripen)up.worked on our marijuana plants too!! big trouble when his dad found our"special" part of the glasshouse...aww c'mon it was the 70's...love & peace dude!!bananas produce ethylene in large quantities as they ripen.that's why you should never store bananas with other fruit or in the same room as cut flowers-they'll ripen/go over too quickly.used to put my orchid plants in bud in my banana room when i was getting ready for a show to open them up..got me a gold at tatton!!
When does one take off the lower leaves of tomatoes? Mine are like a jungle and it is difficult to find the tomatoes (still not ripe but when did we last see the sun in the Hebrides?)
If they look as if they are past their best. If they are in good condition the plant is still using them for photosynthesis. Don't worry you will see ripe tomatoes among the leaves.
, in reply to message 20.
Posted by springfieldbean (U14520014) on Monday, 19th July 2010
Just a quick and probably stupid question, but if you are removing leaves, do you just take them off where the leaf ends, or do you cut the stem further down?
Thanks!
If you lift the leaf stem where it joins the 'trunk' of the tomato it will snap off cleanly.
As has been said, if a few start to ripen, don't be quick to pick them. Always leave one or two fully ripe ones ' pour encourager les autres'.
Thanks for your advice.
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