Will my tomatoes ripen?

Discussion in 'Edible Gardening' started by Sienna's Blossom, Aug 19, 2019.

  1. Sienna's Blossom

    Sienna's Blossom Super Gardener

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    We have lots of tomatoes but they're still green, they're a good size and in plenty of sunshine (when the sun is actually out!)

    Is there still time?
     
  2. john558

    john558 Total Gardener

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    I still have some green ones and a few with only flowers, they will ripen. Honest......
    You could pop them in a bag with a Banana..........or on a sunny window.
     
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    • Redwing

      Redwing Wild Gardener

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      Weather permitting, they will ripen well into September.
       
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      • Verdun

        Verdun Passionate gardener

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        Mine have been ripening for weeks Siennas Blossom:)
        I have found removing foliage helps enormously. Fruit ripens far more quickly:)

        If you are unsure then try it on one or two plants

        Remember we are less than 2 weeks from September....now is the time to help the process of ripening
         
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        • pete

          pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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          I have picked out door toms well into October some years, but in recent years the weather has not been that good and blight tends to become more of a problem.
           
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          • Sienna's Blossom

            Sienna's Blossom Super Gardener

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            Ok thanks all, I'll try a combination of suggestions then, and see what works best.

            :ThankYou::tomato:
             
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            • RobB

              RobB Gardener

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              My first one to show has just started to change to a yellowy orange, only another 99 to go.:yes:
              My slowly showing Britains Breakfast is racing away now, no colour change but lots of quickly swelling toms, my first on the list for next year methinks.:smile:
               
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              • Green Knees

                Green Knees Gardener

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                A poster recommends "removing foilage", what does that entail?

                At present I'm removing suckers and removing the top-most new growth to curtail the height. I'm cutting off any flowers or any V. small toms as I believe they won't mature this season and are diverting nutrients that could go to their bigger siblings. Their siblings are mostly middle-sized but there's a few that are supermarket "salad" size.

                I've now threw a plastic sheet over my 'moneymaker' type bushes, the temp within ranges from 12-16c, and where practical have lined the background with foil or white plastic to reflect the light.

                I'll put some banana skins inside the enclosure under the bushes, anything else I can do?

                Is it worthwhile putting a tea-light candle in there of a night to keep the temp up?

                Lastly I'll echo the query behind every other autumnal tomato thread... will these little beeps ripen? ;-)
                 
              • Verdun

                Verdun Passionate gardener

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                Well I have removed all the foliage now from tomatoes Green Knees :)

                I have been picking tomatoes on a daily basis for a few weeks now and have been systematically removing foliage during the summer. It means cutting leaves and stems from the plants starting at the bottom and working upwards as time proceeds. It exposes fruit to the sun, keeps plants clean and well ventilated.
                I have plenty of tomatoes still available.....some green, they will turn colour in a matter of days, but the rest are ripening day by day. They do not need the foliage now if fruit has formed.:)
                 
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                • Sienna's Blossom

                  Sienna's Blossom Super Gardener

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                  Mine are ripening daily now, I'm pleased to say. I am so pleased. I've also been able to pick some apples from the tree and already made a crumble and an apple pie. What a lovely time of year :)
                   
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                  • RobB

                    RobB Gardener

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                    Since the 20th August my ripening tomatoes are up to 6, can't believe it. Most are in some kind of suspended animation, lovely size, exposed to the sun and stripped of leaves.
                    Even if they do go red I can't judge the taste of my new varieties this year as it's been so up and down.:frown:
                    I'm frantically looking up green tomato recipes as most haven't got a cat in hell chance of ripening. Luckily some recipes look quite tasty.
                     
                  • KFF

                    KFF Total Gardener

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                    Hi @RobB , I can't believe your season is so short living in Dorset. I'm in west Worcestershire and we don't stopping picking until November, we've even had them ar Christmas, that's another 2 months at least.
                     
                  • Sian in Belgium

                    Sian in Belgium Total Gardener

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                    I agree @KFF. Our tomatoes still growing in the open (on the raised beds) will be being picked for another month yet, the tumbling cherry tomatoes in the trough against the west facing wall will be still going well into October, and the yellow pear tomatoes growing as climbers up the south wall in the patio until November, and we have picked them as late as December too.

                    In short - don’t give up hope!!
                     
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                    • RobB

                      RobB Gardener

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                      Hello @KFF
                      My garden is on the edge of the village on a slope so cold air comes down into it but enclosed on the downside and back. When the sun is out it's a furnace but when chilly it stays that way as the cold air can't get out and sun doesn't arrive until noon at this time of year. At the moment it's 50f out there.
                      I will hang on but by my experience not much hope
                       
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                      • Green Knees

                        Green Knees Gardener

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                        Thank you all for the above.

                        Funnily enough, as you find in most things in life, as soon as you ask for help, the issue resolves itself, as the next time I looked under the plastic sheet I've got a medium-sized tom on the outside edge of a clump of 4 turning. The joy that came from such a small thing... (said the actress to the bishop.):)

                        I think this is the oldest tom (first to appear) so it may be a matter of simply waiting for the others.

                        Here's hoping for a mild autumn.
                         
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                          Last edited: Sep 8, 2019
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