Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Growing in Greenhouses & Polytunnels => Topic started by: benjamin2222 on August 18, 2013, 08:38

Title: Green Tomatoes
Post by: benjamin2222 on August 18, 2013, 08:38
Is anyone else having problems with their tomatoes ripening??We have lots and LOTS of Marmande fruit on our plants but none of them seem to be ripening and turning red yet. The fruit are all quite large and have been on the plants now for about four weeks and I don't know whether I should leave them to hopefully ripen by themselves or take them off the plants and use the old banana trick i've been reading so much about!!!
This is my first year on an allotment and any advice would be gratefully received.
Title: Re: Green Tomatoes
Post by: BobE on August 18, 2013, 09:15
Ive three plants in my GH, all with green healthy fruits on.  There is another few weeks of summer yet for them to ripen.  So just wait a bit. 
If it all goes pear shaped (sic) there are a lot of green tomatoe recipes around.
A dark drawer with a banana in is a way forward, but not yet.
One final thing, as they ripen try to leave them on as long as you can, this helps the others to ripen.  So only pick a few at a time.
Title: Re: Green Tomatoes
Post by: benjamin2222 on August 18, 2013, 17:12
Thank you for your advice its much appreciated
Title: Re: Green Tomatoes
Post by: smellykipper on August 22, 2013, 07:31
im also having the same problem, a few that have been knocked off by the kids have all turned red now by just placing them on the shelf in the pollytunnel.

Daz
Title: Re: Green Tomatoes
Post by: barley on August 22, 2013, 22:03
same here loads of green toms - taking ages to ripen

must be the weather this year

will have to look up a recipe for green tom chutney  ::)
Title: Re: Green Tomatoes
Post by: Beetroot Queen on August 23, 2013, 08:06
We are only having problems with the poly toms, outdoor are doing great, one of the old boys said the poly is too hot. Is that possible
Title: Re: Green Tomatoes
Post by: Headgardener22 on August 24, 2013, 21:31
My tomatoes started ripening earlier this year than previous years, (Mid July rather than mid August) despite sowing them later. Could it just be that the season is longer and so some tomatoes came earlier so the other feel like they're not ripening?
Title: Re: Green Tomatoes
Post by: Sparkyrog on August 24, 2013, 21:32
We are only having problems with the poly toms, outdoor are doing great, one of the old boys said the poly is too hot. Is that possible
Yes  :)
Title: Re: Green Tomatoes
Post by: Headgardener22 on August 24, 2013, 21:35
We are only having problems with the poly toms, outdoor are doing great, one of the old boys said the poly is too hot. Is that possible
Yes  :)
I know that if the polytunnel gets too hot it stops the fruit setting (anything above 30C and there will be problems) but I didn't know anything about fruit not ripening. Have you any references? My tunnel keeps going above 35C despite the doors being full open.
Title: Re: Green Tomatoes
Post by: Sparkyrog on August 24, 2013, 21:40
Sorry nothing in print ! Just going by my own experiences ,I no longer put toms in the PT ! they stay in the GH or outside  :)
Title: Re: Green Tomatoes
Post by: mumofstig on August 24, 2013, 22:03
This explains ripening and temperature (sorry it uses fahrenheit rather than celsius  ::))
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/ext/tomatoesnotripening.html
Title: Re: Green Tomatoes
Post by: smellykipper on August 25, 2013, 00:44
should we keep feeding them or just water them ? , one thing i do know is when they ripen, we are going to have 100s maybe 1000s of toms  :tongue2:
Title: Re: Green Tomatoes
Post by: Headgardener22 on August 25, 2013, 07:38
This explains ripening and temperature (sorry it uses fahrenheit rather than celsius  ::))
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/ext/tomatoesnotripening.html

Thanks for that. Makes temperaturecontrol even more important!
Title: Re: Green Tomatoes
Post by: maggiemay on August 25, 2013, 20:17
Re green tomatoes.I have poly tunnel and green house all ripening well , use less water and loosen soil around roots ,
Title: Re: Green Tomatoes
Post by: smellykipper on September 04, 2013, 07:33
all six of my plants  are still very green  :(
Title: Re: Green Tomatoes
Post by: GrannieAnnie on September 04, 2013, 18:27
I've had loads of ripe toms from my polytunnel, but the 3 plants in my G/H borders are all still green yet!  ::)
Title: Re: Green Tomatoes
Post by: BobE on September 04, 2013, 18:29
My GH tomatoes are just showing a touch of yellow, very faint but clearly there.