[ytyynycefn]

Will my tomatoes ever ripen?  They are now quite big, and resolutely GREEN.  Should I dust off the green tom chutney recipes, or hang in there?  They're "Alicante" in growbags outside.

Any thoughts?

Mel

[GrannieAnnie]

Outside toms are usually a bit later than greenhouse, but the 3 plants I planted for my daughter outside in her little garden have been ripening for the past couple of weeks.

But if they and the plants are healthy, they'll be okay.  bet they come all at once.  Hang in there, won't be long, and you'll be eating your fresh tomatoes while I'm taking mine out of the freezer!!!!! lol

[supersprout]

I just checked some of my tomato seed packets and they say 'harvest August-October'. AAAAAAAAAAAGES to go (I hope too!)

[ytyynycefn]

That's reassuring.  I'm desperate to start making dried toms, as they are the reason for growing them as far as I'm concerned  

Mel

[mum of 3]

my beef tomatoes are also only just starting to ripen,although with them been outside i know this delays process.but as they are turning i am putting them on the window sill to ripen off.

[milkman]

Hallo mel make sure you're toms are receiving maximum sunshine, move the grow bags if they're not in the sunniest spot that they could be.  Also remove any leaves that are shading the tom trusses from the light, and consider nipping out the growing tips of the plants so that the plants concentrate their energy into the toms they've already produced and not into making more toms.

Our house neighbours are complaining that they've got loads of green toms that aren't turning red, but if they'd only move them from their shady back garden to in front of the house where there is sunshine all afternoon into the evening I think they would get the result they're looking for.

[wellingtons]

... they remain resolutely green for weeks and then all of sudden ... wallop all of them ripen together.

[ytyynycefn]

Well, the house growbag is against a SW facing wall, so gets all the sun there ever is in the Rhondda (mostly liquid, but very sunny today), and the allotment ones are in full sun too.

Good idea about pinching them out - they're still flowering, so I'll remove the flowers so they can concentrate their energies.

I'm not surprised they're late - I only planted the seeds in the middle of June  :shock:

Mel

[Comfry_Kid]

Mel

I was told to put the skin from a bannana in the greenhouse to quicken the ripening process.

Unsure how this works - the old guy who told me did explain it - something about chemical release - but sadly I was too busy eating his tomatoes!

Or you could just be patient.

[Angel]

I was just about to ask the same question but now I think I will just hang in there and remove any leaves blocking the light  

If I do this when would be the last time they would ripen? Would it then be best to remove them to a decent sunny spot like a halogen lamp lol...

Best wishes
Mel
xxxx

[ytyynycefn]

Hi Comfrey,

It's ethylene I think you mean - it's a gas given off by ripe fruit that also stimulates ripening in other fruit.  Sadly I don't have a greenhouse   but if necessary I'll bring them in and put them in the fruit bowl!

Mel

[toto691]

He he....   its the same story all round then!   After getting carried away with myself with pruning, and leaving nearly no leaves whatsoever, i let them regrow and my toms grew pretty big and in abundance.....  they were green until the start of this week, where theyre now turning pretty quickly.

I love the colours of cherry vine tomatoes as they turn from green to red, a lovely rainbow effect.

[Zak the Rabbit]

Yes the gas is ethene (ethylene is the old name).

There was a story about the Saltend chemical works near Hull that produces Ethene, and pumps it via a pipeline to Newcastle i think. Apparently the pipeline went under a market gardens greenhouses. It began leaking and the gas got into the greenhouses with the Toms. They all ripened a month early and the farmer couldnt sell them!

Not entirely sure how true this is, could be a Chemistry student myth



Martin
(OU chemistry student!)

[rugbymad40]

Have had a disasterous week.  Discovered blight in the greenhouse on Tuesday,  Sprayed with Dithane on Wednesday and Thrusday.  Tonight am looking at losing the entire crop from 8 plants.  I have some beefsteak toms that weight over 2Lbs and they are going rotten!!  Pass the tissues.

I have them in a greenhouse and I am the only person on the site to have blight!  Greenhouse was new up this year and the top layer of soil was removed and replaced with a growing compost for good measure. Where did I go wrong?

Still got some great runner beans for next weeks show and my Carrots will take some beating, as will my prize marrow - it is the biggest I have ever grown.  Pictures will be posted on Saturday 16th.

Rugbymad40

[James]

GF suggests that blight is generally a problem of wet winters, and asks whether you over-watered or had insufficient ventilation leading to condensation.