Tomatoes STILL green - will they eventually redden?

[amandaandherveg]

Ok Alice, I will learn to be more patient. September's just around the corner.

[trebellangeminired]

Hi, I'm the same as you - had lots of green toms in Scotland (have about 20 plants). but...

My neighbour, who has 20+ years experience in growing veg, feeds his toms once they are of good size with a slightly weaker solution every day (His are now lovely and red). I have started doing this in the last week, and guess what - they are starting to ripen.

Thanks for this. Started watering with half strength solution every day since Monday and today found my first ripening tomatoes!!! Okay so they are only just turning orange but at least they've started. The naysayers were all predicting a green harvest, I was lamenting having had to delay sowing the seed and well, there's only so much chutney you can eat.

TGR has a 100 watt grin.

[Rhona]

Mine are still green and some flowers still here too! I have very cleverly timed them all to ripen as we go on holiday in September so probably won't get to taste a single one... *taps side of head*... Not just a hat stand, my friend.

[Lavenderblue]

Mine are still green and some flowers still here too! I have very cleverly timed them all to ripen as we go on holiday in September so probably won't get to taste a single one... *taps side of head*... Not just a hat stand, my friend.

I suspect we have done the same. Arn't we very clever

[marigold007]

This is why I go on holiday at the end of January.

[Cutecumber]

Something to think about for next year...

I've had tomatoes since the beginning of July, although they have only recently reached peak production. The real beasts (Big Boy, Brandywine and San Marzano) have yet to offer a ripe fruit, but that's largely because the plants had too much nitrogen and are ENORMOUS!

Now, successional sowing as I have done (over three months) doesn't work brilliantly as they generally catch each other up, apart from the odd early pioneer, but there are other tricks you can employ.

Even if you have no available protected growing space, choose at least three different types of toms to help spread your harvest and enjoy some slightly earlier crops along with your main ones. This also helps spread the risk of blight.

For example, Tumbler (literally a tumbling plant) is very early. Plant it in a pot and stick it somewhere sunny and it will do you proud with an early crop. Second, or in some years at the same time, Sungold will produce for you. These smaller tomatoes always start cropping earlier than larger ones sown on the same date - they are therefore more reliable in short UK summers.

Of the larger fruit, I had success with one called Legend, a large fruited bushy thing, which isn't huge but produced fruit in July. They were pretty good, too. I started mine in February and they rocketed ahead of the other large fruited varieties which I sowed then. It finished production at the beginning of August because I didn't realise it was a bush and I was rather over enthusiastic with the pruning

Basically, stick to the small to medium types and avoid the massive tomatoes unless you can start very early and have a greenhouse. Once you develop a bit of experience, they are worth trying, but can disappoint if you don't anticipate the long season needed.

[matthew2riches]

I have loads of cherry tomato plants and I have just off about 4 clumps of tomatoes left on the vine and sat them with some bananas and they have made great additions to various hampers I sent out as no-reason family presents!

My beef tomatoes are still green and my gardeners delight are now coming around to going red - i estimate 2 weeks and then i will pick.

What aern't ready by the time the weather starts to go bad will become green tomato chutney.

[EssexGirl]

My tomatoes are outdoors and are still green, would they benefit if i protected them with some garden fleece? Sorry im new to this!

[Kristen]

"would they benefit if i protected them with some garden fleece"

Nope, just leave them be, they'll ripen up soon. Warmer weather will help (although the Toms don't actually need sunshine to ripen).

Feed with a tomato fertiliser (i.e. make sure it is not high in Nitrogen) once a week

[c00kiemonster]

Proof that tomatoes dont need sun to ripen is in my greenhouse, as mine are ripening like crazy now. Im growing 9 different varieties and have tasted them all now, pink brandywine being my favourite
My sole outdoor tomato (tamina) is cropping very heavily and has been providing me with fruits for 2 weeks now.

Fingers crossed for a nice sept for all your green toms to ripen!

cm

[rustylady]

This is why I go on holiday at the end of January.

What's a holiday??

[blito]

my alicantes and shirleys are ripening off now... plants had too much fertilizer early on and went all out on growth resulting in plants well over 6 feet tall and smothered in fruits that refused to ripen. started pruning back excess foliage mid aug and reduced feed levels as well as pinching out new flowers...
now everything is coming on fantastic and chutney season is about to begin

[sallym]

Grown Ildi, a yellow cherry tomato, for the first time this year. They are absolutely delish! So proud of them that i have been giving them to all the neighbours just to show off how clever I am. Problem? Where's my glut? How an I gonna make all these Chutneys and Relishes? Just hope some of my other plants produce some tasty toms later. Duh!

[New_Bud]

they need the warmth. mine were grown in pots and they had loads of cherry sized toms on em that stopped growing. so i put em on a windowledge and they were ready for eating within like 4 days - they were yummy to!
xxx

[markwcel]

we've nearly eaten all our alicantes...been a good crop considering the weather