Is it too early to stop outdoor tomatoes?

[Snadger]

Thanks all....Have now stopped plants and fleeced them...just have to see what happens now?

Cheers

[rauni]

I've stopped all mine already, and eased their burden by taking off some of the green friut to leave what's left to ripen properly. Seems to be working. Made green tomato chutney (Keith Floyd recipe from BBC website) with mostly homegrown stuff, and it's going down really fast! Highly recommended.

[Earthbabe]

I forgot to mention that I've also taken off a lot of leaves. Will be doing the same as rauni and taking of some green toms to make chutney and let the rest ripen properly. Have had such a good crop can probably get away with this.

Very happy girly, last two years we have had blight

[SueA]

Damn! Been out to look at my toms today & a few brown splodges are appearing on the stems lower down- looks like dreaded blight. I might have to join you in the green chutney brigade!

[eskymo]

I've got tons of gartenperle tomatoes but they're all green - is it worth pulling them up and hanging them to ripen or should I move them into the greenhouse in the pots they're in to help them ripen. If I get left with green toms I'll just make green chutney so they won't go to waste, but I'd prefer them to ripen.

[bramble]

Move them into the greenhouse Eskymo. I have cherry and ordinary toms in the greenhouse and they are still ripening. The bit of extra heat might be just what they need.

[eskymo]

will do - I've got tomorrow afternoon marked down as gardening so I hope it doesn't rain.

[uraliss]

How to ripen 100+ green tomatos?

Hi folks,
Looks like im in the same boat as a lot of you are.
I had 3 money maker tomato plants which I have had to cut down. I have harvested plenty of green fruit.
What is the best way to get them to ripen? Is it possible? Or do I hand them over to the mrs to make green chutney too?

Thanks for your help.

[Shortie]

The way I've been told to ripen them is to individually wrap in newspaper and then store in a box in a dark place

[eskymo]

I put mine in an old icecream tub along with a banana. The banana release some sort of vapour that makes other things ripen - don't know what it's called, but I'm sure someone else does and will hopefully elaborate on my part...

[Silverfox]

I have joined the Green Chutney gang. It has been really warm where I live but not sunny (and I think it is the sun that makes them ripe - not heat). I have taken half of all the green fruit of of each plant and hope that the weather will be kind and get the other half to be red!
I might sound like a mad person but has anyone ever tried using a mirror? my graddad once told me that if you put a mirror by them it works as a double up for sunlight - making them get twice as much. I have never tried it and not sure if it does or even will work.

[eskymo]

It might work - I might try that with my hanging baskets of tomatoes next year - I could cover the surface with silver foil - it would help to stop evaporation of water from the soil and also reflect light back to the plant. What do you reckon? Is it worth a try.

I'm going to make a load of green chutney too.

[Silverfox]

Can the sultana part be optional on chutney? I hate the things - come to think of it i hate any dry fruit (much better fresh). sponge cake all the way when i get married sod what everyone else might like ha ha ha

I have an old mirror that i don't use and i'm away all next week so i think i might put this up against the patio door and give it a try. I'll let you know the outcome the week after next.

[bramble]

Eskymo, the bananas realese a gas called (and i know i am spelling this wrong) ethylene gas.

[roitelet]

I put mine in an old icecream tub along with a banana. The banana release some sort of vapour that makes other things ripen - don't know what it's called, but I'm sure someone else does and will hopefully elaborate on my part...

Yes Eskimo the gas that a banana gives off is ethylene. I had blight on my tomatoes this year I picked them all, removed the calyx and washed and dried them, then put them in a covered wooden box with a banana and those that didn't surcome to the dreaded blight ripened well You do need to keep an eye on them though