Tomatoes

[zac510]

Anybody else's tomatoes still looking greener than Kermit the frog? With October almost upon us and days shortening rapidly will they ripen at all?

I've got a few dozen of them ready to go.

[LaserTam]

Yeah loads. Just been picked to be made into green tomatoe chutney...

[Magic919]

I've a few left. Took them off and they are finishing on the window ledge.

[netherfield]

Funnily enough someone asked that on the gardening on Radio Leeds this morning.

Experts opinion is to put them on a chrome or silver tray in a bright windowsill,or any tray with a sheet of baking foil on the bottom,this maximises the light getting to them.

Phone in opinion is to put them in a box with a Banana,Bananas give off some kind of gas which speeds the ripening,and that Bananas should never be kept in a fruit bowl,because this can make other fruit go off before you get chance to eat it.

[zac510]

So the consensus is at least that I should be picking them rather than leaving them there?

[Busamav]

Have you cut all the leaves off the plant , that seems to help them?

[Simpo Two]

netherfield said:

Phone in opinion is to put them in a box with a Banana,Bananas give off some kind of gas which speeds the ripening

Yes, it's ethylene, a plant growth regulator.

A key factor in plant cycles is day length (rather than intensity) - so leaving in a windowsill may not be as effective as providing artificial lighting.

Edited by Simpo Two on Sunday 26th September 18:04

[zac510]

Busamav said:

Have you cut all the leaves off the plant , that seems to help them?

No not at all except for some that have snapped or look a bit off.

This is the first time I've had the tomato plants really grow properly so I'm a bit out of my depth but pleasantly surprised I put them in a much better sun spot this year.

[jeff m]

Maybe you could try a different variety next year.
Are you sure you haven't planted a determinate type.

My grape toms ripen much faster than my indeterminate.
I actually plant regular toms to get green ones as I like them fried for brekkers.

To ripen green ones I always thought the prefered method was brown paper bag containing one red one, not in the fridge obviously.

[Simpo Two]

jeff m said:

To ripen green ones I always thought the prefered method was brown paper bag containing one red one

Same thing - ethylene. Not sure if bananas give off more, I suspect so.

[jeff m]

Simpo Two said:

jeff m said:

To ripen green ones I always thought the prefered method was brown paper bag containing one red one

Same thing - ethylene. Not sure if bananas give off more, I suspect so.

Not meant as a conradiction, just trying to save someone rushing out to buy one banana

[AMLK]

The wind blew down my tomato plants a couple of weeks ago, so I had to take all my tomatoes off. There were a couple among them that were ripening, but the vast majority were very green. The less 'green' ones I wrapped in newspaper with the riper ones and a banana (advice from my grandma!). They have all ripened beautifully. The others I made into green tomato chutney on Friday - have to say it is blooming lovely - OH and I have gone through 1/2 jar already!

[zac510]

I've got about 50 green tomatoes. Do you think I should use more than one banana!?

I'm going to put them in the cupboard because I don't have enough paper bags. Any not ripened by Saturday will become green tomato chutney.

[schmokin1]

bananas give off shed loads of ethylene, it's that hydrocarbony whiff you get when the skin goes blotchy. They're are picked green, and while on the boat a few days out from port, they are given a whiff of ethylene which causes a chain reaction so they all start to ripen and give off ethylene so the adjacent bananas ripen too.

As above, paper bag, green 'uns in with a fruity 'nana, job done.

Enjoy!!

[Simpo Two]

Although it should be said that induced ripening via ethylene is not the same as ripening on the tree/bush/stem - fewer sugars.