I suppose I could go the whole hog and place a peeled back banana at the base of each pot, and see what happens. Also, is it best to use a banana that is still on the green side, as we sometimes get banana's from the supermarket that have yet to ripen. I prefer to eat an orange every day anyway, so technically I wouldn't be depriving myself of much needed fruit.
To be honest, I'm not convinced of the banana routine. I tried it a few years ago as an experiment. Two toms, same variety, same degree of ripeness. One in a bag with a banana, the other one au naturel. There was little difference in the outcome.
But if the banana were to be tried, it needs to be in the confines of something like a bag with the tomato in order to maximise the effect of any ethlyene gas. Otherwise it just wafts into the atmosphere.
I saw on here(on the How To section ) that it is possible to ripen tomatoes just buy lifting them (the whole plant root and all) and hanging them upside down in a shed.....I will try this as well as the banana thing and see which is best.....
To be honest, I'm not convinced of the banana routine. I tried it a few years ago as an experiment. Two toms, same variety, same degree of ripeness. One in a bag with a banana, the other one au naturel. There was little difference in the outcome.
But if the banana were to be tried, it needs to be in the confines of something like a bag with the tomato in order to maximise the effect of any ethlyene gas. Otherwise it just wafts into the atmosphere.
Flowergirl4 has suggested uprooting the whole plant & hanging them upside down, after watching Chris Beardshaw in the 'how to' section of this site. I have watched it, and it would appear to be a well tested route, having been suggested by an expert. I don't think my 4 plants will produce many fruits now that September is here, even though I still have many flowers at or near the tops. If I were to try that method, is it best to do it now, or wait a little longer?
I saw on here(on the How To section ) that it is possible to ripen tomatoes just buy lifting them (the whole plant root and all) and hanging them upside down in a shed.....I will try this as well as the banana thing and see which is best.....
Hello flowergirl4, I have watched the Chris Beardshaw video, and it is well worth considering. I think it is a matter of timing at the moment. Maybe other people have an opinion on the hanging upside down method.
Temperature is what ripens toms, flowergirl. If it's warmer outside than in the shed, they will ripen quicker outside. If the converse is true, the converse applies. Hanging up the plant is really only a means of storing the toms. Out of the ground, the plant will die off within three or four days anyway so there will be no ongoing nutritional benefit.
EDIT. If it's not warm enough outside - and you need at least low-20sC for ripening at an optimum rate - put them anywhere where you'll achieve as close to those temps as you can. In a shed, in the kitchen, bathroom, boiler room, wherever.
Italophile...thats interesting as I thought it was the sun that ripens them obviousley its the heat from the sun that does it.....you learn something new everyday hey...thanks..
If it helps I've cut chilli plants off close to the soil and hung them upside down to ripen, providing some chillies are red the green one's follow suit. Obviously the plant dies and the leaves go brown before all the chillies have turned red. I also use this method to dry chillies in the GH, they don't start to dry out though until all the moisture has been sapped from the dying plant.
The method may work for toms, all I can say is it does work for chillies.
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I suppose I could go the whole hog and place a peeled back banana at the base of each pot, and see what happens. Also, is it best to use a banana that is still on the green side, as we sometimes get banana's from the supermarket that have yet to ripen. I prefer to eat an orange every day anyway, so technically I wouldn't be depriving myself of much needed fruit.
MuddyFork wrote (see)
To be honest, I'm not convinced of the banana routine. I tried it a few years ago as an experiment. Two toms, same variety, same degree of ripeness. One in a bag with a banana, the other one au naturel. There was little difference in the outcome.
But if the banana were to be tried, it needs to be in the confines of something like a bag with the tomato in order to maximise the effect of any ethlyene gas. Otherwise it just wafts into the atmosphere.
I saw on here(on the How To section ) that it is possible to ripen tomatoes just buy lifting them (the whole plant root and all) and hanging them upside down in a shed.....I will try this as well as the banana thing and see which is best.....
Flowergirl4 has suggested uprooting the whole plant & hanging them upside down, after watching Chris Beardshaw in the 'how to' section of this site. I have watched it, and it would appear to be a well tested route, having been suggested by an expert. I don't think my 4 plants will produce many fruits now that September is here, even though I still have many flowers at or near the tops. If I were to try that method, is it best to do it now, or wait a little longer?
Hello flowergirl4, I have watched the Chris Beardshaw video, and it is well worth considering. I think it is a matter of timing at the moment. Maybe other people have an opinion on the hanging upside down method.
Temperature is what ripens toms, flowergirl. If it's warmer outside than in the shed, they will ripen quicker outside. If the converse is true, the converse applies. Hanging up the plant is really only a means of storing the toms. Out of the ground, the plant will die off within three or four days anyway so there will be no ongoing nutritional benefit.
EDIT. If it's not warm enough outside - and you need at least low-20sC for ripening at an optimum rate - put them anywhere where you'll achieve as close to those temps as you can. In a shed, in the kitchen, bathroom, boiler room, wherever.
Italophile...thats interesting as I thought it was the sun that ripens them obviousley its the heat from the sun that does it.....you learn something new everyday hey...thanks..
Yes, it's down to temperature. They don't need direct sunlight to ripen. It's why toms will ripen inside on a kitchen bench.
If it helps I've cut chilli plants off close to the soil and hung them upside down to ripen, providing some chillies are red the green one's follow suit. Obviously the plant dies and the leaves go brown before all the chillies have turned red. I also use this method to dry chillies in the GH, they don't start to dry out though until all the moisture has been sapped from the dying plant.
The method may work for toms, all I can say is it does work for chillies.