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Loads of tomatoes but very slow in ripening
Kirbyman
Posts: 9
in Fruit & veg
Is it just me or are the Tomatoes taking a long time to ripen this year? I have Shirley, Ailsa Craig and Moneymaker plants, all with loads of fruit but I have only had a handful of ripe ones off so far.
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Me too Kirbyman, I have Pomodoro and Sweet Million and some lovely lettuce but the salad ain't happening! Don't know where you are but in the SE the weather has been all over the place which hasn't helped.
Morning herbaceous thanks for the response. I am in Leicestershire, I guess there has just not been enough warm summer sunshine to go with the warm wind and tepid rain!! Sorry to hear you have the same experience but I suppose it's nice to know your not alone.
I do take heart from the fact that far more experienced people have all sorts of problems, it just takes patience and perseverance eh? Year before last I had a freezer full of pasta sauce, not going to happen this year............... I do however have a very nice recipe for green tomato chutney, hmmm must dig that out
If you take some of the larger tomatoes off you can put them into a large paper bag with a ripening banana. The bananas give off ethylene gas which ripens tomatoes without harming them.
Same here (also in SE) total nightmare!! I did just as Ladybird said yesterday and took the largest ones off and put with a banana!!
Tomatoes do not need sunlight or light to ripen - they need heat & ethylene gas. A good method as Ladybird suggested creates an enclosed environment for the ethylene gas to ripen the tomato.
The best tomatoes are always those that are allowed to ripen on the vine but it's not necessary to remove leaves and I don't believe it speeds up ripening IMO. To each his own.
I must be very lucky, Shirley and the Mountain Millions, tomatoes are ripening very well down here in South Wales, glasshouse is shaded with coolglass, doesn't stop the fruits ripening at all, but must admit they aren't as sweet this year.