Will my toms go red?

Gloomtastic!

We have three or four tomato plants outside in a raised bed at the moment. Loads of little green tomatoes all over

However, at this stage of the year, will they go red or should I start looking for a good green tomato recipe?

The Gardener

I'd like to see a few red ones by now, if not a few that are on the verge of turning red. However, the forecast for the coming week is good, though turning cooler towards the end of the week so don't make the chutney just yet. Basically, Tomatoes need sun and warmth to ripen on the plant so the answer to your question will be determined by the weather. Keep the recipes on standby!

bmaxi

Stop the plants by pinching out the top growth above the last truss or even lower if you can afford to lose a few fruits. This will ensure the plants put their energy into ripening the existing fruit rather than forming new ones. Toms outdoors are always a gamble in the Irish climate.

enumbers

make a good chutney or if you have some chillis you can use them as part of a really good chilli paste.

Gloomtastic!

bmaxi wrote: »

Stop the plants by pinching out the top growth above the last truss or even lower if you can afford to lose a few fruits.

Done that already thanks.

enumbers wrote: »

make a good chutney or if you have some chillis you can use them as part of a really good chilli paste.

The chillis are in the conservatory doing rather well thank you.

martinn123

Gloomtastic! wrote: »

We have three or four tomato plants outside in a raised bed at the moment. Loads of little green tomatoes all over

However, at this stage of the year, will they go red or should I start looking for a good green tomato recipe?

If, like me you are a bit impatient, take some green Toms, place in a paper bag, with a Banana, and put in hot-press.

You will get them to ripen in a few days.

Or, just as they are starting to ripen on the plant, pick, and place in a fruit bowl, with a bunch of bananas on top.
Again they will ripen quickly.

I got 2-3 lbs of Toms this way, last week and made some soup over the weekend, Yum.

The Red Ace

+1 on the bananas for ripening, had a big bowl of greenies over the past week all now nice and red and very tasty

Gloomtastic!

Update: They started going red yesterday on the vine. Today you could virtually see them getting redder and redder.

Thanks everyone. I have the bananas on standby!

Denis322

Ive also heard of just cutting the roots around the plant a couple inches from the stem, it shocks the plant into ripening the fruit on it.

Betty Draper

i have 1 red tom and about 40 green ones.

I am not expecting them to ripen on the vine at this stage

redser7

You should get more, there's still time if they are a good size and the plant is healthy enough. Just try to protect it from any frosts and it can keep going for a good few weeks yet. Just dont let anymore shoots or flowers form.