Tomatoes Not Ripening

[PA Baker]

My tomato plants have gone gang-busters this year, growing huge and producing a ton of tomatoes. One plant has been ripening nicely but the other has had barely any ripe tomatoes (I believe it's a Brandywine). The plant itself is huge--a good 6' x 4' and has at least 30 large, but hard and green tomatoes on it.

Any idea what the problem is? I didn't know if because it's so big it doesn't have the energy to ripen the fruit? We had a cool(er) and rainy/dreary week last week so I was hoping a warm sunny this week would make a difference, but not so far.

I find it painfully ironic that even with this huge tomato plant, most likely I'll have to buy tomatoes at the farm stand for our cook-out on Monday!

 

[pdswife]

I know how you feel. We've got a ton of plants and a ton of GREEN tomatoes... it's been a long wet winter. I too will be buying tomatoes today! Bummer dude!

 

[GB]

I wish I knew. I do know that if I were in that situation I would be making fried green tomatoes and canning some for pickled tomatoes.

 

[YT2095]

put them in a paper bag with a Banana, the Ethylene the Banana fruit gives off will ripen them

 

[pdswife]

Thank you YT. Will try it. Think I'll have some red ones by Sunday?

 

[YT2095]

being as today is already nearly the end of Saturday, No, sorry, it takes a few days, Next sunday for sure though! (middle of the week you may even have some), oh yeah, and it works for Chilis too

Ethylene gas mimics a natural process that takes place anyway in ripening, Bananas are just Really good at kicking that gas off

 

[PA Baker]

Thanks, YT! I always ripen fruit in a brown paper bag but never knew that bananas help the process. I have some pears that have been hard for several days and one lonely banana on the counter so I'll throw them in a bag witha couple tomatoes and give it a try!

 

[YT2095]

if you Greenhouse grow your toms, you can throw the banana skins in there too, it will help plenty, also let them rot down too and dig them in, all Fruit bearing plants love Potassium, so you`ll be helping them out for next year

Just mind where you put them, don`t slip!

 

[Constance]

Brandywine is the sweetest, best tomato I've ever tasted, but they are REALLY late! Be patient...

 

[Uncle Bob]

Miss Baker...

I believe I am right in saying as long as they are green they are still growing. When they stop growing they will start to ripen. Brandywine varieties require 90 to 100 days to maturity...In time they will ripen. or fried green tomatoes are extremely good!!!



Enjoy!

 

[BreezyCooking]

The problem with using ethylene gas (natural or unnatural) to ripen your tomatoes is that they really don't taste much better than the ethylene-gas ripened tomatoes you get at the supermarket. Same goes for tomatoes that people pick & ripen on windowsills or wrapped in newspaper in their basement.

If your maters don't ripen before the first frost, I'd just pick them & either dill-pickle them, make green tomato relish, or make a lot of fried green tomatoes.

 

[kadesma]

Each year, I make sure to check the maturity day of the tomatoe plants. I always get the ones that mature the fastest and just one that takes a longer time..If your growing season is short, it's best to get the early bird tomatoes
kadesma

 

[buckytom]

The problem with using ethylene gas (natural or unnatural) to ripen your tomatoes is that they really don't taste much better than the ethylene-gas ripened tomatoes you get at the supermarket. Same goes for tomatoes that people pick & ripen on windowsills or wrapped in newspaper in their basement.

.

i disagree. it's all in the timimg.

the reason that store bought tomatoes are flavorless is because they are picked far too early, still very green, and then forced to ripen by use of gas and environmental conditioning. harder, light green tomatoes are easier to harvest and ship.
if you take a tomato from the vine that is the slightest bit orange or red, or even a very dark green just before the color changes, you will still get a relatively flavorful when ripened on the window sill, or more expediently in a paper bag with a banana.

of course, letting it ripen on the vine completely is best for flavor, but you avoid cracking while still getting good flavor by picking shortly after the tomato changes to orange-ish. this also allows to plant to use it's energy to produce more.

just don't refrigerate any kind of tomato.

 

[Andy M.]

As long as the weather holds out, I'd leave them to ripen on the vine to get the great flavor they are known for. Putting them in a bag with a banana or an apple to provide the gas, will turn them red but the taste will not be there.

 

[bethzaring]

This has been an odd year for tomatoes for me. Because I got burned last year setting them out too early and losing them to a late freeze, I started them late this year. I started 3 cultivars, and have 5 growing away in the garden. One cultivar has been giving ripe tomatoes for a few weeks now and the others have just started. On Thursday I harvested 35 pounds. But I still have way more green ones than ripe ones. Will consider doing something I have never done before, with green tomatoes. Thanks for the idea..