Ripe tomatoes or not ??
 

Re: Ripe tomatoes or not ??
 

I would pick before they are ripe and put them in a paper bag..... that will ripen them

Re: Ripe tomatoes or not ??
 

At this time of year, you definitely leave them to ripen on the plant. Just remove them one at a time. At the end of the season you remove any green ones and either leave them to ripen, or make chutney.

Re: Ripe tomatoes or not ??
 

Re: Ripe tomatoes or not ??
 

Re: Ripe tomatoes or not ??
 

Well said Tin Monkey and Willow. The longer you can let them "sun-ripen," the greater the vitamin content! your plant has an overabundance of tomatoes trying to ripen, picking off those closest to rpined will also allow the others to ripen a bit quicker, as well as assist the green tomatoes to grow to their fullest!

Our problem over here is that, as tomatoes won't ripen when the temps reach 85 degrees F, we are forced to pick them before they fully ripen. The last few years this has been the case for a few weeks each summer.

Good on all you English Gardners. Cheers,

Brian

Re: Ripe tomatoes or not ??
 

You can pick them just as they start to turn red and they will ripen on a windowsill. Why bother though? Let them ripen on the vine and they will be juicier and sweeter.

You didn't say what variety you are growing. Are they bush or upright and indoor or outdoor?

Re: Ripe tomatoes or not ??
 

Re: Ripe tomatoes or not ??
 

When I said "indoor" I meant in a greenhouse. :D I've never grown a tomato plant to maturity in the house because they can grow so big. It sounds like it may be a dwarf bush.

Re: Ripe tomatoes or not ??
 

Re: Ripe tomatoes or not ??
 

Reading this thread you can tell who is keen on gardening and who is a novice:D

Re: Ripe tomatoes or not ??
 

Re: Ripe tomatoes or not ??
 

I had noticed:p First rule label all plants clearly;)

Re: Ripe tomatoes or not ??
 

Greenhouse tomatoes can be grown out door, make sure the pot is at least 10" diam, stick 4 canes round the edge of the pot equidistant, get one of those clear plastic bags dry cleaners use, and lower it over the canes, make a hole in the top to allow for air circulation, on a hot day roll the plastic bag up from the bottom, keep the plants well watered it will drink 1/2 gallon a day, don't let it dry out or the toms will split. When a tomatoe is ripe you will know by the colour and bloom on the skin. You can remove some of the larger leaves from the bottom of the plant, then you will grow more toms and not leaves.

Retlaw.

Re: Ripe tomatoes or not ??
 

OK, little tomato-growing tip. With the straight varieties you should nip off any growths that come in the joints between the stem and the branches. With the bush sorts you don't have to.

Don't forget the leaves and stems of tomato plants are poisonous. They probably wouldn't kill you, unless you ate a load of them (yeeeuk), but it's as well to wash your hands when you've handled them. :)

Re: Ripe tomatoes or not ??
 

Cheers, thanks for that :)

Re: Ripe tomatoes or not ??
 

Re: Ripe tomatoes or not ??
 

Yummy Home Grown Tomatoes,, I Can Just Smell Them Now....

Re: Ripe tomatoes or not ??
 

Me too any going spare will be gratefully appreciated;)

Re: Ripe tomatoes or not ??
 

maybe an old wives tale but my Grandad used to put a 'docked' lambs tail under his plants and allways got good results , also seem to remember from the same source the best thing for tomatoes is the same cure for atheletes feet , you pee on them :D
think its because they are acidic :confused:

Re: Ripe tomatoes or not ??
 

Tomatoes grow best in neutral soil, pee on them and they will die.

Retlaw.

Re: Ripe tomatoes or not ??
 

Pee on them? :eek: I'd rather put a bit of salt and pepper on, thanks.
Oh and that cure is for chilblains, not athlete's foot. :p

Re: Ripe tomatoes or not ??
 

I have just been reading this thread and I've been in stitches. Especially the bit about dwarf toms lol.
Cheered me up, thanks everybody lol

Re: Ripe tomatoes or not ??
 

Those growths at the joints? Would they be called suckers? I remember my grandad picking them off. I used to help him .... remember it being damned hot in the greenhouse.:eek:

Re: Ripe tomatoes or not ??
 

I call them spurs because that's what my dad always called them. Apart from that - I don't know.

Hey, I'm in luck this year. I didn't grow any tomatoes of my own but my next-door neighbour did. He went away last week and brought his 2 outdoor plants round for me to look after while he's away. They are cherry tomatoes and there's loads of them. He told me to use any that came ripe so we've had a few and they're delicious. He's not back for another week and lots more are ripening every day. :)

Re: Ripe tomatoes or not ??
 

My toms are still green. Wish they'd hurry up. I'm dying to try them. I've grown Golden Sunrise and Speckled Roman this year.

Re: Ripe tomatoes or not ??
 

Cherry tomatoes .... mmmm, great .... fantastic in salads, or as a healthy snack. Love 'em.:dancedog:

Re: Ripe tomatoes or not ??
 

I think Speckled Roman look more like peppers than tomatoes. Have you grown them before? How are they for flavour?

Re: Ripe tomatoes or not ??
 

They are called " sideshoots " well thats what all the gardeners on tv programmes call them . :)

Re: Ripe tomatoes or not ??
 

I've never grown them before and the ones that are on the plants now are still green, so I'm not sure about taste. They're supposed to be like a plumb tomato, so I'm looking forward to a sweet, juicy fruit. They are a little bigger than I expected too.

Re: Ripe tomatoes or not ??
 

Has anyone tried growing a yellow tomato " golden sunrise " they are very tasty . I will give them a go again next year !!!! the plants are obtainable from garden centers as small plants in march ???

Re: Ripe tomatoes or not ??
 

You are not paying attention, David. :D Look at Tin Monkey's post (but I think his are still green sunrises, if you catch my drift). Never had one, myself, but any tomato is lovely as far as I'm concerned so I'm sure I'd love them.

Re: Ripe tomatoes or not ??
 

oops . lol :D

You will love them Tin monkey, just give them time .

Re: Ripe tomatoes or not ??
 

As West Ender says, I'm growing them for the first time this year. I have a few now started to appear, but they're all green yet. I'm really hoping to see some of my tomatoes ripening in the next week or two, as I'm dying to try them.

I think where I live is slightly cooler than other parts of the county (and Cheshire), so that explains why my stuff is a little behind other people's. I started my tomatoes off as seeds in late February and a friend of mine in Blackpool started hers off two weeks later. She's just started harvesting her tomatoes this week.