HELP! Tomatoes not ripening (Charlotte, Earl: shop, to eat, health)
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Does anyone else have tomatoes which are not ripening? A coupe of months ago, I bought a healthy Early Girl tomato plant and was thrilled when in May it started putting out many, many little green baby tomatoes. BUT the problem is these babies don't want to grow up and turn red. They've been stagnating for almost a month now. I have between 30 and 40 1" to 2" diameter green baby tomatoes. I've never had this happen before. Ani, am I remembering correctly that last summer you had tomatoes that wouldn't ripen? Anyone with any suggestions please respond - I'm dreaming of my tomato sandwiches!
Hey, Barb! I am so sorry to hear about your tomatoes. Last year, I had some heirlooms that were very very slow to set but once they got going, we had steady tomatoes all summer.
Sometimes an imbalance w/ nitrogen can cause the plant itself to be vigorous but small fruit. (I believe that would be when there is too much nitrogen). Also, depending on where you have them - maybe the heat has been too much on them, especially if they are in a spot where the soil stays warm at nite, too. Sometimes too much heat can stunt the fruit - or at least, that is what I have been told, LOL! Might be an old wives' tale!!!!
I don't think I have every experienced quite your problem, Barb. I am gonna ask around and if any of my family or friends have some tips, I will come back and post.
I planted them in mid-April and they look very healthy. They just don't seem to have made any progress for a couple of weeks.
BTW, I enoyed the comments about the upside-down tomatoes. I, too, have such a plant, and am having good luck with it setting fruit. I expect ripe tomatoes in a couple of weeks.
Do you have the plants in full sun? That's our problem here...not enough sun to get big ripe tomatoes. They do eventually ripen but they are all small and take a long time. I didn't even plant anything this year.
If they are getting 8+ hours of sun each day and the plants look healthy, then give it time. We had a very cool spring which has slowed down the tomatoes a bit. Prime tomato season in Charlotte usually doesn't start until July.
You got me worried, so I looked it up & some places say not enough heat, some say too much heat, sun, water, ... You should call the NC Cooperative Extension in your county & ask them. That's what they're there for. Has anyone used a handheld vacuum for sucking up Japanese Beetles or other pests? I'm thinking about it, but the thought of emptying it is beyond repulsive & was wondering if there's any tricks to that?
Has anyone used a handheld vacuum for sucking up Japanese Beetles or other pests? I'm thinking about it, but the thought of emptying it is beyond repulsive & was wondering if there's any tricks to that?
How about a shop vac on the wet setting, put some soapy water in the canister and then suck up the beetles. Wait a few minutes and they should be dead. I'd scoop them out and put them in the mulch around your plants. The smell of dead beetles is supposed to ward off the others. I have no idea if that will work, lol. Chickens also like to eat the beetles...get some chickens.
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