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Hi, My 3 tomato plants are now close to 2 months old (from the time I purchased them from the store as a seedling). They are in full sun and look rather happy with the multiple watering I give them daily. I also water with a diluted Miracle Grow solution once in awhile and I put in fertilizer in the soil at planting. They are cherry type of tomatoes (1 is Husky Cherry, the other is a tear drop shape variety that should be yellow).
I can see lots of little fruits (maybe 15+ each plant), some even at mature size... BUT, they are all green. The tomato at the bottom have been there for close to a month now.... still green! Question is: Is there anything I can do to ripen them quicker?
Tomatoes ripen according to their genetics, some earlier, some later. It takes a long time to grow a tomato. For cherry tomatoes, they should ripen within about 25 to 30 days after you first see the fruit. You'll probably be overwhelmed with them soon.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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There's nothing you can do but wait. We have one early girl turning red that has been green now for a month. While it may be too late for this year for me, I learned from my Mom who has been eating hers for weeks that when you plant, you should add some bone meal to the soil. Based on her crops, it makes a big difference in the number of tomatoes and they start sooner so ripen sooner. I tried adding some and worked it into the soil yesterday to see if it helps, but it's best to do it when planting in spring, and it only need be added that one time.
Bone meal is fine to add to soil/amendments when first planting, but it takes 3-4 months to break down to enter the plants root system.
For faster results,, after plants are established, Miracle-gro for tomatoes works well.
Weather plays a role in ripening and producing new flowers as well.
Tomatoes don't like to bloom new fruit above 90°F.
Tomatoes wont ripen if its cloudy and cold or sunny and hot a lot. It's usually the nighttime that helps them ripen.
Boston is having a very warm July so far and a ton of rain so it might be slowing the process down. But it's still mid July. Usually we have ripe ones by now but because of the late start this is expected. I'm hoping to get a red one by end of July at least
Quote:
Ripening and color development in tomatoes is governed primarily by two factors: temperature and the presence of a naturally occurring hormone called ethylene.
The optimum temperature range for ripening mature green tomatoes is 68–77 deg. F. The further temperatures stray from the optimum, the slower the ripening process will be. And, when temperatures are outside the optimum range for extended periods, conditions may become so stressful that the ripening process virtually halts.
At the same time, tomatoes do not produce lycopene and carotene, the pigments responsible for ripe tomato color, when temperatures are above 85 deg. F. So, extended periods of extreme heat cause tomatoes to stop ripening. The resulting fruits often appear yellowish green to yellowish orange.
There's not much the gardener can do but wait out the weather.
Weather plays a role in ripening and producing new flowers as well.
Tomatoes don't like to bloom new fruit above 90°F.
Tomatoes wont ripen if its cloudy and cold or sunny and hot a lot. It's usually the nighttime that helps them ripen.
Boston is having a very warm July so far and a ton of rain so it might be slowing the process down. But it's still mid July. Usually we have ripe ones by now but because of the late start this is expected. I'm hoping to get a red one by end of July at least
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Thanks everyone! It has been one of the hottest July that I remember in the last 8-10 yrs. Temp has been high 80's for the last month... hmm... Maybe that's why I'm not getting any ripe tomatoes.
I thought tomatoes plants liked the sun and heat. Maybe I'll move the pots to an area that gets shade in the afternoon whenever the temp gets really hot again.
Thanks everyone! It has been one of the hottest July that I remember in the last 8-10 yrs. Temp has been high 80's for the last month... hmm... Maybe that's why I'm not getting any ripe tomatoes.
I thought tomatoes plants liked the sun and heat. Maybe I'll move the pots to an area that gets shade in the afternoon whenever the temp gets really hot again.
Yup... I'm a big weather buff and for Philly and Bridgeport it's been Top 10warmest first half of July. Some folks around here wondering how because it hast been in the 90s at all. Normal is upper 70s so mid to upper 80s will do it. But mostly the nighttime has been miserably warm and that contributed to it too. (I love winter)
I live in a place where high 90's is a typical day during the summer and I have so many tomatoes off just a few plants and a very late start I'm giving them away to neighbors and the mailman.
I don't get the statement that tomatoes don't "bloom new fruit above 90".
Anything in the 80's around here this time of year is considered a Cool Spell.
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(I love winter)
