A tomato (plant) question.

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Dave7

Legendary Member
Location
Cheshire
At long last my potted plant tomatoes are starting to turn red.
Someone told me I should pick a couple and put them on a window ledge to ripen.
So, the questions are........
Will they ripen better on the window ledge than naturally on the vine ?
If so.....why ?
Its the same with my potted sweet (orange) peppers which are just turning colour.
 
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PeteXXX

Cake or ice cream? The choice is endless ...
Location
Hamtun
Once the weather turns a bit cooler, they tend to not ripen on the vine.
A sunny window ledge fools them into thinking it's still summer.
 
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Dave7

Dave7

Legendary Member
Location
Cheshire
Once the weather turns a bit cooler, they tend to not ripen on the vine.
A sunny window ledge fools them into thinking it's still summer.
What about the small/under developed toms ?
Do I bin them or will they be edible ?
BTW
I have the same situation with sweet pepper plant. Some are just starting to turn orange.
Should I do the same with them ?
 

tom73

Guru
Location
Yorkshire
Day length starts to effect tomatoes at this time of year. If you've not already done so stop the plants ie remove the growing tip remove most of the leaves so all the light can get on the them and up the potash. Window ledge is good start the other way which works a treat is the parcel shelve of the car the combo of heat and light works great. Just put them in clear container (no lid) and keep an eye on them as with the inside of the window you still need to turn them every day or so.
 

PaulSB

Legendary Member
My tomatoes are in an unheated green house and will continue to ripen in there for the next 6-8 weeks. I'd move the plants inside to a conservatory or similar situation. Tomatoes ripen when the individual fruits are mature enough to do so. They also require ethylene to help the process along. If you want to ripen them off the vine place the tomatoes in a paper bag or cardboard box with a ripe apple or banana. Cover the box with newspaper to help retain the ethylene which the banana or apple will produce and help ripen the tomatoes.
 
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Dave7

Dave7

Legendary Member
Location
Cheshire
Day length starts to effect tomatoes at this time of year. If you've not already done so stop the plants ie remove the growing tip remove most of the leaves so all the light can get on the them and up the potash. Window ledge is good start the other way which works a treat is the parcel shelve of the car the combo of heat and light works great. Just put them in clear container (no lid) and keep an eye on them as with the inside of the window you still need to turn them every day or so.
 
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Dave7

Dave7

Legendary Member
Location
Cheshire
548722
First three.... another 4 getting ripe.
Won't be a great harvest but its been fun.
 

tom73

Guru
Location
Yorkshire
Nothing wrong with them and having fun growing anything is what it's all about.
If you can pick them so you can leave the green stork on. As with any fruit once the stork get's removed it releases a hormone and they start rot quicker.
 

PaulSB

Legendary Member
Nothing wrong with them and having fun growing anything is what it's all about.
If you can pick them so you can leave the green stork on. As with any fruit once the stork get's removed it releases a hormone and they start rot quicker.
That's interesting. Have you got more info as it's completely new to me?
 

tom73

Guru
Location
Yorkshire
That's interesting. Have you got more info as it's completely new to me?
No I can't remember the papers that talk about it. It's just something I learned when I was studying horticulture. I think it's one of them relearning what victorians had known for years. Which is often the case with horticulture.
As well as 2 twice the price , quicker and cheeper to pick they last a bit longer too supermarkets love " vine ripe" They make great valued added product along with prepackaged bananas.:smile:
 
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