When to harvest tomatoes

[andy]

What with a big truss of Ilde tomatoes falling off the plant yesterday....would it be worth keeping to see if they ripen ?

Also, i want to pick a whole vine from my F1 Shirley toms but each fruit ripens at a different time.  Should i leave them all on the plant until they all go red or take the entire vine off with some red, some green.

Here's the Ilde truss.  The tomatoes are pretty much full size, they just need to ripen.  Keep or throw ?

[Rosefriend]

Well I don't know what others do but never would I get rid of those toms...a lot will ripen - they look as though are roundabout the size they would get to anyway. You possibly won't lose so many. As for the handful that is over - how's about a few green toms in a curry, they taste good??!!

I am never quite sure about taking a whole vine - they do it commercially, don't they, and they always ripen - even to the last one... I have never done it - red/yellow/black etc isn't necessarily ripe, is it. I had a friend that used to pull the toms when they were red and then complained that they were hard and horrible...mmmmh suppose it depends on the variety but red (whatever colour) and ripe for me is when the fruit "gives" when you press gently, not when the "colour" is what it should be.

So andy, after all my warbling I would keep the truss that has fallen off, try and possibly get some netting to hold the others so that it doesn't happen to them, pick a whole vine of Shirley toms when the first couple are really ripe and then let us know what happens as I am really interested to find out!!

Also can you take a pic of the Shirley toms please as I would like to try them next year??!!

RF

[Missredhead]

I read somewhere that if you put them in a brown paper bag they start to ripen...not sure how true that is though...

[Rosefriend]

Jul 28, 2013 15:11:04 GMT Missredhead said:

I read somewhere that if you put them in a brown paper bag they start to ripen...not sure how true that is though...

You can also put them together with an apple/banana...

RF

[Missredhead]

I remember the banana one but never heard of putting an apple in...

[Rosefriend]

Jul 28, 2013 15:29:39 GMT Missredhead said:

I remember the banana one but never heard of putting an apple in...

It's the ethylene in apples that ripen them - that is why it is better never to put any fruit with apples unless you want to keep them for a while...most things tend to ripen quicker!!

Or vice versa of course.

RF

[Ladygardener]

I'd not throw those tomatoes away either andy. Fried green tomatoes, into curry, for chutney along with others if you felt like it, there are loads of things you could do with them.
As to ripening green ones, I've done it in the past when the plant got blight and I had to take the whole lot off and get rid of the plant. They will ripen if they're well one but green, I put them by the fruit bowl.

[Chuckles]

I've had limited success ripening fallen etc toms andy probably 50/50, it does all depend if they are fully grown, if they aren't they tend to just shrivel I've previously put mine in a warm bright place (summer house) spread out on a tray. You have nothing to lose trying so give it a go.

[Barbara]

Lots of my toms are just dropping off the plants, anyone any idea why, I water them every other day, or every day if it has been very warm, I feed them regularly too, but they are all over the floor every time I go this week.

[Ladygardener]

Sorry Barbara, I have no idea why that's happening. I know it happens with apples if there are too many, perhaps it's the same with Tomatoes. Which variety are they?

[Barbara]

They are the gardeners delight LG.

[Rosefriend]

I'm not sure either Barbara - toms don't throw toms off like apples as far as i know. They need regular watering and the same amount - I wonder if sudden bouts of more water when it is warm has something to do with it - at the same time - why - they need it. I find the odd tom - a slug has eaten the stem and it falls off, or I knock them off whilst watering but I have never come in and found loads fallen off...
Btw - I have stopped feeding - all the toms are ripening and don't need to grow anymore - perhaps it has something to do with that now.

It really is a mystery - hope someone has an idea.

RF

[Ladygardener]

I've grown GD a few years and they do crop well but I'm not growing them this year. I've had a look online but nothing conclusive has come up, just the usual, over/underwatering feeding. Barbara.
Rosefriend quite a few of mine are still green but I have some ripening daily which is smashing. I'm still feeding weekly at the moment.

[Rosefriend]

Aug 15, 2013 17:47:35 GMT Ladygardener said:

I've grown GD a few years and they do crop well but I'm not growing them this year. I've had a look online but nothing conclusive has come up, just the usual, over/underwatering feeding. Barbara.
Rosefriend quite a few of mine are still green but I have some ripening daily which is smashing. I'm still feeding weekly at the moment.

After I had posted that I realised that I stop earlier here as I am basically a month ahead when it comes to winter coming....I have to stop things growing earlier...we may get frost next month here.

RF

[Chuckles]

Not a clue Barbara other than eratic watering which you don't appear to do. I have an odd one drop off, they always make me jump because I think something is in the GH

[Ladygardener]

You really made me think Rosefriend. I will check mine today and see if I still have yellow flowers. I don't expect frosts until Nov or even Dec but you never know. The levels of light have changed quite dramatically this past couple of weeks and the temps have dropped considerably.

[Barbara]

:'(I'm finding more and more toms on the floor, I was just stood in the doorway before and some just fell off, I'm putting them on the shelf to ripen up but why are they doing it, I've looked all over the net, and can't find anything.

[Rosefriend]

Aug 20, 2013 12:35:00 GMT Barbara said:

:'(I'm finding more and more toms on the floor, I was just stood in the doorway before and some just fell off, I'm putting them on the shelf to ripen up but why are they doing it, I've looked all over the net, and can't find anything.

I have had a look and can't find anything really either - some say water, but you are watering...you are fertilizing - are the leaves OK etc?
I honestly don't understand and it would be good to be able to find out.

Are the toms ripening afterwards Barbara??

RF

[Barbara]

If they are on the way, RF, but the very dark green don't appear to be doing, the leaves look just fine, I really am stumped by this, some are huge and my hearts in my mouth when I open the door in case they have fallen too.

[Rosefriend]

Aug 20, 2013 14:23:53 GMT Barbara said:

If they are on the way, RF, but the very dark green don't appear to be doing, the leaves look just fine, I really am stumped by this, some are huge and my hearts in my mouth when I open the door in case they have fallen too.

The only thing - could it possibly be tiny tiny caterpillars  ( or some kind of insect) that is eating the stalks and the toms are falling...

I really am grasping at straw Barbara as I haven't got a clue...are there any old lottie gardeners on the site that you go to that may know the answer?? Temperature fluctuations cause many things - could, it be that even?? Mostly it is catfacing but it may cause toms to drop...dunno!!??

I have never had it at all - the odd one that has fallen, yes, but not like this..

RF

[Barbara]

These are the ones I've brought home, there are more on the table at the lotty.

[Rosefriend]

Aug 20, 2013 15:32:47 GMT Barbara said:

These are the ones I've brought home, there are more on the table at the lotty.

So many Barbara - can you put an apple/banana with them to help them ripen..??

RF

[Ladygardener]

Barbara I'm really stumped too.

[Barbara]

I've put apples in to make them turn red, and for good measure an orange and a cuc.

[Rosefriend]

Aug 22, 2013 13:33:06 GMT Barbara said:

I've put apples in to make them turn red, and for good measure an orange and a cuc.

hahaha - what a great photo Barbara !!

[farmersboy]

Is this any help Barbara             en.allexperts.com/q/Growing-Vegetables-740/Tomatoes-Fruit-Dropping.htm

[Barbara]

Thanks FB, I don't know if the calcium is the answer or not, but they are deffio watered enough, I see to that job, I made my own compost mix of one part own made, one part bought, and some manure, they are being fed with tomorite, so I felt like I'd done things right ,but obviously not. next year they are going in the ground in the GH, this year they are in pots .

[Rosefriend]

Not getting any nearer are we Barbara !!

Can it be the fertilizer - too much nitrogen perhaps, as that bloke says on the link??

RF

[Barbara]

Could be RF, but that's what the guy with Monty did, or a calcium shortage.

[Rosefriend]

mmmmh - pain in the nether regions, that's what it is Barbara !!

I do so wish we could find out....

Rf