Tomatoes

[bobthefisherman]

A few of my neighbours already have a good crop of ripe tomatoes, but mine are still small and green....
We all planted the seeds around the same time (March/April), and we all get the same amount of sunshine, and I water them every day.....

Does anyone know how I can speed them up a little bit?

[Ann]

Have you cut off a lot of the foliage so the light/sun can get to them? They should ripen if you do this ........

[bobthefisherman]

Hi Trim,
I was feeding them "Miracle-Gro", but an expert gardener on the radio the other day said it was useless......

Ann,
Yes, I've cut off most of the foliage, and some of the smaller fruits, to give the others a better chance.....

[Ann]

Take some of the biggest ones off especially those just "turning" and put them on a sunny windowsill, they will ripen in a few days.

[bobthefisherman]

Thanks Ann, I'll go and do that now.
I read a gardening book that said leave them under a tea towel - is this wrong??

[jamesnan]

Are they the same variety? that can make a difference

[bobthefisherman]

Mine are "Alicante"......
I actually bought mine, the others came free with the newspaper.....!

[modeller]

It's getting a bit late now for much more ripening . They don't need sunshine . They need warmth to ripen . What hasn't ripened this month should be put somewhere warm . I put mine over the vent above the fridge and in the airing cupboard or in a drawer indoors .In fact anywhere warm . Window sills may be warm as long as its on wood and when the sun shines but otherwise they are cold . You need specialist fertiliser like Tomerite which feeds flowers and fruit . Miracle Grow is a general fertiliser for growth which isn't what you want at this end of the season.

[welshlibranr]

I put my green ones in a bowl with some bananas, they ripen a treat!.....

[ladybirder]

Don't the bananas go black welsh?

[bobthefisherman]

modeller,
you're right - I tried leaving some on a wooden windowsill ,(as advised by Ann) and a few of them are now turning red.... the OH ate one yesterday, and she's still wth us.....
Thank you very much for the advice on fertlizer - I'll try harder next year....

welshi,
One of my pub quiz team members is a proffesional gardener, and he said the same thing about bananas......

Thank you all for your help,

bob.