Topic: Tomatoes - is there any point?

[lincsyokel2]

Well, the jet stream has dropped below us, so thats the end of summer, expect two months of grey wetness.

For the third year running, my tomatoes have got to a reasonable size, but  still green. And with the lack of sun, there never going to ripen, and since i hate green chutney, It looks like the entire crop will end up on the compost, since they have been green for 4 weeks, and within another two weeks they will have skins like army boot leather.

I conclude its a waste of time trying to grow tomatoes in this country, There simply isnt enough sunlight for long enough to complete the ripening process, and the weather patterns we are settling into, as witnessed in the last three years, means there never will be a long bright summer. They need to develop tomatoes that go from seed to crop in at most 100 days

[hippydave]

mine were still green last week so i started hanging banana skins on the plants and now they ripening and i have had quite a few this week so it may be worth trying.

[Duke Ellington]

Sometimes you have to try to work out another way around a problem eg mini polytunnel or greenhouse to lengthen the season. I suppose it depends on how important a particular vegetable is to you. My cherry toms have ripened before the beefsteak types so that might be another idea. My allotment neighbour has been hit by blight for the last three years and she has grown them again this year because she and her husband love their toms . This year she has beautiful tomatoes growing and ripening nicely.

Duke :)

[grannyjanny]

There is a tomato grower not to far from us & they sell a 6kg box of  "seconds", wrong shape for supermarkets. They charge £3 for them & they are lovely but you can't beat the taste of a warm tomato fresh from the vine ;).

[Gillysdad]

It's the challenge of growing things that keeps me going. My tom's have been fine this year, the cabbage not so good, but the onions have excelled themselves.
Don't mention peas though. The mice/sqirrels maybe the rats :o have had a great time. :( The peas were netted to stop the pesky pigeons, but the other varmits got in. :-[

[Tee Gee]

i hate green chutney,

I do too!

It looks like the entire crop will end up on the compost,

Not at all!!

I put my green ones on a tray/s and put them somewhere cool and dark, in my case the cupboard under the stairs.

I look at them regularly colecting those that have turned red and eating them, and binning those that might have gone off!

Many times by using this method I have eaten my own tomatoes on christmas day.

Why not try it!

[1066]

It looks the same here for me, and I'm only growing cherry toms and a small plum!! Aaarrggghhhh!

But might try the banana trick, or failing that its the cupboard under the stairs - so thanks for the tips  :)

[Bugloss2009]

i'm coming to the same conclusion  ???

the motto for this year for me is - "Man Proposes, God Disposes"............

[Kepouros]

Sunlight is not at all necessary for the ripening of tomatoes, in  fact too much sunshine can actually slow ripening, and the fruit will ripen just as satisfactorily, though sometimes a little more slowly, in a dark cupboard.

However, the presence of ethylene will speed the ripening process, and this is most easily obtained (for the amateur) by simply placing one or two ripe bananas (which emit ethylene) in close proximity, and this works equally well whether the bananas are hung on or close to the plants, or are simply placed in a dark cupboard or drawer with the fruit.

[goodlife]

Oh..I don't wanna sound too pleased for myself but....few weeks ago I put some lemonade bottles in my greenhouses filled with sugar,water, berries and yeast..few holes in caps and I let them bubble away...
And now I get plenty of ripe toms.. ;D ;D
Maybe I have to do some proper 'GH wine' and get the 'fumes' in use. ;D

[kypfer]

It really can depend on a combination of variety and location as much as anything else. My "Sunrise", on a west-facing balcony, are laden with green fruit but no sign of colour yet ... my downstairs neighbour has "Gardeners' Delight" and another variety in grow-bags on the patio against a south-facing wall and has been picking both for some weeks, though her plum tomatoes have yet to ripen. They'll get there  ;)

I've picked the last of one year's crop in the February of the following year (in an unheated greenhouse), the seedlings for the next season were already a fortnight old !!

[persephone]

Mine have only just started ripening, so its not too late. Not many make it past me to the kitchen though. ;D

[ellie2cats]

There is nothing so good as a tomato still warm form the greenhouse.  Still at the end of the season some do finish up in the compost and I was amazed this year to see little clusters of tiny tomato plants coming up amngst the sweet peas (where I had distributed my homemade compost). They must have been whole tomatoes that germinated in a clump.  Wish the seeds I plant would be as prolific.

Ellie

[Jeannine]

Green tomatoes can be used  for making a pie filling, they are after all a fruit, I do this quite often, trust me it is good XX

[tonybloke]

yep, there is a point
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[macmac]

http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php/topic,62131.0.html
Been picking inside and out for weeks,with the exception of a couple of years and awful blight we've had splendid crops mainly outside for years :)

[BarriedaleNick]

Maybe because I am south east but I have been picking toms for weeks and I have even made some passata cos I have too many.
There is plenty of time yet for them to ripen as well - dont give up!

Maybe go for early varieties like Red Alert or Harbinger.  Sungold are always good for some early pickings as well as being totally gorgeous!

[pigeonseed]

I feel quite relieved to hear you say that, Lincsyokel! I was coming to the same conclusion, but I've had a good year with Tigerella this year - very early.

The first ones, outdoors in a windy NW-facing coastal garden, were ripe in early July (or maybe even late June, I can't remember now) and so I was very surprised and pleased with them.

Can you give them any extra protection like a polytunnel or lean-to greenhouse? And have you tried the early varieties?

Of course, as some have said - if you're not that bothered about them, or can buy nice ones locally - you could just call it a day!

[Emagggie]

Every point lincsyokel2. I'm south east and have only just started picking. Have patience and a bit of faith. ;D ;)

[queenbee]

Don't throw away your green tomatoes, ripen them in a cupboard and make tomato soup with them. Loads of recipes in cookbooks but my secret is to add a tin of spaghetti and half teaspoon of turmeric. It gives the soup that lovely orange look. I like mine spicy so I add chili, basil , Worcester sauce and a few drops of tabasco. I just taste it until I am satisfied. We still have some in the freezer from last year and it makes a lovely lunch with garlic bread.
I shall make loads again this year.