Tomatoes - how long from flower to fruit?

[tiachica]

Hiya Grapes,

Well, my tomatoes finally managed. We have flowers.

I was wondering now, what's the chances that they will ripen up here North?

I know you get sometimes certain data specs with toms, i.e. 80 days, early 60 days or similar. Is this guidance as to how long from flower to fruit?

So for these tomatoes I could expect then the following harvest times?

Malakhitovaya Shkatulka 70-85 days
Purple Ukraine 65-80 days
Cherry of unknown type ~75 days?

Those dates would bring the harvest in at about mid September. Is this too late or about right? bearing in mind I am in NE Scotland. Anybody got any experience? Is there any chance of me harvesting ripe tomatoes without a greenhouse?

Thanks.

[terrier]

I've just read that from the flower setting fruit to ripe tomato is around 45-50 days, hope that's some help

[westwiltspatio]

I think the "days to harvest" quoted for tomatoes actually refers to number of days from planting out, rather than first flower set. To be honest I find that a bit confusing.

There doesn't seem to be much info out there (that I could find) about how long from flower set to fruit, but I found this page which suggests it could be between 40 and 60 days to ripening (which fits the previous reply too, and puts your first ripe tomatoes sometime in August). I guess it also depends how many tomatoes you have on the plant too.

I was a bit surprised to see it was that long, to be honest - I'd have guessed about a month, but I've never actually measured it. Seems like I'm more patient than I thought I was!

[coreopsis]

I just noticed 1st opened flowers on my toms today.Tiachica,I'm trying to grow mine outside as well and I'm not far off you

[Mac]

Jings, I never knew it took them so long to go from flower to fruit! I've been telling my partner that we'll have toms in a couple of weeks! Oops....

[thecarnage]

Jings, I never knew it took them so long to go from flower to fruit! I've been telling my partner that we'll have toms in a couple of weeks! Oops....

Ha ha I'm the same! All she want to do now is "see the goods". I keep saying that the toms will be ready in a couple of weeks! I've been saying that for about a month now!

[OllieMartin]

I don't even have any flowers yet

[heggied]

I've got six plants outside at the moment (3 x Money Maker and 3 x Garden Pearl) - all have lots of opened flowers on them, but no sign of any fruits yet.

I'm over in the Western Isles (Lewis) so I'll see if / when I get any fruits from them.

[lfnfan]

This is my first year growing toms.

From flower to setting fruit for me took about a week on average. Maybe 10 days. I 'tickle' the flowers - dunno if it speeds things up at all, but it's fun

From setting fruit to eating fruit (based on one lovely red cherry tomato, cordon variety, living in London, on a balcony which gets sun for 1/2 the day) took six weeks (about what Terrier said above).

I have various stages of development on my 4 plants - some top trusses are curled up and still developing, some high trusses all bright yellow flowers, some just set fruit, most lower trusses are long, with 1 or 2 ripe toms near the stem then half a dozen large green toms, followed byfour or five small green toms then a couple just-set fruit, followed by five or six flowers and 2 or 3 flowers-to-be at the end.

It's all very exciting and quite remarkable.

Development seems to be a factor of heat - probably more of that going around in London than NE Scotland.

Edit: Also just had a look at yr photos - do you have vine / cordon type plants? Are you pinching off the leaf shoots that appear in the 'elbow' between stem and leaf? If not, the plant may put more of its energy into leaves rather than fruit, increasing the time taken to get yer ripe tomatoes?

'Go Murray' btw.

[tiachica]

I have two indeterminate kinds, of which I do take the side shoots of. There are also a few cherry tomatoes in between, where I don't know if they are indeterminate, so I have just left them, but I will pinch the top off when I have 2 or 3 trusses.

Thanks for your advice!

[NOG]

I've got six plants outside at the moment (3 x Money Maker and 3 x Garden Pearl) - all have lots of opened flowers on them, but no sign of any fruits yet.

I'm over in the Western Isles (Lewis) so I'll see if / when I get any fruits from them.

It will still be a month before you get any external Toms I have green ones in my Greenhouse but no Red.

[lfnfan]

Good stuff.

Being a greedy so-and-so, I only pinched off the top growing tip when I'd got six trusses on each plant, although experts seem to say that four is the best number...

[Incy]

Good stuff.

Being a greedy so-and-so, I only pinched off the top growing tip when I'd got six trusses on each plant, although experts seem to say that four is the best number...

Didn't realise 4 was the best number! That's perfect as my GH toms have 4 trusses and are about to lift the GH off the floor

[lfnfan]

LOL. I'm amazed at how tall these things grow! I think I gave mine too much newbie TLC in their formative weeks/months (heat and water), which made them a bit leggy. Next year abw, I will treat the seedlings a little meaner and see if they grow more compact <evil grin>

[Flummery]

Good stuff.

Being a greedy so-and-so, I only pinched off the top growing tip when I'd got six trusses on each plant, although experts seem to say that four is the best number...

I think the received wisdom used to be - 4 trusses outdoors and 6 in a greenhouse. I usually forget!