toms and sunshine.

[ann-the-nan]

I have some turbo toms and a big boy in my g/h 'cos the instructions say they do better there. (fully understood). Thing is, my g/h is a walk-in mini with a green plastic cover. I have lovely fat toms on which might even be ripening. On bright days I open the front to let sunshine in - but that's like having them outdoors,isn't it? if I zip up the door (mostly to the end) it keeps the lovely heat in but the bees out. They get filtered sunlight thro' the cover. Will that be enough to ripen them? This is my first year growing this type of tom, and 1st. year with this g/h. Any helpful advise gratefully accepted.

[Capsid]

Filtered sunlight is fine IMO. The plants appreciate the heat afforded by the greenhouse so I'd keep the flap shut (unless it gets too hot) and also keep the blight out.

[Rocketron]

Heat ripens tomatoes not sunlight, most tomatoes are self-pollinating, blight is wind-borne.
I'd leave the greenhouse closed, apart from plenty of watering/feeding.

[Alice]

In an ideal world tomatoes like the temperature between 18 and 25 degrees - but they will tolerate temps outside that.
It's heat that ripens tomatoes and not sunlight.
Tomatoes are self fertile so although the bees might help it's not essential.
I would let the temperature in the greenhouse be the judge of whether to keep it closed or open it up. Anything above 25 and I would open those zips.
Good luck.

[Two_Sheds]

Mine are in blowaway greenhouses too, zips have been open day & night for over a month now (they get too sweaty if zipped up ... and you don't want moulds starting up)