Could it be 'Greenback'?

[TheNovice]

Hi there,

I'm new to the site and have already picked up some useful hints and tips just by scanning around and reading all your posts!

So i have now plucked up the courage to post my own message, hoping you may be able to offer up some advice on a problem I have.

I have two 'Gardener's Delight' tomato plants in big pots on our patio, which have quite a few nice-sized fruits on them at the mo. But! They are all still very green and hard at the mo. It does say on the the label that they should be ready for picking from late June onwards, so am i just being impatient? The only reason i am a little concerned is that i've been reading up in a book and think they may be suffering from 'Greenback'. They are in a very sunny position currently, so wondering if i ought to move them to another spot.

Any suggestions would be gratefully received!

[Cloud]

You don't say on your profile what part of the country you are in.Most things seem to be a couple of weeks behind due to the weather.Greenback will only show up on ripe fruit.

[TheNovice]

You don't say on your profile what part of the country you are in.Most things seem to be a couple of weeks behind due to the weather.Greenback will only show up on ripe fruit.

Thanks for your response, which has reassured me! I think I am just excited that i actually have fruit growing! I'm in Crawley, West Sussex, near Gatwick.

[Kristen]

I've only had two or three fruit [in Suffolk] from my Greenhouse plants which were started very early ... so I reckon your pots on the patio will be another couple of weeks, or so.

[zazen999]

Waiting for toms to go red; the longest wait of the summer!!!

[Flummery]

I'm sure they'll be fine. I haven't got anything ripe yet - but some have been getting bigger and bigger (except the cherry sized of course) but still staying green. Patience. Hardest job in the garden!

[TheNovice]

Thank you for that, i will just keep giving them plenty of tlc and waiting patiently!

[Snadger]

Gardeners Delight toms always look as if they have greenback at the green stage for me too, but always seem to ripen uniformly red!

[Julian]

I remember my mum use to pick the tomotes from her gardeners delight even when the tomotes still looked green and then she would put the tomotes on a bit of kitchen paper,leave them on a window sill and few days later the tomotes had become a lovely red colour and ready to eat.

[TheNovice]

Thanks for all your reassuring words-i am pleased to report that yesterday evening i spotted that one of the largest of the fruits has now started to develop a rosy glow!! Lets hope it spreads to the rest!!

[Cutecumber]

It is still early for tomatoes - some of us may well be harvesting, but our plants have been going since January, mostly in the greenhouse. Mid or late July into August, and onwards, is much a more normal time to be harvesting.

I don't think I've ever come across a Gardener's Delight fruit with greenback - just wait patiently and I'm sure they will ripen ok.

[Two_Sheds]

Hi, Novice. How is Creepy Crawley these days? We went on that big car park last week (M25)

[vegman]

Sounds like they are not ripe yet!

Greenback can be recognised by the formation of a hard leathery ring of tissue around the stalk end of the fruit. This area will not turn red as the rest of the tom. Its a physiological disorder maybe caused by the plant becoming too hot. Although one may shade the greenhouse, ventiltion is important too as is cooling by spraying the floor with water.

Common when we used to have summers!

[gojiberry]

One of the drawbacks of forums and books is that many people new to growing feel that they have to have every disease and pest known to man affect their crops. Greenback will only show up on a red tomato and even when I have had greenback it has not affected me using the tomatoes. Try to enjoy your growing experience and less thinking doom and gloom.

Ian

[TheNovice]

Hi Two Sheds,

Are you originally from Crawley yourself? I moved here 6 years ago, am originally from Oxford. Moved down this way after meeting my husband on holiday in Tenerife!
Really lots going on in the town centre and immediate sounding area at the mo, lots of new developments popping up everywhere.

Novice