tomato ripening

[organic vic]

Hi All I was wondering how long tomatoes take to turn red? I have cherry toms which have 6 trusses each and only the last truss of each plant has yet to set all it's fruit but the first trusses are taking (what seems like!) an age to turn red as of yet there is no sign of this happening even on the very first tomato Also I read on one of the threads that I should remove the lower leaves to hurry up ripening - do I remove them like side shoots and how many should I remove?

[Flummery]

I often remove lower leaves right up to the first truss. I grow mine in the greenhouse border and if I don't do this I can't get at all the chick-weed that grows underneath! It allows a better airflow too. It can take WEEKS to ripen a fruit. However, once they start they'll be coming out of your ears.

Sometimes you can just snap off the leaves but I find you get a better, neater job with seccateurs.

[organic vic]

Thanks flummery, mine are growing in grow bags in the greenhouse. I have just counted the set fruits and on 3 plants I have 92 fruits and each of the 3 plants still has a truss each in flower! Also outdoor tomato has 5 fruits and the rest of my greenhouse toms are only forming their first truss but these are larger toms!

[zazen999]

Are they starting to fade a bit - ie lose the greenness.....if so then they are ripening up....I had a couple that were doing that so I have taken one off and brought it indoors and the other has nana skins draped around it and it is starting to turn.

It takes an AGE if you keep watching them - the key is when they start to go paler....then they are starting to go.

[rustylady]

I usually remove the bottom leaves to allow better air circulation. My plants are also in the greenhouse. Sungold are starting to ripen, but Gardeners Delight have lovely green fruit (all set but no sign of turning red).

[SMS6]

I have 2 plants giving me a few ripe fruits now - also greenhouse grown. Bloody Butcher & Tumbler

[Sonata]

Ooh I must remove some leaves then. I've got tonnes of GDs - all green. They seem to start off a paler green then go a deep shiny green. Where's my red?!

[gojiberry]

Not been much sun about just lately to help ripen the tomatoes.

Ian

[gadgetman]

I hope mine hurry up.

[rustylady]

Ooh I must remove some leaves then. I've got tonnes of GDs - all green. They seem to start off a paler green then go a deep shiny green. Where's my red?!

Don't take too many leaves off, just the bottom ones. The red will come

[Lavenderblue]

I've not got a single ripe fruit yet. Not even close. I am a bit paranoid about blight - I lost my whole crop of tomatoes to it last year.

[Flummery]

With the fruits I'm experimenting on - Sungold F3 and a Sungold/Tiger tom cross, I planted 3 to a flower bucker and stopped them after one or two trusses, to make sure I got ripe fruits early. I've been eating (and seed saving) for a couple of weeks now and have a bowl of the cherry-sized fruits in the kitchen. If you want really early toms it's worth stopping a plant or two after a couple of trusses - you get fewer fruits on this plant but you are eating toms for much longer!

[organic vic]

Hi First tomato is starting to go a greeny orange so must be starting to turn Yipee!
Banana skins are a good idea so will try that and have removed the bottom leaves now also so fingers crossed not too much longer but it is like a watched kettle - it never boils and I am checking daily so maybe won't check for a few days!

[SMS6]

would hurrying them along with banana skin alter the natural flavour?

[Incy]

would hurrying them along with banana skin alter the natural flavour?

Don't know the answer to that one but wouldn't the skins attract fruit flies?