# Tomatoes...but staying green



## Wisconsin Ann (Feb 27, 2007)

This is starting the REALLY bug me. My cherry tomato plants are LOADED with tomatoes...all green. They've been loaded for over a week now. And the tomatoes are still dark green, and the right size to be turning red.

They're sweet 100s, it HAS been cold here at night, but...what is going on? Any thoughts?

Oh, the plants are still flowering, too, and still forming new baby tomatoes. Full sun


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## Kathleen in WI (Nov 27, 2003)

Has it been really hot where you are? According to the National Gardening Association, tomatoes won't turn red if temps are over 86 degrees.

On the other hand, they do need to be warm. So it could very well be the night temps are the problem (you said it gets cold at night).

Another possibility is that you have too many tomatoes. Sometimes when the plant is loaded, they just don't have the energy to ripen all that fruit. Picking some of the green ones to offer more energy to the remaining ones may help.

Too much water can also prevent ripening.

I've heard of people putting rotting apple pieces under the plants to help with ripening. I've never tried it but it may be worth a shot.

Hope this was somewhat helpful. 

BTW, love Sweet 100s. My favorites.


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## Kathleen in WI (Nov 27, 2003)

BTW, tomatoes generally ripen at night. Sun isn't needed as much as warmth, so full sun may not make a huge difference. That's why they say to put green tomatoes in a paper bag to ripen.


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## Wisconsin Ann (Feb 27, 2007)

Well.hmmm.... Yup. It's been dipping into the upper 40s to low 50s at night, and last week it was super hot for a week. I wonder...

well. I can pick some of the fruit; and if I clean out the fridge I bet I can find some rotten apples and give that a try. 

It's just so frustrating, isn't it? There they hang....hundreds of mouthwatering yummy tomatoes....GREEN.

Maybe I'll bring a tub full inside and see if they'll ripen OFF the vine.


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## jad44 (Apr 10, 2008)

What is better yet, those green ones you pick, you do not have to throw away - you can dice them, or slice them and fry them, or make a green tomato pie - or put them into some casserole - lots of uses, and not waste... OR they might ripen on the window sill, but never have tried the small tomatoes on the window sill.


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## peacebaker (Dec 30, 2005)

Patience, grasshopper 

We're in the same boat, I think it's everything is just a little late this year. My peppers are slow too. Even the gosh darn Japanese beetles were late, though they are now arriving, argh.

It is frustrating, even the cherry tomatoes are taking their time. I started one tomato really early in a container, and it's a Siberian (something like 60 day variety) and even that has only a ripe fruit every day or so. Thank goodness I tried that experiment as it's keeping me somewhat sane while I wait this year...


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## IndyGardenGal (Apr 5, 2009)

Same problem here too.

But alas, we've had one ripe sweet 100 tomato a day, for the past two days. My kids found them and we have to hold them into the house to cut them in half for the two of them 

I just wish they'd hurry, my mortgage lifters are a beautiful sight....I just want them to ripen!


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## ChristieAcres (Apr 11, 2009)

I had remembered reading that tomatoes needed temps to be above 60 degrees to ripen (consistently). Those low temps at night could be the issue. In my zone, 8b, we currently have that issue and my tomatoes are green green green... If I had some clear plastic, I'd cover them at night, just to help them along... As it is, since I don't, I'll just be patient, that is, unless it takes too long and then... I'll have the hubby put those pipes in the ground, insert those electrical pvc type plastic tubes, and make hoop tents for my tomatoes... The plastic has to be removed during the day, if the temps/sun is hot, but at night, the tomatoes will benefit greatly. A new friend told me to put 1 T of Epsom Salts in 5 gallons of water, then water the tomatoes. This provides Potassium and encourages fruit production over too much energy put into growth. I took her suggestion, went camping for (6) days, came back to TONS of new blooms and tomatoes forming... My tomatoes all got a late start (I started them indoors pretty late) and our weather was a good month late... for Spring & Summer! I hope that also means we get an additional month before the first hard freeze...


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## mnn2501 (Apr 2, 2008)

Pull them and set them on a shelf or counter in your kitchen, they'll ripen in a day or 2.


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## Paquebot (May 10, 2002)

Hearken back 6 or 7 years ago when Wisconsin had "a summer that wasn't". The temperatures remained well below normal all summer. Many gardeners didn't see a large ripe tomato until Labor Day. I've only seen a few ripe Sungolds thus far but on plants which were already big enough to bloom when purchased. Most of my cherry varieties are in containers which keep the soil warmer than if planted in the ground. Some are only just now getting around to producing fruit. Won't be until August when I see anything ripe on those. Predicted low of 52Âº tonight and 48Âº tomorrow night sure isn't going to hasten them along.

Martin


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## peacebaker (Dec 30, 2005)

Okay I had to look back at my apparently spotty records to see when tomatoes really do get ripe in South Central Wisconsin, ha! A good reminder to keep those garden journals, if only for the milestone dates! I am missing a few years here...

These are dates for first ripe regular size tomato (various varieties). The cherry type were usually a week or so before this:

2000 - August 7th
2001 - July 28th
2002 - July 24th
2007 - July 15th
2008 - July 23rd

It makes me realize my quest for the june tomato is pretty quixotic! And it also makes me want a greenhouse (again...I have this craving every few months....sigh).


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## maxine (Jun 22, 2004)

Same here with cooler nights.. I have put plastic bottles,(milk & water,) filled with water all around the tomatoes and squash,,the water gets heated up during the day from the sun and releases warmth during the night,,keeping the air a little warmer around these plants..the plants really seem to like the water bottles as I see them "hugging" up to them the next morning..


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## Wisconsin Ann (Feb 27, 2007)

Ah well. I REFUSE to complain about a summer that lets me get outside every day and work, sleep under covers at night instead of sweating my...er...<something or other> off. 

But I'm thinking the Greenhouse is going to get built this Fall. It just got moved up on the list of MUST GET DONE!

What I'm thinking about doing is digging out a 3ft wide 4ft deep trench in the hillside, then covering the top 3ft on either side of the trench with a double plastic hoop dome. One end of the trench/walk space would get widened out and a small propane heater gets put in for winter heat.

At least that way I could control a FEW plants, eh?


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## babysteps (Sep 11, 2005)

Ok, I've got a roma that has been there about 3 weeks. I think it should be ripening, but my temps go to 40 to 50 at night. Should I pull it and bring it inside?


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