Tomatoes stay green
A friend of mine has about 30 tomato plants. Some from me and some from a nursery. He planted out end of may/beginning of june and they grew fine. They are in a big plastic tunnel,about 10 x 4 m.
He has never eaten a tomato this season because they do not ripen. Green tomatoes yes, but no blush. They just sit there and do nothing... I really dont know what it could be. Soil has lots of manure, just like mine. But I have tons of tomatoes! Any idea? |
What's the temperature.
Worth |
Summer was very hot and dry but now temperature has dropped to 15 degree celsius. In the tunnel still a bit warmer.
It was a very good tomato year. May be too hot for about 2 month where I lost flowers but no disease. |
I can only assume they didn't set until very late so it's normal for them to be green. I have never seen tomatoes staying green for much more than their 'clock'. Small or not they will ripen after a certain time.
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We had a chilly week end of August and even a light frost lick.
Just a few miles away did not. Days were sunny 70-75 but the night temps consistently went down in the forties, and one night 34. I harvested a basket of greenies and all the basil the night before. I did get color and good flavor on most. A few were just too green. The darker ones must have had some color break even though not noticeable, like GGWT and CherChocolate, and did ripen inside with a warm kitchen...90% of the usual flavor is good enough for me. Nights are 55-60 now, (crazy weather), so what I left on the vines are doing better. Just lost a few squash leaves to frost and they also are producing again. He should probably pick a select few and see if he gets some color break inside. Maybe a liquid food boost like a fish/seaweed. |
15C is 59F that is a little too cold for a tomato to turn colors, needs to be around 70 or more.
Worth |
In the tunnel it is 20 and more during the day and they are like this since quite a time. Even during the heat. They dont grow and dont blush. Plants are still healthy. Never seen something like this...
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[QUOTE=charline;664823]A friend of mine has about 30 tomato plants. Some from me and some from a nursery. He planted out end of may/beginning of june and they grew fine. They are in a big plastic tunnel,about 10 x 4 m.
He has never eaten a tomato this season because they do not ripen. Green tomatoes yes, but no blush. They just sit there and do nothing... I really dont know what it could be. Soil has lots of manure, just like mine. But I have tons of tomatoes! Any idea?[/QUOTE] I always take off the top of my tomato plants in late July so that my tomatoes will turn red sooner. Seems to work for me |
To really analyze what is going on, you need to take temps
throughout the season. Not necessarily daily but pay attention with a high-low gauge. Especially covered. 65 will slow down by a week or two. Night lows will slow down ripening by a week or two under 50. Too much heat will near stop growth. With 30 plants I would experiment. Not just sit and wait and wonder what is up. One year with an early frost, I pulled entire plants with green fruit and hung then upside down in the barn. I have also topped them like mentioned. Our temps just jumped back up, day and night. For at least the next ten days... If it is only getting colder I would top them or some. |
Cool temps and lack of sun are seems to slow mine down. I wonderr if the plastic is limiting the sun the plants get. While the leaves are usually shading the fruit, lack of sun seems to slow down the entire plant. A little less sun and some cool temps together might slow them down quite a bit.
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