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Gardening

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Original poster

Tomatoes

17 replies

Lonelymum · 26/09/2004 14:55

I have had success growing tomatoes in pots on the steps down to our garden this year, but I have noticed that, although there are loads left, they are not ripening up very fast (if at all) now that the weather has cooled down. I know you can pick them green and leave them to ripen in the kitchen, but doesn't that lessen their flavour? What I want to know from any green figured people out there is, can I bring the whole plants in and will the tomatoes ripen on the vine when they are in the warmer house?
Thanks for any replies....

OP posts:
pixiefish · 26/09/2004 15:10

According to my brother they need heat to ripen. Also another tip is not to put tomatoes in the fridge (I don't mean the plant I mean when the toms have been picked)as this ruins their flavour.
Have you got a warm/sunny/windowcill you can put the plant on? Yes, bring it in to the house and try somewhere warm and sunny

Original poster
Lonelymum · 26/09/2004 15:15

Great, this is what I thought. I know not to put them in the fridge to ripen them and guessed the same applied to tomatoes still on the plant but I needed reassurance from someone who knows.
Now I only need worry about where to put them as they are too large for a window sill and ds3 likes to play with mud, leaves, etc!

OP posts:
pixiefish · 26/09/2004 15:18

My brother says NEVER put toms in fridge as it ruins taste- even when they're ripe. He arrives every few days with a handful of toms for dd (7 1/2 Months- doting uncle or what) and was most upset when he found that I kept them in the fridge. Since then I haven't dared. Make lovely pasta sauces for dd with them. She also likes them blended with a piece of cucumber and thickened with baby rice!

donnie · 26/09/2004 15:23

it's true, keeping them out of the frigde improves the flavour hugely. Horrid cold tasteless toms - yuch.Wish I could grow my own!

Original poster
Lonelymum · 26/09/2004 15:25

Don't know how I managed it Donnie as last years plant grew to about 2 inches and promptly died! This year, it seemed as easy as anything. I shall go straightaway and remove any tomatoes I have in the fridge!

OP posts:
pixiefish · 26/09/2004 15:27

My db would be MORTIFIED with you Lonelymum

Original poster
Lonelymum · 26/09/2004 15:30

Sorry Clearly he is the green fingered person in the family?

OP posts:
TraceyP · 26/09/2004 16:16

Lonelymum, I've never done it myself but my grandma used to bring the tomatoes in, each with a stalk still attached, put them in a brown paper bag and stick them on a sunny windowsill. I don't know the significance of the brown paper bag (perhaps I shouldn't ask) but it always seemed to work.

mckenzie · 26/09/2004 17:08

just back from quick trip to fridge to remove my lovely tomotoes! I've been growing my own this summer for the first tiem and am so happy with the results. I've got cherry tomatoes coming out of my ears! Ds likes to help me pick them and then we go to visit the old dears that lvie either side and opposite us and they love it when he says "here are 2 tomatoes for you that i grew". When he's not looking I then give them a handful more! I dont think DS is deliberately stingy, he just likes the number 2.

Original poster
Lonelymum · 26/09/2004 18:34

How sweet Mckenzie. Yes I think I have heard about the brown paper bag trick before now that you mention it, but where on earth would I come across one of those these days?!

OP posts:
TraceyP · 26/09/2004 18:40

I had some the other day, trying to remember where from ... would covering with brown paper do the trick? Or Mushroom bags from the supermarket?

Original poster
Lonelymum · 26/09/2004 18:45

I shall have to ring my mother who is an authority on all things horticultural (but wasn't in when I posted this earlier)

OP posts:
whymummy · 26/09/2004 18:50

tip:
sprinkle brown sugar over the soil for really yummy tomatoes

bettys · 26/09/2004 20:15

You can usually get brown paper bags from the greengrocer, though obv. you might have to buy something first! Putting green tomatoes with ripe tomatoes or a banana will also ripen them.

sis · 26/09/2004 20:16

The great Monty Don recommended sticking them in a bowl with a banana and covering it up to ripen them. The bananas are supposed to give off ethelene (or something like that) which helps fruits ripen - also why bananas should not be put in a fruit bowl with other ripe fruits as the ethelene (or whatever it is) will over-ripen the other fruit.

mckenzie · 26/09/2004 21:02

thanks for that tip Sis. That explains why some of our fruit goes mouldy so quickly.

bron42 · 07/10/2004 22:01

Have just rushed to the fridge to remove my home-grown first ever crop of toms. Wondering why they don't have the taste I expected!
I have been ripening mine in a bowl with bananas covered with a teatowel for the past two weeks and they are turning a wonderful red in two's and three's. So Monty is right!

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