Search
Latest topics
» What Have You Picked From Your Garden Todayby OhioGardener Yesterday at 5:31 pm
» Confirm what this is
by sanderson Yesterday at 2:51 pm
» N & C Midwest: October 2024
by OhioGardener 10/10/2024, 8:20 pm
» What are you eating from your garden today?
by Scorpio Rising 10/10/2024, 5:47 pm
» Harlequin Beetles?
by sanderson 10/7/2024, 3:08 pm
» Preserving A Bumper Tomato Harvest with Freezing vs Canning
by sanderson 10/7/2024, 3:05 pm
» Ohio Gardener's Greenhouse
by OhioGardener 10/6/2024, 4:20 pm
» Greetings from Southeastern Wisconsin
by OhioGardener 10/6/2024, 12:05 pm
» N & C Midwest: September 2024
by OhioGardener 9/30/2024, 4:13 pm
» The SFG Journey-Biowash
by OhioGardener 9/29/2024, 8:33 am
» Fall is For Garlic Planting
by Scorpio Rising 9/28/2024, 12:19 am
» source for chemical-free lanscape fabric
by Woodsong 9/19/2024, 10:51 am
» Hurricane
by sanderson 9/14/2024, 5:42 pm
» Spinning Compost Bin-need some ideas
by sanderson 9/12/2024, 2:09 am
» Old Mulch and Closing Beds for Winter
by Scorpio Rising 9/11/2024, 8:23 pm
» Happy Birthday!!
by Scorpio Rising 9/11/2024, 8:20 pm
» Pest Damage
by WBIowa 9/8/2024, 2:48 pm
» cabbage moth?
by jemm 9/8/2024, 9:15 am
» adding compost yearly
by sanderson 9/5/2024, 2:16 am
» N & C Midwest: August 2024
by OhioGardener 8/31/2024, 8:13 pm
» Article - Create a Seed Library to Share the Extras
by OhioGardener 8/26/2024, 4:09 pm
» Best Tasting Parthenocarpic Cucumber?
by SMEDLEY BUTLER 8/21/2024, 7:07 pm
» Winter Squash Arch
by SMEDLEY BUTLER 8/21/2024, 8:02 am
» Master Gardeners: Growing Your Own Blueberries
by OhioGardener 8/19/2024, 10:09 am
» Looking for a local source for transplants.... Sarasota, FL
by sanderson 8/19/2024, 3:26 am
» Hi, y'all. I'm new to everything in Sarasota, FL
by sanderson 8/19/2024, 3:21 am
» Starbucks for coffee grounds!
by OhioGardener 8/14/2024, 5:47 pm
» Hi from N. Georgia
by AtlantaMarie 8/13/2024, 8:57 am
» Hello from Atlanta, Georgia
by sanderson 8/13/2024, 3:09 am
» growing tomatoes from seed outside
by sanderson 8/13/2024, 3:05 am
Google
Damaged tomato stem: ripen tomatoes on vine or inside?
+8
camprn
quiltbea
CapeCoddess
landarch
llama momma
southern gardener
walshevak
martha
12 posters
Page 1 of 1
Damaged tomato stem: ripen tomatoes on vine or inside?
Fortunately the tomatoes in question are my indigo rose tomatoes. (See Indigo Rose thread for why I say fortunately - they aren't that flavorful.) While I was away on vacation, the top stem got too top-heavy and has bent over. It's broken about 1/2 through the stem. So my question is, should I pick the tomatoes and let them ripen inside in a paper bag, or will they continue to ripen outside on the useless stem?
martha- Posts : 2173
Join date : 2010-03-03
Age : 67
Location : Acton, Massachusetts Zone 5b/6a
Re: Damaged tomato stem: ripen tomatoes on vine or inside?
Are the leaves still staying green and hanging on? The reason I ask is because I have some vines that bent/broke halfway also, but the stem/plant stayed alive and the tomatoes ripened just fine. If the leaves are dying then pick and ripen inside.
Kay
Kay
A WEED IS A FLOWER GROWING IN THE WRONG PLACE
Elizabeth City, NC
Click for weather forecast
walshevak
Certified SFG Instructor- Posts : 4370
Join date : 2010-10-17
Age : 81
Location : wilmington, nc zone 8
Re: Damaged tomato stem: ripen tomatoes on vine or inside?
Still green. Good input, Walshevak, thanks!
martha- Posts : 2173
Join date : 2010-03-03
Age : 67
Location : Acton, Massachusetts Zone 5b/6a
Re: Damaged tomato stem: ripen tomatoes on vine or inside?
I second what Kay said. We have a huge Brandywine plant growing out front. It too, broke a main stem, but it's still going strong! If you look up the thread Loaded Brandywines, that's the same plant! I'd let yours go if the plant isn't wilting, they seem pretty resilient!
southern gardener- Posts : 1883
Join date : 2011-06-21
Age : 44
Location : california, zone 10a
Re: Damaged tomato stem: ripen tomatoes on vine or inside?
The following might help though I've haven't had a stem break but I've had branches tear away from the weight of heavy fruit and strong winds. Twice this summer I took a thick piece of hay baling twine and tied/supported the branch to the trellis and tried to keep it at the same angle it was growing. Been pleasantly surprised when it saved the branch both times and the tomatoes seemed to ripen at a normal pace.
llama momma
Certified SFG Instructor- Posts : 4914
Join date : 2010-08-20
Location : Central Ohio zone 6a
Re: Damaged tomato stem: ripen tomatoes on vine or inside?
I have a great tomato plant still growing strong after a main stem is broken about 80% through.
landarch- Posts : 1151
Join date : 2012-01-22
Location : kansas city
Re: Damaged tomato stem: ripen tomatoes on vine or inside?
SG, I am even more impressed by your Brandywines, knowing that it has a broken stem. You sure are doing something right!
LM, I did tie it up yesterday. It looked like it was just inviting trouble to leave it dangling.
The garden, as most of you know, is at work, and we are on vacation this week, so I'm actually at home. Since I probably won't be there again until tomorrow, seems like I made the right guesses.
But anyone else with success stories, please chime in. Although this is low on my list of valued plants, it's a great learning opportunity - especially since it is heart-ache free, regardless of the outcome!
Landarch, we were posting at the same time - thanks!
LM, I did tie it up yesterday. It looked like it was just inviting trouble to leave it dangling.
The garden, as most of you know, is at work, and we are on vacation this week, so I'm actually at home. Since I probably won't be there again until tomorrow, seems like I made the right guesses.
But anyone else with success stories, please chime in. Although this is low on my list of valued plants, it's a great learning opportunity - especially since it is heart-ache free, regardless of the outcome!
Landarch, we were posting at the same time - thanks!
martha- Posts : 2173
Join date : 2010-03-03
Age : 67
Location : Acton, Massachusetts Zone 5b/6a
Re: Damaged tomato stem: ripen tomatoes on vine or inside?
I'm experimenting with this, too. We had hi winds yesterday here on the Cape and 2 over the top tomato stems and a few cucumber stems bent right in half. I tied them back up hoping to save the fruits, but there are hi winds in tomorrows forecast now, too.
Wishing us luck.
CC
Wishing us luck.
CC
CapeCoddess- Posts : 6811
Join date : 2012-05-20
Age : 68
Location : elbow of the Cape, MA, Zone 6b/7a
Re: Damaged tomato stem: ripen tomatoes on vine or inside?
Definitely crossing my fingers for you!
martha- Posts : 2173
Join date : 2010-03-03
Age : 67
Location : Acton, Massachusetts Zone 5b/6a
Re: Damaged tomato stem: ripen tomatoes on vine or inside?
Most of my tomatoes (I planted 6) growing in the flower bed got so heavy at least one stem bent and broke about halfway thru. In all cases, I've tied that heavy stem up to the main pole (they are planted beside my shepherd's crooks in the garden) and so far they are continuing to ripen and the leaves are staying green.
I'm crossing my fingers for everyone, including me, that we get ripe fruits.
I think I read somewhere as long as the plant can send nutrients and water thru the stem, cracked or not, the fruits will survive.
I'm crossing my fingers for everyone, including me, that we get ripe fruits.
I think I read somewhere as long as the plant can send nutrients and water thru the stem, cracked or not, the fruits will survive.
quiltbea- Posts : 4707
Join date : 2010-03-21
Age : 82
Location : Southwestern Maine Zone 5A
Re: Damaged tomato stem: ripen tomatoes on vine or inside?
This topic clearly speaks to the maturing tomato plants and the requirement to manage them frequently and on proper support. I find myself in the garden every few days, tying up or adjusting sagging main stems and double checking fruit support. I have had to add taller poles to accommodate several plants because they are growing so tall and are becoming heavy with fruit.
43 years a gardener and going strong with SFG.
https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t3574-the-end-of-july-7-weeks-until-frost
There are certain pursuits which, if not wholly poetic and true, do at least suggest a nobler and finer relation to nature than we know. The keeping of bees, for instance. ~ Henry David Thoreau
https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t1306-other-gardening-books
Re: Damaged tomato stem: ripen tomatoes on vine or inside?
You've got that right, Camprn.
martha- Posts : 2173
Join date : 2010-03-03
Age : 67
Location : Acton, Massachusetts Zone 5b/6a
Re: Damaged tomato stem: ripen tomatoes on vine or inside?
I'm not very experienced, but this year has taught me that you may not have any idea how much support your tomato vines need until what was vertical goes suddenly horizontal. I've had one plant stem after another lurch into the aisles while I was busy making other plans. Luckily only one stem broke off, but it was a plant I let grow lots of stems anyway. Really vigorous brandywine.
I think I will keep most tomato plants next year to one or two main stems. It's easier to keep track of them that way than when I let a tomato go all jungle on me, though the jungle is a lot of fun to see.
I think I will keep most tomato plants next year to one or two main stems. It's easier to keep track of them that way than when I let a tomato go all jungle on me, though the jungle is a lot of fun to see.
Marc Iverson- Posts : 3637
Join date : 2013-07-05
Age : 63
Location : SW Oregon
Re: Damaged tomato stem: ripen tomatoes on vine or inside?
27.08.2013
Martha , if the stem fails cut it free and hang it in a shed thick of stem uppermost and over the net few weeks cut the toms off as they ripen rather than strip it and ripen them all in one go unless that is the end result your after.
Last year because of our lousy weather nothing tomato wise ripened very well so I cut off all my green tom vines and hung them in the office ..... over the next three to five weeks we took off the ripe toms. ( made the office smell great as well )
Martha , if the stem fails cut it free and hang it in a shed thick of stem uppermost and over the net few weeks cut the toms off as they ripen rather than strip it and ripen them all in one go unless that is the end result your after.
Last year because of our lousy weather nothing tomato wise ripened very well so I cut off all my green tom vines and hung them in the office ..... over the next three to five weeks we took off the ripe toms. ( made the office smell great as well )
plantoid- Posts : 4091
Join date : 2011-11-09
Age : 73
Location : At the west end of M4 in the UK
Re: Damaged tomato stem: ripen tomatoes on vine or inside?
good to know, Plantoid, not just for these, but because my tomatoes are just now starting to ripen. Between you and Camp, I know have ways to try to ripen green ones that might run out of time.
Thanks!
Thanks!
martha- Posts : 2173
Join date : 2010-03-03
Age : 67
Location : Acton, Massachusetts Zone 5b/6a
Re: Damaged tomato stem: ripen tomatoes on vine or inside?
Last January I finally pulled up my remaining Roma plants and stripped them of the remaining green fruit. The plants were beginning to have some kind of black rot so I wasn't able to bring the branches inside.
However, we picked every clean tomato and put them in our fridge. Every few days we would pick what we needed and ripen them in a south facing kitchen window. We had tomatoes almost to March if I remember correctly!
However, we picked every clean tomato and put them in our fridge. Every few days we would pick what we needed and ripen them in a south facing kitchen window. We had tomatoes almost to March if I remember correctly!
Re: Damaged tomato stem: ripen tomatoes on vine or inside?
Several plants I've been 1 or 2 stemming have bent and/or broken stems or branches. I carefully add support like bea, camprn, and marc describe, especially this season.quiltbea wrote:...I read somewhere as long as the plant can send nutrients and water thru the stem, cracked or not, the fruits will survive.
This one might earn me a "Tomato First Aid" certification.
A close look!
Another stem bandage...
This plant is STILL holding and ripening fruit!
Windsor.Parker- Posts : 376
Join date : 2011-12-12
Age : 77
Location : Chicago, South Shore, c. 100yds to Lake Michigan, Zone 6a
Re: Damaged tomato stem: ripen tomatoes on vine or inside?
NICE! Well done with the first aid and field dressing!
43 years a gardener and going strong with SFG.
https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t3574-the-end-of-july-7-weeks-until-frost
There are certain pursuits which, if not wholly poetic and true, do at least suggest a nobler and finer relation to nature than we know. The keeping of bees, for instance. ~ Henry David Thoreau
https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t1306-other-gardening-books
Re: Damaged tomato stem: ripen tomatoes on vine or inside?
Windsor Parker, that is awesome! Mine have been holding their own, but you are my inspiration for the future!
martha- Posts : 2173
Join date : 2010-03-03
Age : 67
Location : Acton, Massachusetts Zone 5b/6a
Similar topics
» sunflower stem inside
» Stem-end cracks in tomatoes
» Opinions Please - Tomatoes will ripen while I'm gone
» Tomato Tuesday - 2018 & 2019
» Single Stem Tomatoes
» Stem-end cracks in tomatoes
» Opinions Please - Tomatoes will ripen while I'm gone
» Tomato Tuesday - 2018 & 2019
» Single Stem Tomatoes
Page 1 of 1
Permissions in this forum:
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
|
|