Tomato Friday - Kids Won't Grow Up

NaturesApprentice Fri Aug 19, 2011 10:23 am

So, yeah...if these were my children, they would have been packed up and halfway through college by now. I keep terrible records (read: none) but I think I planted this tomato back in the early 60's and the fruit is still green. It looks fairly healthy, I stare at it for a couple hours each night looking for well camouflaged worms, and I trim off any leaves that look like they were out partying too hard the night before.

Tomato Friday - Kids Won't Grow Up Imag0011

The fruits are solid, and continue to grow...but just will not change color.

I've read a few different things. The one that made the most sense was that they like to have indirect sunlight to change. So I watched the sun (OW! my eyes!)...ok, I watched the shadows, but still. They get about 2-3 hours of direct, morning sunlight, but after that it's tree-dappled and then totally 'ambient' after that.

Someone suggested embarrassing them...but any tomato of mine is not so easily blushed...and really, even college kids shouldn't hear those jokes.

Oh, and the measuring tape is there to offer perspective. Not bragging about the size of my Romas.

Thoughts?

littlesapphire Fri Aug 19, 2011 10:50 am

NA, you totally cracked me up Tomato Friday - Kids Won't Grow Up 889526

You've got some awesome story telling skills!

But as for your tomatoes, I'm not sure what to tell you exactly, except patience is a virtue. What variety are they? I have two types in my garden: brandywine and sweet 100. My sweet 100 starting turning red two weeks ago, but my brandywine are JUST starting to show the slightest little bit of a blush (or maybe I'm imagining it; like you, I stare at my tomatoes for hours a day). Some types just take longer to redden than others, I guess!

Chopper Fri Aug 19, 2011 12:08 pm

They do tend to take forever once the fruit appears to then turn red. In my immediate gratification world anyway. Tomatoes provide their own partial shade to the fruits by being so leafy anyway. I would be more concerned with not enough sunlight.

Try picking one and keeping it on the counter and seeing if it ripens any faster than the ones outside. Usually that is best if they are a teeny bit red first, but hey, at least it would give you something to do while you wait. Very Happy

Goosegirl Fri Aug 19, 2011 12:57 pm

I have been anxiously watching all of my tomatoes as well, and after 2.5 months, I have my FIRST tomato starting to blush as of this morning. I am hoping this is a sign of things to come, because I have 100+ tomatoes out there on the vines (71 just on my 2 determinates). Soon to have sauce?

GG

Lindacol Fri Aug 19, 2011 3:04 pm

Chopper wrote:They do tend to take forever once the fruit appears to then turn red. In my immediate gratification world anyway. Tomatoes provide their own partial shade to the fruits by being so leafy anyway. I would be more concerned with not enough sunlight.

I also think they need more sun. NA, I am inland from you where it is much warmer and my tomatoes get full sun all day, no shade except for from the plants themselves and mine are pruned & up a trellis. I don't have romas but I have been picking ripe toms from all for over a month now. Most were put in the ground in late march to early april (I don't keep good records either).

Anyway you could set something up to reflect more sunlight on the for a longer time during the day?

BackyardBirdGardner Fri Aug 19, 2011 5:23 pm

Those maters are just waiting for the Disco Era to kick in. Another decade ought to do it.

**camprn** Fri Aug 19, 2011 5:57 pm

NA, one of these days, soon, you are going to stroll out to your garden and those little babies will be blushing. Have faith! Wink

NaturesApprentice Tue Aug 30, 2011 11:11 am

ok, so they eventually blushed. Two of them.

I let them ripen completely on the counter and finally cut one open.

Flavor was good, but there was hardly any water/Juice and the meat was mealy.

I suspect my irregular watering habits are to blame.

And here's something...Let's sasy I go through the whole season and get all the tomatoes off of this guy, what happens next?

Do I pull the plant? Trim it back? Knit a sweater? I'm in SoCal near the coast where our two seasons are Green and Brown.

Thanks all!

-NA

Chopper Wed Aug 31, 2011 1:22 am

NaturesApprentice wrote:
And here's something...Let's say I go through the whole season and get all the tomatoes off of this guy, what happens next?

Do I pull the plant? Trim it back? Knit a sweater? I'm in SoCal near the coast where our two seasons are Green and Brown.

Thanks all!

-NA

You pull the plant and your two seasons are not green and brown they are summer and spring - when it comes to veggies anyway.

Pull the plant, add compost, plant next thing...

sherryeo Wed Aug 31, 2011 10:01 pm

But do let us know if you decide to knit that sweater using your tomato plants, NA! I'd love to see that! Very Happy

AprilakaCCIL Wed Aug 31, 2011 11:09 pm

I would say don't pull the plants, go ahead and knit a sweater for them. OKAY...truth is I wanna see the knitted sweater. Laughing

FamilyGardening Thu Sep 01, 2011 3:46 am

Tomato Friday - Kids Won't Grow Up 832433

hugs

rose Tomato Friday - Kids Won't Grow Up 656620

milaneyjane Thu Sep 01, 2011 6:25 pm

They need more sun Smile

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