16,949 Garden Web Discussions | Growing Tomatoes
Maybe the Indian Stripe just isn't enjoying the Southern AZ climate this year. It and the Aker's WV are no more than three feet apart in a raised bed on the same drip system. I'm glad to hear that it isn't genetically predisposed to cracking because the flavor is exquisite and I'd like to try them again next year. Aker's will definitely be back next year.
I don't know what your soil type is or what it needs but will say I have NOT tilled or turned over any of my soil since going to raisedbeds and the Square Ft Gardening method.
The idea is to never walk on the soil in the beds and let the worms do the work. Not only is it less work, I can drop the fork and it will go into the soil far enuff to cover the tines.
Describe how you plant your tomato plants - that could be a factor in your problem too.
The new soil is just from 75 bags of inexpensive top soil from Home Depot and 1 bag of peat moss. I can easily get my times in deep enough to cover the tines but I know the bottom soil is fairly dense. It's a rather small bed so digging deeper is not that daunting a task.
As far as how I plant them; I basically dig a hole and drop them in.
It appears to be damaged mechanically. The likely culprit is a bird or insect (like a fruitworm).
Mold/fungus may have started in the wound site as a secondary issue.
If the mold hasnt progressed much just cut off that section and the rest of the tomato should be fine.
I will answer the easy ones!
2. No. Once they are pretty much turning color, you can pick away. If you like the way they taste that way (with a little green inside) then eat them. If not, you could certainly just wait a couple days for them to turn orange on the counter.
And as an aside, if you let them go all the way to orange on the plant, and it rains a lot, they will split like mad on you.
4. They really don't last a super long time, but a few days will be fine. Don't put them in the fridge, as they'll lose all that sweetness.
1. I don't know exactly how long it takes to go from green to orange, but it's only something you'll notice for the first few. After a while, especially for Sungold, you'll have so many ripe ones every day that you won't be worrying about it anymore.
I'm sure that the weather and water also have an impact on the time from fruit to ripe.
5. All of the stuff like banana peels, egg shells, coffee grounds aren't actually helping until they decompose. Check out this link:
Here is a link that might be useful: Here is discussion of adding egg shells, coffee grounds that might help
This is about the 5 time this question has come up in the past couple of weeks so please don't be disappointed to hear that it takes time and lots of patience.
Depending on the weather, approximately 6 weeks is required between fruit set and ripening. No way to rush it. But it will happen.
Dave
Here is a link that might be useful: Tomato Timeline
Hi,
I use led grow lights to ripen my toms they flower quickly and the fruits are much bigger and juicer than normal, i heard all the commercial growers were using them so i managed to get one from the Uk by these guys led-lightbulb.co.uk. It is very good and better than my sodium lights by far. I though i would let you know how i ripen my toms quicker than most.hope this helps.
Here is a link that might be useful: tomato ripening
Thanks bmoser - I used a spool (150ft) of jute from "lot" store and it sagged when it got wet (trying to "weave" plants next to fence), it's a mess. I needed it NOW so just went to TSC and bought baling twine - it's jute/sisal too but seems to not stretch quite as much, maybe I should have gotten the synthetic but I like just cutting it and letting it decompose over the winter.
Now to finish picking off the lower leaves, tie everything up again, and spray before more rain - so far have escaped LB, I haven't even really started my harvest yet!
Got some more used baling twine Sat and strung up my "leftover" tomatoes that were sprawling (they haven't gotten too bushy yet, planted those really late). Not all of them - ran out of twine. Gotta finish those today too.
gumby - you can come buy from me ;-)
This plant was labeled "San Marzano" and I bought it through our local community garden plant sale. It has been abnormally dry here, but my garden is irrigated and my other plants are just fine (as is this plant. It is growing beautifully). All the fruit are the same-hollow. The group that runs the community gardens says they get their seed from "local" growers. I think they got "stuffed!"
Please see the post linked below as they were unable to attach it to your question for some reason.
There can be a couple of potential causes for your problem but the most common is called Blossom Drop, a very common problem that is temperature related and discussed here in many discussions. There is also a FAQ about it.
Dave
Here is a link that might be useful: answer to your question
Do you find that you end up eating/freezing/canning them when they are still mostly orangish-red and still a bit firm?
No because just like any other variety they will ripen indoors if left undisturbed. So there is no need for under-ripe eating or canning.
Picking tomatoes at breaker stage and ripening inside rather than leaving them on vine and the many advantages to doing that is often discussed here.
Dave
Deer LOVE tomatoes. I have an electric fence around mine. They would come into my kitchen garden which is between two porches and only about 10 x 15 and eat the plants to the ground. Ah it was so nice when this place was in the country, but we have been suburbanized.
Easiest way to keep deer at bay is by using a "fear based" repellent like Shake-Away Coyote Urine Granules.
Simply sprinkle around the area you wish to protect. Can be purchased at many Ace Hardware stores or this Natural Deer Repellent can be purchased at Critter-Repellent.com. Good luck!
Here is a link that might be useful: Natural Deer Repellent
Knowing where you are located or at least your gardening zone would be a big help in answering your question. The possible causes are many and could simply be planting too late.
Over-fertilizing is another option given the info provided as it can lead to large plants with small/low fruit production.
Are your plants heavily mulched as they should be? Do you water deeply or are you one of the 20 mins. a day type water folks? Raised mounds dry out quickly and so need lots of deep watering and heavy mulching.
Have you ever had your soil tested to see what it lacks? Miracle Grow lacks many nutrients.
Need much more information.
Dave
Sorry for not providing my zone since it makes a big difference. The soil has been analyzed by the university and there were no recommended enhancements for growing tomatoes. The plants are mulched because of the problem with silt and absorption. Also I confess to being one of those 20 minute persons, but I am only tending 12 plants. The garden area is quite flat, so since I have never delt with a silt garden I probably miss judge the water volume requirements. I plan to bring in as much compost as possible to work in this fall, but I will try to find a way to get more water to these plants in the meantime.
Some manures and other organic matter are contaminated with clopyralid, picloram or aminopyralid.
Here's info about clopyralid contamination which persists for a year
http://www.puyallup.wsu.edu/soilmgmt/clopyralid.htm
Here is a link that might be useful: contaminated manures, etc (WSU)
I notice a lot of people picking tomatoes when still green or just starting to turn. I don't understand that at all. If I wanted a tomato that is matured off of the vine, I would buy them at the grocery store.
This was my opinion until a couple of years ago when I read (on this forum--thanks, Dave!) that you could pick at the breaker stage. Out of curiousity I gave it a try, and I could not tell the difference. So this is what I do now, too.
To answer the OP's question...hypothetically, I would pick tomatoes everyday IF they were at the breaker stage. But as I'm in Portland, OR the tomatoes got off to an exceptionally slow start this year.
I've checked U of Illinois and U of Iowa Extension Office online literature and both indicate that tomatoes should be left to ripen on the vine before picking. Several other sources indicate the same. I highly value the opinions of gardenweb members and have received great advice many times. But, I am now conflicted on when I should harvest my tomatoes.
I have 20 tomato plants, some heirloom and others hybrid. Until today, I have been harvesting tomatoes close to full ripeness. But, none of the varieties have been exceptionally flavorful. So, today, I decided to harvest some that were not close to full ripeness. I will let these ripen indoors in my basement (low light, 75 degrees). Maybe picking them early will improve their taste??