Concern and impatience is rife.
Today my neighbour was lamenting the tomatoes on her sole plant ( Italian plum – exact variety not know as brought home from school for the holidays – although unlike gerbils and stick insects it’s not expected back in the autumn – although from memory it wasn’t always exactly the same classroom pet which made the return trip) show no signs of turning red.
I also received an email from someone wondering if their Lemon Tree tomato was ever going to ripen and how to tell when it was. Exactly the same question I have been asking myself regarding Green Zebra. I keep squeezing the fruit ( gently!) to detect hidden signs of ripening but it doesn’t seem to want to yield – either to softening or ripening !
So I thought I’d post some pictures taken today of the resolutely green brigade. So that if you’re still waiting – you know you don’t wait alone !
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
The beefsteak tomatoes do seem to take longer to ripen than their smaller cousins.
I picked my first non-BER affected ‘Gold Medal’ this week, which is now slowly ripening indoors. With the colder weather now upon us, I don’t expect any more will hurry themselves along. They look like Bramley apples, and I’m looking forward to their days of reckoning.
Be patient, and remember all good things come to she who waits. Especially beefsteak tomatoes!
I’m thinking I should move into a tent in the garden and give the house over to the tomatoes to ripen indoors!
Bramley Apple is exactly the shade and shape to describe them !
I have done a courgette inspection between squalls and downpours – and they seem to be liking this unseasonal snap – as you said there are some thin green fruits – that could well shape up to be courgettes !
I too am a tomato lover,homegrown,smells off the vine, wonderful!
My black toms are ripening well, tumbling toms seem to be taking forever,they’re outside in pots,against brick wall in South facing garden,have had the odd few that’s it!
However my potato crop have grown tomato-like trusses where the flowers have dropped off, haven’t seen or heard of this before,they even smell like green tomatoes!
Ever heard of this,we’ve re-named the pots ‘potato-matoes’, strange, any advice please.
Regards,
Odelle.
Hello
Thank you for stopping by and getting in touch. Am glad to hear you have some ripening but like all of us – you also seem to have some which just don’t seem to be getting the message that the time for ripening is here -now – like – it’s September tomorrow! Doesn’t seem possible to still be waiting for some varieties to still give up their first ripe fruit but that’s how it seems to be working this year !
You have completely confused me on your ‘potato-mato’ ! My potato knowledge is very limited so I haven’t a clue.
I do remember reading in a gardening magazine about someone who had grafted a tomato plant onto a potato plant so they had potatoes below and tomatoes up top – which seemed ingenious to say the least ! I’m intrigued to know what happens next with yours !?