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Green tomatoes on plants outside - leave or pick?

(15 Posts)
Genevieve489 Wed 28-Sep-22 10:05:26

I have 5 pots of tomato plants in the garden, which I've been tending over the summer. They are now full of small, green tomatoes, but, as the weather has turned colder, they don't seem to be ripening and one of the plants looks as though it is dying off.

Do I leave them and hope they ripen? Or do I pick them all, bring them inside and hope they ripen indoors? Any advice would be appreciated. It's only the second year I have grown tomatoes.

Beechnut Wed 28-Sep-22 10:13:33

I’m no expert but I’d pick them and bring indoors. That’s what I will do with mine soon that are in the greenhouse.

Fleurpepper Wed 28-Sep-22 10:16:22

Pick and pickle, frosts won't be long now.

J52 Wed 28-Sep-22 10:26:43

I agree, pick and pop them in a paper bag with a banana.

Calendargirl Wed 28-Sep-22 10:55:23

Or just pick and put on a tray in the conservatory, or the warmest windowsill.

They do ripen, I have eaten my own tomatoes on Christmas Day.

Genevieve489 Wed 28-Sep-22 11:15:18

Thank you everybody. So, that's what I'll do. Why a paper bag with a banana, J52 ?

J52 Wed 28-Sep-22 11:39:42

The banana contains Ethylene which hastens the tomato ripening. The paper bag just contains them, but allows the air in, as opposed to a plastic bag.

Genevieve489 Wed 28-Sep-22 11:56:58

Good to know, thank you.

Joseanne Wed 28-Sep-22 12:07:53

I asked this very question on the Autumn tidy up thread the other day and can vouch for the fact that the banana trick is working well.
I put the unripe ones in the fruit bowl six at a time. I can't put them on my windowsills because the dog eats them. No kidding!

Jaxjacky Thu 29-Sep-22 15:48:43

Mine are still ripening on the plant in the greenhouse, due to go down to 3 tonight though.

aggie Thu 29-Sep-22 15:51:31

I cut the vine off and bring them in like that , like the expensive tomatoes on the vine in the supermarket ,

MiniMoon Thu 29-Sep-22 15:52:02

We picked ours and made green tomato chutney with them. That was last year. DH didn't grow tomatoes this summer.

Mapleleaf Thu 06-Oct-22 20:49:35

I picked some more today, they are almost red, but will fully ripen in the kitchen. There’s still a few left on the vines (outdoor vines not greenhouse), but I think I will collect them tomorrow and bring them in. I made chutney last year, might do so again, but there aren’t as many tomatoes, so they may go in soup once they’ve ripened a bit more.

Patsy70 Thu 06-Oct-22 21:20:35

Just pick and they’ll ripen indoors. No need for paper bags or bananas.

robertsilver Sun 22-Jan-23 10:39:03

Well, this is a little late but definitely pluck them and let them ripe indoors. It's okay to pick your tomatoes whilst green cos once they've matured enough to green, it's all about time, and it doesn't really affect the quality. It's the same as the store bought ones. And yes, the banana trick usually does it. I'm kinda impatient sometimes and so whenever I'm picking my ripened tomatoes, I pick along the green ones and use the banana trick.

Thanks