Getting green tomatoes to ripen on the vine

[Liberty7]

I mentioned to a fellow gardener (who is 72 years old and gardening for 30+ years on a UK gardening site) that I have tons of tomatoes on my plants, but they aren't turning red.


He said to hang 'ripe' banana peels on the cages, and the peels will give off ethilene gas to ripen the tomatoes. He said this works for him.


I'm going to try it and went out today and bought a lot of bananas. My question is that it's supposed to rain tonight and 'maybe' tomorrow (you know how those weather forecasters are generally wrong) and 'IF' rain in any way hinders the peels from giving off their gas.

 

[jessejames]

interesting i know they use bananas to ripen tomatoes in shipping containers. so it could work on the vine i guess. keep us posted. i have the same problem and will join you in banana peel hanging if it seems to work. thanks!

 

[HiDelight]

I have to try this! I am loaded with beautifully formed tomatoes and the sun and heat wave are gone! it is cool and glooomy ..maybe a banana peel would help

thanks!!!!

 

[Hattie the Hen]

Hi there!

I've used bananas this way when I've had to bring them indoors at the end of the season but it was the whole banana (or a red skinned apple) & you had to put them all into a drawer or box. It also took a while because it is the gas given off by the banana/red apple that does the trick. Surely outside that would drift away too fast..........?

I shall be interested to see how the experiment works out --- keep us posted.

At long last our shockingly wet spell seems to have broken & we have had a day & a half of sunshine. My tomatoes are changing colour & I ate my first one this afternoon. It was only a little cherry one but delicious.

:rose Hattie :rose