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+--- Thread: Forcing tomatoes to ripen by stopping watering them (/showthread.php?tid=455)
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Forcing tomatoes to ripen by stopping watering them - Curly - 09-08-2020
Has anyone ripened their tomatoes by not watering them, I have read that you can force tomatoes into ripening by stopping giving them water, has anyone tried this
RE: Forcing tomatoes to ripen by stopping watering them - Small chilli - 09-08-2020
Never tried. I find tomatoes very sensitive to watering. Don’t really like the idea of stopping watering to help ripening.
RE: Forcing tomatoes to ripen by stopping watering them - Mikey - 09-08-2020
I don’t know if the water has any impact, you can ripen a tomato in a dark suitcase under the stairs. One of my neighbours always had tomatoes at Christmas by doing this.
I cut the stem at the end of the year and hang it upside down over a cane for the same effect. I’m not a big fan of green tomato chutney.
The important detail with tomatoes and watering is regular and equal amounts otherwise they will split their skins and let disease in.
RE: Forcing tomatoes to ripen by stopping watering them - Bren - 09-08-2020
Mine are growing in the GH border watering them every other day I keep that up until I remove the plants and plant winter lettuce instead.
I think it might be difficult to get that fine line between keeping the plants alive or them dying off due to lack of water.
RE: Forcing tomatoes to ripen by stopping watering them - JJB - 09-08-2020
I think the recommendation is to reduce watering rather than stop watering, but I have never mastered it. The sight of anything wilting forces the nurturer in me to water it. I have a habit of over watering. The other problem I have is deciding when a flower truss is far too late to ever ripen into fruit and therefore should be pruned off. There's always that little voice that says 'leave it, we may have a hot autumn, give it a chance' whereas I know in my heart the wise thing would be to accept the weather will turn nasty and there's no hope of those flowers being a tomato ever and chop it off.
RE: Forcing tomatoes to ripen by stopping watering them - Veggie - 09-08-2020
(09-08-2020, 12:27 AM)Curly Wrote: Has anyone ripened their tomatoes by not watering them, I have read that you can force tomatoes into ripening by stopping giving them water, has anyone tried thisStopping watering would kill the plant. It may put its last remaining burst of energy into ripening the tomato that is closest to maturity at the expense of killing all the rest. Sounds like cruelty to me!
RE: Forcing tomatoes to ripen by stopping watering them - Curly - 10-08-2020
(09-08-2020, 09:32 AM)Veggie Wrote:We are talking about fruit/veg which we are growing to eat the next thing you will be saying you talk to them?(09-08-2020, 12:27 AM)Curly Wrote: Has anyone ripened their tomatoes by not watering them, I have read that you can force tomatoes into ripening by stopping giving them water, has anyone tried thisStopping watering would kill the plant. It may put its last remaining burst of energy into ripening the tomato that is closest to maturity at the expense of killing all the rest. Sounds like cruelty to me!
RE: Forcing tomatoes to ripen by stopping watering them - Curly - 10-08-2020
^^^for the above
RE: Forcing tomatoes to ripen by stopping watering them - JJB - 10-08-2020
Of course I talk to them, if I didn't tell them they were very clever to have so many fruit, they wouldn't bother to grow them!!
RE: Forcing tomatoes to ripen by stopping watering them - Curly - 10-08-2020
Let me know if they ever answer you