If your tomato plants are heavy with green tomatoes but they don't seem to be ripening, it may be that they are overtaxing the plant's energy. Think of a cat trying to nurse 25 kittens! Don't be discouraged; here are some ideas that should get those tomatoes moving from green to red, ripe, and luscious.
- Remove some of the green fruit (yes, you hate to do that!) to focus more of the plant’s ripening energy onto fewer tomatoes.
- Do a rinse and refill to rebalance the nutrients in the bowl. Over time, a nutrient imbalance can encourage green leafy growth at the expense of fruiting; a rinse-and refill every other feeding will restore a dynamic nutrient ratio.
- The ideal temperature range for ripening tomatoes is the low 70s. Under 70 degrees, most tomato varieties will ripen more slowly. Over 76-77 can be troublesome, too; the water in the bowl will run 5-8 degrees warmer than the ambient temperature, and water at 82 degrees can’t hold enough oxygen for healthy plant growth.
