# Tomato Expert Needed



## Rocket_J_Dawg

You will see by the photo below that I have some tomatoes that suddenly stopped growing and just remained green. (the two on the right of the red ones)   Would anyone know the cause of this. I used Miracle Gro Premium potting mix which has fertilizer, watered regularly.  
This has me stumped.


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## Andy M.

Colder weather?


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## Oldvine

I think I agree about the cold weather.  
They look like my late October tomato plants.


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## Dawgluver

Hmm.  Leave the unripe toms on the vine until they start to color, even a bit.  Pick the ones that are red, or even pink, they will continue to ripen when brought inside.  It may be due to cold, or even very hot, weather.  Might be sun scald.  Or spider mites?  Do you see any webbing?

They do look somewhat frostbitten.


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## taxlady

Those tomatoes look like they are in a pot. How about bringing them in at night?


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## Dawgluver

I grow some of my toms in a huge pot, no way I could bring them in without a hand truck, but Taxy brings up another point.  Is the pot too small?


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## Addie

The unripe ones are at the end of the vine. Pick the ripe ones and allow the nutrients to reach the green ones. Also, it looks like you are high up and close to the water. Cold winds coming in off the water could be one problem. Can you protect them at night from the cold? Place a large garbage bag over the plant. Remove in the morning so they can get the full sun.


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## Dawgluver

There you go, Addie!  Just make sure you remove the bag before the sun hits, otherwise they may become sauce.  I think this year's tom plants are a wash, Rocket, good idea for next year.

Smoke or pollution might also be a factor.


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## Addie

Oh heck! All of the above. Try them all. One of them is bound to work.


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## Claire

Our weather here has been very erratic.  Sweltering hot a week ago, then  three days later we needed sweats and my house heat came on.  Insane.  And my tomatoes reflect it, just as yours seem to.  Just when I think I'll not see another ripe one, the next week the plants (they are in the ground, NW IL) are so full I have to gear up my sauce making because all of a sudden, I have lots of ripe ones.  Everyone I know in this area (NW IL, SW WI, and NE IA) have had the same thing you describe and show in your photo.  I agree with pick all that are red, care for it, and I'll bet you have more in your future.


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## Addie

Hi Claire. Good to hear from you. 

BTW, thought you might like to know. Galena, IL has been named one of the prettiest towns in the country.


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## Claire

Addie said:


> Hi Claire. Good to hear from you.
> 
> BTW, thought you might like to know. Galena, IL has been named one of the prettiest towns in the country.



Only because it is!  Unlike some, husband and I traveled the country looking for a new "home town" a dozen years ago, fell in love, and after both of us never staying put for very long (for me, never more than 6 years, and seldom more than 3), we're still here!  Go to the town's web site.


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## no mayonnaise

Tomato plant massage works wonders.


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## CatPat

Addie said:


> The unripe ones are at the end of the vine. Pick the ripe ones and allow the nutrients to reach the green ones. Also, it looks like you are high up and close to the water. Cold winds coming in off the water could be one problem. Can you protect them at night from the cold? Place a large garbage bag over the plant. Remove in the morning so they can get the full sun.



Yes, Addie! I was thoughtful of this as you told.

Your friend,
~Cat


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## Rocket_J_Dawg

Thanks for all the suggestions guys. Since moving to our condo, this is my first attempt at growing tomatoes. The lady at our local nursery recommended Bush Early Girl as a container tomato and picked out the pot. Maybe a 5 gal bucket next year. I think you all nailed it with the weather. Our balcony faces south east and the bulk of our weather comes up from the Chicago area in the summer. We haven't had any frost but just as Claire said, we have had huge fluctuations in temperature all summer.

I've picked all the red ones and I'll see how the green ones go. I can't really complain. I've picked about a dozen so far so it was a pretty good producer.

Thanks again for all the help.


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## Addie

Do keep us all informed. A lot of gardeners here. And they too have not had a good year for tomatoes. So everyone is interested in how the green ones do. You just may end up with a second bumper crop.


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## Dawgluver

If you want a good producer, try Sweet 100, or Sweetie, if you can find them.  They're cherry toms, and extremely prolific as well as tasty.  I've picked gallons, and roast them for excellent sauce, as well as eating out of hand, using in salads, and if you want, you can slice them on a sandwich.  They are very container-friendly, as long as you cage or stake them.  I've even brought the container into the house, and had tomatoes well into February!


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## GotGarlic

Tomatoes need lots of sun and warm temperatures to do well. If the nights are cooling down now, that could explain things. btw, green tomatoes will ripen if picked and kept in a brown paper bag with an apple. They will eventually ripen on their own, but the ethylene gas from the apple will help it along. You can also make fried green tomatoes or green tomato gratin.


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## Dawgluver

I made Alix's (I think, please correct me if I'm wrong, Alix) green tomato mincemeat last year, it was wonderful!


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## Rocket_J_Dawg

Addie said:


> Do keep us all informed. A lot of gardeners here. And they too have not had a good year for tomatoes. So everyone is interested in how the green ones do. You just may end up with a second bumper crop.


I removed the red ones yesterday, and was just out looking and I think one of the green ones is turning red. Or it could be my new glasses playing tricks on me. 



Dawgluver said:


> If you want a good producer, try Sweet 100, or Sweetie, if you can find them.  They're cherry toms, and extremely prolific as well as tasty.  I've picked gallons, and roast them for excellent sauce, as well as eating out of hand, using in salads, and if you want, you can slice them on a sandwich.  They are very container-friendly, as long as you cage or stake them.  I've even brought the container into the house, and had tomatoes well into February!



Thanks Dawg, I think I saw those at the nursery. I'll give one a shot next spring.



GotGarlic said:


> Tomatoes need lots of sun and warm temperatures to do well. If the nights are cooling down now, that could explain things. btw, green tomatoes will ripen if picked and kept in a brown paper bag with an apple. They will eventually ripen on their own, but the ethylene gas from the apple will help it along. You can also make fried green tomatoes or green tomato gratin.



We get sun on the balcony all day long but the last month or so the overnight temps have dropped. That could be the problem. I didn't know about the apple in the bag trick, thanks GG.



Dawgluver said:


> I made Alix's (I think, please correct me if I'm wrong, Alix) green tomato mincemeat last year, it was wonderful!



Thanks Dawg. I love green tomato mincemeat. I'll go on a search mission.


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## Raspberrymocha55

Planted 48 tomato plants here in west central Illinois.  I haven't even gotten one big enough to slice.  My Romanos are the size of grape tomatoes, only gotten 7 or 8.  My beefsteak are the size of golf balls and have only gotten 4 ripe ones.  Last year I was over-run with tomatoes. Couldn't even make one BLT. Bummer.


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## joesfolk

Raspberrymocha55 said:


> Planted 48 tomato plants here in west central Illinois.  I haven't even gotten one big enough to slice.  My Romanos are the size of grape tomatoes, only gotten 7 or 8.  My beefsteak are the size of golf balls and have only gotten 4 ripe ones.  Last year I was over-run with tomatoes. Couldn't even make one BLT. Bummer.


We have had the same type of experience this year.  Our plants are all foliage and much less fruit than last year.  We were told by someone who purports to know that it was because DH worked manure into the soil.


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## salt and pepper

They look pretty dry to me. After all they are 90 percent water!


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## sparrowgrass

Joesfolk, too much fertility can indeed make for gorgeous plants with no fruit.  The key is to fertilize AFTER the plant begins to set fruit.  Let them go hungry til they start to produce.


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## Raspberrymocha55

Our plants stayed stunted and pitiful. Foliage was at a minimum. Our whole garden was horrid.  Didn't/couldn't can a blessed thing.  Green beans were producing quite well, but even my cabbage has yet to get a head. This fall we are tilling in 2 good sized (4x4x4) compost bins of nice 2 yr old rotted compost. Nice stuff!  Hope it helps.


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## GotGarlic

In particular, too much nitrogen promotes foliage growth and inhibits fruit growth. So look for a fertilizer with a low first number for veggies.


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## CarolPa

Rocket_J_Dawg said:


> You will see by the photo below that I have some tomatoes that suddenly stopped growing and just remained green. (the two on the right of the red ones)   Would anyone know the cause of this. I used Miracle Gro Premium potting mix which has fertilizer, watered regularly.
> This has me stumped.



Our tomatoes are the same because of the whacky weather we've had this year.  

I am amazed at the view from your garden.  This must be a roof top patio or something similar.


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