Urban bushcraft - tomato question

[Atellus]

Hi folks. Not been here for a while.

I have a question about my tomatoes and I'm justifying posting it here because gardening is a form of urban bushcraft! ;-)

Most of my outdoor plants, for the third year running, have become chutney because most couldn't win the race between ripening and rotting in the useless growing weather we've had these last few years.

However, I still have half a dozen greenhouse plants which are horribly healthy and still dripping with big, fat, round and happy-looking green fruit! And they won't ripen! And they have no hope of ripening now!

So, essentially, my greenhouse has become a fridge.

Now, I know my only option is to either try to ripen them indoors or make yet more chutney, but I swear if I see another jar of the stuff, something in my head will snap. Problem is, I've not had a lot of success ripening indoors.

What do the other urban bushcrafters recommend as the best method for reddening my green fruit?

Cheers

 

[Kerne]

Fried green tomatoes?
Or, if the chutney bug is still with you, green tomato chutney is good stuff.

 

[BigShot]

One point to remember is that having much of a crop at all is fortunate this year. Even the holder of the official "best plot" at our allotments lost most of his crop this year. There's been a lot of trouble with blight.

I can't help with the ripening question, but you might want to take a look at the forum at http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/grapevine/ where you might get some good advice.
That said, there are plenty of us grow-you-own types on here (though I'm just starting my first year, hence no real help) and you'll probably get a decent answer on here too.

 

[tjwuk]

Stick them in a brown paper bag, with another ripe tomato, or banana.

Lots of info here about ripening. http://www.cottagesmallholder.com/the-best-way-to-ripen-green-tomatoes-472

Or sun dry them. if we get the sun back long enough!

 

[Shewie]

Stick them in a brown paper bag, with another ripe tomato, or banana.

What he said

We do ours in a big bowl with a banana in the bottom, stick it in a sunny window and they'll come good.

 

[Atellus]

Where can I find this "sunny window"? ;-)

Thanks for the suggestions. How much of a factor is heat in all this? Perhaps a radiator or some insulation would also help?

 

[tjwuk]

I don't think heat makes any difference once they are off the plant. But what a bad year for fruit, I remember 2 years ago when we had blackberries after every meal, this year they taste moldy.

Still maybe we will get some snow this year to do some bushcraft tobogganing.:sulkoff:

 

[scrogger]

Arizona!! loads a sunny windows there,

Incidentally anyone got any good recipes for green tomatoes other than chutney?

Andy

 

[Atellus]

Ok, today I harvested the fruit from the refrigerator... er, greenhouse and as I had my camera with me, did the obvious thing!

Check out these curvaceous green berries (for a tomato fruit is indeed categorised as a berry!)

Phwoarrrr

Notice that there are still new flower heads appearing at this late date, mid way through October!

And now for an extreme closeup!

So anyway, about the ripening issue... I was thinking that I might try showing these little beauties some of my secret stash of magazines what I keeps openly hidden under the bed

 

[Colin.W]

most of our green toms have started to go red from being in a bowl with a couple of ripened ones, they have been on the kitchen worktop so I dont think they need to be in a sunny window,

 

[Cobweb]

Crush some of the leaves on the plant, the enzymes released will redden them up quick sharp.

 

[Glen]

A freind of mine make green tomato jam from hers, apparently it's easier than chutney and very nice on toast too.