As autumn draws in, the growing season is coming to an end — but what should you do if your tomatoes are still stubbornly green?
Homegrown tomatoes are a popular choice for gardeners, thanks to their exceptional flavour, ease of growing from seed and ability to thrive in small spaces.
After such a long, hot summer, it's no surprise that some tomatoes are still refusing to turn red. Tomatoes are surprisingly particular about temperature, and the extreme heat can slow the ripening process just as much as cold weather.
So what can you do to fix it while there's still time? According to Richard Barker, horticultural expert and commercial director of LBS Horticulture, there's still time to help your tomatoes ripen.
'Leave tomatoes on the vine for as long as possible before trying other methods,' says Richard, who explains that they can continue to ripen until the first frost.
If they need a little extra care, picking them can help the remaining tomatoes ripen before autumn sets in.
For an easy, low-effort method, pick your green tomatoes and place them on a counter on a sunny side of your kitchen. If possible, place them next to either a banana or some already ripe tomatoes. This trick is even more useful if you can put them all into a paper bag.
'The banana releases ethylene, a hormone that ripens fruit, and this can ripen the tomatoes. Check the bag frequently, and remove ripe tomatoes as and when you find them,' Richard advises.
For tomatoes left on the vine, former Gardener's World presenter and expert gardener Monty Don suggests doing some delicate snipping of the plant itself before autumn well and truly arrives.
'Strip off the bottom half of the leaves on each plant,' he wrote on his website. 'This will let in light and air, so that the growing fruits get more sun, and also the extra ventilation will reduce the risk of disease. This process can be continued weekly until there are no leaves left at all.'
Richard agrees, explaining that cutting the tomato plant back a little can help to move the tomato growth along.
He says, 'Tomato plants should have formed around three to four trusses of fruit by early autumn, and removing the top of the plant can ensure that all of these ripen. Cut through the main stem where the uppermost leaves above the trusses of fruit are.'
You can also pick and use green tomatoes in the kitchen if you'd rather not wait for them to ripen. Cook them down and use them to make salsas, chutneys, or delicious relishes — perfect to jar for Christmas.
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