Can ripening be hastened this time of year?

[Soilsniffer]

48 degrees this morning. I expect first frost here in 3 weeks.

I have six plants left, some German Pink, some plain ol 'german'. Tens of green fruit, many surely over a pound.

Is there something I can do to help the fruits ripen quicker? I snipped off 20 or so yellow blossoms; I figure it'll be less work for the plants to try to grow new fruit this late in the season. There are still 50+ blossoms left however, I'll get to them later.

One of Dick Raymond's books suggests digging into the soil and cutting a bunch of roots. This apparently puts the plant into 'Uh-oh!' mode and hastens the ripening. Anyone do this?

Thx,
J

[greggf]

I've done the Dick Raymond thing. Yes, it seems to work. Just, *ahem*, try not to cut ALL the roots. I think he suggests a semi-circle.

What do you have to lose, this late in the season, at least on a few of the six plants? 8)

I root-pruned a Brandy Boy earlier this season. The pruning made its fruits ripen about 10 days sooner than the fruits on the Brandy Boy with intact roots right next to it.

Didn't make it taste any better, though. Or any worse.

=gregg=

[carolyn137]

Gregg, fellow insomniac, , I've root pruned two ways and found it to work sometimes and not other times and don't know if it's perhaps variety related or not.

Taking a shovel and cutting the roots about one foot out from the base of the plant is one way. I it being referred to here as the Dick Raymond way but truly it existed as a method way before him.

The other way, which I prefer b'c it's less work, is to pull up on the plant while twisting the plant. This severs the small feeder roots near the surface which I think works better.

Why not try both methods.

[Dunkel]

You can also cut the top of the plant off. Just above the top fruit cluster you intend to keep.