Will not picking ripe tomatoes cause the plant to stop production

bdank · June 25, 2013

I'm going away for two weeks. All of my garden is growing in earthboxes with an automated watering system. Some of my green tomatoes look like they should be ripening soon and probably will while I'm gone. I'm wondering if tomatoes are like Zucchini and cucumbers where the plant will shut down production if you don't pick the ripe fruit.

Redbaron · June 25, 2013

Nope

recruiterg · June 25, 2013

If you think they will ripen when you are gone and spoil, you could pick them now and either bring them with you or give them away. Once they have some blush on them, they will ripen on the countertop just fine.

Rockporter · June 26, 2013

You can pick them green, wrap them in newspaper and stack in single layers. Leave in a dark room and they will ripen slowly. You will need to check them but I think you will be ok and if some ripen you will probably have a few that have not and will be good eats later.

June 25, 2013	#1
bdank Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Virginia Posts: 51	Will not picking ripe tomatoes cause the plant to stop production I'm going away for two weeks. All of my garden is growing in earthboxes with an automated watering system. Some of my green tomatoes look like they should be ripening soon and probably will while I'm gone. I'm wondering if tomatoes are like Zucchini and cucumbers where the plant will shut down production if you don't pick the ripe fruit.

June 25, 2013	#2
Redbaron Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 4,488	Nope __________________ Scott AKA The Redbaron "Permaculture is a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted & thoughtful observation rather than protracted & thoughtless labour; & of looking at plants & animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single-product system." Bill Mollison co-founder of permaculture

June 26, 2013	#4
Rockporter Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Texas Coastal Bend Posts: 3,205	You can pick them green, wrap them in newspaper and stack in single layers. Leave in a dark room and they will ripen slowly. You will need to check them but I think you will be ok and if some ripen you will probably have a few that have not and will be good eats later. __________________ In the spring at the end of the day you should smell like dirt ~Margaret Atwood~

June 25, 2013	#3
recruiterg Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Edina, MN (Zone 4) Posts: 945	If you think they will ripen when you are gone and spoil, you could pick them now and either bring them with you or give them away. Once they have some blush on them, they will ripen on the countertop just fine.