I have at least 25 tomatoes growing all over my tomato vines and was wondering how long it takes from them to change from green to red. For instance, have one in particular that is pretty large and has been about this size now for over a week but it is still green. How long does it take from the first sprout to their color change?
(By the way, I live in So. Cali and yes, it has been hot but I have a bunch of new buds everyday so not worried about the plant dying. I water on a schedule, daily at 6:30 p.m. All of my plants seem to be thriving with this schedule. This is an organic garden, too).
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i think it takes about 4-5 weeks and you said it nw3as pretty big so it will take a bit longer!:)
In in SoCal too and it takes mine about a month to a month and a half to go from red to green. I’m an organic gardener and also on the early am watering schedule. I’m curious as to whether this heat wave will make them red faster. But that being said, the grape and cherry tomatos I have turn red much faster than the romas, big berthas and beefeaters. They go from green to red in just a couple weeks.
if you feel the toms. are ready to be picked but just not red enough yet you can place them in a brown paper sack or in a box lined w/ newspaper in between each layer of the veggies. Then place it in a cool/dry spot check on them every couple days or so they will soon ripen for you.
The larger the tomato, the longer the conversion to ripeness. Each tomato will draw water from the plant to convert the starch to sugar and will turn the fruit red.
The fewer buds on a plant, the larger the tomato can be - depends on variety. Fewer fruits will also give you the option of watering less to increase the flavor of the maturing fruit. BUT it is a tightrope act to balance dry farming from plant distress and should only be tested on a few plants until you develop the knack.
Ethylene gas from bananas can speed the ripening of a tomato stored in a bag kept at room temperature.So this may be useful for fallen fruit that is still good if not broken or bruised. But DO NOT put a tomato in the fridge because it will not ripen any further once it hits 50 degrees the first time off the vine.
The weather has been an issue already this Spring here in Los Angeles. Keep a close eye on your vines and enjoy them.
It takes forever for the first tomato to ripen. no not really but it will take around 10 days to 2 weeks for it to color up after it has reached full size. After that first one gets ripe it seems like the rest ripen almost instantly.
