Did the tomatoes turn red

Tomato Try these 5 tricks

Why aren't my tomatoes turning red? This is a ubiquitous question! In this post, I'll talk about when tomatoes should turn red and give you some reasons why they shouldn't. I'll share my five tricks for making tomatoes ripen faster on the vine. Are your tomatoes slow to ripen on the vine? There are nothing more frustrating growing tomatoes than being forced to frantically pick tons of green tomatoes the night before frost. Then you bring them inside to ripen and most of them end up rotting in a paper bag on your counter. Ugly!

If you live in a cold climate like I do, you start to get really nervous in late summer when your plants are full of big, unripe tomatoes. If you're tired of being stuck with tons of green tomatoes in the fall, I've got you covered. But first, let's talk about when tomatoes should be ripe and common problems with them being green.

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When do tomatoes turn red?

Tomato ripening time depends on a few things, such as the variety you have and your growing zone. But generally, flowers start turning red 6-8 weeks after pollination. In what month are tomatoes ripe for harvest? It depends on many factors.

But here in Minnesota (z4b), my early tomatoes start ripening on the vine in late June. But most of them start turning red in mid-July.

Why won't my tomatoes ripen on the vine?

There are a few things that prevent tomatoes from ripening. Some varieties ripen faster than others, and temperature is also a big factor. Tomatoes will not turn red if they are too hot (above 85F) or too cold (below 50F). This is probably the biggest culprit for most people, especially during a heat wave. Also, as tomato plants mature in the summer, they become larger and more abundant. When that happens, they spend most of their energy producing leaves and flowers rather than ripening the tomatoes. 

Pruning them properly throughout the summer is important, and will result in more red tomatoes. So keep this in mind for the future. But this won't help you if you're looking at green tomatoes that won't turn red in late summer. Don't worry, it's not too late! There are a few more tricks you can try to get them to ripen before the cold temperatures are here.

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5 Tricks to Ripe Tomatoes Faster on the Vine

We can't force the plant to ripen tomatoes on the vine, but there are a few things we can do to get rid of them. So, if fall is fast approaching and you're wondering how to turn green tomatoes into red, try these five tricks…

1. Cut off new growth

The season is ending, so your plant doesn't have to waste energy on new leaves. Topping off the plant and cutting off all new leaves will give the tomatoes more energy to ripen quickly.

2. Arrange the flowers

Since tomatoes take two months to ripen after the flowers are pollinated, it's a safe bet that fresh flowers are no match for anything. So pick all the flowers.

3. Pinch the suction cups

Sugars are small stems that form between branches and leaf joints. They get their name because they absorb energy from the plant. So be sure to pinch off any suckers you see on your tomato plant.

4. Pick small tomatoes

I know it's hard to get any tomato off the plant, but these poor little babies won't have time to mature before frost. Pull them so your plant will ripen big green tomatoes.

5. Prune some leaves

Don't cut off all the leaves, it's not a good idea to remove the tomatoes. But if your plant is large and full of healthy green leaves, you can slow down that vigorous growth.