I'm a beginner at growing tomatoes. I've a few plants growing outside
in 5 gallon pots - one plant per pot. It seems to me that they should
have ripened already.

The plant with the most tomatoes is the Patio one. I saw the first
tomato on it about a month ago. I planted the plant about 7 weeks ago
but I had bought it at a nursery after it already started growing.
There are several tomatoes on it but they're all green still. Today, a
little tomato fell off while I was trying to fix it after some vines
started drooping after some heavy rains the other day.

The other two plants are Big Boy and Better Boy. Neither of them are
doing much. They each have about two small tomatoes on them. They're
about the size of two cherry tomatoes (I think). I bought and planted
them the same time as the Patio one.

The weather around here has been a bit unsettled. First we were in a
drought, now we've had a lot of rain and some areas have had flooding.
The temp. has been mostly in the 80s and lower 90s. The past few nights
have been cool though. One week, there was lots of rain and little
sunshine. Somewhat unusual summer weather for around here.

The plants are in pots that are sitting on wood blocks above the
ground. They have holes in the bottom for drainage and have been
mulched. The leaves develop yellowish spots on them and sometimes get
dried out and crumble. They get some liquid plant food once a week.
About 2 quarts between the three of them. It's hard for me to know when
to water them with this weather. Maybe they've been getting too much
water and not enough sunshine. Or maybe they've been getting too much
nitrogen and not enough calcium. I don't know. I'm fairly certain they
don't have any diseases or pests.

Any ideas?

To put it simple, because I've had to tell my wife this several times,
patience, they will ripen. It just isn't time.

Suggestion: buy a few from the grocery store to hold you over and then
when you get to eat your first tomato, you will enjoy it that much
more.

My wife and kids wear me out waiting for the first.........tomato,
strawberry, watermelon, and most recently peaches.

Your plants will ripen soon enough, just give them a little
time.......I used chicken manure(high in amonia nitrate) on my beds one
year....had the weirdest looking neon green tomatos I'd ever seen
(these babies nearly glowed in the dark). It seemed like it took months
for them to ripen, finally they did and we appreciated every bite.

Good luck,
JD

The first tomatoes every year *always* take a ridiculously long time to
ripen. Don't worry, it's normal. Later in the year they seem to ripen
faster, although maybe they take just as long but you're not watching
each and every one twice a day. HTH :-)

Best regards,
Bob

zxcvbob wrote:

The first tomatoes every year *always* take a ridiculously long time to
ripen. Don't worry, it's normal. Later in the year they seem to ripen
faster, although maybe they take just as long but you're not watching
each and every one twice a day. HTH :-)

Best regards,
Bob

Yes, that always seems to be the case. And latter in the season we
always have so many tomatoes that we have to give them away. But the
neighbors do appreciate getting them.
--
Bill R. (Ohio Valley, U.S.A)

Gardening for over 40 years

To see pictures from my garden visit http://members.iglou.com/brosen

Digital Camera - Pentax *ist DL

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"Mike S." wrote in message
oups.com...
I'm a beginner at growing tomatoes. I've a few plants growing outside
in 5 gallon pots - one plant per pot. It seems to me that they should
have ripened already.

The plant with the most tomatoes is the Patio one. I saw the first
tomato on it about a month ago. I planted the plant about 7 weeks ago
but I had bought it at a nursery after it already started growing.
There are several tomatoes on it but they're all green still. Today, a
little tomato fell off while I was trying to fix it after some vines
started drooping after some heavy rains the other day.

The other two plants are Big Boy and Better Boy. Neither of them are
doing much. They each have about two small tomatoes on them. They're
about the size of two cherry tomatoes (I think). I bought and planted
them the same time as the Patio one.

The weather around here has been a bit unsettled. First we were in a
drought, now we've had a lot of rain and some areas have had flooding.
The temp. has been mostly in the 80s and lower 90s. The past few nights
have been cool though. One week, there was lots of rain and little
sunshine. Somewhat unusual summer weather for around here.

The plants are in pots that are sitting on wood blocks above the
ground. They have holes in the bottom for drainage and have been
mulched. The leaves develop yellowish spots on them and sometimes get
dried out and crumble. They get some liquid plant food once a week.
About 2 quarts between the three of them. It's hard for me to know when
to water them with this weather. Maybe they've been getting too much
water and not enough sunshine. Or maybe they've been getting too much
nitrogen and not enough calcium. I don't know. I'm fairly certain they
don't have any diseases or pests.

Any ideas?


Although it's probably not the cause, you may be feeding the plants too
often. I feed mine (grown in the garden) twice per season. They're healthy
and productive. Once a week feeding seems like a bit much, unless the plant
food's very dilute.

I have a question about growing tomatoes. . .What do you guys use as
your favorite method for twarting tomato worms?

It seems every year, I wait and wait for those first tomatoes to ripen,
and voila about the same time they do, here comes those pesky tomato
worms..

Myrl

I have a question about growing tomatoes. . .What do you guys use as
your favorite method for twarting tomato worms?

It seems every year, I wait and wait for those first tomatoes to ripen,
and voila about the same time they do, here comes those pesky tomato
worms..

Myrl

"Myrl Jeffcoat" wrote in message
oups.com...
I have a question about growing tomatoes. . .What do you guys use as
your favorite method for twarting tomato worms?

It seems every year, I wait and wait for those first tomatoes to ripen,
and voila about the same time they do, here comes those pesky tomato
worms..

Myrl


Do you mean hornworms - the green monsters with the single pointy thing on
their heads? The best method is picking them off by hand.

In article
. net,
says...
On 6 Jul 2006 23:47:47 -0700 in
.com, "Mike S."
graced the world with this thought:

The temp. has been mostly in the 80s and lower 90s. The past few nights
have been cool though

Most tomatoes ripen at night, if the temps aren't right, they'll ripen
slowly.


What temperature range would be best? Obviously, I can't control
it outside, but at least it would have value in predicting.

Thanks.


--
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Joe - They are so ugly, I won't touch 'em. The best solution I've come
up with thus far is to fill a two cup measuring cup with water, put it
in the microwave for 2 minutes, and then go out and scald the little
devils while they're on the vine.

The yellow jackets, love to come and eat them after!

Myrl


JoeSpareBedroom wrote:
Do you mean hornworms - the green monsters with the single pointy thing on
their heads? The best method is picking them off by hand.

Well, that's your solution, then. There's probably some sort of chemical
that would kill them, but that would defeat the purpose of growing your own
food.

"Myrl Jeffcoat" wrote in message
ups.com...
Joe - They are so ugly, I won't touch 'em. The best solution I've come
up with thus far is to fill a two cup measuring cup with water, put it
in the microwave for 2 minutes, and then go out and scald the little
devils while they're on the vine.

The yellow jackets, love to come and eat them after!

Myrl


JoeSpareBedroom wrote:
Do you mean hornworms - the green monsters with the single pointy thing
on
their heads? The best method is picking them off by hand.

"Myrl Jeffcoat" wrote in message
oups.com...
I have a question about growing tomatoes. . .What do you guys use as
your favorite method for twarting tomato worms?

It seems every year, I wait and wait for those first tomatoes to ripen,
and voila about the same time they do, here comes those pesky tomato
worms..


Favorite method: vigilance and BT

Watch for the Sphinx moth and/or Five-spotted Hawk Moth. These mo'fos lay
the eggs for green horn 'filled with disgusting slime' worms. See the
moths, spray the BT once a week.

http://images.google.com/images?q=Sphinx+moth+&hl=en
http://images.google.com/images?svnu...tted+Hawk+Moth