If the fruit is ripe then harvest, it will not help later fruit to ripen. Given the heat we are all experiencing now fruit will ripen in any case.

many fruits produce a gas called ethene. this does help other fruit ripen. it is used commercially to bring fruit on ready for sale. green toms at the end of the season can be ripened by putting them in a paper bag with a ripe apple/banana.

A fruit bowl under a vase of flowers cause them to die quicker too.

However, in terms of leaving already ripened fruit on a bush or tree pick and eat!

oh yes sorry I agree with that. eat it while it is fresh. must go check my goosegogs mmmmm

thanks, I knew about the ethene gas thing, but I'd read about picking flowers on tomatoes and capsicums to stimulate growth and wondered if the same principle was true of ripe fruit....

I wouldn't remove the flowers on tomatoes and capsicums - how are the fruits going to form if you remove the flowers?