They will, just be patient. I know it seems like forever. Mine too. That's one thing you have no control over.

If you put some ripe banana skin or a ripe tomato near to them they will ripen more easily Both these give off ethylene gas which encourages ripening. It really works. When the first tomato ripens leave it on the vine for a while and this will encourage ones nearby to ripen as well. Strange but true.

welcome to GoY :o)

try and keep the temp up too. the riping effect of ethylene is well documented so leaving a ripe one next to the others works.

as a point of interest fruit bowls near vases of flowers makes the flowers go over faster. the ethylene speeds up the flowers metabolism causing it to die earlier. that's why you don't get many arangements with fruit in them.

...it also causes your tomato plant to die.

That's very interesting SBG. I will move my vase!

Bath, banana skins and ripe tomatoes have never killed mine...

Stera - I never said your banana would kill anything.

As SBG stated above, the ethylene gas emitted will cause plants to die, this includes tomato plants. She said it's well documented. I don't know why you are talking to me!

Tomatoes ripen naturally on their own. They may seem to take forever, but they are actually still growing and developing their complex flavors and personality. Each tomato is unique and you can't rush perfection. The plant will start to produce its own ethylene.

when I said the flower to die I meant the cut flower. they don't often get pollinated as a cut flower so there is no hormonal influence to make the flower start to produce seed. So it dies.

Ive never noticed the tomato vines dying as the fruits ripen. they die when the temp gets too cold. well they do in my greenhouse.

Bathgate banana skins and ripe tomatoes aid ripening because they give off ethylene gas, so I thought that was what you were talking about. This doesn't kill the plants. Putting ripe bananas next to green ones ripens the green ones very quickly too. Works with most fruit. SBG didn't say the gas would kill the plants she said it made flowers in a vase go over more quickly.

I understand the process of ethylene gas. It can also cause plants to die. There are plenty of reports about it. Here is one right here.

'Ethylene is thought of as the aging hormone in plants. In addition to causing fruit to ripen, it can cause plants to die.'

'It can also cause damage in crops. Examples of damage might include yellowing of vegetables, bud damage in dormant nursery stock, or abscission in ornamentals (leaves, flowers drop off).'

Full article - please read.

http://postharvest.tfrec.wsu.edu/pages/PC2000F

have read full article: the article goes on to say

"Ethylene can be either good or bad, depending on what commodity you work with. It is used in a positive manner in fruit ripening, for example. It can also cause damage in crops. Examples of damage might include yellowing of vegetables, bud damage in dormant nursery stock, or abscission in ornamentals (leaves, flowers drop off). Often two of the important items to know are 1) if a crop naturally produces a lot of ethylene and 2) if it is responsive to ethylene. Responsiveness will depend on 1) the crop, 2) the stage of plant development, 3) the temperature, 4) the concentration of ethylene, and 5) the duration of exposure."

the point is further made that it is used commercially and that a build up of ethylene from old damaged and ripening fruits.

my comment about fruit bowls beshide flowers is still valid. fruit bowls next to ornamental plants will cause leaf fall.

are we not both saying the same thing? ethylene in the wrong amounts in the wrong place affect plants adversely.

the odd banana skin or ripe tomato next to 1 plant to encourage the first tomato to ripen will soon cause the plant to ripen and produce its own ethylene. this is natural amounts.

That's possible. I just don't want to hurt my tomato plants. I want as many tomatoes as possible.

ours keep flowering and fruiting until the frosts kill them. I have so many tomatoes that I freeze enough to keep us going until the following May. we use the equivalent of 3 tins of toms a week and from now to November I make tomato soup 3-4 times a week! Its a wonder I'm not turning orange :o)