Retarding tomato ripening

[Chantal]

This may sound daft, but does anyone know how to keep a tomato from ripening for a month?

I'm thinking if I pick it whilst green and keep it in the fridge, this may work, but I want to be sure.

Anyone know?

[Beryl]

No idea Chantel, I would have thought it might go rotten before ripening.
If you want green tomatoes in future, why not grow one of the green varieties such as Tasty Evergreen from Plants of Distinction.

Beryl.

[Chantal]

Hi Beryl

I don't want green tomatoes as a rule. What I want to do is enter this particular tomato in the Ugliest Veg section of a local show. It is truly grotesque, even by my "toxic dump" standards. However, the local show is a month away.

I'll take a photo tomorrow and post it so you can see what I mean. This thing could win national competitions!

[John]

Hello Chantal
Just a thought. You might do better to let it colour up a bit on the plant but pick it before its fully ripened and then store it in the fridge.

John

[Chantal]

This is the little sucker I'm talking about. World class ugly in my opinion.



It was just starting to change colour this morning, so I picked it and put it in the fridge. Fingers crossed

[alan refail]

Chantal

It sure is an ugly *ucker

How do you get tomatoes to do that

[Chantal]

I have no idea. But my record for horrific veg goes back several years now.

[The Mouse]

What a monster!
Not sure if this will help, but a few years ago I was left with a lot of green tomatoes on my plants in October (outdoors), too late in the year for them to ripen. I picked them, still on the vine where possible, and put them in a dark drawer in a cool room. I had read somewhere that if you did this they would ripen slowly. It worked with most of them, and they were surprisingly tasty - not that you'll be eating yours! I can't remember how long it took for them to ripen, but my guess would be about a month.
It's worth a try.
Good luck.

[Beryl]

Wow he deserves lst prize Chantel.
Do hope you manage to keep him OK.
I would be more inclined to take Craz's advice and not store in the fridge. There is too much moisture in there. I never put any tomatoes in the fridge, ripe or not.

I would perhaps nestle him in some paper kitchen towel, in a shoe box or such like without a lid, put somewhere cool,under the stairs/sideboard in semi darkness.

Best of luck
Beryl.

[oldherbaceous]

I don't think i would put HER under the bed though, just incase she evolves in the night.

[Chantal]

Thanks for the advice guys. I'll find a box and hide the thing in the cupboard in my bedroom. The window is always open so it's never too warm. It is ghastly isn't it.

[Beryl]

Mmmm OHO thinks its Her does he? I wonder why?

Beryl.

[Chantal]

Perhaps it reminds him of one of his girlfriends

[oldherbaceous]

Well there was one, when i was younger, when i got really drunk one night.

[donedigging]

Hi Chantal,

Best of luck with the competition. (sorry I can't give any advice )

It looks like you've got the winner there!!

Let us all know how you get on..