I over fertilized my tomatoes

[Schroeder]

I've been watering with a weak solution of organic fertilizer every week or two since I set out my plants, most of which are determinents. The plants are hugh and green and healthy looking with a lot of small fruit. The problem is, the plants are so vigorous very little sun will get to the fruits. I should have researched the topic earlier, as I now see I should not have fertilized after planting until the fruits set. Should I just wait it out and see if they ripen properly or should I start chopping at the plants to let some light into the middle of them?

 

[Smiles Jr.]

I think you could do a combination of both. Prune the plants very carefully and sparsely. Tomato plants are pretty resilient and they can handle lots of pruning. Then just sit back and wait. Your tomatoes will ripen eventually but you may be eating them in November.

 

[digitS']

I am going to use this as an excuse to ask either one of you or your fellow Hoosiers -- if you are in or near Johnson County. . . ?

Now, having attempted a hijacking . . . When I get desperate for tomatoes to ripen, as in the last weeks of the season with frost on the horizon, I withhold water. I don't know if you can do that with your Midwestern summer storms and I don't mean - kill your plants with drought! (It doesn't always work for me either because of September rain.)

I think Smiles' suggestions make a good deal of sense. One thing, pruning stresses the plant a bit just as withholding water will. The plant realizes that it has to get with the reproduction program if it plans on having offspring . . . Light directly on the fruit may not be as important as one might think. Too much light leads to sun scald, also. That might be more of a problem if there has not been much exposure to date.

Steve

 

[Schroeder]

I am going to use this as an excuse to ask either one of you or your fellow Hoosiers -- if you are in or near Johnson County. . . ?

I lived in Johnson County from 1990 to 1998. I now am in Henry County (East Central).

 

[lesa]

I have often found lovely, ripe tomatoes buried within a leafy plant. I don't think it really matters- If you want to prune, go ahead- but I will bet you they ripen up, just fine....

 

[hoodat]

Go over your plants and look for any leaves that show the slightest discoloration or damage. Feel your way back on the leaf stalk until you come to where it joins the stem. Clip it off with just a nub left. After that pick the spots where the foliage is the thickest and do the same thing with some of them till you are letting some light into the interior of the plant. I just finished that chore on my Mortgage Lifters. It seems counter productive to trim off healthy leaves but it pays off in fruit. If you trim any badly discolored leaves have a strong clorox solution and a bucket of water handy. After trimming discolored leaves, dip your clipper or knife into the clorox solution for a minute or so, then rinse it in the clear water before you trim any more leaves. This will avoid spreading any viruses or bacteria that may have been in the discolored leaves.

 

[Smiles Jr.]

No Steve, Johnson Co. is northwest of me aways.

 

[digitS']

I just know that it is a very rural part of Indiana.

My maternal grandmother's family have a small claim to fame in Johnson County.

They are the Hensleys and were the original settlers of Hensley Township.

Grandmother's great grandfather died there and her grandfather and father continued west, first to Missouri and Wisconsin and then to Kansas. Altho' Kansas just seemed to be a jumping off place for the migration on to this part of the world. Her grandfather was a Civil War veteran with an Illinois regiment and that qualified him to claim a homestead here well over a hundred years ago.

Her grandfather's brother stayed in Johnson County. Seeing "rural Indiana" so often just kept bringing Hensley Township to mind .

Steve

 

[Schroeder]

Go over your plants and look for any leaves that show the slightest discoloration or damage. Feel your way back on the leaf stalk until you come to where it joins the stem. Clip it off with just a nub left. After that pick the spots where the foliage is the thickest and do the same thing with some of them till you are letting some light into the interior of the plant. I just finished that chore on my Mortgage Lifters. It seems counter productive to trim off healthy leaves but it pays off in fruit. If you trim any badly discolored leaves have a strong clorox solution and a bucket of water handy. After trimming discolored leaves, dip your clipper or knife into the clorox solution for a minute or so, then rinse it in the clear water before you trim any more leaves. This will avoid spreading any viruses or bacteria that may have been in the discolored leaves.

Thanks Hoodat. I sure wish you could bottle all your years of gardening experience and send it to me!

 

[HunkieDorie23]

I have never tried this but I have heard that if you want your tomatoes to riped take a knife and cut the roots on one side of the tomato. It again stresses the plant and it ripens quickly. Again I've never done this but you might one to try one and see.