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I will be going on holiday next week, and the only plant I am worried about is my cherry tomato plant. It's only got about 20 or so, mostly full grown, currently green tomatos on it so am wondering if I could just cut them and leave them inside to ripen and eat when I get home? Some of them are actually still quite small, but maybe 80% are full size already.

Cherry tomatoes are best picked close to full ripe. I wouldn't cut them if they haven't blushed yet. Tomatoes typically "color break" -- turn from green to more pale white-green -- then "blush" hint of color. Once they blush, they can ripen to full flavor off the vine but sweetness is sometimes not fully developed.

I pick cherry tomatoes when almost fully colored and gives slightly, another test is they come off easily ... either with fruit stem/calyx on at the elbow or off the calyx ... when lifted up -- their vascular connection/attachment to the vine is already broken. Most still-hard cherry tomatoes won't come off and I don't force-pick ones that resist even when they seem to be fully colored and even gives a little, unless it's going to rain heavily.

If your variety is prone to splitting, I don't know what to tell you. Can you protect it from overwatering?

The problem isn't overwatering but underwatering because its on my balcony in a container :/ I think I don't have much choice, I will cut them and see what is left when I get back in 7 days.

Any advice on how to keep them? Fridge or not? In a box with holes or something air tight?

Is so sad to let it die but will be too cold for it where I live in a few weeks anyway.

Have you considered some kind of plant sitter watering device? Simplest DIY is a tub of water with one or more rope or fabric wick -- bury or tuck the end of the wick in the soil -- it should be relatively easy to do by pushing with something thin like a ruler between the potting mix/rootball and along the side of the pot.

applestar wrote:Have you considered some kind of plant sitter watering device? Simplest DIY is a tub of water with one or more rope or fabric wick -- bury or tuck the end of the wick in the soil -- it should be relatively easy to do by pushing with something thin like a ruler between the potting mix/rootball and along the side of the pot.

Already have a 5 liter bottle with 2 watering nodes (if thats what they are called?) but it never seems to water enough If its sunny I need to water almost every day :/

I think that would mean you would need a 25 liter reservoir for 5 day absence.

If you have time to fiddle around and experiment, you could try an airlift pump to replenish the 5 liter bottle

This post might have the right reference links (I have to dash)-

Subject: My pond project is under way

applestar wrote:You are welcome. I'm just passing along the ideas that are out there to share. I love it that there are so many innovative folks out there that are willing to share these great ideas and experiments. I'd love to see what everybody else comes up with based on these concepts.

I revisited that "spitter" concept, and found these. I can see how this super simple design can be useful for automatic drip irrigation like he is using

Nano Airlift Pump Challenge! BEAT THIS to be Champion! And World record holder! - YouTube


https://youtu.be/lKtB1YKoMxk


Airlift pump in a bucket! 5 month old technology, Already in use in Denmark, Canada France, USA - YouTube


https://youtu.be/8pI31ZwEL40