We have 3 celebrity tomato plants. Unfortunately we are new gardeners. We have a plot 2ft by 5 ft and have crowded in 3 tomato plants, 3 zucchini plants, 6 cucumber plants *(on trellises) 6 basil plants and 2 green bean plants (on a trellis) I know, very crowded.
So our tomato plants are growing well (as is everything else) they are about 4 ft tall already and have several tomatoes and tons of flowers. some tomatoes are already about the size of my fist but they've been green for about 2 weeks now.
When do they start to ripen?
We've already harvested a ton of basil, zucchini and cucs but no tomatoes since they are all still green
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newgardenerCT
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They will; be patient. It is usually the case that they seem to hang about green for longer than we expect. Ripening is a normal process of the plant and there is nothing that can be done, despite the advice that is often given to remove leaves and expose the trusses. In my view no help at all. Tomatoes ripen through sunlight on the leaves not the fruit.
Give it time! I'm sure it will take up to 2 more weeks once the fruit reaches it's final size.
About the "crowding", it shouldn't be that much of a problem assuming you properly ammend your soil either after the harvest or before next spring's planting. Till in lots of compost, manure, and loamy stuff. You could also try a cover crop to put fixed nitrogen back into the soil too. Look up "french intensive" gardening. My beds are probably "crowded" too but they are doing great!
About the "crowding", it shouldn't be that much of a problem assuming you properly ammend your soil either after the harvest or before next spring's planting. Till in lots of compost, manure, and loamy stuff. You could also try a cover crop to put fixed nitrogen back into the soil too. Look up "french intensive" gardening. My beds are probably "crowded" too but they are doing great!