Will trimming my plants help my tomatoes to ripen?

Amanda Eastman
by Amanda Eastman

Cold weather is approaching. I left for a month and my tomato plants grew into monsters covered in green tomatoes and blossoms galore. I just wonder if they will ripen. I live in upper western Washington state. Not sure when we're expecting frost. I started pruning the tomato plant, hoping that will help for the tomatoes to ripen, instead of the plants' energy being used for leaves. I have no clue what I'm doing. I would just like some ripe tomatoes at some point. I have some ruffly heirloom, chocolate cherries (tons of them!) and sweet millions. There are 4 plants pictured here, and one sprawling heirloom in another part of the garden.

  22 answers
  • Janet Pizaro Janet Pizaro on Sep 21, 2015
    ok so let me start as why you would think trimming the plants would make them ripen? Before you plant any sort of vegetable garden tomatoes or other wise timing is everything as well as proper sunlight fertilization and water., The only thing you are suppose to do with tomato plants is to pinch the flowers that are to close together so the flowers produce one large tomato instead of tiny fruits that are useless. At this point if the tomatoes are large enough and you do not feel they will ripen on the vine you have options to pickle them or try to ripen them on paper bags.
  • Amanda Eastman Amanda Eastman on Sep 21, 2015
    I put them in late, fertilized them, and had to leave for over a month for family issues. This is how they grew when I was gone.
  • Wallie Buswell Chapman Wallie Buswell Chapman on Sep 22, 2015
    Amanda, we live in Oregon, Willamette Valley and we're having the same issue. I asked a master gardener, he said to thin out the leaves for ultimate sunshine and also to stop watering and cut off the water supply by bending (not breaking) the main stalk. Our plants no longer need water because we don't need more fruit, just ripened fruit. One more thing that I know works: As the tomato begins to turn orange, pick it, put it on a window ledge and you'll have ripe tomatoes in just a few days. That works every time! (I LOVE the NW!!)
  • Alice Shockley Alice Shockley on Sep 22, 2015
    @Amanda Eastman I have the exact same problem. We're in the 70's and 80's daytime, but down in the 50's at night and my beefsteak tomato plants are LOADED with big, green tomatoes! I didn't plant mine at all, they were volunteers from one I left too long in the garden last year but we had a very cool, wet spring and they started setting fruit really late. I figured, since I didn't plant them, I'd just let them do what they do, but now that they're just covered I hate to let all those tomatoes go to waste! I will try what @Wallie Buswell Chapman suggested and anything else I can find on the internet. Sounds like pruning will help. Good luck with yours.
  • Janet Pizaro Janet Pizaro on Sep 22, 2015
    As I stated before timing is everything with plants. Try pulling the tomatoes off and rising them in the brown paper bag method.The nights are getting to chilly so ripening on the vine is probalby iffy.
  • Flamingtabby Flamingtabby on Sep 22, 2015
    Hi, I'm in the UK and have exactly the same problem. I left the plants for 3 weeks for family issues and had found a sprawling plant full of tiny tomatoes, lots of flowers and collapsing on itself. I removed the tiny tomatoes and trimmed the plant to see what will happen. I am writing it off now as we have had a lot of rain here this summer and very little sun. All the best for your tomatoes. They look like they have a chance at least....
  • Sherry Sherry on Sep 22, 2015
    Yes and thin out so the tomatoes on the inside can get some light.
  • Lmallarts Lmallarts on Sep 22, 2015
    You can also ripen tomatoes in layers placed in a box with newspaper in between.
  • Gail Gail on Sep 22, 2015
    There are several videos about trimming I start early by cutting off the suckers as they call them. Then continue all season. Made a big difference.
  • Dot D Collett Dot D Collett on Sep 22, 2015
    One way to speed tomatoes to ripen is to stress the plant by jerking it just enough to break small roots. Hold it on the main stem just above the soil.
  • Toby bird Toby bird on Sep 22, 2015
    Wrapping or layering in newspapers as mentioned above works REALLY well. I live in Alaska with first frost late Sept. I have stored all my greenies, checked them weekly and end up many years with toms for Thanksgiving
  • DEBORAH POPSON DEBORAH POPSON on Sep 22, 2015
    If you cut the tops off the plant,it will focus the plants energy from growing to ripening the tomatoes.
  • Shirley Camic Shirley Camic on Sep 23, 2015
    Tomatoes need darkness to ripen. I used to live where a streetlight shone in my yard all night. My tomatoes wouldn't ripen until I stored them in a dark place, even a paper bag in a dark spot for a night or two.
  • Amanda Eastman Amanda Eastman on Sep 24, 2015
    I trimmed the plants. It revealed a lot more tomatoes than I thought I had. The plants are doing well, and I have been picking off small almost ripe chocolate cherry tomatoes. They seem to be doing really well. I picked a couple unripe heirlooms, and brought them inside. The rest are still growing happily. I will pick them as they are ready or close to ready. If I have to pick to pick some green later on, I will do that. Thanks. Trimming did help.
  • Faye Faye on Sep 24, 2015
    I saw an expert on the TV and he said cut all the branches that are not producing anything. Then the plant will put more effort to the branches with tomatoes.. I did that with my grape tomatoes and I got big grape tomatoes..
  • Lap Lap on Sep 27, 2015
    make up a batch of fried green tomatoes!
  • Lynne Lynne on Sep 27, 2015
    Pick all the tomatoes,put on a tray in a sunny window and they will ripen up. If you place a banana with them it might ripen faster.
  • She2449587 She2449587 on Sep 27, 2015
    M dad used to store the unripe tomatoes in a single layer in wooden crates under the beds. We would have tomatoes until Christmas when I lived in the UK.
  • Jerry Jerry on Sep 28, 2015
    Pull the plant and hang upside down in garage. They will ripen and you can pick as they do.
  • Julie Dever Julie Dever on Oct 01, 2015
    Tomatoes will produce if it is between 55 and 90 degrees Farenheit, with watering and sunshine. Yes to removing all non-fruited branches.
  • Elisha Percival Elisha Percival on Oct 15, 2015
    Thank you Julie Dever