# Homegrown tomatoes **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 13, 2015, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homegrown-tomatoes/722458 "2015-06-13T20:34:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2015, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homegrown-tomatoes/722458/1 "2015-06-13T20:34:09Z")
A planted two 6-inch tomato plants a couple of months ago; one ‘Early Girl’, and one ‘Sweet 100’. I should have paid more attention to what I was buying, as I didn’t want cherry tomatoes (the Sweet 100). Anyway, they’re about five or six time taller now than when I got them. Both plants have had yellow flowers on them for a couple of weeks. So how long does it take to go from flowers to fruits? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2015, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homegrown-tomatoes/722458/2 "2015-06-13T22:29:47Z")
I’ve never paid much attention to the time from flowers to fruits, but around here, you’d be lucky to get any ripe fruit by mid-July. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2015, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homegrown-tomatoes/722458/3 "2015-06-13T22:31:13Z")
I scanned a page a little bit ago that said something about the flowers needing to be pollenated. I wonder if I should go out there with a little paint brush and tickle them? ---
**Author:** ![dwyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwyr/32/363_2.png) [@dwyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwyr)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2015, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homegrown-tomatoes/722458/4 "2015-06-13T23:10:20Z")
I planted mine in early May and have some tiny green fruits but not many yet. Plenty of blooms. Never had to worry about pollination - I think there’s enough breeze/jiggling of the plants to take care of things. ---
**Author:** ![peg4x4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6de8d8/32.png) [@peg4x4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peg4x4)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2015, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homegrown-tomatoes/722458/5 "2015-06-13T23:30:24Z")
The Sweet 100’s are fun,you can drop a handful in the salad with no chopping/slicing. I don’t know how long it takes from flower to red ,juicy deliciousness… however long is much too long ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2015, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homegrown-tomatoes/722458/6 "2015-06-13T23:31:32Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > A planted two 6-inch tomato plants a couple of months ago; one ‘Early Girl’, and one ‘Sweet 100’. I should have paid more attention to what I was buying, as I didn’t want cherry tomatoes (the Sweet 100). Anyway, they’re about five or six time taller now than when I got them. Both plants have had yellow flowers on them for a couple of weeks. > > So how long does it take to go from flowers to fruits? If you panted six inch tall Early Girls 60 days ago and have no fruit yet, that’s pretty weird. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2015, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homegrown-tomatoes/722458/7 "2015-06-13T23:43:30Z")
Cherry tomatoes will go flowers to fruit fairly quickly (1-2 weeks?). Big tomatoes will take longer. You’re fairly far North if I remember correctly. I’d echo the mid-July for tomatoes for your areas. Your babies are going to want heat/warmth. I’d place them to maximize that. Best thing you can do to hurry things up. Make sure they’re watered regularly. Soil moist but not dripping. I wouldn’t worry about the pollination. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homegrown-tomatoes/722458/8 "2015-06-14T00:56:02Z")
If he’s in northern Washington, I don’t think that “make sure they’re watered regularly” is going to be a problem. ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homegrown-tomatoes/722458/9 "2015-06-14T00:58:27Z")
I have an Early Girl with tiny fruit that I planted about the same time, **Johnny**. Being a little more south mine are probably ahead of yours a bit, but I’d think you’ll get something soon. Not exactly on-topic, but someone just introduced me to the concept of pruning “suckers”. I had no idea. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/bogqT3eL-As/maxresdefault.jpg "Tomatoes - Suckers and Pruning tips") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bogqT3eL-As) ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homegrown-tomatoes/722458/10 "2015-06-14T01:29:34Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > If he’s in northern Washington, I don’t think that “make sure they’re watered regularly” is going to be a problem. True 🙂 I try not assume anything. My uncle lives near Sequim in a rain shadow, so they don’t get much rain. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homegrown-tomatoes/722458/11 "2015-06-14T02:23:29Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > If he’s in northern Washington, I don’t think that “make sure they’re watered regularly” is going to be a problem. Don’t tell anyone, but it’s been sunny and warm for a while, and it might continue for at least another week. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homegrown-tomatoes/722458/12 "2015-06-14T05:08:35Z")
I have definitely gone out and jiggled tomato plants when they were in an area that didn’t get much breeze. Get a small forked branch and place it about halfway up the plant and agitate slightly. Seriously. Does that mean I masturbated them? Ewww. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homegrown-tomatoes/722458/13 "2015-06-14T15:35:00Z")
I just went out to prune the plants a little, per a video I found online. In doing so, I discovered two pea-sized fruits on the Sweet 100 plant and one fruit the size of a small marble on the Early Girl. I went ahead and tickled the flowers with a feather we had lying about on the patio. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homegrown-tomatoes/722458/14 "2015-06-14T16:35:31Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > I just went out to prune the plants a little, per a video I found online. In doing so, I discovered two pea-sized fruits on the Sweet 100 plant and one fruit the size of a small marble on the Early Girl. I went ahead and tickled the flowers with a feather we had lying about on the patio. Awww…conga-rats! You’re a papa! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homegrown-tomatoes/722458/15 "2015-06-14T16:35:45Z")
Here in central Indiana the earliest I’ve ever gotten a ripe one from my garden was July 4th… and that was earlier than normal. Mid July to Mid September is more the norm. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homegrown-tomatoes/722458/16 "2015-06-14T16:58:28Z")
Oh, I forgot to mention that there’s a flower next to the one fruit on the Early Girl that looks plump. I think it’s about ready to fruit too. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2015, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homegrown-tomatoes/722458/17 "2015-06-16T14:53:22Z")
One more cherry tomato sighted this morning. It’s only a couple of mm in diameter, but it’s there! I’m anxious to eat the reproductive units of these plants! ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2015, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homegrown-tomatoes/722458/18 "2015-06-16T17:12:46Z")
It’s one of the most frustrating things in my life, waiting for those tomatoes to ripen! For a normal full-size tomato, it’s about 50-60 days to go from flower to ripened fruit. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2015, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homegrown-tomatoes/722458/19 "2015-06-17T05:16:39Z")
Don’t worry about the pollination, **Johnny**. The plants will be fine without your help. I generally grow a few Early Girls every year. You and I may be in different climates, but we both have fine summers (growing seasons), and we’re not that far apart in terms of north latitude. I typically see something ready for picking by late July at the earliest, and I think you should find the same. The plant will continue to bear fruit until the first frost, so be prepared–Early Girls can produce a lot, and you may well end up sharing with your neighbours, co-workers, etc. It’s fun watching them grow, though, isn’t it? Mine currently have a few golf ball-sized fruits, and many smaller. Looking forward to fresh-grown tomatoes in a month or so! ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homegrown-tomatoes/722458/20 "2015-07-02T21:28:54Z")
Last time I checked, I was 5’ 11" tall. I planted the tomato plants in pots I’m guessing are about 12" tall. The tallest stalk on the cherry tomato plant is above the tip of my nose. It would be at or above eye level if I tied it more upright. There are now _many_ fruits on both plants – many more on the cherry tomato plant than the other one. But none of them are turning red. That first Early Girl I mentioned in mid-June is now about 5 cm in diameter. And still green. The first Sweet 100s I mentioned are about the size of grapes. And just as green. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homegrown-tomatoes/722458.md?page=2)