Gardeners often fail to get their tomatoes to ripen. Change two things and you’ll be amazed.

You grew tomatoes and they grew, flowered and started to bear fruit. The tomatoes are big but still green and won’t ripen. This happens a lot.

Tomatoes need lots of sun to ripen. If your tomatoes aren’t ripening, they probably don’t get enough heat and light.

Tomatoes need temperatures above 20 degrees Celsius and at least seven hours of sunshine a day to ripen. Don’t plant them in a shady or damp spot. Don’t let them get too hot or cold.

Grow tomatoes in a greenhouse if you can’t provide enough heat and light outdoors. They will be at the right temperature and protected from the weather.

Watch out for mould.

Tomatoes will also get mouldy. If they’re in a good spot, this probably won’t happen. But if the soil is damp or there is a lot of shade, this can happen. Overwatering can also cause this. Give them plenty of water, but don’t overdo it. Water in the morning or evening, not in full sun, and more towards the roots. You can also spray the rest of the plant with water from a spray bottle.

Fertilising

If your tomatoes aren’t thriving, you can fertilise them. You can buy fertilisers, but you can also use natural fertilisers like compost, manure or wood ash. Most often, tomatoes lack nitrogen and phosphorus, so choose a fertiliser that includes these ingredients.