By anonymous
How long does it take for the Mega Cherry Tomatoes to turn red?
Submitted on Sun, 2011/03/13 - 11:26pm
Last updated on Sun, 2011/03/13 - 11:34pm
We have lots and lots of green Mega Cherry Tomatoes on our 2 plants which we started in our new 7-pod Aerogarden Extra on Dec. 25, 2010, but none of them are red yet. The temperature has been between 50 and 85 degrees F. required; actually, between 65 and 85 degrees F. But it's been about 73 days since germination so we think they should be red by now. Any suggestions from anyone? Are we being too impatient?
Mon, 2011/03/14 - 12:24pm
#2
Hello Jean,
When I grew cherry tomatoes in the AG (non-mega sort) they started turning orange/red around 13 weeks after planting, by 14 weeks (98 days from seed) they were red and able to be picked.
Fri, 2011/03/18 - 4:29pm
#3
Thanks so much for your information and advice! I did put 2 green bananas under the plants, and don't know if that did the trick or if the time was right, but one of the tomatoes is now turning red! Yeah!
Jean
Fri, 2011/03/18 - 5:30pm
#4
Congratulations, Jean. 
Hope you'll let us know how they taste for you. I've heard mixed results with the mega.
Sun, 2011/04/10 - 12:49pm
#5
The mega tomatoes taste wonderful! They are all turning red, and we can't hardly keep up with eating them before they fall off the plants on their own because they are already ripe before we pick them. Since they are non-GMO seeds, we saved some of the seeds from the tomatoes. I planted some in two starter plugs in our other Aerogarden, to transplant into the outdoor garden after they sprout and are ready to transplant.
I'm wondering, though, and researching just now -- now that I've put seeds in most of the starter plugs, don't I have to cover them up? Will they sprout if they aren't covered with something???
Sun, 2011/04/10 - 12:53pm
#6
Hi, Jean - great to hear about the mega tomatoes tasting and yielding well! Are you giving them extra light, or just tall AG lights and standard AG nutrients?
Tomatoes don't need pure dark to germinate. I start them all the time just putting them into the holes of starter plugs. Just push them in a little.
Sat, 2011/06/04 - 7:28pm
#7
I have actually been successful in simply clipping off a tomato plant and starting it in the Aerogarden. Wahoo!
Hi, Jean - welcome!
I haven't grown that particular variety of tomato, but the rule Beth taught me (and seems to work for my mid-size tomatoes) is that they take about 40 days to ripen after fruit set. Cherries might take a little less time. Too many fruit set might take longer. Determinate tomatoes can collect a lot of plump tomatoes before ripening any. But I don't think the mega is determinate?
If they look light green and big and like they ought to be ripening, you could try putting a green banana on the AG deck. The ethylene gas from a ripening banana can induce ripening. Though they might not be as sweet then as they otherwise would be... On my mid-size tomatoes, I could never tell the difference. Ripe was ripe.