Question
At age 79 I decided for first time to plant 3 tomato plants in my backyard in Baltimore, Md.  One plant died shortly, one plant produced, at first, a few that were rotten.  I was told not to water so much.  I took off about a dozen small faintly red and put in brown bag and they were delicious.  I tore up this plant a week or so ago.  My third plant hs grown so tall and is loaded with tomatoes, mostly small, the variety is not intended for big tomatoes, but not a one is beginning to show any sign of turning red.  What happened?  I pulled a few off into my brown bag and they don't show any signs of ripening.  What did I do wrong?  When I planted them in May, I did purchase 5-10-5 fertilizer and used initially and about 3 weeks later.  Perhaps I might live long enough to try again next year with your help.  Thanks.

Answer
Ethel, you didn't necessarily do anything wrong.  Ripening is a result of many factors, not the least of which is weather.  The other is soil conditions and nutrients.

Magnesium and calcium are very important nutrients required for proper ripening.  I always add 3 teaspoons of epsom salts to the planting hole in early spring.  Scratch it in real well before transplanting, and you'll find less blossom-end rot as well as faster ripening.  You can then dissolve the epsom salts by adding 3 tsp. per gallon of water, and spray it on the plants every two weeks once they start producing fruit to hasten the ripening.

I would also advise you to amend your soil with organic matter, including peat moss, aged manure, shredded leaves, and compost.  Fruit-bearing vegetables produce a very large harvest when grown in organic soil.

I hope this helps.

Regards,

Mike