I have cherry and grape tomatoes in my yard, and they are fine.

But I know THREE people who have larger tomatoes that simply will not ripen.
They are producing tomatoes but the tomatoes are staying green much longer than anyone can remeber them having done before.

Anybody know why that might be?

We stop watering here in early to mid August to promote fruit ripening and some folks remove new blossoms and immature tomatoes that won’t ripen before frost, which is also suppose to help the fruit ripen.

Never dawned on me to stop watering!
I'll suggest that to the people who are having the problem, with removing the blossoms as a second approach.

It's really odd that this is happening here where it has never been known to happen before.

Ah-ha! That helps me understand why my late tomatoes never seem to want to ripen on the vine - we don't get rain until mid-August, and then we usually get plenty of it.

Thanks, Patti!

That's it! I've had it! I'm investing in some kind of drip irrigation for next year, so maybe my plants can make and ripen fruits before August!

We get plenty of rain here early spring, late spring and all though the summer. Never affects the tomatoes getting ripe, they just get ripe for me. But I have found that each year the tomato production slows way down late August or early September. Seems like they take a vacation from ripening with a lull and then it starts back up. I think it is because of the shorter days going into Fall.

Mine are ripening just fine and I have them on a drip system so they get regular water. They always seem to ripen the same time every year which is when the nights are cooler and longer.

You are very lucky Rita. We don't usually get rain from June-Sept. I say usually because for the last two years we have had rain through June.
Water either too much or too little most certainly affects my tomato plants and fruit development depending on where they are in their growth pattern.
Weather can affect them also, too hot or too cold will slow them down. We all have differnet growing conditions so not everything will work for everyone.

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But, but, but.... everyone here is doing what they always do and the tomatoes are NOT doing what they always do.

Winter was nonexistant, but the tomatoes weren't started yet.
Summer was hotter than usual, but tomatoes are happier in hot weather.

It's just so out of the ordinary for here.

The tomatoes here were not happy with the hot weather.
Well, actually, the plants were happy and grew well but didn't set any fruit when the days were 100 and the nights quite warm.

Fortunately the days and nights cooled off and the plants set fruit and now they have cooled off enough that the fruit is ripening.

So, is your weather still unseasonably warm or somehow still out of the ordinary?

I can control the water and the nutrients, but I can't control the weather and the weather often does me in.

I agree with Tabby, my tomatoes do not like the hot hot weather. The blossoms drop and they will not set fruit when it gets into the high 90's. Fortunately our nights cool off all summer except for a few nights in July when we might be in the 70's. For some I expect that would seem cool

We always pinch out the suckers that grow at the leaf joints to promote ripening and not growing.

OK, coupla good points there.
It IS hotter than usual. Due to cool off for the weekend though.
And I appreciate learning about the suckers.

I'll look to see if anything starts to ripen during the cooler weather.

Thanks!

Our fruit setting and ripening has been prolonged here in Maine also......but seems to only effect certain strains. This year has been an odd year, but I think it has to do with the heat in the middle of the growing season.

I sure hope the weather these recent years have been flukes and not a trend.

I think I may have to start using cold frames to get a jump start on some of my cooler weather vegetables. Our growing season goes from cool to hot too fast!