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We have had a dreadful summer in the far north of Scotland, a bad
depression in the Norwegian sea causing cool northerly winds and low
cloud throughout July and some of August. As a result the tomatoes in
my polytunnel are reluctant to ripen.

How can I encourage the hard green fruits to ripen on the vine at this
late stage of summer?

Mine aren't ripening here in Norfolk - so much nearer the equator - and
many other gardeners here are commenting on the unripening of tomatoes.

Leave them as long as you can, then, keeping them on the truss, put the
ripest-looking on (say) a window sill indoors and they will gradually
ripen.

Others may be put in plastic bags with a ripe banana and the gas given
off (can't unforget what it is) will help accelerate ripening. You can
stagger this process and still have ripe tomatoes at Christmas.

However - don't leave the banana in the bag so long that it goes squodgy
and starts the tomatoes rotting...

I think melons have the same effect, but using them tends to be prodigal
on bags - unless you grow the melons yourself, and up in Caithness this
year they might be of a comparative size to yer martyrs innit.

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