I live high in the mountains and I am growing tomatoes in a hot box. Lots of tomatoes but they stay green. ?

Question

why won't they ripen?

Answer 1

There may not be enough sun, but don't worry, because all you have to do to get a green tomato to ripen is pick it (five is a good number) and put the five green tomatoes into a paper bag with an apple.  Check the tomatoes daily ... depending on how 'green' they are they may take up to a week to ripen completely, but this is the best way.  You could try setting about five apples on the ground in your hot box, though first ... they'd ripen more naturally on the plant that way.  Apples have a sort of chemical in them that helps ripen any 'green' veggie, and I've ripened my own home grown tomatoes with them, in the bag.  

Answer 2

Putting your green tomatoes in a brown paper bag captures their ethylene and helps them turn red.  Use this as a last ditch attempt though.

First you can try to direct all the plant's energy to the tomatoes by defoliating (removing all the leaves and cutting growth back).  If that doesn't work, dig them up carefully and hang them upside down (shielded from wind and frost).

Check out the tips in the source article I've listed.  'Greengardenchic' is very knowledgeable about these things - that where I got the info I gave above.

Answer 3

if you put the tomatoes in a paper bag for a couple of days, they will turn red

Answer 4

Only one thing turns tomatoes red, vitamin D. They need sunlight.