Why Aerogarden Tomatoes Are Not Turning Red? 5 Reasons Your Tomatoes Are Not Ripening

In this blog, we have put together a list of the most common reasons why your Aerogarden tomatoes are not turning red. If you are facing any such problem- this blog will prove to be fruitful for you. 

Aerogarden can help us grow a variety of plants and vegetables in a very short duration. From peas to cucumber, we can grow different types of vegetables in an aerogarden. Of these, tomato is one of the most difficult ones to grow (only if you don’t know the right methods). Tomatoes have many uses, and they are one of the most popular plants grown all across the world. There are multiple reasons for their popularity. They are a great source of many vitamins and nutrients, and research has shown that they reduce the risk of cancer. Aerogarden users have reported many problems which they encountered while growing tomatoes.

Temperature Variation

The most common reason behind aerogarden tomatoes not turning red is the lack of adequate temperature. Every plant grows best at an optimum temperature. Tomatoes are categorized as summer crops, so they require a higher temperature than most plants, something which indoor Aerogardens lack. 

Tomatoes will grow anywhere between 10 and 30 °C. However, if you want them to ripen, they need a more specific temperature. The optimum temperature for tomato ripening is between 20 and 25 °C. If the temperature of the garden differs from this optimum temperature, the tomatoes will not turn red.

Solution

The solution to this problem is quite simple. Maintain the optimum temperature for tomato ripening, until all the tomatoes have developed a dark red color. It is pertinent to mention that cold temperatures (below 5 °C) are known to cause chilling injuries to tomato plants. Therefore, it is recommended to keep your tomato crop within a suitable temperature range.

Lack of Nutrients

Tomatoes require many nutrients. The lack of even a single nutrient can result in poor growth. Tomatoes require a large amount of magnesium and Calcium, two of the nutrients which are often overlooked, and whose importance is not generally known. Potassium is also necessary to foster the growth and ripening of the tomato plants since it is an important constituent of chlorophyll. If your plants are dull in color, or if they are not turning red even after providing them with optimum temperature, this could be the reason.

Solution

The nutrient packages provided by aerogarden contain a balanced amount of nutrients, if you are using them as per the aerogarden nutrient guide, your tomatoes should do just fine. However, it is better to make sure that the plants are getting all the required nutrients in the right amount. You could do this by monitoring the color of leaves and fruit in a tomato plant. 

Lack of Ethylene Hormone

Time and again, we have emphasized the importance of light (either artificial or natural), water, and nutrients. Although these factors are extremely important for timely germination and bloom in a tomato plant, none of these factors guarantee to ripen. The most important factor which governs ripening is ethylene. Ethylene is a chemical that is normally secreted by the plant itself but is often inadequate for the onset of ripening. Simply put, if your plants lack ethylene, they will not ripen. 

Solution

Ethylene can be artificially given to the plant. To do this, you could simply put a ripened banana or any other ripened vegetable close to the tomato plant, and the ethylene released by those ripened plants will be sufficient to induce ripening in the tomato plant as well. 

Wrong Variety of Tomatoes

To find out whether a tomato has ripened or not, we generally see its color. If the tomato appears to be dark red, we consider it to be ripened. However, that is not the case with every type of tomato. Biotechnology has provided us with many varieties of tomatoes, all with different properties. There are some which do not attain that desired red color- Simply, because they are not meant to. Tomato varieties may ripen in different colors such as orange, light red- or even green.

Solution

This problem can again be easily resolved. Before buying the seeds for tomato, make sure to know which variety you are buying. If you are looking to buy your own tomato seeds to germinate in the aerogarden then consider buying the tomato Aerogaden pods or try cherry dwarf varieties.

Quality of Soil

Besides temperature and light, you also need to make sure that the quality of the soil is up to the mark. This is important since the quality of the soil determines the pH and the uptake of nutrients. If the soil is not mixed with the right type of fertilizers, in the right amount, chances are that the tomatoes won’t ripen in time. Tomatoes require soggy and moist soil with proper drainage for their ripening. If you haven’t changed the aerogarden water in a month, consider doing that on a priority basis.

Solution

This problem can be resolved quite easily as well. Take care of the soil, maintain a decent pH level, and your tomatoes should bloom in no time.

General Tips and Tricks to Encourage Ripening

To give you a general idea of what should be done, to foster the ripening of your tomatoes, we have put together a list of tips and suggestions, listed below.

• Tomatoes should be grown in moist soil.
• Ethylene is the most important chemical in tomato ripening. Make sure to provide the plant with adequate amounts of this hormone.
• The pH of the soil should be neutral i.e. a pH rating of 7.
• The optimum temperature for ripening should be maintained throughout the life cycle of the crop.
• Aerogarden water should be being changed regularly.
• All nutrients should be present in a balanced amount.
• Ensure that Aerogarden lights are not faulty, and they stay on for an adequate amount of time.