Toasty tomatoes set to ripen in warm week ahead

It won’t just be the locals basking in the balmy weather this week, with tomato plants also thriving in warm, sunny conditions. SEE FULL FORECAST >>

IT won’t just be the locals basking in the balmy weather this week, with tomato plants also thriving in warm, sunny conditions.

Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens horticulturalist Margot White said for tomato varieties that were at their peak, this week’s sunny days with temperatures in the mid-late 20s would help with their ripening.

Ms White has been working with tomatoes at the gardens for the past decade but has been growing them her whole life and said tomatoes had a wide ranging season from early December through to June.

“It’s a slow burn to grow tomatoes, not instant gratification, you must be very patient,” Ms White said.

“Not all tomatoes will ripen at the same time either, most come towards mid-February to mid-March.”

Unless your tomato variety “is a late bloomer” the weather bureau forecast for this week is looking ideal for ripening.

Tomato ripening in warm weather botanical gardens

While Hobart has a mild forecast of 23C for Thursday, the temperature will reach 25C on Friday and 26C on Saturday and Sunday.

Launceston’s forecast is better still with a maximum of 27C on Thursday, 29C on Friday and Saturday and 28C on Sunday.

The North West will fare well but slightly cooler, with Devonport expecting 21C Thursday and a triple dose of 23C from Friday to Sunday.

While enjoying the sunny weather, tomato growers must ensure they don’t forget to consider their plant’s needs.

Mostly dry over #Tasmania from midday today to the end of Sunday under the influence of an area of high pressure. Warming up as well! pic.twitter.com/SldBvO5mhx

— Bureau of Meteorology, Tasmania (@BOM_Tas) January 18, 2022

“It is important to keep plants moist by watering during the warmer weather, summer crops drying out can mean the end of the season or at least a big set-back in crops,” Ms White said.

Three year old Matilda Fox was enjoying her first trip to the gardens with her family while on holiday from Melbourne, but it was all the “nice trees and flowers” that piqued her interest rather than the tomatoes.

“We were just having a nice wander through the gardens and she really liked the lily ponds,” father Alex Fox said.

“We went to Mount Wellington today too and tomorrow we go to Boat Harbour, the weather has been nice.”

Three days of hot weather on the way. Matilda Fox, Melbourne, 3 at the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens. Picture: Richard Jupe

Wetter than average summer for Tassie

Colossal rainfalls and flooding hit Tassie last week with more thunderstorms potentially on the horizon, but fruit growers haven’t let that rain on their parade.

Pinata Farm supervisor Jose Capuano said an extensive network of tunnels was keeping their summer raspberry bounty safe from harm at Orielton.

“You can get a bit of damage depending on where the rain’s coming from, usually from the south,” he said.

Jose Capuano farm supervisor with raspberries at Pinata Farms Orielton. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

“But so far, no, we didn’t get any trouble.”

Pinata Farm has about 40 continuous 100m tunnels stretching along more than 3ha of land.

Warmer nights through winter helped the fruit ripen in time for summer, but Mr Capuano said workers don’t mind cooler weather.

“Us workers prefer a day like today – a bit cloudy, not much wind,” he said on Monday.

“That’s a perfect day because when it’s sunny it can be three or four more degrees in the tunnels.”

The state experienced severe damaging winds, flash flooding, thunderstorms and heavy rain last week, with Bureau of Meteorology Tasmania issuing regular warnings.

BOM meteorologist Glenn Perrin said the top rainfalls in the 24 hours ending 9am Friday were a whopping 281.8mm at Gray, 243.2mm at Cornwall, and 227.2mm at St Patrick’s Head, with widespread falls from 30mm to more than 100mm in the east and southeast.

He said Westbury was washed with 72mm in the 24 hours to 9am Saturday.

Mr Perrin said the “extremely high totals” about the northeast had been well above average, with some rain expected this week.

Cloudy to partly cloudy across #Tasmania today. A bit of a mixed bag of weather expected with a few showers around, but they should contract to the east and central parts this afternoon. Temperatures into the mid to high 20's for parts of the north, not so much for the southeast. pic.twitter.com/7HcRtJLK9l

— Bureau of Meteorology, Tasmania (@BOM_Tas) January 9, 2022

“There is a risk on Tuesday for some further thunderstorms about the North West which might see some higher totals,” he said.

The meteorologist said Wednesday would be generally fine, with fine weather again on Thursday apart from some showers about the east and northeast.

“On Friday at this stage there are showers across much of the state but more frequent about the East and southeast, although there are quite a few question marks above the Friday,” Mr Perrin said.

“Some models suggest not much rain, other models suggest a lot of rain. We can’t get an accurate picture until we get a bit closer.”

Mr Perrin said the minor flood warning for the South Esk River was expected to finalise on Tuesday.

He said summer was anticipated to be wetter than average about the East and drier about the southwest, with above-average maximum and minimum temperatures.

More information bom.gov.au/tas