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If I have a Legend tomato plant with a very small green tomato that isn't growing larger due to the cold (the tomato has been there the same size since about the beginning to early middle of October), are the seeds in the fruit still maturing just as fast as usual, or will it take longer? My goal is to save seeds from it, however big it gets. I'm pretty sure it was pollinated before the cold inhibited it.

It has been frosting, but it's growing under a tree (so, it isn't affected much).

Brōtsyorfuzthrāx
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Maturation of the seed is concomitant with swelling and ripening of the fruit - its unlikely the seed will develop further than it has now, particularly if the fruit is very small. If you could move it to a warm, bright environment, like a heated greenhouse, it might mean you get that fruit to grow more and ripen off, meaning the seeds within are more likely to be viable.

Bamboo
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  • I've been getting ripening on my plants a month after average first frost date. We've had one night at 31°F, which hardly counts. The unusually warm temps *might* let Shule succeed this year. Still, it's better practice to save seeds from a nice, happy August fruit. – Wayfaring Stranger Nov 05 '16 at 22:42
  • I am getting ripe fruits throughout the tomatoes (we have many plants in the backyard), but these are stuck at cherry tomato size. I missed the opportunity to save seeds with earlier, larger Legend fruits (so, I'm hoping I get at least a few to continue into next year). We just have a couple cherry-sized Legend fruits left; they're not white, dull and rough (so they're not that immature, at least, but they stopped getting bigger after it got cold). I could try to induce ripening by putting ripe fruits around it or putting a gash in the flesh, but I'm not sure if that would help seeds mature. – Brōtsyorfuzthrāx Nov 06 '16 at 01:11
  • Ethylene is heavier than air so a container would be called for. Maybe with a slice of over-ripe apple. That's getting into the weeds though. I'd just watch it, and see if I get lucky. – Wayfaring Stranger Nov 06 '16 at 17:05
  • Ethylene is lighter then air, not heavier – Graham Chiu Dec 12 '16 at 10:16