|
Post by brownrexx on Jul 18, 2019 8:51:35 GMT -5
When do you pick your tomatoes. Do you wait until they are fully ripe on the vine or as soon as they start to turn pink (breaker stage)?
Does it make a difference in taste?
|
|
|
Post by octave1 on Jul 18, 2019 9:12:08 GMT -5
Yes to both questions. Vine-ripe is the whole point of growing one's own produce.
|
|
|
Post by pepperhead212 on Jul 18, 2019 9:48:34 GMT -5
The largest ones I leave on until almost ripe or ripe. Cherries, OTOH, I pick whatever has a hint of ripening, as they ripen so fast that I would be out there 3 times a day, if I wanted to pull them only completely ripened, at least with those sunsugars. And I don't notice any difference in the flavor, when ripened on the counter.
|
|
|
Post by Gianna on Jul 18, 2019 10:09:16 GMT -5
I prefer fully ripe, but I don't pick until I need tomatoes. It's uncommon that I'll pick and let them sit on a counter. Which means some can be ready to pick for days or perhaps even weeks and still be on the vine. There doesnt seem to be much difference in flavor between those just ripe, and those that have been ready for days/weeks. As long as they are still firm, they are good. If critters become a problem, I'll pick and process the ripe ones.
Sometimes if I want a tomato and one is almost all red with only a little green on it, I'll eat it. I like the mildly tart/sweet taste. Though I do prefer full ripeness.
Maybe that's another question - do you pick all tomatoes as soon as they get red ripe, or (assuming no critters) can some stay on the vine till you are ready for them? Maybe that's variety dependent.
|
|
|
Post by brownrexx on Jul 18, 2019 10:26:01 GMT -5
In the beginning, I pick my first large slicing tomatoes when they have a hint of ripeness because I am anxious for those first tomatoes and I am afraid that some critter will get to them first.
Another time that I pick almost ripe ones if when we have had a prolonged dry spell and rain is predicted. This keeps them from splitting.
I have not noticed a difference in taste but I am probably not a taste expert like some of you.
|
|
|
Post by paquebot on Jul 18, 2019 11:10:27 GMT -5
I've never noticed any big difference in either when picked breaking or fully ripe. Only difference is when picked green at the end of the season. Then they lack some sugar that they would have gained on the vine. There are also some bi-colors which probably should not wait until fully ripe. The pink or red bottom tends to separate and the bottom virtually drops out.
Martin
The truth is more important than the facts.
|
|
|
Post by Laura_in_FL on Jul 18, 2019 12:08:59 GMT -5
I pick at first blush out of necessity. I occasionally find a an edible fully ripe tomato on a vine, but not often.
I can't tell a taste difference between a full-ripe tomato and one that ripened indoors after blushing on the vine. But like Martin said, when I pick tomatoes that are fully green (no blush), when they ripen they aren't as tasty.
When I say I pick out of necessity, it's because when I try to leave my tomatoes on the vine until full ripeness, I get almost no fruit. Birds and critters ruin ripening tomatoes like it's a sport. I wouldn't mind if they would really eat them, but often they take a few pecks or a small bite out of all of the tomatoes just as they are nearing full ripe. Cracking from rain, disease, and caterpillar or stink bug damage*** accounts for most of the fruits that the birds and critters don't eat.
It might not be so bad if I had a big garden with dozens or hundreds of plants. Then it would take a LOT of birds or critters to beat me to all of the fruits. But in my small garden, it only takes a few birds or critters to wreak havoc on my harvest.
***With the heat, humidity, and rain, even a small hole from a caterpillar or stink bug can let microorganisms into a fruit and cause it to rot or ferment before it ripens. Cracks can cause the same thing. There have been times that I went to pick what seemed like a nearly perfect ripe tomato, and when I touched it, it fell apart or even exploded into a stinky fermented mess all over my hand. Ewww!
|
|
|
Post by Gianna on Jul 18, 2019 13:35:54 GMT -5
If there are tomatoes in dec/jan/feb, during cooler weather and shorter days, I do wait till they are fully ripe or they are not nearly sweet enough. Even a slightly underipe tomato is too tart to bring pleasure. But ripe, especially if its warmer, can be very good.
|
|
|
Post by pepperhead212 on Jul 18, 2019 16:13:35 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by carolyn on Jul 18, 2019 17:52:41 GMT -5
I pick as soon as they start to blush. I have hundreds of plants to pick and always needing water. I don't like to water if there is color to the tomato as they will most likely split and be of no value then. today I picked off about 100 plants and there was about 3 crates full and they fit on a nursery wagon as I pull it down the high tunnel. I don't like to stack tomatoes but since they were under ripe I did. as soon as I got them into the shed I emptied the crates down to 1 layer.
|
|
|
Post by paulf on Jul 19, 2019 4:55:24 GMT -5
I used to wait for vine ripened but lost lots of fruit. Now harvest takes place at the mostly ripe stage. I do not notice any loss of flavor with window sill ripened tomatoes.
|
|
|
Post by deneka on Jul 19, 2019 7:05:37 GMT -5
I grow tomatoes for three main reasons 1. I love them. 2. I want to avoid any dangerous substance. 3. I like to eat them very fresh.
So, according to #3, it is in my usual to pick tomatoes when I need them. When I do that, I try to pick them in ripe degree order.
|
|
|
Post by Laura_in_FL on Jul 19, 2019 10:52:56 GMT -5
That was interesting. Since I only grow a few plants, I often have alternating gluts and droughts of tomatoes, especially at the beginning and end of the season. It's nice to know that I can preserve a fully ripe tomato a couple of days longer by sticking it in the fridge if I need to. For those who don't want to read the whole article, I'll summarize the key takeaways: 1. The ideal temperature range for tomato storage is 55-68F. (So, a wine chiller would be great for storing tomatoes.) 2. If your house/tomato storage area is over 70F, and especially if it's 80F+, refrigeration may be a better option for keeping ripe tomatoes for more than 24 hours. 3. Refrigeration does more harm to the taste and texture of poor quality (e.g. supermarket) or under-ripe tomatoes. 4. High-quality fully ripe tomatoes suffer very little from being kept in the fridge for 1-3 days. They may actually taste better if refrigerated than if they are kept at very warm temperatures, since flavor can begin to deteriorate within a day after peak ripeness under warm conditions. 5. Don't refrigerate any tomato until it's fully ripe. But, if you're going to refrigerate a tomato, do so ASAP after full ripeness. 6. Let refrigerated tomatoes warm back to room temperature before use. 7. Flavor and texture of refrigerated tomatoes starts to drop off by the 4th day in the fridge.
|
|