this is ripe why would i pick them early doofus
Posted on 09/05/2023 8:32:26 PM PDT by Yardstick
[snip]
Home gardeners should pick tomatoes sooner than later.
There is a common misconception among the public and home gardeners that vine-ripened tomatoes taste better. But picking tomatoes at color break does not hurt quality, reduces fruits’ exposure to damage and can extend their shelf-life, according to a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service expert.
Larry Stein, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension horticulturist, Uvalde, said tomatoes are fully mature when they begin to break color. Tomatoes ripen as they begin to produce ethylene gas, which promotes the process.
“Breakers,” mature tomatoes starting to change colors, begin to turn a yellowish green and then begin to fade into salmon-to-pink hues before turning red. Tomatoes can be picked as soon as their green begins to yellow.
[snip]
There is a difference between tomatoes picked green and ripened via synthesis [that is, put in "ripening rooms" with ethylene gas pumped in like the big commercial growers do], Stein said, but no taste or tenderness difference between tomatoes pulled from the vine at color break and those allowed to reach full red color on the vine.
“Over the years, the term ‘vine-ripened’ may have emerged as a branding tactic used to make something sound better or set a product apart, but it is just a marketing ploy when it comes to tomatoes,” Steins said. “The fruit is fully mature at break, and there are no benefits from leaving it on the vine, but there are drawbacks.”
Harvesting at color break reduces the chance of pests like stinkbugs and birds harming the fruit, he said. Breaker tomatoes are also less likely to experience radial cracks, splits in the fruit related to water uniformity.
[snip]
(Excerpt) Read more at agrilifetoday.tamu.edu ...
This expert is an idiot. He is describing the way to get a homegrown to taste like store bought.
Try it his way and compare it to one left to ripen naturally...not even close.
I agree with vine ripening. Have grown tomatoes for 60 yrs. There is a big taste difference.
Best is to carry a salt shaker and eat ripe ones in the garden,
I say don’t change what works for you. There’s a reason the varieties being written about are called determinant.
This year I found this to be quite true, especially for my heirloom varieties. Big boys and better boys not so much.
I absolutely can swear an attest that picking at color break avoids bird, bug and water split damage.
He’s not saying you should pick them when they’re green like the big commercial growers do. Immature green tomatoes won’t ripen unless they’re forced to by exposing them to ethylene gas. This is exactly what the industrial growers do but they don’t taste right.
But once they’ve achieved the first blush of the “breaker” stage they will ripen on their own with no help needed. Picking them at this stage gets you great flavor plus avoids the risk of splitting, end rot, and damage from critters and bugs.
It turns out that this is fairly common knowledge among gardeners. Lots of discussion out there on the interwebs with the general (but not total) consensus being that picking at the breaker stage is the best way.
Home gardeners should pick tomatoes sooner than later.
experts should eat greenhouse forced tomato’s what an idiot this guy is !
this is ripe why would i pick them early doofus
Huge garden with 55 varieties this year. Smart to pick ‘em at clot break and let them ripen protected. Taste great
You’re getting this worked up over tomatoes?
I don’t like tomatoes so I don’t care. BUT peaches I live; peaches that are tree ripened are sweet , full of flavore and so juicy when you take bite it drips down your chin. I have not been close to peach orchards for years. Recently that changed, but I found out you cannot get a tree ripened peach. The orchard bought peaches are as hard as rock and they claim they are ripe. When you take a bite it brakes off into hard chunks instead of soft dripping mouth fulls that dissolve in your mouth. They say to put them in the window to soften, but they have no taste then.
Such dis appointment.
After reading it and the subsequent comments here, I'm more confused than ever.
What if I’m growing GREEN tomatoes that are RIPE but stay green? ;)
Cherokee Green
Aunt Ruby’s German Green
Green Zebra
Green Grape...?
https://www.tipsbulletin.com/what-are-green-tomatoes/
BTTT!!!
Beside risking bug and animal damage. sun and hot weather can cause sun scald and heat can thicken the skin. If you have rain you risk cracking or end up with mushy tomatoes. You have more control with it sitting in a bowl on the kitchen counter at 72F than you do the weather outside. That said, if weather is not an issue where you live and you like warm red tomatoes leave them on the vine.
(Here is a link to the current FR Weekly Gardening thread!)
I don’t pick until they turn Light red but I finish them off on the window sill. No taste difference.
Yes always question the word expert.
Seems like I’ve always gotten tough-skinned tomatoes here in Utah. Thought it was due to low humidity during later summer which typically runs about 15%.
lol i grow hundreds of tomatoes of many varieties every year scuze me if I get a little miffed about window ripening just not the same as of the vine at ripeness peak.
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