Posted on 09/05/2023 8:32:26 PM PDT by Yardstick
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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.
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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.
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(Excerpt) Read more at agrilifetoday.tamu.edu ...
It’s okay...I understand the passion :)
My back porch tomato plant is producing a bumper crop this year and I’m going to try picking at different ripenesses and comparing.
What are these? Some sort of mini eggplant??
Gorgeous. How do they taste?
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