[Kipp]

I know several gardeners with bountiful tomato crops who say tomatoes should be picked before they’re fully ripe because ripe fruit tells the plant that it’s done it’s job, and the plant begins to wither. They swear that picking the tomatoes before full ripening extends the life (and production) of the plant.

[mmichaels1970]

I know several gardeners with bountiful tomato crops who say tomatoes should be picked before they’re fully ripe because ripe fruit tells the plant that it’s done it’s job, and the plant begins to wither.

Yes! And the plant is expending energy on a tomato that is “done”. Picking at color-break allows that energy to go to the still-green ones. Same reason why you pinch off the suckers.