[mmichaels1970]

I’ve always picked them at color-break. They ripen perfectly in a bowl.

[Nervous Tick]

>> I’ve always picked them at color-break. They ripen perfectly in a bowl.

I learned this quite by accident this year. The fruitworms invariably got to them while I was waiting for that uniform red “vine ripened” look. So I started picking them half-red half-yellow (I didn’t even know the term “color break”). They ripened on a plate on the kitchen counter just fine.

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

I pretty much always pick at color break and finish inside. I do not see any appreciable difference in taste. (What you should not do is refrigerate your tomatoes this will always make them tasteless. )

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!)

Free Republic Weekly Garden Thread