If you were asked when ’s the good time to pick tomato , you would — naturally — say when they ’re full advanced , correct ?
But wait !
While it ’s reasonable to assume that fruits are at their fullest sapidity when allow to ripen on the vine , it ’s not necessarily thebesttime to reap them . And I ’ll explain why ( along with my advice for when youshouldpick tomatoes if you require peak flavor , victuals , and quality ) .
The 3 stages of tomato ripening
First , let ’s talk about ripen and what fall out to a tomato as it blend through this process .
As I previously cite in this post onhow long it takes for tomato to to the full mature , the amount of clock time for a fledged light-green tomato to turn red ( or whatever its matured color will be ) is anywhere from four to eight workweek , depending on the type of tomato and its grow conditions .
Once a tomato fruit configuration , it run through several color changes in the ripening outgrowth ( as see in this love apple colour classification chart from theUSDA ) .
I characterise these change as three stage :
Stage 1: Mature green tomatoes
Mature immature Lycopersicon esculentum have grown to full size , but their flavor is still developing .
They start out in the self - explanatory “ green ” stage ( which ranges from abstemious dark-green to dark green , depending on cultivar ) before phase into the “ breakers ” stage ( where you may start to see a svelte interruption in colouring natural event ) .
At this item , the Lycopersicon esculentum is fully light-green or has less than 10 percent color ( with the break appear tannish or yellowish , and perhaps a tinge of pink on the surface ) .
Most commercially grown love apple are picked at this degree so they can get going to ripen during their tenacious commute to the foodstuff storage ( without getting too mushy by the time they bring in the display case ) .
Stage 2: Turning tomatoes
Turning tomatoes — or what I care to call blushing tomato — begin to show a definite change of color from green to greenish - yellow , pinkish , reddened , or any combination thereof .
When a tomato is “ turning , ” it has more than 10 percent ( but less than 30 percent ) color . A insidious blush , if you will .
After another workweek or two , the tomato plant moves into the “ pink ” stage , where the Earth’s surface shows 30 to 60 percent pink or blood-red .
Stage 3: Vine-ripened tomatoes
Ahhh , this is where most people start to get frantic !
Tomatoes in the “ light scarlet ” degree have more than 60 percent color on the surface . They ’re almost in full pink or red and feel a touch soft , though not quite diffuse enough to be consider ripe .
Once the tomato plant has more than 90 percentage colour and is totally carmine ( or orangish or yellow or purple — whatever its fledged colour is ) , then it ’s at peak flavor and grain . Not too lenient , not too firm , and just right for refreshed eating .
Let it seat in the sunlight for a bit , and I think we can all agree that a sun - warmed , vine - ripen Lycopersicon esculentum is celestial !
So the best time to pick a tomato is…
Looking at the chart ( here it is again ) , it ’s clear that the best time to piece a Lycopersicon esculentum is in the “ red ” stage , as that ’s when the colouring is deepest , the sugar content is highest , and the flesh is utterly red-hot .
But did you bed thatyou do n’t need to reach this microscope stage on the vine ? !
obstinate to popular belief , a homegrown vine - ripen tomatoisn’tsuperior to a homegrown indoor - ripen tomato .
Our own psychological biases may have us cogitate otherwise , but as long as a green tomato plant is mature ( grown to full size ) , it does n’t matter if it ripens indoors or outdoors .
That said , a mature green tomato has the in effect chances of mature if it ’s at least pick in the “ breakers ” point , as sometimes it ’s hard to assure when a green tomato is to the full grown .
But unless you ’re sample to beat thefirst Robert Lee Frost , you may let your tomatoes continue developing into the “ turning , ” “ pinkish , ” or “ light carmine ” stage before you reap them tofinish ripen inside .
At any of these stages ( when the yield is still part green),a tomato can be ripened off the vine with no loss of flavor , aliment , or quality .
But why would you pick a Lycopersicon esculentum too soon instead of letting it ripen on the vine ?
For a few cause :
As someone who garden in a finicky climate with a short season , it ’s just not worth the risk in my book .
So , I tend to blame tomato plant before they ’re advanced and let them fully mature to the “ ruby-red ” stage over the path of a week or two on my counter , as it buys me some time before I can use them all .
It also allows me to pull all my Lycopersicon esculentum plants sooner ( if I want to transplant fall seedlings in their piazza or begin a novel pear-shaped offast - growing vegetables ) and allay the strain of waiting foreverrrr for those tomatoes to mature before a freeze hap .
If you ’ve faced the same quandary , cull with confidence while your tomato are in the “ breakers ” through “ pinkish ” stages , knowing your tomatoes will be every routine as good as if you left them on the vine ( and without worry of a hungry critter getting to your crop first ) .
More tomato growing posts to search :
