When to know a tomato is ripe

16 years ago

I recently saw a reference on here about when to know that a tomato is ripe. But not I can't find it. So how about it? When should I pick my tomatoes?

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Comments (6)

Karen Pease
16 years ago
When they're slightly squishy, look yummy, and a gentle tug on them makes them come off the vine.

Those are my guidelines, at least ;)
ruthieg__tx
16 years ago
When they turn red...you know...every gardener just knows...I like mine a little on the firm side so I watch and wait and when the time is right...I always know and you will too...
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Daisy - in UK with climate similar to my own...I know this is near blasphemy on this forum :) but tomatoes from WS seed run a race with first frost (late October) and having time to get ripe for me. I don't get enough summer heat to speed them along and with the changing angle of the sun I begin losing some of my back yard sun to shade in September. Right now I've got a lot of flowering going on and some small very green tomatoes. The year I grew them in containers I moved them to the stairs of my neighbors deck to give them more late season sun where the deer promptly noticed them - and ate them.
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koreyk
16 years ago
Pick lots of tomatoes and eat them all right away out in the garden before they get old and stale carrying them into the house. LOL.

Remember to always carry a salt shaker in the tomato patch. :-)

I never grew a bad tomato in my life and I hope you never do also.
flora_uk
16 years ago
Just before the tomato stalk joins the truss there is a little 'knee'. If a slight kink on the tomato breaks it off at the knee, it is ripe.
josie23
16 years ago
A ripe tomato should be slightly soft (unlike the grocery store ones). And as far as the color it depends on what type you planted red, white, yellow, green, bi-color....
figtreeundrgrnd
16 years ago
The critters around here usually tell me when mine are ripe!
If I think one more day will make the tomato perfect...they always beat me to it.J

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When to know a tomato is ripe

Comments (6)

Karen Pease

ruthieg__tx

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koreyk

flora_uk

josie23

figtreeundrgrnd

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