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Growing Tomatoes

Q for those of you who grow green tom varieties

16 years ago

How do you know when the buggers are ripe?

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Comments (6)

carolyn137
16 years ago
How do you know when the buggers are ripe?

****

Because most of them develop an amber blush and depending on the variety that blush can be just at the blossom end or encompass portions of the fruit to the whole fruit.

In addition, they turn soft as do other varieties when ripe.

You might want to go to tomatogrowers.com and take a look in the green section and look at some of the pictures to see what I mean by an amber blush.

You can also go to Google, select IMAGES, and individually enter the names of some of the green when ripes that you've read about here to see pictures.

Some folks in hot areas have said that certain varieties such as Aunt Ruby's German Green and Green Giant don't develop the amber blush, but not everyone in those hot areas experiences that with the fruits. But when ripe they will soften, per normal.

Carolyn
lee_71
16 years ago
Green Giant will actually form a pink blush on the blossom end when it is ripe.
Lime green Salad is an example of one that will form a complete amber blush on the entire fruit, but it will be
green inside.

And yes, the feel of them is one of your best clues to ripeness.

Lee
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carolyn137
16 years ago
Green Giant will actually form a pink blush on the blossom end when it is ripe.

****

Maybe for you in your zone Lee, with your weather, etc., but not for me where I am and the weather I had when I grew it.

And that's what I mean by some folks getting this or that with the GWR's and others don't.

But they are relatively minor differences and the taste of the fruits is what's most important, in my opinion.

Carolyn
lee_71
16 years ago
Here's a link of Green Giant showing the pink blush.
This was a fruit we had at Tomatopalooza[tm] V.

Lee

Here is a link that might be useful:
reginald_317
16 years ago
How do you know when the buggers are ripe?

Paul, ALL of the large GWR varieties that I have grown present a distinct amber coloration (at various locations on fruit) when nearing ripeness. In fact this season some of the late ripe Cherokee Green fruits have actually turned totally yellow !

Reg
paul_
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks folks!

: )

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