Agree. It isn't a question of picking too soon but maybe using too soon. Any tomato including Roma can be picked anytime after it blushes and it will finish ripening inside. Many of us do this routinely - pick at blush - and it is discussed in great detail on the Tomatoes forum. It eliminates the cracking, bug damage, and disease exposure problems. But then you do have to let them ripen fully inside before using them. But I find that Romas tend to be difficult to peel anyway and they do remain firm - not to mention their lack of flavor. That's one reason why I much prefer other paste varieties. Dave

I'd never heard of it so checked Tania's page and then did a Google search, and based on the two was going to look at some old SSE YEarbooks, but don't have time for that right now.As in mens tennis semi-finals from the French Open. ( smile) So below is the link to the Google search, and it might help; Carolyn Here is a link that might be useful: Orange Roma

Some very nice pictures there, I am growing some Roma too and those pics may give me some help as to when they are ripening, they seem to go from a lighter to a darker green first. Cannot really off any advice on the toms though, at least not expert advice. All I can suggest, on the positive side is the that the plant knows best and decided to drop those fruits, perhaps because it had such a big crop? Too may mouths (tomatoes) to feed? But why would it drop them? Well maybe if they rotted on the plant the whole plant might become diseased? Sacrificed for the greater good? I am just guessing of course, I am a novice grower, just trying to apply some tomato logic. I guess it remains to be seen how the plant will get on. There is picture of my Roma in the linked blossom end rot thread. I am just wondering how long that big one has tell it ripens. I think some of mine fell off last year too, but they were all hit by disease. I would consider ripening ones falling off a success, none of mine got that far before disease set in!! I'm in the UK though and they are outside, so I was never expecting much, I started earlier this year and am hoping things will be better this year as the weather has been better (sunnier) too. All my plants are twice the size as well, it's like a jungle out there!!! Best of luck with the rest of them!! Here is a link that might be useful: my pic in blossom end rot thread

Hello kawaiineko, To me it sounds like your tomaotes are right on schedule, considering the unusual weather this year. I'm also in zone 5a and I don't expect to see any ripe tomatoes until mid-August or later. We had such a cold wet spring that I set out my first plants in the middle of June, and even then they tended to sulk and hardly even grew until it warmed up. Which it did with a vengeance! Days to Maturity (DTM) is a guideline or average for comparing various varietes ripening times from transplanting into the garden. If it were a hard and fast rule, you would just now start seeing ripe cherry tomatoes, and your other tomatoes would ripen 10-20 days later. "I know with some veggies, that if temperature extremes occur (too hot, too cold, or just a general fluctuation in temperatures) this stresses the plant out and reduces yields, or slows maturity time. I also know with some veggies that if it gets too hot, that this will interfere with fruit ripening. Do these rules apply to tomatoes too?" - Yes, it pretty much does. "If you overcrowd the containers (put too many plants in too small of a container) then will this cause tomatoes not to ripen, or delay ripening? I have three romas in a 30 gallon container, 3 cherries in 30 gallon container, and 4 slicers in a 30 gallon container." - Here I'll say maybe. I don't think your plants are over crowded since a 10 gallon container is usually considered ample for a single tomato plant, but you may be pushing it a little with 4 slicers in one 30 gallon container. "I water the plants every evening, but I'm wondering if I should water during the day so the soil is kept moist during the hottest part of the day?" Check the soil moisture about 3-5 inches below the surface and about the same from the edge of the container, is it too wet, damp or dry? If it is wet, don't water, if damp, check again later in the day or the next morning, if it is dry water it. It really isn't unusual to have to water container plants more than once a day when the weather is hot. Larger containers will not need watering as often. I sure hope that helps. Betsy