If I leave a ripe tomato on the vine.....

Ruth_10 · September 24, 2006

I know, a sacrilege, but stuff happens. Sometimes there will be many overripe (read: rotting) tomatoes on the vine (more stuff happens).

My question is, will those overripe tomatoes affect future production? Does the plant think it has done its job for the year (producing next year's seeds) and slow down production of new fruits?

It's my understanding that this is true for some types of plants (beans and cucumbers, for example). It's my impression that tomatoes just keep going, regardless.

westocast73 · September 24, 2006

I don't know but I would think it would because the plant would still be using energy for that overipe tomato.

I know typically all annual veggies and flowers do much better being deadheaded or picked and I would imagine it would be similar for Tomatoes.

ddsack · September 24, 2006

I suppose it could in the long run, in areas with longer seasons than mine. I'm often gone for about a week sometime in August when the tomatoes are peaking and end up with several weeks worth of overripe discards by the time I catch up.

I don't notice any difference, because the plants have already set and are continually growing out the next sets of medium and small sized tomatoes. At some point before the tomato starts to turn ripe, it's growth has already stopped, so I'm assuming the plant has quit pouring energy into that particular tomato anyway and doesn't much care if it drops to the ground or rots on the vine. As long as the plants themselves stay in good health, I continue to get lots of production until frost.

September 24, 2006	#1
Ruth_10 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: MO z6a near St. Louis Posts: 1,349	If I leave a ripe tomato on the vine..... I know, a sacrilege, but stuff happens. Sometimes there will be many overripe (read: rotting) tomatoes on the vine (more stuff happens). My question is, will those overripe tomatoes affect future production? Does the plant think it has done its job for the year (producing next year's seeds) and slow down production of new fruits? It's my understanding that this is true for some types of plants (beans and cucumbers, for example). It's my impression that tomatoes just keep going, regardless. __________________ --Ruth Some say the glass half-full. Others say the glass is half-empty. To an engineer, it’s twice as big as it needs to be.

September 24, 2006	#2
westocast73 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 144	I don't know but I would think it would because the plant would still be using energy for that overipe tomato. I know typically all annual veggies and flowers do much better being deadheaded or picked and I would imagine it would be similar for Tomatoes. __________________ Mike~Westocast73 "You can bury a lot of troubles digging in the dirt."~Unknown

September 24, 2006	#3
ddsack Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Northern Minnesota - zone 3 Posts: 3,231	I suppose it could in the long run, in areas with longer seasons than mine. I'm often gone for about a week sometime in August when the tomatoes are peaking and end up with several weeks worth of overripe discards by the time I catch up. I don't notice any difference, because the plants have already set and are continually growing out the next sets of medium and small sized tomatoes. At some point before the tomato starts to turn ripe, it's growth has already stopped, so I'm assuming the plant has quit pouring energy into that particular tomato anyway and doesn't much care if it drops to the ground or rots on the vine. As long as the plants themselves stay in good health, I continue to get lots of production until frost.