Ripeness question

[socalgardengal]

I'm getting excited, this is my first time growing tomatoes and I have LOTS of them growing. My Jaune Flamme is changing color and I'm not sure how to tell when they are ready to harvest. Can someone please tell me how do you know when green, yellow and white ones are ripe also. Thanks for helping a newbie

[FarmerShawn]

I go by feel. When a gentle squeeze tells me it is no longer hard, I figure it is ready.
Shawn

[livinonfaith]

Just don't let them get too ripe or they might get mealy. I've found that a lot of the heirloom tomatoes do better if I pick them when they are 1/2 to 3/4 of the way to their fully ripe color. Then I let them ripen on the counter inside.

The bonus to this is that you get them before the birds do. Also they don't get waterlogged during the critical ripening period. If you aren't watering that often and the birds aren't getting them, you might be able to leave them on longer.

Sometimes it's trial and error to find the perfect picking time, and they do tend to taste better a little later in the season, so if your first one isn't that great, don't get too down about it!

[VC Scott]

I agree with livinonfaith. Hate to lose tomatoes to the birds. Early in the season I tend to let them ripen more on the vine, as I think it increases the sugar content a bit. At the height of the summer I will pick them when half way to the fully ripe color.

In San Diego we don't have to worry about tomatoes getting waterlogged. We probably won't get an inch of rain between now and October.

[Deborah]

Scott, just today I was wishing for the showers we were supposed to get. Not happening here.

[Tonio]

You mean the possible drizzle? I call it spit

[socalgardengal]

LOL, I just wish the sun would stay out more. I'm on the point and the clouds don't stay away for too long. I was hoping for "spit" overnight but nothing! Thanks for the answers everyone

[JLJ_]

Originally Posted by socalgardengal

Can someone please tell me how do you know when green, yellow and white ones are ripe also.

We had the same question -- in fact, still have it, in spite of much good advice.

Partly, I think the difficulty is that people vary about when they consider a tomato ripe.

What helped us last year with Green Doctors was to put them on a tray on the counter and watch them -- sometimes trying one that seemed ripe. We finally decided that it took quite a long time to get to the pronounced amber tint over the green that indicated they were probably to the point where my mother liked them -- more sweet than tart.

Our Malamute's nose apparently agreed with her -- on one occasion the morning several had gotten to the point where I thought she would like them they suddenly disappeared, carefully removed from among the other less ripe ones. But I suspect that many people would like them at a slightly earlier ripeness stage.

We figured that. whether we continued with counter top ripening or not, that procedure made it easier for us to decide upon the "ripe" look that was right for us.

Or possibly, if you have a canine associate, you could teach it to point out the ripe tomatoes that are difficult to identify visually.

[socalgardengal]

Hahaha, love the dog idea JLJ! Guess I'll be experimenting

[Stvrob]

Usually the birds let me know when they are ripe.

[rwsacto]

Try the squirrel method. Bite one, if it is not ripe, throw it on the ground. Bite another, if it is not ripe, throw it on the ground. Bite another, . . . . .

[lycomania]

rwsacto, that was really funny. Evilly funny!

[drezz]

Originally Posted by lycomania

rwsacto, that was really funny. Evilly funny!

Those tree rats taste pretty good slow cooked in a tomato sauce, jus saying

[clkeiper]

Originally Posted by rwsacto

Try the squirrel method. Bite one, if it is not ripe, throw it on the ground. Bite another, if it is not ripe, throw it on the ground. Bite another, . . . . .

[panda]

good one

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