Manipulating Tomato Flavor?

livinonfaith · March 17, 2013

As far as the over-watering issue goes, I've found that picking tomatoes before they reach full color definitely cuts down on both cracking and flavor issues, especially in my container tomatoes which have to be watered heavily and often.

I let mine ripen about halfway on the vine. They might get picked a little sooner if there is a forecast for rain, a little later if no rain is forecast and I'm not having to water every day. I'm also learning to pick the garden right before I have to water, not after.

Also in my experience, the longer that the tomato sits inside without reaching a point where it starts to deteriorate, the better it will be. I've found some varieties that I thought were bland at first, but if picked just a little early and left for a week or two on the counter, they are delicious, sweet and juicy!

Some tomatoes don't like to sit and will deteriorate quickly after being picked, though, so that "aging" technique doesn't work as well with every variety. But almost all of them can be picked at least a little early and ripened for a few days. That may make the difference between them getting too much water too late in their development.

March 17, 2013	#18
livinonfaith Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina Posts: 1,332	As far as the over-watering issue goes, I've found that picking tomatoes before they reach full color definitely cuts down on both cracking and flavor issues, especially in my container tomatoes which have to be watered heavily and often. I let mine ripen about halfway on the vine. They might get picked a little sooner if there is a forecast for rain, a little later if no rain is forecast and I'm not having to water every day. I'm also learning to pick the garden right before I have to water, not after. Also in my experience, the longer that the tomato sits inside without reaching a point where it starts to deteriorate, the better it will be. I've found some varieties that I thought were bland at first, but if picked just a little early and left for a week or two on the counter, they are delicious, sweet and juicy! Some tomatoes don't like to sit and will deteriorate quickly after being picked, though, so that "aging" technique doesn't work as well with every variety. But almost all of them can be picked at least a little early and ripened for a few days. That may make the difference between them getting too much water too late in their development.