Ripening on the vine

rhines81 · August 16, 2015

I was doing a lot of surfing last night and collectively gathered a few tips from various sites (sorry, I have no idea where from unless I go searching again).

1st - tomatoes draw up to 50% of their sweetness from the plant during the last couple of days of ripening. I know everyone says to pick when they are blushing, but to the contrary it cuts the fruit off from receiving it's last dose of goodness from the mothership.

2nd - wind blows the ethylene gases away preventing the tomato from ripening. My thought on this was to perhaps place a paper bag over a clump of tomatoes to keep the gas in. After all, the fruit itself does not need the sun directly.

Other thoughts?

August 16, 2015	#1
rhines81 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Zone 5A, Poconos Posts: 959	Ripening on the vine I was doing a lot of surfing last night and collectively gathered a few tips from various sites (sorry, I have no idea where from unless I go searching again). 1st - tomatoes draw up to 50% of their sweetness from the plant during the last couple of days of ripening. I know everyone says to pick when they are blushing, but to the contrary it cuts the fruit off from receiving it's last dose of goodness from the mothership. 2nd - wind blows the ethylene gases away preventing the tomato from ripening. My thought on this was to perhaps place a paper bag over a clump of tomatoes to keep the gas in. After all, the fruit itself does not need the sun directly. Other thoughts?