Why are my Toms so darn ugly and spliting and rotting? - Page 3

Ruth_10 · July 20, 2008

It is not my experience that a tomato picked at first blush and allowed to sit inside until it is fully red (or pink or yellow) tastes the same as one that ripens on the vine. Yes, if you have torrential downpours you will avoid cracking if you pick them when they have color but are not fully ripe. If you have a plague of insects, sure. But this isn't the case in many areas.

A tomato picked when it has just started to turn color is not the same as one left on the vine until it is ripe (not past ripe, but at a point where it could be eaten that day or the next).

A fruit on the vine is in communication with the rest of the plant. There are still metabolic processes going on. It is still a work in progress.

harleysilo · July 22, 2008

Seriously, how do I tell when the Green Tomatoes are ripe, I have a Mystery Green plant with MONSTER tomatoes on it. MONSTER!!!!

feldon30 · July 22, 2008

I am going to guess that Grub's Mystery Green tomatoes grown in Georgia are going to show somewhat of an amber blush on the bottom when ready. But don't make that assumption. I'd check the bottoms every day with your thumb to see if they are getting at all soft.

jcmorse33 · July 22, 2008

On the dwarf growout plant I have which turned out to be (unexpectedly) a green when ripe the fruit actually became a more pronounced green when it started to turn. Plus it softened so when I saw the darker (brighter?) green color and squeezed it gently I could feel that it was starting to ripen.

--Justin

July 20, 2008	#31
Ruth_10 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: MO z6a near St. Louis Posts: 1,349	It is not my experience that a tomato picked at first blush and allowed to sit inside until it is fully red (or pink or yellow) tastes the same as one that ripens on the vine. Yes, if you have torrential downpours you will avoid cracking if you pick them when they have color but are not fully ripe. If you have a plague of insects, sure. But this isn't the case in many areas. A tomato picked when it has just started to turn color is not the same as one left on the vine until it is ripe (not past ripe, but at a point where it could be eaten that day or the next). A fruit on the vine is in communication with the rest of the plant. There are still metabolic processes going on. It is still a work in progress. __________________ --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.

July 22, 2008	#33
feldon30 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 5,346	I am going to guess that Grub's Mystery Green tomatoes grown in Georgia are going to show somewhat of an amber blush on the bottom when ready. But don't make that assumption. I'd check the bottoms every day with your thumb to see if they are getting at all soft. __________________ [SIZE="3"]I've relaunched my gardening website -- [B]TheUnconventionalTomato.com[/B][/SIZE] * [I][SIZE="1"]*I'm not allowed to post weblinks so you'll have to copy-paste it manually.[/SIZE][/I]

July 22, 2008	#32
harleysilo Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2007 Location: Woodstock GA Posts: 418	Seriously, how do I tell when the Green Tomatoes are ripe, I have a Mystery Green plant with MONSTER tomatoes on it. MONSTER!!!!

July 22, 2008	#34
jcmorse33 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Central Virginia Posts: 242	On the dwarf growout plant I have which turned out to be (unexpectedly) a green when ripe the fruit actually became a more pronounced green when it started to turn. Plus it softened so when I saw the darker (brighter?) green color and squeezed it gently I could feel that it was starting to ripen. --Justin