When To Remove From Vines

buddy · August 9, 2010

Hi. I'm having a terrible problem with something (squirrels or chipmunks) eating my tomatoes just as they are almost fully ripe. I got some good suggestions from a previous post on potential solutions. I'm rather new at growing tomatoes and have always left them on the vine until they fully ripen. Can I pick them earier than fully ripe - and if so, how soon? I don't want to sacrifice the flavor, but I'd really like to get something off the vine before the varmits have their feast. If I pick them early, how do I continue the ripening process? Thanks in advance.

Timmah! · August 9, 2010

When you see them blush, you can remove them to the safety of your home to finish. Just set them on your counter or any other safe room temperature spot.

fortyonenorth · August 9, 2010

I walk through the tomato patch every evening and pick anything that's blushing. Otherwise, the raccoons eat them. How do I know "they" are raccoons? Because I caught them (yes, four of "them") using the Havahart trap to climb into my raised beds.

matertoo · August 9, 2010

Buddy, As others have said, Pick when you first see colors changing. In my case, if I delay, the critters enjoy (ruin) the ripe fruit and I'm left out.

GRRRRR!

Happy Matering,

Paul

buddy · August 9, 2010

Thanks everyone. I picked a bunch this morning.

FILMNET · August 9, 2010

Funny one i started picking really first blush, now still do, so I have 3-5 slight blush, 3-5 3 days old, and of course 3-5 ready to eat after a week, only problem has been picking to hard once and a few came off w/no blushing. These take longer 5 days or more. So far no change is sweetness or taste, but I am a beginner.

habitat_gardener · August 9, 2010

I try to cut blushing tomatoes off the vine rather than pulling them off. If they're ripe, then it doesn't matter if pulling creates a wound, because they can be eaten right away. But if they're not quite ripe, and pulling makes them crack, they can rot before they ripen.

I don't do anything special to let them ripen -- just keep them separate (not touching) and keep an eye on them so they don't get overripe!

August 9, 2010	#1
buddy Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Illinois Posts: 6	When To Remove From Vines Hi. I'm having a terrible problem with something (squirrels or chipmunks) eating my tomatoes just as they are almost fully ripe. I got some good suggestions from a previous post on potential solutions. I'm rather new at growing tomatoes and have always left them on the vine until they fully ripen. Can I pick them earier than fully ripe - and if so, how soon? I don't want to sacrifice the flavor, but I'd really like to get something off the vine before the varmits have their feast. If I pick them early, how do I continue the ripening process? Thanks in advance.

August 9, 2010	#2
Timmah! Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Elizabethtown, Kentucky 6a Posts: 754	When you see them blush, you can remove them to the safety of your home to finish. Just set them on your counter or any other safe room temperature spot.

August 9, 2010	#3
fortyonenorth Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: NW Indiana Posts: 1,150	I walk through the tomato patch every evening and pick anything that's blushing. Otherwise, the raccoons eat them. How do I know "they" are raccoons? Because I caught them (yes, four of "them") using the Havahart trap to climb into my raised beds.

August 9, 2010	#4
matertoo Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: LA (Lower Alabama) Posts: 354	Buddy, As others have said, Pick when you first see colors changing. In my case, if I delay, the critters enjoy (ruin) the ripe fruit and I'm left out. GRRRRR! Happy Matering, Paul

August 9, 2010	#6
FILMNET Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: North Charleston,South Carolina, USA Posts: 1,803	Funny one i started picking really first blush, now still do, so I have 3-5 slight blush, 3-5 3 days old, and of course 3-5 ready to eat after a week, only problem has been picking to hard once and a few came off w/no blushing. These take longer 5 days or more. So far no change is sweetness or taste, but I am a beginner.

August 9, 2010	#7
habitat_gardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: California Central Valley Posts: 2,543	I try to cut blushing tomatoes off the vine rather than pulling them off. If they're ripe, then it doesn't matter if pulling creates a wound, because they can be eaten right away. But if they're not quite ripe, and pulling makes them crack, they can rot before they ripen. I don't do anything special to let them ripen -- just keep them separate (not touching) and keep an eye on them so they don't get overripe!