Ripening in the heat

Stvrob · May 13, 2015

This is the first year Ive grown Big Beef and the heat from the past week has me worried about the way they are ripening. They never had a pink or red blush, just going straight to a yellowish-orange-ish look. We've had several days of hot windy weather (though this afternoon we just had a storm drop an inch of rain). The plants are loaded with fruit, should I go ahead and pick them and ripen them indoors? Ill post a pic from my phone.

Stvrob · May 13, 2015

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1431565133.538073.jpg ImageUploadedByTapatalk1431565146.486925.jpg

They have looked like this for several days now

Gardeneer · May 13, 2015

That is called color break.
I think, if you are worried about any environmental/weather/ pest damage, you can pick them and let them ripen inside.

Stvrob · May 13, 2015

Maybe im just watching them too closely. Im sure we will get a break soon from the hot dry wind.

b54red · May 14, 2015

They will be fine ripening on the vine right now. Of course when it starts hitting 100 degrees it is sometimes better to go ahead and get them somewhere a little more moderate to finish ripening to avoid over ripening and splitting. Big Beef takes the heat better than many varieties so be patient they will turn totally red soon.

Our heat is why it is so hard to grow a really large tomato down here. I think once we start seeing upper 90s during the day and nights too warm the tomatoes want to ripen much quicker and so they stop growing. I rarely get two pound tomatoes and they are usually from early set outs that got some good growth before the heat settled in.

Bill

May 13, 2015	#1
Stvrob Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Jacksonville, FL Posts: 1,413	Ripening in the heat This is the first year Ive grown Big Beef and the heat from the past week has me worried about the way they are ripening. They never had a pink or red blush, just going straight to a yellowish-orange-ish look. We've had several days of hot windy weather (though this afternoon we just had a storm drop an inch of rain). The plants are loaded with fruit, should I go ahead and pick them and ripen them indoors? Ill post a pic from my phone.

May 13, 2015	#3
Gardeneer Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: NC - zone 8a - heat zone 7 Posts: 4,919	That is called color break. I think, if you are worried about any environmental/weather/ pest damage, you can pick them and let them ripen inside.

May 14, 2015	#5
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	They will be fine ripening on the vine right now. Of course when it starts hitting 100 degrees it is sometimes better to go ahead and get them somewhere a little more moderate to finish ripening to avoid over ripening and splitting. Big Beef takes the heat better than many varieties so be patient they will turn totally red soon. Our heat is why it is so hard to grow a really large tomato down here. I think once we start seeing upper 90s during the day and nights too warm the tomatoes want to ripen much quicker and so they stop growing. I rarely get two pound tomatoes and they are usually from early set outs that got some good growth before the heat settled in. Bill