Nancy sat in on a Tomato Growing Seminar this spring given by Master Gardener Mark Levisay, and in her notes of “tomato tips” were these instructions: “Pick tomatoes before they are ripe, not when they are ripe.”
This summer, that has been my plan.
It’s August in Virginia and anyone with tomato vines is picking fruit. Yes, tomatoes are fruits, not vegetables. But here’s why you should pick sooner, not later.
The longer you wait to pick, the more chance that your fruits will split, develop soft spots, or end up overripe, mushy, and quicker to rot. They also run the risk of getting pecked by birds, squirrels or stinkbugs or getting eaten by deer, groundhogs, and other tomato-loving wildlife.
If your tomatoes are red when ripe, pick them when they are good and pink, just starting to turn red. In a couple days, they will turn fully red. They will be firm – with no pecked holes – and I believe they are tastier than mushy, ripe tomatoes.
You can even pick a variety in the stages of ripeness and have tomatoes ripening throughout the week.
Picked tomatoes ripen best when stored inside between 60 and 70 degrees, especially when wrapped in newspaper or paper towels or stored in a paper bag. This traps the ethylene gas that tomatoes emit to cause ripening. When stored, don’t be concerned about the fruits absorbing light. This isn’t necessary for the ripening process, but it’s important to store them at the correct temperature.
Don’t wait until they are red-ripe, pick them early for best results.
