Tomato harvesting is simple and satisfying. To achieve the finest taste and texture, though, you must do it at the appropriate moment. This guide will teach you when and how to select them at their peak.
Harvesting the first summer tomatoes from the garden is a moment worth anticipating. After spending several weeks properly caring for them, it’s finally time to reap the rewards of your hard work.
But, understanding when tomatoes are ready to harvest is essential for enjoying them at their optimal taste and freshness.
This comprehensive book will teach you all you need to know to bring in your greatest and most delicious harvest.
I’ll teach you how to detect when tomatoes are ready to pick and how to take them from the vine without damaging or splitting them.
Contents
When To Pick Tomatoes
With so many types out there, it’s hard to tell you exactly when to pick tomatoes. Yet, most will be ripe 60-100 days after germination.
Smaller kinds, like as cherry or grape, typically require 50-70 days, but bigger types and heirlooms might take 80 days or more.
Certain varieties, such as Early Girl or bush hybrids, are developed to bear fruit much sooner.
The best flavor will come from vine-ripened tomatoes, but they’re safe to harvest earlier than that too. In certain cases, picking them somewhat green is preferable.
Excess water can cause splitting, and frost can ruin the fruits. Hence, if rain or a cold spell is expected, it’s best to harvest them early.
How Do You Know When Tomatoes Are Ready To Pick?
Tomatoes are ready to pick when they’ve swollen to their full size and deepened in color. Inspect the package or sticker to determine the approximate size and color to seek.
As you gently squeeze them, they should feel strong yet delicate.
What Color Should A Tomato Be When You Pick It?
Tomatoes are at their finest when their color has intensified. That’s often a rich red, but some varieties are variegated, pink, yellow, or orange instead.
Heirlooms can especially be tricky. Many maintain yellow on the tops, and are prone to cracking if left too long. Assess the hardness to determine when to pick them.
How To Harvest Tomatoes
Now that you know when to pick your tomatoes, let’s look at the best technique to do it safely so you have a plentiful and beautiful crop.
How To Pick Tomatoes Off The Vine
Some fruits may twist easily off the vine, but I suggest cutting them off with a sharp set of snips instead.
During harvesting, twisting or tugging them off might injure the top of the tomato, rip the plant stem, or dislodge neighboring fruits.
Instead, cut them as near to the branch as possible. That will remove any sharp, leftover stems that can damage neighboring fruits as they mature.
Place them carefully into your basket once removed, and always treat them with care since they are quite fragile.
How Often To Harvest Tomatoes
You should harvest tomatoes as often as they are ready. In fact, it’s an excellent technique to promote greater blossom and fruit production.
When the plants are loaded with fruit, you may need to harvest them every day.
Several varieties will continue to produce until the end of the season, which for most of us coincides with the first frost.
Yet, some types only yield for a few weeks for one major harvest.
How Many Times Can Tomatoes Be Harvested?
Most tomato varieties may be harvested numerous times over the summer and autumn months.
Those in warmer regions may enjoy them for a longer period of time, while those in colder climes will have a shorter season.
Continue to check on your plant on a daily basis until the winter season arrives. Then trim it to force all of the existing fruits to ripen for a final harvest.
How Long Do Tomato Plants Produce Fruit?
How long tomato plants produce fruit depends on the type you have. Indeterminates will continue to produce till the winter weather arrives.
Bush or determinate types are more likely to produce all of its fruits and vegetables at once. So you’ll be able to enjoy your crop over a few weeks, but then the plant will naturally decline after that.
How Many Tomatoes Do You Get Per Plant?
It’s very difficult to put a firm number on how many tomatoes you’ll get from one plant. Variety, weather, and their overall health are all variables.
Some are inherently more prolific than others, and determinate plants will not produce as many as bigger indeterminate vines.
They will produce more if they are given full light, constant water, and fertilizer.
Those that are partly shaded, insufficiently irrigated, lack nutrients, or are subjected to temperature extremes will be less productive.
What To Do After Harvesting Tomatoes
After plucked, the best location to preserve fresh tomatoes is on your kitchen counter at room temperature.
Put them in the refrigerator to increase their shelf life. But they do tend to lose texture and flavor the longer they are refrigerated.
If you leave them there, allow them to return to room temperature before eating.
Washing Garden Fresh Tomatoes
There’s no need to wash your tomatoes once they’ve been harvested. In fact, it’s better to wait until you’re ready to use them.
Even so, a short rinse with warm water should enough. If they’re noticeably dirty, then rub them very gently to remove dirt and debris so you don’t cause bruising.
FAQs About Harvesting Tomatoes
I’ve addressed some of the most frequently asked questions regarding tomato picking here. If yours isn’t on the list, please add it to the comments section below.
Should I pick tomatoes before they are ripe?
Unless a frost or rain is expected, you don’t have to harvest tomatoes before they’re ready.
But, if you want or need to, you may harvest them when the first colors show.
What happens if I pick my tomatoes too early?
If you pick your tomatoes too early, they won’t be very good to eat raw. They’ll be hard and crispy, with no taste.
Yet, they may still be used in recipes, as well as for pickling, canning, and cooking.
Where do you cut tomatoes off the vine?
To avoid damaging neighboring fruit, clip tomatoes from the vine just below the point where they are linked to the main branch.
What month should tomatoes be ready to pick?
The month in which tomatoes should be ready to harvest is determined on where you live and the kind you have. Most are ready sometime from mid to late summer, and will continue to produce until the weather cools down in the fall.
Should I pick tomatoes or cut the vine?
The safest way to remove tomatoes from the vine is to cut them off instead of picking them. This protects the fruits and stem from injury.
Can I pick my tomatoes when they are green?
Absolutely, you can harvest tomatoes while they are still green. It is common practice towards the end of the season when the frost will damage any remaining fruit.
Now that you know the ins and outs of harvesting tomatoes, you’ll be ready to start picking them as soon as they’re ready. Understanding the proper stage and practices will allow you to savor every mouthful of your summer harvest.
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