How do you know when tomatoes are ready to be picked?
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Most tomato varieties will change from green to red. Sometimes if you have them-yellow.Tomatoes come in red,yellow and orange these days. But I'm guessing you have a red variety?Usually picked when red,and allowed to ripen naturally indoors.If you feel tomato carefully, and it feels soft-then pick. Leave greener ones to ripen.Tomatoes will even ripen,after plants are removed from ground. Good Luck!
Pick them after they have ripened on the vine, they will look like the ones you buy at the grocery store. Tomatoes will be green at first and then change to the color they are when ripe, like yellow or red.
Color of change to red from green or to yellow from green equals ripe. When they start to change any they may be picked and left to ripen on the kitchen counter or whereever. I prefer not to refridgerate. Placing large green tomatoes in a brown paper bag helps hasten ripening. The softer the riper but red is good. You might pick them as soon as they start to turn to pprevent insect or birds from getting them first. Or that nieghbor whose been watching them too. Try some green fried tomaotes. Or a salsa made from green tomatoes. Ripe tomatoes may crack open if they get water after being dprived. Water regularly. Cracked tomatoes may be eatten but do not keep so well.
When they come off the vine easy.
It depends on how you like them. You can pick them green and have fried green tomatoes or leave them on the vine until they are completely red. They will continue to ripen after you pick them. If you like them ripe and full of flavor, pick when deep red and eat them at room temp. You can't beat vine ripened home grown tomatoes.
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