How do I know when tomatoes are ripe?
Written by
Julia Anderson
Reviewed by
Prof. Samuel Fitzgerald, Ph.D.Understanding the essentials of growing tomatoes is of very little value if you are going to harvest too early, or too late for that matter! True maturity of tomatoes includes the elements of color, touch, and smell, and after harvesting thousands of tomatoes over the last 15 seasons, here are the ways to avoid tomatoes that are hard as a rock or mushy!
Color Clues
- Red varieties: Uniform crimson with no green shoulders
- Heirlooms: Look for gold/purple undertones (e.g., Cherokee Purple)
- Striped types: Bold contrasting lines (Green Zebra turns amber)
Texture & Aroma
- Gentle squeeze: Yields like a stress ball, not squishy
- Stem scent: Sweet, earthy smell indicates sugars developed
- Skin gloss: Dull finish signals full maturity
Use sharp pruners to harvest, leaving 1/2 inch of stem. Twisting the plant will damage the vine. Check the plant every day, especially after the first color shows up as ripe tomatoes, once ripe, deteriorate rapidly. My 'Sun Gold' cherries can go from perfect to split in 8 hours if it rains in the summer. The only tomatoes to keep strictly in the refrigerator are the cracked fruits; cold takes away flavor from tomatoes.
Common Problems
- Uneven color: Rotate fruits for even sun exposure
- Hard spots: Caused by temps below 50°F (10°C)
- Splitting: Harvest before heavy rain forecasts
Storage Fixes
- Countertop cure: Place underripe tomatoes stem-down
- Paper bag trick: Add banana peel to speed ripening
- Freeze whole: Skins slip off after thawing
Nothing beats a taste test. Bite into a tomato, and if the juice runs clear, just wait. If the juice is cloudy, it's underripe. If deep red nectar runs from the tomato and the seeds cling to the flesh of the tomato, you've got a winner. My benchmark with 'Brandywine' tomatoes is that the flavor is so rich, that eating one makes things from the store taste like water.
Read the full article: How to Grow Tomatoes: Complete Beginner's Guide
