I don't feel I lose anything tastewise by picking them when they are in various stages of ripening. I like to unburden the plant so the rest can start ripening. That being said, I am currently leaving some on the vine just to see how long it takes to actually get a vine ripened one. Also, I generally like to get them off the vine asap to keep anything else from eating them.

I too prefer to pick when blushing to keep them away from the critters...and worms...and to prevent splitting. From what I know, at 'break' the fruit has already received everything it needs from the plant. So it doesn't seem that there would scientifically be a difference. Oh, and I never store tomatoes in the fridge, as the texture degrades significantly.

I pick different tomatos at different times. If its a really nice big one I will tend to pick it when it first starts to turn because they seem to crack much easier when they are orange to red in color. I will also pick the ones that seem easy for the birds to get at as they seem to go nuts for them when they turn red. They don't like them they just are attracted to the color red.

I don't think they lose much if any of their flavor if you pick them when they have at least started to turn red. I picked some green last fall when I was pulling my plants up and let them ripen in paper sacks. They lost some flavor but it was still 10 times better than store bought.

Picking at blush or break stage is common. No loss of flavor as once blush occurs the plant is sealed off from the plant anyway. But it is the best way to prevent all sorts of problems that can harm the fruit if you leave it on the vine as it finises ripening.

Dave

As a follow up to this, does anyone harvest an entire fruit cluster, vine and all once the last tomato on that cluster has reached the "breaker" stage? I was going to try this for some of mine this year to see if keeping them on the vine, yet off the plany does anything to help keep them fresh longer or taste better or anything like that.

CH

I have never tried it because 1)I don't grow many cluster-type varieties and 2) on those I do, if I waited for break on the last fruit in the cluster then the first fruits would be well over-ripe.

I have read here where those who pick clusters of cherry varieties such as Sungold find they prefer the flavor of those in the middle of the cluster over the top or bottom ones. Likely due to the ripening stage.

But it could be an interesting experiment. Let us know how it turns out.

Dave

Agree with Dave. On my plants the first couple of fruits on the truss are fully ripe on the vine while the couple of last flowers on the same truss are yet to open. TBH i've never fully understood the technique to get a full cluster/truss of ripe fruit without any being over ripe or not ripe enough. I suppose it might include some trimming of the truss and removal of some latter flowers.
Do let us know how it turns out, please ;)

Cheers,
Djole

I go by feel, too. I don't like to pick them when they're rock-hard. The little ones, like Sungold, I pick individually, rather than in clusters, because the whole cluster is seldom ripe at the same time. They seem to taste better if I pick them fully ripe.

Here is a link that might be useful: My tomatoes

Hello:

I've been wondering, how do you tell when "break" has occurred?

And/or, how much "blush" is enough that it's safe to pick, flavor-wise?

I was just out picking some of my Sungold, and I noticed that the little stem has a bend in it. But not all the bent ones are ripe, so it didn't seem to me that that would be what "break" was. (And actually, my method of picking the Sungold is that I sort of wiggle them around a little on the stem, and if they come off, I eat them, and if not, I leave them. It's not exactly scientific!)

I am trying some larger size maters this year, so if anyone can clarify for me the earliest point at which one can pick without sacrificing flavor, I would be grateful. I might end up leaving them on longer, but it would be comforting to know. (And I realize that there's probably no way to know for sure if you are losing a tiny bit of flavor. That's okay.)

Thanks!!! I did a search but didn't know for sure what break/blush meant.

Color "break" refers to color developing on the blossom end of the fruit. Nothing to do with the stem. At the first appearance of color on the blossom end color break has happened and you can pick the fruit.

Dave

I am planning to save seeds for the first time this year, and would like to know if tomatoes that are left to fully ripen or even over ripen on the plant will produce more viable seeds than those picked at first blush.

i always heard that if you want to seed save, you basically leave the fruit on the wine until it gets overripe (if you push on the flesh it doesn't bounce back).

Thats what i heard, i wouldn't know if breaker stage tomatoes have as many viable seeds

I've had good luck with saving seed from a perfectly ripe, ready to eat tomato.

I am planning to save seeds for the first time this year, and would like to know if tomatoes that are left to fully ripen or even over ripen on the plant will produce more viable seeds than those picked at first blush.

Makes little difference. As long as there is obvious blush at the blossom end the seeds are mature. Just let it continue to ripen indoors before harvesting the seeds.

Dave

Thanks so much, Dave!!! Clarity ... gosh how I love it!