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LavendulaFleur
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« Reply #15 on: July 14, 2009, 05:04:39 PM » |
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I have cherry tomatoes growing in clusters. Would I need to wait for all of the tomatoes to be blushing, or just the first one? They seem to blush one by one  Mine are doing the same thing! I've been picking them, one at a time, when one *blushes*.  |
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psh
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« Reply #16 on: July 14, 2009, 08:18:12 PM » |
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I just pick my cherry tomatoes as they begin to blush. You don't need to pinch off the whole branch. Just pull on the tomatoes that you want to pick and they will come off easily enough. Then, if they haven't turned ripe yet, just set them on the counter and they will be ripe in a couple of days.
Philip
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I'll never trust the Walrus or the Carpenter again.
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kathy
The EarthBox
Hero Member
Posts: 3576
Horticulturalist. Zone 5, almost 4
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« Reply #18 on: July 17, 2009, 12:28:53 PM » |
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Does picking the tomatoes "early" actually do anything for the plant? You know, like stimulate further production of (blossoms, and therefore) fruit?  This just starts the anxiety separation earlier.......I am kidding, I don't think it will make any significant difference. |
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kath, gardening is my game, EarthBox is my fame.
BER...happens.
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bdobs
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« Reply #19 on: July 18, 2009, 12:18:37 PM » |
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Does picking the tomatoes "early" actually do anything for the plant? You know, like stimulate further production of (blossoms, and therefore) fruit? Not for tomatoes, but it does for peppers |
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acanfield
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« Reply #20 on: July 19, 2009, 08:07:57 AM » |
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Have picked a bunch of blushing cherry tomatoes in the last few days -- impatiently waiting for them to ripen. The ones I've tried have been delicious.
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acanfield
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« Reply #21 on: July 20, 2009, 10:04:11 PM » |
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I've decided I don't know what first blush. I picked some cherry tomatoes that were no longer green, they were sort of yellow/orange. I thought that was first blush. I've been waiting several days for them to turn red, but all that is happening is that they are getting softer. I tasted them, and they taste ok, but they don't look like the ones that have ripened on the plant.
Can someone tell me what first blush looks like color-wise?
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LavendulaFleur
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« Reply #22 on: July 21, 2009, 02:46:25 PM » |
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Can someone tell me what first blush looks like color-wise?
The article says: “Until frost is in the forecast, I recommend always harvesting tomatoes when they show the first blush of red color,” I've been picking when the tomato starts to turn its respective color (orange, red, yellow, purple) and seem to be doing ok. Is that what everyone else does? |
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« Last Edit: July 22, 2009, 06:05:48 PM by LavendulaFleur »
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acanfield
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« Reply #23 on: July 21, 2009, 10:27:36 PM » |
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That makes more sense to me than picking them when they turn from green to some color other than red -- when they are red tomatoes. Live and learn. Fortunately I didn't pick too many yellowish/orange ones.
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faquinteros
Full Member
Posts: 87
Humboldt Park, Chicago, Zone 5
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« Reply #24 on: July 22, 2009, 12:18:54 PM » |
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I'm trying this out too. So far so good. I picked my cherry tomatoes when they turned anything but green at any little spot and they're just the same as the ones i let ripen on the vine (i kept some on as a control). i plucked a cherokee purple today so i'll give it a few days and see how it does. i'm basically only doing this because i'm bored. i have no squirrels or birds ever on my roof, but i wanted to see if they taste the same.
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cushman350
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« Reply #25 on: July 22, 2009, 03:13:16 PM » |
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I've decided I don't know what first blush. I picked some cherry tomatoes that were no longer green, they were sort of yellow/orange. I thought that was first blush. I've been waiting several days for them to turn red, but all that is happening is that they are getting softer. I tasted them, and they taste ok, but they don't look like the ones that have ripened on the plant.
Can someone tell me what first blush looks like color-wise?
Maybe the cherry tomatoes are different, I've never had a regular tomato go soft before ripening that was a healthy tomato. |
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INFESTED DIGESTED COMPOSTED
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Kamisha100
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« Reply #26 on: July 27, 2009, 12:53:17 PM » |
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I am ready to weigh in on the early picking. I will most definitely make this a practice. I don't find that I have lost any flavor. I have been doing it with about 50-75% blush, seems to work pretty well. The other huge benefit is I Can get to them before the birds. Yet another is that I experience less splitting on the maters especially with the purple Cherokee and my yellow pears. With the sweet 100's, I can barely keep up with the ripe ones, so those are pretty ripe when picked. I like it!
Happy Gardening Folks!
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« Last Edit: July 27, 2009, 12:55:39 PM by Kamisha100 »
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gardendoc
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« Reply #27 on: July 27, 2009, 12:58:34 PM » |
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i plucked a cherokee purple today so i'll give it a few days and see how it does. i'm basically only doing this because i'm bored.
You must really be bored to pick a tomato a little early to watch it ripen |
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My grandfather used to say that once in your life you need a doctor, a lawyer, a policeman, and a preacher. But every day, three times a day you need a farmer.
We are only 9 meals away from revolution
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LavendulaFleur
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« Reply #28 on: July 27, 2009, 03:02:58 PM » |
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i plucked a cherokee purple today so i'll give it a few days and see how it does. i'm basically only doing this because i'm bored.
You must really be bored to pick a tomato a little early to watch it ripen gardendoc, I'm confused. Are you being facetious or...?  |
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