A good starting point in determining when to pick tomatoes is the number of days to harvest listed on the seed packet or plant tag. With thousands of tomato varieties of all shapes, colors, and sizes, ripening times can vary from as few as 60 days to more than 100 days. The “days to harvest” countdown begins on the day the seedling is planted in the garden, not on the day the seed is sown. Seed germination takes about a week, then the seedling should be allowed to grow at least two sets of true leaves before it’s ready to transplant. So if you grow your plants from seeds, seedling production adds as much as a month to the total time to maturity.
I’ve found that keeping a gardening journal really helps with tracking these timelines. For instance, last summer I grew ‘Early Girl’ tomatoes, which are supposed to take about 60 days to mature. I marked the transplant date and started checking around day 50. It’s not an exact science, though—weather can speed things up or slow them down. According to a study from the University of California’s Cooperative Extension, temperature fluctuations can shift ripening times by up to 10 days for some varieties. To make it easier, I suggest jotting down the expected maturity date when you plant and then checking the plants a week or two before. If you’re growing heirlooms like ‘Brandywine,’ expect closer to 80-90 days, so patience is key!
It’s Usually Best to Let Tomatoes Ripen Fully on the Vine
In an emergency it is fine to pick mature green tomatoes and let them ripen indoors, off the vine. Grocery store suppliers typically harvest tomatoes when they are just beginning to show color so the fruits can ripen in transit. But the best flavor quality comes from vine-ripened tomatoes. So, what qualifies as ripe? Green tomatoes lighten in color after reaching their full size, indicating the start of the ripening process. Around the time the color is halfway developed, the fruit seals itself off from the main vine. At this point the tomato ripens the rest of the way without resources from the plant. It can be picked off the vine without losing nutritional value, flavor or quality. Gardeners are often reluctant to harvest slightly green tomatoes, thinking that they will not produce a good flavor. In reality, harvesting at any point past the half-color stage allows more control over the ripening process without losing that homegrown flavor.
There’s something magical about biting into a tomato that’s ripened fully on the vine—it’s like the flavor explodes! I learned this the hard way when I picked some ‘Cherokee Purple’ tomatoes too early, thinking they’d finish up indoors. They did ripen, but the taste wasn’t as rich. Science backs this up: a 2016 study in the Journal of Food Science found that vine-ripened tomatoes have higher levels of sugars and volatile compounds, which give that sweet, complex flavor. If you’re worried about birds or bugs getting to your tomatoes, try using lightweight netting to protect them while they ripen. It’s a small investment—usually under $10 for a decent roll—and it saves your crop without rushing the harvest.
Firmness Is a Good Indication of a Fully Ripe Tomato
Firmness is an excellent way to judge whether a tomato is ready to pick. Fully red-ripe tomatoes should feel slightly tender, but not soft, under a gentle squeeze. That is when they are perfectly ready to eat. If you are harvesting at the half-color stage, the fruit should feel firm but not hard. Tenderness develops as the color and aroma mature, either on the vine or on the kitchen counter. The fruit may have no smell at first, but when they are ready to eat, tomatoes produce a strong sweet, earthy fragrance from the stem end. Since tomatoes can be any number of colors when they are ripe and ready to eat, feel and smell are some of the best ripeness indicators.
I always give my tomatoes a gentle squeeze to check for that sweet spot of ripeness—it’s like a little ritual. Last season, I noticed my ‘Sun Gold’ cherry tomatoes smelled amazing when they were ready, almost like fresh herbs. If you’re not sure, try sniffing the stem end; that earthy-sweet scent is a dead giveaway. For beginners, it’s worth noting that overripe tomatoes can get mushy fast, especially in humid climates. A tip from a local farmer I know: if you’re picking at the half-color stage, store them in a cool, dry spot (around 65-70°F is ideal) to slow ripening and avoid spoilage. This gives you a bit more control without sacrificing taste.
There Are Situations in Which You Don’t Want to Wait for Tomatoes to Ripen Before Picking Them
Temperatures at and above 90 degrees Fahrenheit are not great for most tomato varieties. High temperatures can make tomatoes more susceptible to sunscald and other heat-related problems. Plus, lycopene and carotene, the red and orange pigments that give tomatoes their color, cannot develop properly in hot weather. If your tomatoes have gained their size and won’t develop color, pick them and let them finish ripening in your air-conditioned kitchen. If season-ending cold weather or severe storms threaten your crop, you can salvage green ripe tomatoes by picking them early. Any tomatoes that have already reached their mature size and turned light green are considered green ripe. Green tomatoes are good for a variety of recipes, like fried green tomatoes or green tomato salsa. Or, at this stage they can still ripen indoors. Place them in a paper bag with ethylene-producing fruits such as bananas or apples to assist ripening.
Hot summers can be brutal on tomatoes—I lost a few to sunscald last July when temps hit 95°F for a week straight. Picking them early saved the rest. The science here is fascinating: lycopene production slows above 85°F, which is why your tomatoes might stay stubbornly green in a heatwave. If you’re dealing with cold snaps, I’ve had great luck with the paper bag trick. Just toss in an apple, and check every couple of days. A quick tip: don’t overcrowd the bag, as good airflow helps prevent mold. Green tomatoes are also super versatile—my family loves a green tomato relish recipe that’s been a game-changer for using up early picks!
The Best Way to Harvest Tomatoes Is with a Sharp, Clean Pair of Pruning Shears or Garden Clippers
The pointy green “leaves” that fan out at the top of the tomato are the calyx that once protected the flower bud. Some tomatoes easily separate from the plant, leaving their calyx behind. Others break away with the calyx and a short stem at a slightly swollen joint where the stem connects to the vine. A few types of tomatoes break away easily only when they are overripe, and should instead be harvested by cutting them off the plant. If you encounter any resistance at the stem while harvesting tomatoes, avoid damaging the plant or the fruit. Use a clean, sharp pair of pruning shears or garden clippers to cut the ripe tomato from the vine. Hold the tomato with one hand and cut the stem just above the fruit with the other.
I’ve made the mistake of yanking tomatoes off the vine and ended up with a bruised fruit and a damaged plant—lesson learned! Now I always keep a pair of sharp clippers handy. A good pair costs about $15-$20 and lasts for years if you clean them after each use. Pro tip: wipe the blades with rubbing alcohol to prevent spreading diseases between plants. Also, try to harvest in the morning when the fruits are cool and firm—it makes them easier to handle and less likely to split. This small habit has saved me a lot of heartache in the garden!
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