How to pick tomatoes What you must pay attention to when picking tomatoes

Tomatoes can not only be used as fruits, but also as vegetables, and they are very popular among people. During the summer, many people plant tomatoes in their orchards. When picking tomatoes from the orchard, you need to know when to pick them, and you also need to know how to find tomatoes that are fully ripe and ready to eat, which is very useful. So how to pick tomatoes and what issues you need to pay attention to when picking tomatoes. Let’s take a look and it will help you pick tomatoes at the right time.

Method/Steps

1. 1Tomatoes taste best in summer, so tomatoes should be picked in summer.
   • The climate in your area determines when is the best time to pick tomatoes.
   • Generally, tomatoes can be picked 55 to 100 days after sowing. The specific time depends on its type.
   • Tomatoes can be picked while they are still green and can be removed from the vines.
   • Pick tomatoes off the vine before the first frost.
   • During the peak growth season of tomatoes, pick them frequently (usually every 1 to 2 days) to prevent them from overripening.
2. 2Look closely at the surface of the tomato.
   • Most ripe tomatoes are bright red, although in hot weather ripe tomatoes may be orange-yellow.
   • Different types of tomatoes have different colors when ripe. Tomatoes will ripen to red, orange, yellow, pink and purple colors. Check the color of the bottom of the tomatoes you pick. Because this is where tomatoes first ripen.
   • The skin of the tomato should be smooth and shiny, without any dark spots or wrinkles. Even a tiny speck indicates that the tomato is rotten on the inside.
3. 3Perceive the firmness of tomatoes.
   • When you gently squeeze the ripe tomatoes, they should feel a little firm. Hard tomatoes take extra time to ripen.
   • If a tomato has a soft spot, it usually means that the area is going to be bruised and the tomato is at risk of rotting.
   • Tomatoes that are too soft and overripe should be removed from the vine and thrown away.
4. 4Use your hands to weigh the tomatoes.
   • Tomatoes that are too light mean they are not ripe enough.
   • Heavy and thick tomatoes are usually ripe for picking and eating.
5. 5Smell the tomatoes to confirm ripeness.
   • The stems of the tomatoes should smell sweet and fragrant. The intense sweetness indicates that this tomato will be more flavorful.

Tips

• In hot weather, tomatoes will soften before they reach their ripe color. Pick these tomatoes and let them ripen indoors.
• The temperature at which tomatoes mature best on the vine is approximately 75 degrees Fahrenheit (24 degrees Celsius).
• Tomatoes can be picked when they are just beginning to turn red and can be picked with the vines on them, which will reduce tomato breakage and prevent animals or insects from eating the ripe tomatoes. Such tomatoes may have a different flavor than tomatoes ripened on the vine.

Notes

• Do not leave cracked tomatoes in your orchard as they can attract pests and spread disease.
• Remove dead or misshapen tomatoes from the vine and throw them away to prevent the spread of disease and pest infestations.

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