The best time to pick tomatoes is when they reach the "breaker stage," which is when the tomato is about half green and half pink or showing the first blush of color. At this point, tomatoes can be harvested and will continue to ripen off the vine without losing flavor, quality, or nutrition. Another indicator of readiness is when the tomato slightly softens at the bottom and the fruit releases easily when gently tugged from the plant. Picking tomatoes at or shortly after the breaker stage helps avoid issues like splitting, cracking, or being eaten by pests, while still allowing the fruit to develop full flavor during ripening off the vine.
Additional tips:
- Tomatoes ripen from the bottom up and inside out, so checking softness at the bottom helps determine readiness.
- Different tomato varieties have different ripe colors (red, yellow, orange, etc.), so knowing the specific variety helps in deciding when to pick.
- Tomatoes picked a bit earlier can be ripened indoors at temperatures around 60-70°F, often wrapped in paper to trap ethylene gas for even ripening.
For cherry tomatoes, the fruit should be fully colored according to its variety and come off easily with a gentle tug.
In summary, aim to pick tomatoes when they begin to show color change and soften slightly but before they are fully ripe on the vine for best results. This balances flavor, fruit safety, and pest prevention.
