When is the best time to pick Tomatoes?

Question

Should you wait until they turn bright red or can you pick them earlier?

A couple of mine are starting to get too big a have big creases around the edge! Can I pick these now even though they are not red yet?

Answer 1

It's true..you CAN pick them when they are orange, and they WILL ripen on a sunny window sill....but...keep in mind that they won't have the fantastic tomato flavor unless you allow them to fully ripen on the vine.

That's why tomatoes that are sold commercially aren't as good as home grown tomatoes...they pick them before they are ripe and ship them out.

If you get a few cracks, it's not a big deal----just cut that part off.  If you are growing tomatoes yourself, you will probably have more than you will know what to do with anyways!

I vote to leave them on the vine until they are fully ripened, and pick them as you need them

Answer 2

I pick my tomatoes when they are orange or just starting to turn red too.  I then put them in a paper bag to ripen.  Tomatoes ripen in the dark that is why you find so many ripe in the morning.  You can also ripen fully grown green ones but it takes longer and sometimes the rot.

Answer 3

I pick mine when they turn orange.  They are still very firm at this stage and will continue to ripen off the vine.  If you wait too long for the fruit to turn red, you may end up having gotten beaten by hungry birds or beetles.