Posted on 07/03/2009 4:00:47 AM PDT by Red_Devil 232
Good morning to all of you gardeners. I hope every one of you have a safe and Happy 4th of July weekend! Since just about everyone grows tomatoes in their vegetable garden I thought I would share some information I stumbled across concerning when to pick your tomatoes.
Every tomato lover knows fresh, “vine-ripe” flavor is by far the best.
At the same time, many don’t know what “vine ripe” means. So, whether growing or buying tomatoes, they may be limiting their access to the top flavor of the season.
Tomatoes develop their optimum nutrition, color and flavor when they’re in the full red-ripe stage. But getting to that point doesn’t have to occur on the plant.
Tomatoes go through specific steps in developing “vine ripeness”:
* A gas called ethylene regulates the ripening process. Tomatoes start producing this gas internally when they reach full size and become pale green.
* When tomatoes turn about one-half green and one-half pink (called the breaker stage), a layer of cells forms across their stem, sealing them off from the main vine. At this stage, tomatoes can ripen on or off the vine with no loss of quality or flavor.
* Tomatoes don’t ripen at refrigerator temperatures. If harvested in the breaker stage, however, keeping them in a cool place (to a minimum 50 F) will slow down their ripening process. Keeping them warm (to a maximum 85 F) will rapidly bring full ripeness. And, once ripe, they can keep for several weeks in the refrigerator.
This kind of control allows you to spread out the good eating over a longer period. A breaker-stage harvest also allows you to protect tomatoes from the heat extremes of summer. Tomatoes can’t form their red pigments when temperatures are above 95 degrees. They’ll still ripen, but they’ll end up a yellowish-orange.
Leaving tomatoes to ripen on the vine also increases the odds for cracking and other types of damage. Plus, it puts an increasing weight load on the viney plant.
A few days ago, at the store, they had a bunch of gallon potted peppers and various squashes dirt cheap.
So I tilled up some space, and went and bought a bunch. Also cucumbers.
Now I had already put in some cukes and peppers and acorn squash but the problem is where I am situated, they never get enough sun to really get going. So I’ll get a few fruit but not enough to brag about.
But now, I put the new ones in a place they’ll get good sun, added some Alaska fish fertilizer, watered them real good. So we’ll see. Still about 90 good days of growing season here.
Don't be afraid of these unusual looking heirloom and
open pollinated varieties.
Instead, be afraid of being limited to the typical
hybrids that the local nursery or big box store are
offering.
Heirlooms and OP types are the Toms that our fore
fathers and mother grew and adored.
JJ61
tomatoville.com
That’s a Luna Moth... Very cool.
You are right - can’t leave out all of those other colors of tomatoes!
Yes and please don't. I have seeds to a number of different
varieties i’d be happy to send out pro bono if anyone is
interested.
JJ61
Wow! Did you take those in my garden? LOL
Nasturtiums won’t grow here, too hot. I don’t think they get blight. Check for bugs, esp slugs.
I have been interestedin heirloom tomatoes. Do I need to be careful to grow only one variety to prevent cross-pollination from producing hybrid seeds for the next year?
Happy Independence Day to all FReepers and gardeners!
Thanks, abner.
I looked it up....they only live 7 days?
Wow.
Thats not whats on mine, either. Have to wait till Hubby gets back from a trip and see if I can post pictures. Whatever it is, doesn’t seem to be killing the plants. I’m just wondering if it would be better to burn the plant remains at the end of the season, rather than try to compost it and have it spread.
Yikes —— where oh where do I begin............
Girlangler: nice to read your sister is helping out with Mom and that Mom is doing better.
Marmolade: My condolences on the loss of your Dad.
Garden? What’s a garden? This has literally been a week from Hades to me when it comes to anything related to gardening, it just seems like I haven’t been home.
I was supposed to have been finished filling in for the Church Secretary a week ago yesterday, but the Pastor called me in both Monday and Tuesday to get some stuff done because the secretary still couldn’t come back. (we can use the money, so I’m definitely not complaining)
Wednesday afternoon Jax was invited over to a friend’s which worked out really well because I was then able to go buy her a birthday present for her b’day on Thursday. Thursday we spent the afternoon at the beach with another FReeper and her family and then had dinner and b’day cake with a plan to go to the Carnival.........that didn’t work out and I was the bearer of the bad news to the 4 kids that we were not going Thurs., but would go instead on Friday night. As you can imagine, that went over like a lead balloon with two 11 yo’s, an 8yo and a 5yo..........
Well Friday she had a friend coming over for a couple hours, but then was being picked up by her dad (his weekend) and then we had a bunch of friends that insisted we bring the b’day girl to “our” watering hole because they all had presents for her. From there we went back to our FReeper friend’s place and had dinner and then took the kids to the Carnival.
One does not attempt to leave Chincoteague Island after dark, let alone after 11pm, on a Friday night, especially Friday of 4th of July weekend, if one has had a beer or 2 (which we had) but we had thought about that before we left and packed our tent. I’m going to do a major crash and burn tonight because I did not sleep well at all. My idea of camping is a motel without room service or a bar........not a tent with a half inflated air mattress, no pillows and a beach towel for a blanket.........
Right now I have a stock pot on the stove to boil water for the jumbo pasta shells I have to cook to stuff with the shrimp and chicken salads I made and I still have to bake a birthday cake because I’m doing coffee hour at church tomorrow for Jax b’day ——IOW, we’re working on the 4th b’day celebration for this kid.
Diana knows how tight I am with a buck, but I actually did something absolutely totally out of character for me and bought Jax an absolutely, completely and totally frivolous present for her birthday..........I bought her a set of pewter pushpins (thumbtacks) for the bulletin board in the shape of kitty-kat paws.
She starts Governor’s school on Monday, I’m not working at church anymore, and hubby has some worked lined up -—so maybe, just maybe I will actually get to go near the garden on Monday.
Does anyone have a recommendation for a simple step by step beginners book for gardeners. The simpler the better, I am a detail step by step kinda gal. There is so much information out there I get overwhelmed and confused. I would like to take advantage of the room I have and grow enough for canning and storing. Thank you very much in advance.
Thanks Red_Devil, for your thoughts about Mom.
And thanks for the gardening thread. It is my escape when I get in a down mood.
I love all my gardening friends. We used to highjack the other threads, then finally got our own. I have learned so much from this thread, look for it first when I visit FR.
I got to spend some time home this week, after a rough several weeks away from home.
My gardening is theraputic. I pulled weeds today from my raised beds, and am contemplating what to do for a fall garden. I was gung ho this spring, but didn’t plan on Mom’s illness, so things have been neglected here. I lost a Mandevela (sp), although I’m still trying to nurture it.
Getting my hands dirty and dirt under my fingernails has been so good for me. I need to chill out, and this is the best way for me to do so.
Grammy, I am so glad your garden is doing well. Some things you’ll do wrong, but every year you will become more experienced and fascinated with watching God’s creation become food for the body.
I’m definitely saving the seed from these tomatoes!!! I also planted them far away from the hybrids like you advised. I started a bunch and shared them with a lot of people, and still have a lot for me.
My basil you sent is also growing well, although I haven’t harvested any. I made a special bed for herbs, and have all the different kinds you sent growing.
My LIAMS are not doing well this year, except the ones I’ve had in the ground for a few years. This is the first year I have not had EVERY seed I planted come up.
The few I have — I’ll harvest more seeds from, and hope to get more.
Wish I had the space to grow butter beans, they are my favorite!!!
Just want you to know I am thinking about you, and sorry you lost your Dad.
My elderly Mom has been sick, so I’ve not been on FR much. So I know you must be hurting, it’s hard to watch a parent deteriorate, and to lose one in any situation.
My prayers are with you, sweetie.
Thanks Gabz.
Hope things slow down a bit for you.
I love the idea of sleeping in a tent with a beach blanket. That would be chilling out for me right now.
But things aren’t normal here, and I need a good camping/fishing trip.
Wow Gabz! Your life sounds like mine! LOL
Get some rest!
Glad you got a break from taking care of your mom. It’s so easy to over extend yourself and then you’re no good to anyone. Really glad she’s doing better. :)
Our garden has just about fizzled from the heat. Butterbeans are just about to bloom, so maybe we’ll get some before they die.
The LIAMS I brought home are not doing well but I still have some in the greenhouse at work. :)
Thanks to you both for your kind words.
Gabz, it sounds like you had a hectic week. I don’t know if you consider working in the garden work or relaxation or both, but I hope it is less stressful for you. I know catching up in mine was a lot of work (and still have more to do), but it’s quiet and peaceful out there and reduces my stress.
Hey JerseyJohn61 maybe you could answer MtnClimber’s question, in his post #68, about cross-pollination in heirloom tomatoes.
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