If you are growing tomatoes for the first time, you may still be a little unsure about the harvest. We have summarized everything you need to know about this.
It is said that tomatoes should only be harvested when they are red. However, the harvest also depends on other factors, as our tips and advice below show.
What criteria does the tomato harvest depend on?
The best time to harvest the tomatoes depends primarily on the variety. Since nowadays there are not only red tomatoes, but also green, yellow and tabby varieties, the principle that you should only harvest them when they are red is outdated.
Especially when a tomato variety is growing in your own garden for the first time, a he althy degree of intuition and good observation skills are required to find out when the ideal time to harvest has come.
You can use the following key points as a guide:- Red tomatoes should be colored all the way through.
- In the case of yellow, green, orange and dark tomatoes, ripe fruit yields slightly when the skin is gently pressed.
- Ripe fruit can be easily detached at the predetermined breaking point on top. Especially with green specimens, this is the most common test to identify ripe fruits.
As far as the right time in the calendar is concerned, no clear statement can be made here, as this also depends on the respective variety. There are some that already bear harvest-ready fruit in July. Others, on the other hand, won't be ready until August or even September.
Decisive for this is not only the variety but also the amount of sunlight. Tomato plants are among the sun worshipers. The more sun they get, the better and faster they mature.
Does time of day and harvesting order matter?
Not only the color of the fruit provides a good orientation for the harvest, but also the time of day and the order in which the fruit is taken from the plant.
For example, if you harvest them in the morning, they have a crisp and fresh texture. The taste is extremely mild at this time of day. In the evening ofOn the same day, however, the tomatoes taste highly aromatic and appear sweet, especially if they have been in the sun all day. - Which time of day you choose is more a matter of taste.
As far as the order of fruit picking is concerned, hobby gardeners first pick the tomatoes that are closest to the stem. They are usually the first to ripen. From there you work your way outwards during the harvest.
Why not harvest earlier?
While tomatoes are still green, they contain a toxic alkaloid called solanine. This gradually recedes within the tomato as it ripens. They should therefore never be harvested before they have already taken on their varietal colour.
Harvesting tomatoes and influencing shelf life
A simple trick allows the tomatoes to last longer. When harvesting, you simply leave part of the stalk on the fruit. This should only be removed when the tomatoes are sent for processing. This also ensures that there is no more solanine in the tomato, since this substance migrates into the stalk as it ripens.
By the way: Storing tomatoes in the refrigerator is not recommended, as they lose their flavor in this way. You can find information on correct storage in our article "Storing tomatoes - 8 clever tips".
Harvest unripe tomatoes before frost
The last tomatoes of the season are best harvested before the first frost. It is irrelevant whether these are still green or not. Because they can ripen very well under certain conditions.
The following tricks can be used for this:
The tomatoes are placed in a bowl along with a fully ripe banana. At this stage, bananas give off ethylene gas, which promotes the ripening process. An apple can also be used as an alternative to the banana. Green tomatoes will also continue to ripen if you wrap them in newspaper and put them in a warm place. It is important that the individual tomatoes do not touch each other. A few days later they take on the color typical of the variety and are edible. A sunlit window sill can also be useful for ripening tomatoes.