Vine-ripened tomatoes are a myth

[epicgardening]

This is also a great tip if you have squirrels/birds getting your tomatoes...picking at half ripe prevents them from snacking!

[gardendilemma]

I experimented with this concept last year. Grew 10 varieties and picked some at the nearly ripe stage as you showed and the fully ripe stage. In all cases they were much better fully ripe.

[oyeatia]

As someone who harvested tomatoes as a profession at a greenhouse, I can say this isn't exactly always true

[Jackyboi]

They definitely taste better the longer they stay on the vine

[josephbarker]

As somebody who was raised on garden tomatoes, I call cap.

[croaklikeatoad]

In my moms garden, shelf life was not a factor. My brother and I were beasts and the greater concern was getting any snackables to the house safely

[GoldenBoy-etof]

they definitely get way sweeter the longer you leave them, theyll become a bright red with a glassy sheen and have 100 times the sweetness of store tomatoes but they will be much softer and have less shelf life! picking them earlier makes them more watery and green tasting but most people prefer them like that if they dont like tomato flavor!

[TheStuckNorris]

This is why you can't find a flavorful tomato at a store. They pick them green and redden them with nitrogen

[liviloo]

Homegrown tomatoes are much better than ANYTHING bought in a store.

[tkondaks]

Just don't refrigerate your home grown tomatoes. Keep them at room temperature to maintain flavor and, most importantly, aroma.

[mair]

My family ripens tomatoes on the vine until it starts to get too cold for the plants to survive. Then we harvest them at this earlier stage and keep them in the dark away from other fruits and vegetables. We've sometimes still had tomatoes at Christmas!!

[Noname-dudi]

Depends on the species of tomatoes and where you live at. Depending on the food you give your plants as well. There is alot that goes into making tomatoes and i have tested and tomatoes grown and ripen on the vines are generally slightly more sweet than if you collect them too early. Although they will eventually ripen and the diference are so little that i agree you can collect them early.

[oceangolf]

At the end of the season I have harvested green tomatoes. I place them in my container of red ones and 90% of them ripen enough to can them

[seganaleqa]

Texture is another factor. Picking too early or too late can greatly effect the texture of your tomatoes.

[Turbo]

I pick some of them while their still green because I like to fry sliced green tomatoes. And sometimes I'll have extra whole green tomatoes left over so I put them in a brown paper sack and leave them on the counter but they ripen pretty quick off the vine that way.

[Giggiyygoo]

I'm sure I wouldn't be able to tell in a blind taste test. But man, there's something about pulling a tomato off the vine and eating it while it's still warm from the sun.

[montanaliving]

Just caught this and so happy to see it! I never let mine ripen completely on the vine. Those sweet 100s will trick me often overnight tho.

[LNVACVAC]

Remember not to refrigerate your tomatoes.

[alexreid]

This is mostly useful if you’re having a problem with raccoons, deer, etc. eating your tomatoes the minute they’re ripe. Otherwise just leave them until they’re red

[jerseyshore]

Delicious and look really good. I wondered why they were for sale on the vine at the store. Don't forget, do not refrigerate your tomatoes Until they're really ripe