Harvesting

The Harvesting category offers tips and techniques for picking tomatoes at peak ripeness for maximum flavor and productivity from your plants. Learn to identify ripe tomatoes by sight and touch – judge size, watch for color changes from green to red or yellow, feel for firmness. Know optimal timing for harvesting different tomato types from diminutive cherries to huge beefsteak varieties. Discover the best methods for gentle picking and handling without bruises or splits – from snipping stems to twisting vines. Get recommendations for storage conditions to preserve freshness after harvest. Peruse troubleshooting guides for odd shapen tomatoes and what to do when frost threatens immature fruit still on vines.