Tomato ripening time depends on a few things, like the variety of tomato you have, and your growing zone. But in general, they should begin turning red about 6-8 weeks after the flowers are pollinated. As far as what month tomatoes ripen… again, that depends on a lot of factors.
When do tomatoes ripen?
Most tomato fruits ripen in six to eight weeks after blossoms pollination. Some of my favorite short season varieties are: Cherry tomatoes also tend to ripen sooner than larger fruited tomatoes. We ran into this problem in the summer of 2014.
You’ll usually find me grabbing any tomatoes with ripening potential (more on that later) in October – hopefully late October or early November if it’s been a mild fall – but some years I may have to harvest the green-ish tomatoes at the end of September.
From one extreme to another, cold weather can also halt the ripening process. A temperature drop signals the end of the season for tomato plants. Unfortunately, when you’re still in the middle of the season, there’s no way to convince the tomatoes to keep growing .
When do tomatoes ripen in North America?
You’ll usually find me grabbing any tomatoes with ripening potential (more on that later) in October – hopefully late October or early November if it’s been a mild fall – but some years I may have to harvest the green-ish tomatoes at the end of September.
Before we get into how to ripen your tomatoes, we have to understand ripening as a process first . Ripening is the transformation process that gives tomatoes their signature red appearance and their sweet, fresh flavor. When a tomato fruit ripens, the green chlorophyll of the tomato breaks down and red color pigments come to the surface.
You may be thinking “Can you eat green tomatoes after they ripen?”
If your tomatoes refuse to ripen, green fruits are safe to eat. Just process them in some way before eating, such as cooking or pickling. We turned the green tomatoes knocked off our plants during a hail storm into green tomato pickles (recipe here).
When is the best time to harvest Tomatoes?
Harvest time for tomatoes should ideally occur when the fruit is a mature green and then allowed to ripen off the vine . This prevents splitting or bruising and allows for a measure of control over the ripening process.
Should you harvest tomatoes before or after they are ripe?
While the plant grows well in many climate zones, the fruit is sensitive to cooler temperatures, and you may find yourself needing to harvest your crop before the tomatoes are ripe . The best way to ripen your tomatoes is to keep them on the plant, unless your climate does not allow for a mild, consistent development phase.
When do tomatoes turn red?
Tomato plants fruit from June until the first frosts, but any fruits that develop from September are unlikely ripen as quickly as those growing in summer, and may not ripen fully before the first frosts arrive. Don’t worry, there’s a few tricks you can employ to help your green tomatoes turn red.
What happens when a tomato reaches its peak size?
Shortly after the flower is pollinated, the tomato feverishly produces and reproduces cells. After a few weeks, the peak number of cells is reached and each individual cell begins to grow larger. This process eventually reaches its peak as the ” immature green ” tomato reaches its final size.