[BurlyShirley]

Okay, so I have several now that are quite large, but still very green, and Im beginning to lose a few to caterpillars, does it matter when I pick a tomato, or will they ripen from any size once they are picked?

Ive got about 10 plants and 15 good size maters right now, Id sure hate to lose them to bugs.

 

[habitatxskate]

i think you get a little red then you pick em,and if you want, pm me to remind me and i'll ask my dad, he grows em..

 

[BurlyShirley]

i think you get a little red then you pick em,and if you want, pm me to remind me and i'll ask my dad, he grows em..

thanks

 

[SkaredShtles]

Pick 'em when they're ready to eat. They'll be better if you let them ripen on the plant.

 

[BurlyShirley]

Pick 'em when they're ready to eat. They'll be better if you let them ripen on the plant.

Well, I dont want to douse them in pesticide, anything I can do otherwise to keep the bugs off?

 

[habitatxskate]

sit there and make sure non come around it

 

[BurlyShirley]

sit there and make sure non come around it

ok, just please quite posting in my threads if you're not going to be either funny or helpful. I understand you're young, and want to have input, but you're not helping me much.

 

[SkaredShtles]

Well, I dont want to douse them in pesticide, anything I can do otherwise to keep the bugs off?

You could probably drape bug net over them?

Maybe get yourself some predator bugs to eat the bugs eating the 'maters?

 

[moff_quigley]

Maybe Emerson, NJ is the east coast equivalent to SB?

 

[SkaredShtles]

ok, just please quite posting in my threads if you're not going to be either funny or helpful. I understand you're young, and want to have input, but you're not helping me much.

Being young has nothing to do with this. He's retahded.

 

[BurlyShirley]

You could probably drape bug net over them?

Maybe get yourself some predator bugs to eat the bugs eating the 'maters?

Im thinking its a little late in the game for that. If I picked them, would they ripen on their own? Or is their a certain point you have to wait for. I know ive seen green maters in the window sill at lots of peoples' house.

 

[habitatxskate]

Being young has nothing to do with this. He's retahded.

at least someone understands me..and you can't use a bug net, some bugs live in dirt, and i don't think you are guna uproot the tomato plant and put it in a net...the bugs could simply dig under the net or find a way through...just wait till they get a little more red then pick em..even if u pick em now, my 2 year old sister too a green one, and ate it, and she told us the other day she did.

 

[SkaredShtles]

Im thinking its a little late in the game for that. If I picked them, would they ripen on their own? Or is their a certain point you have to wait for. I know ive seen green maters in the window sill at lots of peoples' house.

They may ripen when picked green, but you can be sure they won't be as good as if you let 'em go.

Of course, if the bugs get 'em you got squat......... so..............

I say pick some green, put 'em in a brown paper sack and see what happens. Let us know how it works out, though.

 

[MudGrrl]

I believe my mother used to pick green 'maters and just put them in the windowsill to ripen.


I have no idea whether this is really a good idea or not though.

 

[I Are Baboon]

put 'em in a brown paper sack...

Speaking of which, when is peach season? Mmmmmm.....peaches.

 

[Booker]

Definitely leave them on the plant until ripe. Although i always pick a few green ones and fry them up. Bug nets work OK. You can also dust them with cayenne pepper or spray them with habanero juice. I personally just spray them with "liquid seven" pesticide.

 

[SkaredShtles]

Are these the classic "tomato worms" that are getting them?

 

[SkaredShtles]

Speaking of which, when is peach season? Mmmmmm.....peaches.

Funny you should mention that - my buddy just said that mid-August is when the peach festival shall begin.

I'm personally going to get 48 lbs for our family.

God those peaches are sooooooooooooooo good.

 

[BurlyShirley]

Are these the classic "tomato worms" that are getting them?

I dunno. I think a bird picked off my main culprit. One of the biggest tomatos had eat marks up and down it obviously from a caterpillar, but he was gone, so I assume a bird got him or something.

Damn. What to do? I dont need this stress! Gardening is supposed to be relaxing.

Sevendust? No thanks. Pepper sounds like a possible solution.

 

[Westy]

I dunno. I think a bird picked off my main culprit. One of the biggest tomatos had eat marks up and down it obviously from a caterpillar, but he was gone, so I assume a bird got him or something.

Damn. What to do? I dont need this stress! Gardening is supposed to be relaxing.

Sevendust? No thanks. Pepper sounds like a possible solution.

An old trick is to put a bird feeder in your garden. The birds attracted to it will also help eat the bugs. You might also be able to find some soap based insect repellents, try your patchouli oil too you hippy.

 

[BurlyShirley]

An old trick is to put a bird feeder in your garden. The birds attracted to it will also help eat the bugs. You might also be able to find some soap based insect repellents, try you patchouli oil too you hippy.

Its not that I mind chemicals, but I kind of mind them just days before the stuff is ready to pick . Esp. if its not needed.

 

[Booker]

I believe my mother used to pick green 'maters and just put them in the windowsill to ripen.
I have no idea whether this is really a good idea or not though.

I have found that picking them when green and letting them ripen, makes the tomatoes grainy. I guess they stop getting minerals and whatnot from the soil. Not to derail, but does anyone know when a poblano pepper is ready to be harvested. I have never grown them befor.

 

[I Are Baboon]

Funny you should mention that - my buddy just said that mid-August is when the peach festival shall begin.

I'm personally going to get 48 lbs for our family.

God those peaches are sooooooooooooooo good.

Peach season and corn on the cob season are too damn short.

And why the hell is grapefruit so damn expensive?

(sorry to derail, BS!)

 

[SkaredShtles]

I dunno. I think a bird picked off my main culprit. One of the biggest tomatos had eat marks up and down it obviously from a caterpillar, but he was gone, so I assume a bird got him or something.

Damn. What to do? I dont need this stress! Gardening is supposed to be relaxing.

Sevendust? No thanks. Pepper sounds like a possible solution.

If it's a tomato worm, they're generally really easy to take care of. You just have to visit any plants showing any sign of foliage eatage and look for the worm. They're realy well camoflauged but generally really big, so you'll find 'em soon enough.

Here's some more info: http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/tompests/msg0820271825059.html?4

 

[SkaredShtles]

Peach season and corn on the cob season are too damn short.

All the good stuff is...... Except beer.

 

[SkaredShtles]

An old trick is to put a bird feeder in your garden. The birds attracted to it will also help eat the bugs. You might also be able to find some soap based insect repellents, try you patchouli oil too you hippy.

Just try not to attract birds who like tomatoes!

 

[Westy]

Just try not to attract birds who like tomatoes!

That is why you grow your tomatoes in a snake pit.

 

[I Are Baboon]

All the good stuff is...... Except beer.

I really just started to appreciate Octoberfest beers last year and just when I wanted more, Octoberfest season was taken away from me in lieu of the winter ales. Beer companies hate me.

 

[fluff]

Some people put bananas with green tomatoes to speed up the ripening. Best to let them ripen on the plant if you can.

 

[BurlyShirley]

Some people put bananas with green tomatoes to speed up the ripening. Best to let them ripen on the plant if you can.

Good call and I dont know why I didnt think of that. There is a gaseous hormon released by ripening fruit that induces ripening. That's what Im going to do. Great idea.

 

[SkaredShtles]

I really just started to appreciate Octoberfest beers last year and just when I wanted more, Octoberfest season was taken away from me in lieu of the winter ales. Beer companies hate me.

I like Paulaner Oktoberfest alot.

You gotta stock up, man. You do have a basement, dontcha?

 

[Mackie]

Good call and I dont know why I didnt think of that. There is a gaseous hormon released by ripening fruit that induces ripening. That's what Im going to do. Great idea.

Burly, Here's what I do - wait until they are 1/2 red, then pick them & put them in a paper bag. The paper bag traps the ethelyne that the tomatoes are releasing, speeding the ripening. Don't put them on the windowsill, the sun does not directly ripen tomatoes.
The banana trick works well too.

Still waiting for my 25+ plants to get where yours are. Up here in NY I've got a couple of dozen marble-sized tomatoes, but nothing close to ripe.

 

[Da Peach]

I'm no expert, but fruit ripens with ethylene gas. They emit it, and the more that's around them, the faster the ripen. That's how they do bananas for the grocery store. They acutally have specialised banana ripening rooms where they pump in ehylene and control the temp to speed up the ripening.

Did you know that a yellow banana is the fastest selling item in any grocery store. It's true ya know, hence all the fancy technology to get them just right...

Anyway, peaches are the same. I imaging tomatoes do the same thing. I say pick them so they stay safe, and put them (or at least 1 for experimental purposes) in a plastic bag with a banana and leave it somewhere warm. Bananas really let the ethylene rip, so I'd try that, but a peach might leave less of a funk on the test tomato...(don't want a banamato on your hands...)

DO NOT REFRIGERATE! It kills the taste of a tomato...

Proceed with the experiment. Godspeed.

EDIT: I GOTTA TYPE FASTER, CRAP.

 

[bikebabe]

Vine ripe have the most flavor to me but the most risk of getting picked at or eaten. I use the paper bag trick for tomatoes at the end of season or ones I use in cooking. For salsas and salads, I try to use ones that ripen on the vine.

One link that has more about tomato critters is: http://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheets/HGIC2218.htm

If you have those big ugly green worms, they really blend in with the plants. The best way to remove them is to pick them off and squash them otherwise they'll eat the whole plant up.

One Segment on pest control:
CONTROL OF INSECT PESTS OF HOME-GROWN TOMATOES

Cultural practices are helpful in avoiding many insect infestations. Tomatoes should be planted in well-prepared, fertile beds, mulched and properly watered to promote vigorous growth. Stressed plants tend to attract more insect pests than healthy plants.

In a home garden, handpicking and destroying many pests is an effective control measure. In addition, beneficial insects are very helpful in controlling insects such as aphids, leafminers and hornworms. To avoid killing these beneficials, use insecticides only when necessary.

Insecticides such as permethrin (such as Spectracide Bug Stop Multi-purpose Insect Killer or Bonide Total Pest Control Concentrate Outdoor Formula) or cyfluthrin (such as Bayer Advanced Garden Lawn & Garden Multi-Insect Killer or Schultz Lawn & Garden Insect Killer Concentrate) or esfenvalerate (such as Ortho Bug-B-Gon Multi-purpose Insect Killer Concentrate or Bonide Bug Beater Concentrate)are effective in controlling stink bugs, leaffooted bugs, aphids, fruitworms and hornworms. When using esfenvalerate, wait one day after spraying before harvest. Do not use permethrin on varieties with fruit less than one inch diameter. Carbaryl (Sevin) will control cutworms, fruitworms and hornworms (wait one day after spraying before harvest). Bacillus thuringiensis (B.t.) is an insecticide that contains spores of this bacterium and is used to control caterpillars (the smaller the better) when they feed on leaves containing the spores. B.t. products such as Dipel and Thuricide, among others, are effective in the control of hornworm and fruitworm. Neem extract and insecticidal soap, such as M-PEDE and Safer Soap, are less toxic options for control of aphids and whiteflies. Adequate coverage of upper and lower leaf surfaces with these insecticides is important for good pest control.

 

[dhbuilder]

Okay, so I have several now that are quite large, but still very green, and Im beginning to lose a few to caterpillars, does it matter when I pick a tomato, or will they ripen from any size once they are picked?

Ive got about 10 plants and 15 good size maters right now, Id sure hate to lose them to bugs.

especially to that big@$$ bug in the other thread.
that dude looks like he might put up a fight.

 

[johnbryanpeters]

Let them ripen on the vine. Much tastier that way.

Forego battling the bugs with powders and potions. Squash the big green worms if you see them.

Open a beer, relax, and eat 'em when they're ready.

 

[DRB]

Speaking of which, when is peach season? Mmmmmm.....peaches.

Peaches here have started.

http://www.springsfarm.com/springsfarm.asp

So we get strawberries, then peaches, then blackberries and nectarines and have fresh veggies throughout the summer. The peach stand has FRESH soft serve peach ice cream

Oh and did I mention that this is right next to the trails where I saw the topless woman?

 

[Changleen]

If you pick them early, take a bit of the vine with them so it can draw a little more nutrient from it. That's what they do here.

 

[fluff]

Oh and did I mention that this is right next to the trails where I saw the topless woman?

Eww, was there much blood?