Fall tomatos question when to do final pick.

[Renthead Mommy]

I have never grown fall tomatos but after this move to San Antonio this summer I tried them. They did quite well.

 

I still have a lit of green beefsteak tomatos on the vine. Days are getting up to med 60’s to med 70’s, but nights are running anywhere from 39-54. Last week was a lit of nights in the 40’s.

 

Am I correct to guess they are done rippening on the vine with those temps? Is it time to puck them and stick them in a bag with apples to force ripen them? If not how long do Texas/fall gardeners leave them on the vine.

 

They were surprisingly great so don’t want them yo go to waste if I can help it.

[skimomma]

I don't live in Texas and it is currently snowing heavily outside my window but I can say that I grow tomatoes and our entire growing season is in the temperature range you describe.  Typically 40s, maybe 50s, at night, 60s-70s during the day.  So depending on variety, it seems they should continue growing.  We pick at the first threat of frost.

[Zinnia]

At that point for us, they stop ripening. I picked peppers this week because of threat of frost, but they had not really grown much in the last few weeks once it got cold at night (cold meaning 50 or below for lows).

[Carol in Cal.]

Pick when you think there will be frost.

 

Then they will ripen gradually.  The ones with a hint of red will be first, then the light green ones, and then the dark green ones.  You'll have freshish tomatoes for a long time.

[City Mouse]

With day time temp in the 60's and 70's I would leave them until the nighttime temp are predicted to go below 40 for several days in a row.

I love fresh tomatoes (and hate buying grocery store ones) so I would make the effort to cover them at night if it was only going to be a few days of colder weather.

 

I really miss growing tomatoes in Texas. I got mine to last until early Oct here.

[Renthead Mommy]

Thank you! Will leave them be then!

[Melissa in Australia]

If you pick the whole vine and hang them up in a sheltered area they ripen better

[maize]

If you pick the whole vine and hang them up in a sheltered area they ripen better

My grandpa used to do this in Alaska, the growing season was short but when it t got cold he would hang the vines upside down in his garage and have tomatoes for several more weeks.

Edited November 21, 2017 by maize

[Renthead Mommy]

I never heard of that!  Good to know! 

 

[Tina]

When frost is ready to hit, we pick them and layer them in boxes- tomatoes not touching each other- with newspaper between the layers.  Then check them every couple days for the ripe ones.  The other option is to wrap them individually in newspaper before putting them in the boxes.

 

Like the hanging vines option!  My folks never did that--course it's colder in the garage up north.  ;)

 

[Happy]

We pick ours when we know a hard frost is coming. (DFW area) We covered them once this fall and have enjoyed many pleasent days since. Fresh fall tomatoes are the best. 

​I leave any green ones out on my counter to ripen....some will take weeks to ripen. That, of course, is after I've done a nice batch of fried green tomatoes. If I have tons of green tomatoes, we sometimes do a green tomato relish to use and store them. Mmmmmm....