Better to leave cherry tomatoes on the plant to turn red or take off to ripen?

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   peeplesposted 9 years ago

   Better to leave cherry tomatoes on the plant to turn red or take off to ripen?
   
   My cherry tomato plant is almost 6 feet tall with over 100 cherry tomatoes on it. They don't seem to want to turn red easily as I was expecting. Many have been full size for a couple weeks but haven't changed. So is it best to let them ripen on the plant or can I just take them off to ripen in a window? Really I just want to hurry up the process so I can start eating them, but they are taking too long!! The plant has all these tomatoes on it for weeks and only ONE has turned red!

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2. 84

   bravewarriorposted 9 years ago

   Peeples I found an article that says to pick cherry tomatoes just before they look perfectly ripe; if left on the plant too long, they'll crack. Here's the link:
   
   http://www.tomatodirt.com/harvesting-tomatoes.html

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      peeplesposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks I was reading conflicting articles. I think we will pick some today!

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3. 97

   LongTimeMotherposted 9 years ago

   Congratulations on your successful yield, peeples.
   
   Yes, you can pick your full size ones when green and sit them on newspaper or a paper towel indoors to turn red (or orange or yellow, depending on their type). Give them space apart from each other as they ripen.
   
   A plant with a heavy burden often responds well to having some of its load lightened.

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      peeplesposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks. I was thinking if I took some off it might provide the plant with more energy for the ones I leave on. I guess me and my daughter will be picking some of the larger ones today. Fun!

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      LongTimeMotherposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Yes, and if your season is long enough, you might find you have the bonus of even more tomatoes.

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      peeplesposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      It is only spring here and I have this many. I have a feeling I am going to need more ideas outside of spaghetti sauce for what to do with all that I will have. Still have 8 that are just starting to flower. Exciting!

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   liesl5858posted 9 years ago

   I prefer to leave the cherry tomatoes on the plant because they taste much better if I pick them when they are red. I know how you feel though, excited to pick them. But it is up to you, how you want to do it. There are some good advice here from LongTimeMother. Also if the weather is hot, they will soon turn red quicker. The thing is you can't eat them all in one go.

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      peeplesposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      I am just too excited. I have never had a cherry tomato plant get so large or have so much on it at once, but it's like watching grass grow. Frustratingly slow! Thanks!

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