So many of us are growing tomatoes in the garden, I thought I would write a guide on the different stages of ripening so that you can estimate how close your fruit are to being fully ripened on the vine.
Stage |
Description |
|---|---|
GREEN |
The surface of the tomato is completely green in color. The shade of green color may vary from light to dark. |
BREAKERS |
There is a definite break in color from green to tannish-yellow, pink or red on not more than 10 percent of the surface. |
TURNING |
More than 10 percent but not more than 30 percent of the surface, in the aggregate, shows a definite change in color from green to tannish-yelow, pink, red or a combination thereof. |
PINK |
more than 30 percent but not more than 60 percent of the surface, in the aggregate, shows pink or red color. |
LIGHT RED |
more than 60 percent of the surface, in the aggregate, shows pinkish-red or red, provided that not more than 90 percent of the surface is red color . |
RED |
more than 90 percent of the surface, in the aggregate, shows red color . |