Guide
Harvesting tomatoes: cherry, plum, and vine types
Different tomato types ripen differently and respond to different cues. Knowing when and how to pick keeps production going and prevents splits and disease.
Cherry tomatoes (Sungold and similar)
Sungold is ready when deep orange all over - not pale orange or yellow-orange. At peak ripeness the fruit comes away from the truss with the lightest touch. Roll the fruit upward off the truss with your thumb rather than pulling downward. Check every 1–2 days. Fruits left on the vine when ripe will split quickly after rain or heavy watering. Picked Sungold continues to ripen well on the windowsill if needed.
Plum and paste tomatoes (Roma and similar)
Roma is a determinate variety - it ripens in a concentrated window rather than a continuous trickle. Once the bulk of the fruits are turning, check daily. Ready fruit is fully red, the plum shape is filled out, and the fruit yields slightly to gentle pressure. Twist and pull, or cut the stem just above the calyx. Because Roma ripens in a batch, plan ahead - a few kg can arrive in a week. Sauce, passata, and freezing are the main ways to handle the glut.
Vine and beefsteak types
Indeterminate varieties - like Moneymaker - ripen continuously over a long season. The cue is the same: full colour for the variety, slight give when squeezed. Picking promptly keeps the plant producing. Leave a ripe fruit on the vine and the plant reads it as job done.
When to pick early
If night temperatures are consistently falling below 10°C, or blight risk is high, pick tomatoes at the breaker stage - when they are just starting to colour. They will ripen fully indoors at room temperature. Never refrigerate tomatoes - cold stops the ripening process and kills the flavour.
Preventing splits
Splitting is caused by irregular watering - a dry period followed by heavy water or rain causes rapid cell expansion. Consistent moisture throughout the season is the main prevention. Picking on time helps too - a taut ripe fruit will split before a just-ripe one.
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