Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Harvesting and storage
Everyone knows what a ripe tomato looks like but as they are usually sold
slightly under-ripe, shop-bought fruits are usually quite firm; when properly
ripe, tomatoes should give a little when squeezed and this is when the flavour is
best. Harvest each fruit as it becomes ripe, levering it up so that the calyx (the
little tuft of green leaves at the top of the fruit) comes with it, and use within a
few days; fruit kept in the fridge will keep for a couple of weeks but the flavour
weakens with storage.
If frosts threaten but there are still fruits that are not quite ready, they can be
ripened indoors in a dark, semi-humid place such as a drawer or cupboard, but
never near a radiator. Depending on how many there are, they can be wrapped
in paper and put in a large paper bag or cardboard box, layered no more than two
fruits deep to avoid bruising. A few ripe tomatoes or a banana will help to speed
things up. If there is a lot of unripe fruit left on a plant, lift the whole thing along
with some roots and hang it in a dry, sheltered place such as a garage or shed.
Ripening will continue for several weeks, but check them every few days for
signs of mould, removing any affected fruit immediately.
Ripe tomatoes can be frozen whole on trays (after removal of the calyx), and later
transferred to plastic bags; when thawed they will be soft, making removing the
skins very easy. They can also be halved or sliced thinly for drying, giving them
a concentrated flavour that is used, like a herb, for crumbling into sauces or
dressings, or over pasta. They can also be canned (bottled) if harvested under-
ripe. See How to Store Your Garden Produce, in the Resources section, for how to
do this safely.
Problems
Whitefly
,
red spider mite
,
aphids
,
blight
and diseases including mosaic
viruses of many types. These turn the leaves yellow and curly and can be easily
transmitted from plant to plant by handling, so never handle tomato plants when
their leaves are damp.
How to grow a HUGE tomato
Plant a seedling of a large 'beefsteak' variety at one end of a shallow trench. As
it grows, gently lay it down into the trench and cover the whole plant (except the
growing tip) with earth, so that you end up with a very long, buried stem, all of
which will develop roots. In early June, let the end grow up and support it as usual.
Nip off all but one flower stem and allow it to set fruit. The fewer fruit it's allowed
to grow, the bigger each one will be. So long as you keep the entire length of the
buried stem watered and fed, you should end up with the biggest tomato you've
ever seen.
