Fruit Traits

• A ripe tomato possesses a firm skin and flesh and has developed the appropriate color for the variety of tomato. This commonly means a deep red but can be other colors, such as yellow, in some varieties. The highest quality fruits ripen on the vine under ideal weather conditions.
  
  

Temperatures

• Temperature plays a part in the ripening process for tomatoes. Ideally the fruit matures and ripens at about 75 degrees Fahrenheit, so most harvest activity will occur during these temperatures. Cooler temperatures slow the ripening process. Warmer temperature can soften the fruit, producing a mushy texture that is less desirable. In hot weather, harvest tomatoes when they begin to change color and allow them to ripen in the house at room temperature. This preserves the texture while allowing the color to develop.
  
  

Storing to Ripen

• If weather conditions, such as impending frost, require the early harvest before the tomato begins to change colors special storage is required. Store the tomatoes in paper bags, not plastic or any material that won't breathe, at 60 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit. This slows the ripening process which may take several weeks to complete.
  
  

Harvest Schedule

• Harvest tomatoes every couple of days. This allows the harvest of fruit at the appropriate level of ripeness for the weather situation. Each variety of tomato has its own growing season, stated in days, from planting to the production of ripe fruit. Tomato varieties with a shorter growing season ripen earlier than longer season varieties if planted at the same time.