Planted first garden. How to produce the most vegetables?

JackSprat said:

As summer goes on, make sure to develop a regular watering schedule. It doesn't have to be a lot just regular. Letting the plants dry out really stresses them.

Regular feeding of diluted Miracle Grow.

Spray per instructions with a fungicide. I alternate between Captan and Maneb. Try not to splash water on the mater plants.

Pick regularly. Mature fruit slows down production.

With tomatoes, you will get more if you pick them when they "break" and ripen them indoors in a warm dark place - not the Frigidaire. They will taste the same as "vine ripened" tomatoes. I have started doing this in the last few years and it has made a significant difference in my tomato harvest.

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davidhelmly said:

Jack, what is, when they "break"?

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JackSprat said:

Your tomatoes will be all bright green and growing.

Then one day, you will notice that around the stem, the green has become lighter, and the next day, there is the faintest hint of pink. That is when they "break".

As far as the plant is concerned, the tomato is mature. It will not get any larger.


Most "vine ripened" tomatoes in retail stores are picked at this stage and the rules allow the stores to call them "vine ripened".

The ripening process after this is a chemical reaction that will take place on or off the plant. While we all grew up cherishing "sun ripened tomatoes" the ripening process happens in the dark, so a dark warm place will accelerate ripening. Some people wrap them in newspaper and keep them in the garage. Refrigerating tomatoes stops the ripening process.

Picking the tomatoes at this stage (some call it "pink") reduces loss from scald, animals, insects, weather, and so on.

I, like everyone else, grew up on those perfectly ripened garden tomatoes hanging from the vine, but after several years of following this procedure, I am convinced that there is no difference in taste or texture.

The only exception are my little grape tomatoes. You lose too many of them if you try to harvest them before they are all ripe, so I just leave them alone.


Color chart
https://www.floridatomatoes.org/retail/tastier-tomatoes/

And I don't expect anyone to just take my word for it, here is what the fine people at the U of GA say about it:

https://news.uga.edu/pick-tomatoes-at-breaker-stage/

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