When are Green Zebra Toms ready?
- Thread starter Toleman
- Start date
One quick way to tell is to check the blossom end scar. When you see a pattern in the skin and flesh color beneath it around the blossom scar that looks like a star, chances are it's close to ready! Also, you'll also notice the fruit will become a bit softer to the touch (duh), and you should still notice a bit of color change when compared to other fruits on the vine.
I'm having similar problems trying to tell when my Aunt Ruby's German Greens are ripe. Luckily for me, the Aunt Ruby's have the slightest hint of pink in a few key spots when they're ready to pick, but remain green inside.
Good luck with this Chris, and hope this helps. I've not grown this particular variety of green, but I'm betting the blossom scar thing should help a little. Maybe our tomato goddess will chime in on this one.
I'm having similar problems trying to tell when my Aunt Ruby's German Greens are ripe. Luckily for me, the Aunt Ruby's have the slightest hint of pink in a few key spots when they're ready to pick, but remain green inside.
Good luck with this Chris, and hope this helps. I've not grown this particular variety of green, but I'm betting the blossom scar thing should help a little. Maybe our tomato goddess will chime in on this one.
No problem chris, and yes you're right about the blossom end thing. The blossom scar will be a brown or black small patch where the flower used to hang on.
Also, I did ask a guy at work about this, since he's grown them in the past. He says he picks them when they soften up like a nice ripe tomato, and also that the stripes will either blush slightly pink or a bit yellowish towards the bottom when they're ripening. He says they're great a little on the green side, but that they tend to be sweeter when they blush a bit and fully ripen.
Good luck, and do let us know how they taste!
Also, I did ask a guy at work about this, since he's grown them in the past. He says he picks them when they soften up like a nice ripe tomato, and also that the stripes will either blush slightly pink or a bit yellowish towards the bottom when they're ripening. He says they're great a little on the green side, but that they tend to be sweeter when they blush a bit and fully ripen.
Good luck, and do let us know how they taste!
Ciao FiveStar-
Excellent show and tell visual there. That's precisely what the green-when-ripes do. They'll change from the usual unripe green tomato colour to a more chartreuse or lime green colour and some of them do have that pink blush at the blossom end. Green Zebra is a 'zippy' or tangy tomato, though, so don't expect a sweet one. They're excellent in my view in a garden salad with a robust vinaigrette dressing, something that can stand up to their assertive flavour. I hope you enjoy them! Aunt Ruby's tastes almost spicy and is outstanding in a BLT.
Excellent show and tell visual there. That's precisely what the green-when-ripes do. They'll change from the usual unripe green tomato colour to a more chartreuse or lime green colour and some of them do have that pink blush at the blossom end. Green Zebra is a 'zippy' or tangy tomato, though, so don't expect a sweet one. They're excellent in my view in a garden salad with a robust vinaigrette dressing, something that can stand up to their assertive flavour. I hope you enjoy them! Aunt Ruby's tastes almost spicy and is outstanding in a BLT.
YAAAAAAAAY!!! Sorellina chimed in!!!! I agree 100% with you about the flavor of the Aunt Ruby's. Quite a spicy tomato, and a real head trip to see a green fruit that is in the least bit sweet. This one is really a keeper, and stands alone in a tomato sandwich with mayo, salt and pepper, as well as in a BLT. I'll be growing this one again next year.