When do I know when Green Giant is ripe?

[scotta917]

by touch? by Color? help me out. Thanks

[kelleyville]

I was wondering the same thing!

Kelley

[nctomatoman]

It is not that difficult once you see it for yourself...

What I do is to watch for a subtle color change in the larger fruit when compared with the smaller, clearly unripe ones on the plant - impossible to describe, just something different, a subtle shift in the shade of pale green. I then give a gentle squeeze at the blossom end - and if you can see it, the larger fruit can also get a pale, pearly pink blush right at the blossom end as well. The most reliable indicator is the fruit softening - fortunately, Green Giant is (at least in my garden) a good producer, so you have quite a few shots at getting it right! If you miss a fruit and it is really getting very ripe, looking for a split or crack in the skin is another indicator.

Good luck and prepare yourself for a real treat!

[feldon30]

I posted this in SETTFest forum but when Suze handed me a ripe Green Giant, I was taken aback. At first glance it looked like a completely unripe tomato, with that pale green that most tomatoes have a week or more before starting to color up. Then I turned the tomato over and saw some faint flourishes of yellow and red. In my opinion, Green Giant must be checked for ripeness by hand -- visual inspection is unreliable. The softness of it was the only obvious clue to me that it was ready to eat.

It is distinctive in that other green-when-ripes such as Cherokee Green, Grub's Mystery Green, Humph's, and Aunt Ruby's German Green have a distinctive color change. At least from what I have seen, they turn greenish-yellow and can develop a beautiful bronze color on the bottom when grown in warm climates. I would say that even they are worth close inspection.

[TJS]

I'm not growing any green toms this year, but I am growing sungold. I know that feeling the firmness is a good way to tell now thanks to ya'll but I have read about splitting in over ripe sungold. Mine have just set fruit but at some point soon they will start ripening and was looking for your experiences when to pick.
Thanks, tim

[Bitwise Gamgee]

I'm growing green tomatoes for the first time this year ... Green Giant and Cherokee Green. CG is definitely easier to tell when ripe due to a yellow tinge. For the GGs, I have been gently squeezing the shoulders to test for softness. So far I have not picked too early or too late. ... so, I conclude that is is not very difficult ... even for someone new to greens like me.

I'm glad I tried green! I found both GG and CG to be delicious! I am getting better production from GG, so I'll call it the winner.

- Bitwise

[Suze]

Originally Posted by scotta917

by touch? by Color? help me out. Thanks

By touch is the best way for me. Because even if it looks ripe, but doesn't feel ripe, I wait. And that goes for any variety, not just GG.

GG really doesn't change color much other than the slight lightening that Craig mentioned, and sometimes a bit of a pink blush at blossom end. Interestingly enough, I am finding the pink blush to be just a little more prononounced this year than last year, even though my weather here has been much cooler and cloudy than average.

The ones in the attached thumbnail are ripe; actually almost overripe. Picture from last year.

[Lee]

Yep, the pink blush at the blossom end as shown in Suze's picture is a key to
determining ripeness in Green Giant.

As others have said, Cherokee Green will get a distinctive amber blush on the blossom end, that is much easier to recognize.

As Craig mentioned, daily inspection can help you recognize the changes in
color/feel that also indicate ripeness.

Lee

[bully]

The touch thing can be tricky on a warm day.
There is not much to go on with this variety.

I pick em and leave them on the counter a day or so.
Kinda check back and give em another little squeeze.

[Ruth_10]

What is the skin color for GG and CG? Clear? Faintly yellowish? I am growing CG and picked my first one this afternoon. Haven't cut into it yet.

[nctomatoman]

Cherokee Green has yellow skin when ripe, while Green Giant has clear (perhaps tinted a very pale green) skin. Interior color for both is the same.

[Suze]

Originally Posted by Ruth_10

What is the skin color for GG and CG? Clear? Faintly yellowish? I am growing CG and picked my first one this afternoon. Haven't cut into it yet.

As Craig indicated, GG is clear skinned, and I don't see any yellow to the faint blush that it sometimes gets when dead ripe, just pink.

CG is yellow skinned, and gets a distinct golden cast to the exterior when dead ripe. Here's a couple of pics from last year -- the faint striping was likely environmental, and did not repeat from saved seeds.

[Ticker]

Do all GG when ripe get the pearly pink blush right at the blossom end. I have a hand held mirror to look at them. Thanks

[Suze]

Originally Posted by Ticker

Do all GG when ripe get the pearly pink blush right at the blossom end. I have a hand held mirror to look at them. Thanks

They do in my experience. I've grown it twice, last year in hot sunny weather, and this year in cool, rainy and cloudy weather.

I like to pick them before they get quite to that stage, though. Just after they've started to soften up a bit towards the bottom and lighten up a bit.

For me, GG will tend to get a split on the bottom if I leave them on the vine until dead ripe -- although they generally won't get either radial or concentric cracking on top. You can see what I'm talking about in the picture I posted on the first page of this thread. But as Craig said earlier, GG is productive, so you might want to try leaving a couple on the vine until you see the blush (maybe they won't split for you).

[nctomatoman]

I just picked an 18 ounce monster and it seemed perfectly ripe - but did not show a blush (will post a pic later). This is my 3rd year with it, and I've found the appearance of a blush to be very variable.