what causes half ripe

PaulF · August 1, 2008

Today I picked a Wes that was perfect from my point of view, but after it was off the vine I could see that one half was ripe and the other half was very green.( the ripe portion was like the eastern hemisphere and the line of demarcation was north pole to south)

This is the third Wes tomato taken from the plant and all three were in the 16-20 ounce size range. The other two tasted great. Should I let the entire fruit get red or cut off the green half? I know this has happened to me in other years, but never did ask for an explanation.

levad · August 2, 2008

im not sure what causes this but mine catch up sitting on the counter with a few other almost ripe tomatoes. bananas near will help too.

dave

**carolyn137** · August 2, 2008

Paul, I can't recall ever seeing anything like that.

And it can't be a sun thing b'c fruits don't need sun to ripen.

PaulF · August 2, 2008

Overnight it began to ripen. I hope the "ripe " side doesn't get too ripe before the other catches up.

http://tomatoville.com/attachment.ph...1&d=1217694611

Linda10 · August 2, 2008

Yes Paul, I have seen that. As a matter of fact, if you look at my avatar on the left, you'll see a yellow one like that. I just ate the yellow part and cut off the rest.

sliphorn · August 2, 2008

My Aunt Gertie's Gold, Yellow Brandywine, and Opalka have been like that so far this year. Hopefully, it's just the first couple of fruits that do it and the remainders will ripen in a uniform manner.

barkeater · August 2, 2008

I've seen that with certain varieties. Worst I can remember was Prudens Purple. Look up sublethal sunscald, which is a likely culprit. I've seen it a few times in tomatoes that were subjected to plus 90 degree temps and bright sunshine for 3-4 days right after being set out.

One question Linda, in your avatar, did the yellow part turn red or stay yellow and hard? If so, that is sublethal sunscald.

Linda10 · August 3, 2008

Bark, that is a yellow when ripe tomato, so yellow part was delicious. It was the green half that never ripened.

SLO_Gardener · August 3, 2008

I've had this problem too with lobbed tomatoes. All will be ripe except for one of the lobes. I pick the tomato and let the green part ripen on the counter, and if it doesn't, I cut if off. I've often wondered what causes this also.

piegirl · August 8, 2008

Just this evening found 2 cherokee purples with this problem. Definitely not sun because they are deep inside a very leafy plant. Piegirl

Tania · August 9, 2008

incomplete pollenization perhaps?

Just a thought.

I had a few of these in 2007, but not this year so far.

Tania

levad · August 10, 2008

can pollinization be incomplete? hmmm would that be like a little bit pregnant?

looking at my tomatoes in the garden, im going to guess the side next to an already ripe tomato starts to get ripe itself. the other side usually catches up but not always.

i would also think that the upwind side of the garden is more likely to have this problem. (ethelene gas being blown away)

just an idea

dave

dice · August 10, 2008

Some research in the UK with greenhouse tomatoes and fruit
picked at "mature green" stage indicated that high temperature
pulses of a few days are implicated as one cause of uneven
ripening and fruit softening:

http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=14756929

Their baseline control temperature of 20.4C (68.72F) was quite
low compared to daytime summer averages in much of the US
and other inland continental areas, so one might want to repeat
those tests with higher control temperatures and a wider
selection of cultivars to see if higher average temperatures
over the ripening season affects the results.

August 1, 2008	#1
PaulF Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brownville, Ne Posts: 3,283	what causes half ripe Today I picked a Wes that was perfect from my point of view, but after it was off the vine I could see that one half was ripe and the other half was very green.( the ripe portion was like the eastern hemisphere and the line of demarcation was north pole to south) This is the third Wes tomato taken from the plant and all three were in the 16-20 ounce size range. The other two tasted great. Should I let the entire fruit get red or cut off the green half? I know this has happened to me in other years, but never did ask for an explanation. __________________ there's two things money can't buy; true love and home grown tomatoes.

August 2, 2008	#3
carolyn137 Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Upstate NY, zone 4b/5a Posts: 21,169	Paul, I can't recall ever seeing anything like that. And it can't be a sun thing b'c fruits don't need sun to ripen. __________________ Carolyn

August 2, 2008	#5
Linda10 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brush Prairie, WA Posts: 925	Yes Paul, I have seen that. As a matter of fact, if you look at my avatar on the left, you'll see a yellow one like that. I just ate the yellow part and cut off the rest. __________________ Linda10

August 3, 2008	#8
Linda10 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brush Prairie, WA Posts: 925	Bark, that is a yellow when ripe tomato, so yellow part was delicious. It was the green half that never ripened. __________________ Linda10

August 9, 2008	#11
Tania Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Anmore, BC, Canada Posts: 3,970	incomplete pollenization perhaps? Just a thought. I had a few of these in 2007, but not this year so far. Tania __________________ Tatiana's TOMATObase

August 2, 2008	#2
levad Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: michigan 6a/5b Posts: 88	im not sure what causes this but mine catch up sitting on the counter with a few other almost ripe tomatoes. bananas near will help too. dave

August 2, 2008	#6
sliphorn Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Chicago Posts: 91	My Aunt Gertie's Gold, Yellow Brandywine, and Opalka have been like that so far this year. Hopefully, it's just the first couple of fruits that do it and the remainders will ripen in a uniform manner.

August 2, 2008	#7
barkeater Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NE Kingdom, VT - Zone 3b Posts: 1,439	I've seen that with certain varieties. Worst I can remember was Prudens Purple. Look up sublethal sunscald, which is a likely culprit. I've seen it a few times in tomatoes that were subjected to plus 90 degree temps and bright sunshine for 3-4 days right after being set out. One question Linda, in your avatar, did the yellow part turn red or stay yellow and hard? If so, that is sublethal sunscald.

August 3, 2008	#9
SLO_Gardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2008 Location: San Luis Obispo, CA Posts: 22	I've had this problem too with lobbed tomatoes. All will be ripe except for one of the lobes. I pick the tomato and let the green part ripen on the counter, and if it doesn't, I cut if off. I've often wondered what causes this also.

August 8, 2008	#10
piegirl Tomatovillian™ Honoree Join Date: May 2006 Location: Lincoln, NE Posts: 791	Just this evening found 2 cherokee purples with this problem. Definitely not sun because they are deep inside a very leafy plant. Piegirl

August 10, 2008	#12
levad Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: michigan 6a/5b Posts: 88	can pollinization be incomplete? hmmm would that be like a little bit pregnant? looking at my tomatoes in the garden, im going to guess the side next to an already ripe tomato starts to get ripe itself. the other side usually catches up but not always. i would also think that the upwind side of the garden is more likely to have this problem. (ethelene gas being blown away) just an idea dave

August 10, 2008	#13
dice Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: PNW Posts: 4,743	Some research in the UK with greenhouse tomatoes and fruit picked at "mature green" stage indicated that high temperature pulses of a few days are implicated as one cause of uneven ripening and fruit softening: http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=14756929 Their baseline control temperature of 20.4C (68.72F) was quite low compared to daytime summer averages in much of the US and other inland continental areas, so one might want to repeat those tests with higher control temperatures and a wider selection of cultivars to see if higher average temperatures over the ripening season affects the results. __________________ -- alias