How do I know when they are ripe?

[roitelet]

Just for a trial this year I bought a grafted tomato plant which has two varieties grafted on to the same root stock. One is red and the other black variety Indigo Rose. The red one is fine and the tomatoes are evenly red but the black one is good and black on the side exposed to the sun but green in the shade. They still feel firm. Do I wait until they are evenly black before picking?

Thanks

[Bigmallly]

If worse came to worse I'm sure they would ripen off the plant, otherwise I'd leave them until the whole fruit is an even colour. I think they tend to go half red half black:

[veggiechicken]

The black develops where the sun reaches the skin, if I remember rightly! The shady side turns red.
Once that happens, give one a squeeze, then eat it! If it tastes right, its ripe.

[bramble]

I am having the same problem. I am growing Dancing with Smurfs for the first time this year. The fruit has been on the plant for ever but they are still hard and green inside. I have tasted them twice but they still bitter. I am quite disappointed as most of the other varieties i am growing have ripened at this stage.Anybody else growing this one?

[BUFFS]

These black toms do seem to take forever to ripen properly,much longer than the other sorts but its early days yet, don't try to eat them before they are ready as they taste cr**.

[Scarlet]

You need to wait for them to go red on the shaded side. Bramble they will be red on the inside....mine still aren't ripe yet.

[roitelet]

Thanks for the information folks. I was going to try one but on your advice will now wait but they are taking ages to ripen. Dont think I will bother again and stick to the red ones. After all tomatoes are red, aren't they?!!!

[Scarlet]

It's lovely to have a variety on the plate though. Always a talking point at my house, peeps test each one to see what they prefer.

[Penellype]

I tried Chocolate Cherry a couple of years ago and had the same problem of not knowing when they were ready as they seemed to stay partly green. The flavour was poor too. I ended up leaving them longer and longer in the hope of an improvement, but all they did was eventually rot. I now stick to red or yellow ones as I can see when they are ready.

[Deano's "Diggin It"]

Thanks for the information folks. I was going to try one but on your advice will now wait but they are taking ages to ripen. Dont think I will bother again and stick to the red ones. After all tomatoes are red, aren't they?!!!

Actually they are not! ....................

The very first Tomatoe's cultivated in Europe were Yellow! And derived the name "Golden Apples" or "Wolfs Peach"

We're thought to poisonous, but n actual fact, it was the acidity of the fruit that leached lead frow the Pewter dishes used, not the actual fruit itself!

There ya go "roitelet" you'll sleep better tonight knowing that!

I read too much!