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Old March 12, 2016   #69
ilex
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Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Spain
Posts: 416
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I'm eating right now tomatoes picked late July. 5-6 months is easy, 12 very possible. They are usually perfect for fresh eating until Christmas, after that they are mostly for other uses. In fact, almost none were really selected for fresh eating.

You pick whole bunch when about half of the tomatoes have started changing color. Some will be fully ripe, others green. Obviously you can pick fully ripe.

Taste depends a lot on variety. They are the most diverse group among tomatoes. Usually its a bit different, and they usually have a distinct aroma. Can be amazing.

Skin is usually hard and usually are on the small side.

Storage is best at cool room temperature, not cold, dry but not too much and constant temperature. I would say about 15C. Note average relative humidity here is about 70%. That's probably the reason why they appeared as storage of dry tomatoes is not an option

Those grown on the dry side keep longer. Rain affects storage. You don't want them to get wet. Here, those picked late July are the best for storage. In late summer it gets cool at night, humidity increases and chances of thunderstorms increase.

As a rule, they are watered half of normal tomatoes or less. I usually virtually cut watering in June. (Last time it rained was on November 2, so imagine our dry summers).

They will tolerate wet conditions and I find perfect tomatoes lost in wet soil for months.

They are magic tomatoes.
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