You'll find umpteen discussions about this over on the Growing Tomatoes forum here. Literally. :)

Basically it is your choice. Once the fruit 'break' (begins to turn color) it is done as far as the plant is concerned except for water so many prefer to pick it then. That way you avoid the bugs, splitting, cracking, watered down taste, bird pecking, and all the other things that can happen to it if left on the vine.

In other words, if you leave it on the vine after break you gain nothing and possibly lose the fruit.

Dave

perry, you don't need to put them in a sunny window to 'ripen'. As a matter of fact, I suggest that you don't. Wash and dry gently, then wrap them loosely in newspaper or paper towels and place somewhere relatively warm to finish the ripening process. Don't pile them on top of each other.

The tomatoes don't need the sun any more. Letting them ripen in a darkened environment helps them do so more evenly.

I put mine in a big paper bag and put them on top of the fridge (no direct sunlight), in a few days I transfer the fully ripened ones to the inside the fridge and save em up for a week until we have enough to can up another batch of sauce. If it seems like it is taking too long to ripen throw a banana in with em to increase the amount of gas (forget the name of the ripening gas that tomatoes and bananas emit).

Ethylene. All ripening fruits produce it.

i pick them before they split and put them in tomato boxes in the basement. I had a half a box of black krim thAT i picked a few days before bringing them to market. when i picked them they looked like they were ready to turn ripe within a day. when i displayed them at the market they were amazing looking and sold immediately.

I pick them when they separate from the vine when I lift the fruit.

How do each of you physically pick them? Cut above them with garden shears? Twist so they pop off? Pull so they pop off? Thanks,

Thank you everyone for your helpful responses. That's why I love coming to this site, and don't mind asking the questions. Because everybody loves gardening and learning as much as we do and are more than happy to share their experiences.

Thanks,
R. Perry

As a cook, I would never store tomatoes in a fridge, it isn't good for them.