You should post this on the cooking forum, a lot of tomato growers there.

Pammyfay - for the ones that are ripe, just pull them and they'll come off the end of the vine easily, with or without a tiny bit of green on the end. You won't harm the vine, they're very hardy. Then give the tomatoes to someone who likes tomatoes! If your neighbor won't be home for several days, the tomatoes will go to waste if they just sit on her counter. Tomato vines produce so many fruits that your neighbor will still have a zillion when she gets home, so give the ripe ones away. You're a good neighbor!

Not in the refrigerator!

I agree - if your neighbor is not going to be home for several days - take the ripe ones. Just pull them off the vine. You might also throw the *mushy* ones away, they can get kind of messy.

Do not put the tomatoes in the fridge.

tina

All good advice! I'm guessing your neighbor didn't know you hated tomatoes when she asked you to babysit the garden, lol.