A Louisiana gardener is recommending that people pick their tomatoes before a storm happens.
In a recent TikTok, Danielle of Maggie's Farm Nola (@MaggiesFarmNola) explained that harvesting fruit at just the right moment can help prevent split tomatoes.
@maggiesfarmnola 🍅 Want to prevent your tomatoes from splitting? Pick them BEFORE a rainstorm. Here's why: when tomatoes get a sudden surge of water from heavy rain, the inside of the fruit swells faster than the skin can stretch. As tomatoes ripen, the skin naturally thickens and becomes less flexible, so that extra moisture creates pressure… and split tomatoes are the result. Pro tip: Once tomatoes reach the breaker stage (that first blush of color), go ahead and harvest them and let them finish ripening indoors. In Southeast Louisiana, timing your harvest around rain can save your crop. 🌿 Save this for tomato season and follow @maggiesfarmnola for beginner gardening tips. Let's GEAUX, Let's GREAUX 🌿#TikTokLearningCampaign #Gardening #gardentok #tomato ♬ original sound - Jellyfish Jams Daily
The video shows many tomatoes of different sizes and colors. They're all perfectly intact and plump.
The TikTok creator harvests tomatoes before rain once the fruit reaches the breaker stage. That happens when the first blush of color appears.
"When tomatoes get a sudden surge of water from heavy rain, the inside of the fruit swells faster than the skin can stretch," the creator wrote. "As tomatoes ripen, the skin naturally thickens and becomes less flexible, so that extra moisture creates pressure… and split tomatoes are the result."
In a place such as Southeast Louisiana, where heavy rain can arrive suddenly, timing a harvest around the forecast can make a noticeable difference.
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The gardener's recommendation is to harvest tomatoes at the breaker stage and let them finish ripening indoors rather than risk losing them to a downpour on the vine.
Losing tomatoes to splitting can be discouraging and expensive. Every fruit saved is produce you do not have to replace at the store. And as grocery prices continue to rise, every cherry tomato truly does count.
Homegrown tomatoes and other produce are often a big reason people start gardening in the first place. Protecting that harvest as much as possible means more enjoyment of the literal fruits of your labor.
Gardening can also offer benefits beyond the plate. Spending time outside and working with your hands can support mental well-being while adding physical activity to your routine.
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If you don't have space to grow anything outside, an indoor garden is still possible. One person made a container garden inside their home that still allows them the joy of taking care of plants.
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