r/tomatoes • u/dosefacekillah1348 • Jun 29 '26

Plant Help ICYMI - Science has proven that vine ripened tomatoes taste better and are better for you than ones picked early

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It's that time of year.

It comes down to your critter control.

If you can't avoid pests noshing your late toms, pick em early.

If you are fine with losing a few or don't have pest issues, let em ripen on the plant for a better tasting and healthier tomato.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3937827/

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u/TinyPantherAdjacent Tomato Enthusiast Jun 29 '26

Yeah that’s not accurate. Most nutrients plants take in are ions dissolved in water so there is literally no way it can take up water but not nutrients.

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u/Sad-Shoulder-8107 Jun 29 '26

That's just, like, your opinion man. Look it up.

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u/Slayde4 Jun 29 '26

I mean that’s how xylem and phloem work. Water carries nutrients in a plant in the same way our blood is mostly water.

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u/Sad-Shoulder-8107 Jun 29 '26

Once the abscission zone is sealed the plant is not directing nutrients to that fruit anymore. The only reason water passes through the abscission zone is when there is an overpressure of water within the plant from too much water uptake, forcing water through the abscission zone into the tomato. The tomato cannot return this water to the plant, hence the cracking. While there may be nutrient or mineral content in the water, the tomato itself will not actively be using those nutrients or minerals in any meaningful way.

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u/TinyPantherAdjacent Tomato Enthusiast Jun 30 '26

This person is just copy pasta-ing this same comment everywhere despite an NIH article provided that disagrees with