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Why Tomatoes Don't Ripen Fully: Causes of "Green Shoulders"
31.07.2024 22:28
Often, summer residents have to deal with a situation where tomatoes show all the signs of ripeness, with the exception of the green area near the stem, which is commonly called “green shoulders”.
Today we propose to look for an answer to the question: what is the reason for uneven ripening of tomatoes?
Incomplete ripening of tomatoes - what is it
If the tomato is not fully ripe, the unripe part of the pulp remains firmer than the ripe part of the fruit.
This is especially noticeable in tomatoes, which change color to, for example, red or yellow during ripening. But this can also happen to tomatoes that remain green for a long time.
The taste of the tomato in this case will not be as sweet as that of a fully ripened one.
Please note: It is normal for some tomatoes to have some green parts when fully ripe – but the manufacturer will usually warn you about this in advance.
Reasons for incomplete ripening of tomatoes
Chlorophyll in unripe tomatoes typically begins to break down at the end of bloom and continues around the stem and up the fruit.
If chlorophyll breaks down too slowly or does not break down at all, the so-called “green shoulders” appear.
There are several reasons for this, all of which are related to weather conditions: it can happen as a result of heat burn, when tomatoes are exposed to too much direct sunlight, or as a result of too much heat over a long period of time.
