How to ripen green tomatoes indoors

How to ripen green tomatoes indoors:

As a gardener this time of year can be both exciting and sad at the same time. We get to see and taste all the results of our hard work all summer long. Everything is producing and harvest is at its full peak, if not even winding down. That is the part that disheartening. Once the cool temperatures return, and our plants start to die off we know the end of our gardening time is coming close. For some of us we have been harvesting and preserving our produce to enjoy long into the winter months. You may be wishing you could enjoy some fresh produce once your plants start to die off or the cold starts to hit. While the good news is you can!  Now is the time to start to plan for it too. Once a frost hits it can be too late. You can bring a lot of your produce inside without needing to can it or freeze it. However, for today let’s talk tomatoes. There are a few easy steps that will help you enjoy all of that fruit so you do not lose any to frost.  

There are many different techniques to ripen your tomatoes inside and some work (but not well) and some don’t work that well at all. For example you may be tempted to ripen your tomatoes on a sunny window sill. Light is not needed to ripen them and it may make the skins harder and making them over warm can cause them to rot. Since it is no longer on a plant it will not need the sun to ripen. You may have heard of wrapping each tomato in a piece of newspaper or putting each in its own small paper bag. This may work but you will not be able to inspect each tomato for rotting and there is no real advantage to this method. As well some people pull the whole plant and let the it hang in a cool, dry location for the fruit to ripen on the plant. In this case you are carrying in all the bacteria, dirt and spores that will also promote rotting.

Try the following method:

·         It is important that you pick any of the green tomatoes before a frost. You can see that they were hit by frost by the dark green colour that comes from the frost right away or within a few days. Tomatoes hit by frost will not ripen. 

·         Wash them under cool running water, not in sink full of water. All the dirt, fungus and bacteria will just be floating in the sink of water and effect the other fruit. So..Yuck!

·         Try to keep only the best ones. If there are spots or if the tomato feels soft these will not keep well.

·         Try to find a flat, liquid proof container or thick cardboard box that will contain or absorb any liquid if a tomato rots. It will also need to be large enough to allow for the tomatoes to not touch one another (ideally about 2" apart and only one layer). Line the container or box with cardboard or several sheets of newspaper to absorb any liquid from one tomato that may rot, so it will not affect the others.

·         Place the box in an insulated garage, cool basement or cellar. The area should be dry and cool (about 12-17C). If the room is high in humidity then it may cause the tomatoes to rot faster so using a dehumidifier would be ideal. If the area is on the cooler side it will just take longer to ripen and you will just have a tomato to eat later in the fall and winter. If the area is on the warmer side you will just enjoy them sooner. Allowing for plenty of air flow will also benefit the tomatoes and prevent mold from growing.

·         Keep an eye on your tomatoes. Just like tending to a garden you will have to tend to these as well. Take a look at them every other day or so. If there is any sign of rotting get rid of that tomato at once. Rotting can spread quickly! Take any that are starting to turn red (about 50% red or more) and let them finish ripening on your kitchen counter. 

·         Be patient. The ripening process can be slow lasting anywhere from 3 weeks to 3 months. But how exciting it will be to have fresh tomatoes at thanksgiving!

So you see you do not need to invest in canning jars and supplies or a large freezer to preserve your harvest. With a little planning and preparation you can still enjoy your produce long after the gardening weather is over! Give it a try.