No matter how seriously you take the timing for planting your garden, it’s bound to happen. You’ll have at least a few tomatoes that don’t ripen on the vine. What do you do? Well, first, you click to find out more and then continue reading to learn how to ripen tomatoes indoors.
Put your green tomatoes in a paper bag
All of you have probably heard about placing your green tomatoes in a paper bag. Did you know that it also works best if you put an apple or banana in the bag? Why? These fruits release ethylene gas, which will speed up the ripening process. It will take about a week for your tomatoes to ripen, but you’ll still want to watch them so they don’t become too ripe.
Use a cardboard box lined with newspapers
Who has newspapers these days? Well, if you don’t, maybe you can ask a neighbor if they do. You line the cardboard box with newspapers and then place your tomatoes in it. This is a good idea if you have many green tomatoes to get ripe. Peek inside the box from time to time and remove any tomatoes that you think are perfectly ripe.
Your windowsill is the easiest way to ripen tomatoes
If you only have a handful of tomatoes that are green, placing them on the windowsill is a good idea. It will take a few days, but you don’t need to do anything else. You have the bonus of constantly looking at your tomatoes on the windowsill so that you won’t forget about them. It’s easy to forget about your tomatoes as they ripen if you’ve got other things on your mind. That won’t happen if they’re on the windowsill, where you’ll constantly look at them while you walk by.
Pay close attention to the temperature in the room
Tomatoes will ripen if the temperature is between 65 and 70 degrees. You don’t want to get them much hotter than 70 because you risk your tomatoes going bad. Anything colder than 65 and they could freeze. Well, that is, if it gets below freezing in your house, which is unlikely. However, a good rule of thumb is, if you need a jacket, it’s too cold for your tomatoes.
A couple bonus tips
Always monitor your tomatoes as you allow them to ripen. Tomatoes can become too ripe; if that happens, it’s very difficult to salvage them. You want to stop the ripening process immediately so they don’t become overripe.
Storing your newly ripened tomatoes properly is a must. You can place them in a cool, dark area, or the refrigerator also works. You want to be mindful of how you store your tomatoes because they will go bad, just like any other fruit would.
Green tomatoes don’t need to be fried
Sure, you can fry up your green tomatoes if that’s your thing. If it isn’t, you can use these methods to ripen them up. A ripe tomato is a delicacy; you shouldn’t fret if your tomatoes are green. All you have to do is follow one of these easy methods, and you’ll have ripe tomatoes in a week or less.
