September... summer quietly gives way to autumn: the days get shorter, the leaves start to change color, and the temperatures drop, especially at night. Although the weather is still very nice, the first night frosts are not far off, and your tomato plants are still full of beautiful... green fruits! Here are some tips to make your tomatoes turn red before the cold catches up with you:
Even if your plant is still producing flowers and is full of tiny fruits, there won't be enough time for them to reach maturity. To prevent your plant from spending its precious end-of-season energy on fruits that will be impossible to consume, it is better to remove them. Remove all the flowers and small budding tomatoes, leaving only those that are already a good size. You can also remove leaves so that the sun's rays can reach the tomatoes and give them as much warmth as possible to turn red.
You've done your best, but your tomatoes are still green, and you're worried about the predicted drop in temperature? It's time to bring your tomatoes indoors and let them ripen inside. You have several options. First, it's important to know that it's the heat and not the light that makes tomatoes turn red, contrary to popular belief. The windowsill can be effective, but only because the temperature is high there, not because the sun reaches the fruits! In fact, tomatoes ripen better in the dark.
You can pull up your tomato plants with the roots and hang them upside down in a dark place. The roots will continue to feed the fruits so they can reach maturity.
Place your tomatoes individually in sheets of newspaper or paper bags and keep them at room temperature, away from light. They will ripen slowly. Do not put them in the fridge or in a vegetable cellar, as the cold will halt the ripening of the tomatoes.
Some fruits release ethylene as they ripen, and this gas can make tomatoes ripen. This is the case, among others, with bananas and apples. Place your tomatoes in a paper bag and add a ripe banana. The banana will help the tomatoes turn red.
With these few tips, you can enjoy beautiful red... or yellow or pink tomatoes. But you know the adage: if life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Why not apply it to tomatoes and use your green tomatoes to make green ketchup, a gazpacho, or a cake? There is no reason to throw away a single tomato from your garden, whether it's ripe or not quite!
Too late for new fruits
Even if your plant is still producing flowers and is full of tiny fruits, there won't be enough time for them to reach maturity. To prevent your plant from spending its precious end-of-season energy on fruits that will be impossible to consume, it is better to remove them. Remove all the flowers and small budding tomatoes, leaving only those that are already a good size. You can also remove leaves so that the sun's rays can reach the tomatoes and give them as much warmth as possible to turn red.
Ripening tomatoes indoors
You've done your best, but your tomatoes are still green, and you're worried about the predicted drop in temperature? It's time to bring your tomatoes indoors and let them ripen inside. You have several options. First, it's important to know that it's the heat and not the light that makes tomatoes turn red, contrary to popular belief. The windowsill can be effective, but only because the temperature is high there, not because the sun reaches the fruits! In fact, tomatoes ripen better in the dark.
1. The whole plant, upside down
You can pull up your tomato plants with the roots and hang them upside down in a dark place. The roots will continue to feed the fruits so they can reach maturity.
2. Tomatoes in newspaper
Place your tomatoes individually in sheets of newspaper or paper bags and keep them at room temperature, away from light. They will ripen slowly. Do not put them in the fridge or in a vegetable cellar, as the cold will halt the ripening of the tomatoes.
3. With ethylene
Some fruits release ethylene as they ripen, and this gas can make tomatoes ripen. This is the case, among others, with bananas and apples. Place your tomatoes in a paper bag and add a ripe banana. The banana will help the tomatoes turn red.
With these few tips, you can enjoy beautiful red... or yellow or pink tomatoes. But you know the adage: if life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Why not apply it to tomatoes and use your green tomatoes to make green ketchup, a gazpacho, or a cake? There is no reason to throw away a single tomato from your garden, whether it's ripe or not quite!
Tips and advice
