Here’s how to do it.
Tomatoes and other ripening fruits and vegetables release a scentless hormone in a gas form called ethylene when ripening.
Check the bag daily for progress and any signs of rotting.
The Spruce / Lindsay Talley
Tip
Take precautions to keep pests off tomatoes as you’re waiting for them to ripen.
Store Tomatoes on the Counter
Leave tomatoes on the counter at room temperature.
Keep fruits warmer than 60 degrees Fahrenheit to finish ripening; cooler temperatures will stunt the process.
The Spruce / Jayme Burrows
Keep the stem intact with the stem’s side facing down.
This way, the fruits will still have some of the benefits of ripening on the vine.
Don’t hang the plant in direct sunlight or total darkness.
The Spruce / Jayme Burrows
If thetomato plant is in a container, bring it inside and keep it in a sunny window.
Other big ethylene-producing fruits include avocados, cantaloupe, kiwi, peaches, pears, and peppers.
Place Tomatoes on a Sunny Windowsill
This is a hit-or-miss solution.
The Spruce / Jayme Burrows
Place the box in a dark, dry spot.
It usually takes three to four weeks for tomatoes to ripen.
Check them frequently, and remove any fruits that show signs of rotting.
The Spruce / Jayme Burrows
Never store tomatoes in the refrigerator.Tomatoes won’t ripenat temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
Its not worth spraying your tomato plants fordiseaseslate in the growing season.
Just remove and dispose of any diseased leaves.
The Spruce / Jayme Burrows
The paper bag trick is the fastest way to ripen green tomatoes.
Tomatoes ripen better on the vine.
The speed of ripening depends on other variables, such as temperature.
The Spruce / Jayme Burrows
The ripening process will slow down if it’s cold or really hot.
If your tomatoes are unripe, have no fear, there are plenty of recipes for unripe green tomatoes.
Ethylene in fruits and vegetables.
University of California-San Diego Center for Community Health.
Handling Tips and Trivia.
Why aren’t my tomatoes ripening?Cornell University Cooperative Extension.
