Green tomatoes can ripen at home: How to store them and make them turn red
Green tomatoes can ripen after being picked (photo: Styler)
When nights get colder, tomatoes in the garden may no longer have time to turn red. In this case, green fruits can be picked and brought indoors, where they will gradually ripen. However, the result depends on how fully developed the tomatoes were at the time of harvesting.
RBC-Ukraine explains how to properly ripen green tomatoes at home, where to keep them, and what to do to help them start turning red faster.
Which green tomatoes should be picked from the garden
Healthy, fully developed fruits that have already reached the normal size for their variety are suitable for ripening indoors. Do not leave tomatoes with rot, cracks, or severe damage to ripen.
If a fruit has already started to lighten in color and its green shade is becoming less intense, it has a better chance of ripening normally after being picked. University of Minnesota Extension notes that fully developed green tomatoes can successfully ripen indoors, while completely immature fruits often do not develop good flavor.
Tomatoes should be picked before they are damaged by frost. Low temperatures can negatively affect the subsequent ripening of the fruit. Utah State University Extension also recommends picking mature green or slightly pink tomatoes and bringing them indoors before severe frosts.
Where to keep green tomatoes
The simplest option is to arrange them in a single layer in a dry room. Tomatoes should not be placed tightly on top of one another, as this makes it easier to notice a fruit that has started to spoil.
Direct sunlight is not necessary for ripening. What matters much more is keeping the room warm enough. Light is not essential for ripening — a warm room temperature is more important. Tomatoes should be arranged in a single layer so that they do not touch one another and checked regularly as they ripen.
For faster ripening, Utah State University Extension recommends keeping green tomatoes at around 21°C. At around 13°C, the ripening process can take approximately a month.
What to cover tomatoes with to help them turn red faster
One way to ripen tomatoes is to place green tomatoes in a box and cover them with paper. This method helps retain moisture while allowing the fruits to be stored in separate layers. Experts recommend this option for storing green tomatoes.
During ripening, tomatoes produce ethylene — a natural gas involved in the ripening process. Once a fruit enters the color-changing stage, it is already capable of continuing to ripen after being picked. The role of ethylene in this process is discussed separately.
Therefore, for ripening tomatoes at home, there is no need to put them on a sunny windowsill. It is better to create stable conditions and check the fruit regularly.
How many days will it take for tomatoes to turn red?
There is no exact timeframe: the rate of ripening depends on the variety, temperature, and the stage of maturity of the fruit at the time of harvesting.
Therefore, some tomatoes may begin changing color fairly quickly, while others will need more time. To make the harvest ripen gradually, you can regularly remove tomatoes that have already turned red, leaving the green ones to continue ripening.
The main thing is not to put green tomatoes in the refrigerator to ripen. Low temperatures will not help them ripen properly and may worsen the flavor and texture of the fruit. Experts note that mature green tomatoes ripen normally within a certain warm temperature range, while temperatures that are too low interfere with the process.
If some tomatoes are still very small, severely damaged, or have started to rot, it is better not to expect them to fully ripen and instead use such fruits in another way.
