As summer fades and cooler days approach, many gardeners start to worry: will their tomatoes ripen in time? In this article, we will explore effective ways to ripen tomatoes at the end of the growing season, ensuring you enjoy every last fruit before the cold weather sets in. Here’s how you can help those tomatoes cross the finish line.
Keep Feeding Your Tomato Plants
With a few more weeks of warm weather left, it’s essential to give your tomatoes all the resources they need to ripen. A great way to support sluggish plants is through regular feeding with a liquid tomato feed. These nutrients not only strengthen the plants but also promote fruit formation and ripening, thanks to the potassium content in the fertilizer. Aim to feed your plants every two weeks during the summer. This step can make a dramatic difference in both the quantity and quality of your tomatoes.
Maintain Warmth for Optimal Ripening
Tomatoes ripen best on the vine, and warmth plays a crucial role in this process. As temperatures begin to drop in late summer, consider keeping doors, windows, and vents closed, especially at night, to trap as much heat as possible. If you’ve installed any greenhouse shading, it might be time to remove it to let in more sunlight. Clearing overhanging branches and cleaning greenhouse windows can also help maximize the sun’s impact on your plants.
Remove Flowers and Prune Your Plants
As autumn approaches, it’s wise to remove any new flowers that appear on your tomato plants. Shorter days and cooler temperatures mean slower growth, making it unlikely that new flowers will turn into ripened fruit. For vining tomato varieties, also pinch off the top of the vines and any excess foliage. This forces the plant to focus all its energy on ripening the existing fruits, rather than producing new growth.
Harvesting Tomatoes Before Frost
Tomatoes typically take up to two months to go from flower to ripe fruit, so it’s common for the bulk of your harvest to occur at the end of the season. However, when daytime temperatures consistently fall below 55°F (13°C), your tomatoes are unlikely to ripen further on the vine. At this point, it’s time to harvest whatever remains and bring them indoors to finish ripening.
Ripening Tomatoes Indoors
How long tomatoes take to ripen off the vine depends on their size and color. Lighter green tomatoes that have reached their full size are more likely to ripen indoors. Dark green tomatoes, on the other hand, may not ripen as easily. Tomatoes that have started to blush with a bit of color are already emitting ethylene gas, which speeds up the ripening process. These can be left on a countertop in a warm spot or on a sunny windowsill to ripen.
For an even faster process, place your tomatoes in an enclosed space like a drawer or paper bag with an apple or banana. These fruits emit ethylene gas, which will help ripen your tomatoes more quickly. Just make sure there’s proper air circulation, and check regularly to remove any ripe tomatoes. Avoid putting them in the fridge, as this will halt the ripening process.
Delicious Uses for Green Tomatoes
Not all tomatoes will ripen, but that doesn’t mean they’ll go to waste. Green tomatoes can be used in a variety of dishes. One popular recipe is southern fried green tomatoes. Simply slice the tomatoes, coat them in seasoned flour, egg, and polenta, then fry them in sunflower oil until crispy and golden. These fried green tomatoes are crunchy on the outside, soft and creamy inside, and pair perfectly with a dipping sauce like mayonnaise mixed with sriracha or sweet chili sauce.
Another great recipe for green tomatoes is a fresh and zesty salsa. Roast the green tomatoes, then mix them with cilantro, red onion, chili, and lime juice for a flavorful topping that works well with tacos or as a dip for chips.
By following these tips, you can ensure that your tomatoes ripen fully, even as the growing season winds down. And for those that stay green, you’ll have delicious recipes to fall back on.
