Tuesday, November 10, 2015

A Short Guide On How To Ripen Tomatoes

By Mattie Knight


The tomato is largely grown in backyard gardens or containers and it belongs to the Solanaceae family. Its fruits normally get ripe on the plant in mid summer to late summer. This however depends on the variety. In a situation where a hard frost is likely to fall or the fruits have fallen from the plant before they get ripe, they can be placed in the right conditions for ripening. The following are tips on how to ripen tomatoes.

Temperature is one of the most important things when it comes to ripening fruits. Cold temperatures inhibit the ripening process. If the temperature falls below fifty degrees Fahrenheit to eight five degrees Fahrenheit, their natural pigments are not produced. Timing is crucial for harvesting these fruits for indoor ripening. If they remain in temperatures of about forty degrees Fahrenheit, there is a great possibility of decay. You can improve resistance to decay by leaving a short piece of stem on the fruits.

The other factor that affects the ripening process of fruits is light. When fruits are placed in a lot of light, their skin usually toughens. These fruits only ripen well when placed in a warm, shaded area. Just like apples and bananas, tomatoes usually release a gas referred to as ethylene. By using the natural ethylene gas produced by these fruits, the ripening process will be stimulated.

There are several ways through which you may capture the ethylene gas produced by tomatoes. One of these ways is to pull up the entire tomato plants and hang them in a warm place facing upside down. This strategy allows the fruits to ripen while remaining on the plant.

Another way to capture ethylene gas is placing fruits in warm areas in a cardboard box, which is lined with newspapers. You may also ripen these fruits by placing apples or bananas along with them in a brown paper bag. The ethylene produced by apples and bananas stimulates the ripening process. You should check the fruits regularly and replace the apples or bananas if necessary.

The factors that will determine the flavor of your indoor ripened fruits are the treatment they receive in their final stage of maturing and the methods used to pick and store them. Ideally, you should pick green tomatoes before the first frost. For the best outcome, you should only harvest the fruits that are mottled green and pink or shiny green. The fluted, smaller and white fruits do poorly indoors, so it is advisable to just leave them on the vine.

Sorting the fruits is also essential. By separating the ripe fruits, you will ensure that the harder green fruits do not bruise them. It is also essential to ensure that the fruits are not overcrowded because this may cause bruising or decay. These fruits usually turn red within a period of one to two weeks.

After fourteen days, you should take an inventory of the unripe tomatoes. If there are many green tomatoes, you can set them aside and store them at 55 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The slight effort involved in proper curing will be rewarded when you bite into a succulent and flavorsome tomato.




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