How to Ripen Green Tomatoes

At this time of year many gardeners wonder if their green tomatoes will ever ripen. Fortunately there are some simple techniques that can help.

When temperatures begin to drop, tomatoes stop ripening so it's time to take action! Fruits can be brought inside or whole plants can be hung up to encourage the fruits to continue to ripen.

In this short video we show you how to ripen your green tomatoes both on and off the vine to ensure you don't waste any of your harvest at the end of the season.

If you love growing your own food, why not take a look at our online Garden Planner which is available from several major websites and seed suppliers:
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[pamelajohn]

I live in a place with a short growing season and early freezing temps. I had a huge harvest of green tomatoes last year so tried the method of hanging upside down with roots still attached. I put them in a dark garden shed and turned on a heat lamp so they wouldn't freeze at night. I had ripe tomatoes well into winter!

[cindybonem]

My husband cut off twenty tomato plants and hung them upside down in the basement (he left the foliage on) they have been ripening beautifully and they taste great! I have canned 21 extra quarts of tomatoes and will process another 14 quarts of of them by the time that they are all ripened, plus some pints of salsa. This is great to know if you live in a northern climate. I have pictures on Facebook.

[thundrtkr]

The community garden for my apartment is shutting it down and my plants didn’t finish, I’m so glad I saw this. I have POUNDS of fruit still growing and it was killing me to think of tossing it!

[jamescorcoran]

Thank you for your help, your a great inspiration I'm so glad that someone cares enough to help the little people with no income.

[lindacaldwell]

My father always collected the green ones and wrapped them in newspaper. Then placed them in banana box or similar. This way we were eating ripe tomatoes all the way until Christmas!!

[richsmart]

Great advice. usually tend to try to ripen on kitchen windowsill, but have just pulled up our 5 remaining tomato plants today, stripped the leaves off & hung them in the shed as you suggested. Will post an update in a few weeks - hopefully successful!

[MarinaWilson]

Thanks for the info, good ideas. I put mine in a kitchen drawer with a red apple and they don't take long.

[michellewade]

Thank you. I have discarded my green tomatoes for the last 2 years as I thought it was just to late. Will try out your methods and hopefully enjoy some more of my hard work.

[Ystadcop]

Quite amazing that this vid popped up just when I was on the point of throwing my toys out of the pram and chucking the lot into the compost.
Thanks.

[mandydeane]

Thank you Ben for these tips I have a load of tomatoes not ripening and it is nearly the end of summer. x

[marilynsheppard]

I grew up in the 60’s-70’s and this is what we did out home.

[budandbess]

Thanks for alternative methods, I will usely rinse off the tomatoes, let dry, and put them in a brown paper bag with an apple to ripen. Bud

[conniedavidson]

Like everyone else I have lots of green tomatoes and we have a cold front coming next week. Thanks for this info.

[phxtonash]

bring potted plants inside, either just at night, put by sunny window, or under grow lights. your advice is good for plants in ground

[checkyoursix]

Good advice at 2:28. Pull the vines up (roots and all) before the first frost, and hang 'em upside down from the rafters in a pole barn, or a shed. They'll gradually ripen. Check on 'em every couple of days to see how they're going. You can have fresh tomatoes for weeks.

[tatliz]

I put the cherry tomatoes in egg cartons to ripen and it works great. I have so many fruits I need to get in and the weather has already frosted twice. I hope I can salvage some of them!

[alexrodgers]

I’ve done the pulling whole plant up by roots, hanging n basement by roots. I live in Idaho mountains (short season), but the hanging method gives me tomatoes until March (as long as NO blight on stems). There is another method of getting them to ripen on plant, in ground. Take your shovel, then about 8 inches away from trunk shove shovel at slight angle to cut roots on all sides. Pull plant up, turn quarter turn (to make sure roots are cut) set back in hole. This will get your tomatoes to ripen before neighbors, and you can get them to market (local veggie market) to sell before others.

[ErichLRuehs]

Love this guy's accent! I mean, we all have accents, but his is culming and dignified.

[wenzworld]

I’ve been using the paper bag method for years, but didn’t know about adding an apple. I’m going to try that this year. Thanks!

[alannorr]

We put them loosely into boxes and store in the basement. They usually all ripen, with very little waste.