Getting tomatoes to ripen quickly can be a challenge, especially if cool weather threatens your crop. While tomatoes love heat and sun, cooler temps and shorter days in fall can slow down ripening. Luckily, there are several tricks gardeners can use to hasten tomato ripening both on and off the vine. Follow this comprehensive guide to get your green tomatoes red fast.
Why Tomatoes Are Slow to Ripen
Tomatoes are tropical perennials native to the Peruvian Andes. Without cold winters, tomato plants there grow year-round. So tomatoes don’t have the natural ripening triggers of other plants that force fruit production when days shorten. Instead, tomato plants will continuously bloom and set new fruit until frost kills them.
As daylight hours dwindle in late summer, ripening may slow down in northern gardens. And unripe tomatoes are more prone to cold, rain, pests and disease. For best flavor and to avoid waste, it’s ideal to harvest tomatoes when mature green and ripen them indoors. But first, try these tricks to hurry ripening outside.
12 Tips to Ripen Tomatoes Fast on the Vine
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Reduce watering. Less water stresses plants signaling them to ripen existing fruit and produce seed. Gradually reduce water over 3 weeks so plants adapt without problems like blossom end rot.
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Remove lower leaves and suckers This redirects energy to ripening fruit instead of unnecessary growth But leave enough leaves to shade and feed tomatoes,
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Pinch off new flowers. Eliminate any blossoms and tiny fruit so the plant focuses energy on maturing existing tomatoes instead of making new ones.
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Prune leafy growth at the top. Removing the growing tip prevents upward growth, also telling the plant to channel energy to ripening.
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Root prune. Digging a circle around plants severs outer roots, stressing plants to ripen fruit faster. Do this 2-4 weeks before first fall frost.
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Remove shaded tomatoes. Ensure all fruit gets sun to promote ripening. Take off any tomatoes hidden by foliage.
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Pick the smallest tomatoes. Getting rid of the tinier fruits allows the plant to ripen larger ones. Compost unripe ones you discard.
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Cull diseased parts. Eliminating sick plant tissue prevents disease spread and removes an energy drain. A healthy plant can focus on fruit ripening.
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Wiggle plants. Gently disturbing roots by loosening soil or twisting stems mimics late season stress. The plant reacts by accelerating fruit maturation.
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Use row covers. Protect plants from cold nights, keeping foliage warmer and giving more time to ripen tomatoes. Vent heat during the day.
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Grow in a greenhouse. Maintaining ideal warm conditions day and night encourages faster ripening compared to outdoor gardens.
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Stake/cage plants. Supporting vines allows better air circulation and sun exposure, both of which promote ripening.
How to Ripen Green Tomatoes Indoors
When frost threatens, pick any mature green tomatoes to ripen inside. Check for these signs of maturity:
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Full sized for the variety
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Light green with a tinge of pink or yellow
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Gelatinous interior with some color change from solid green
Then sort by ripeness and follow these indoor ripening tips:
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Keep tomatoes between 68-75°F in darkness
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Don’t refrigerate, as cold damages texture and flavor
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Place in paper bags with ripe fruit like apples, bananas or cantaloupe
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The ethylene gas these fruits emit speeds tomato ripening
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Check bags daily and remove tomatoes as they ripen
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Expect full ripening to take 1-2 weeks
Choose tomatoes with the deepest color for the most lycopene, an antioxidant that intensifies as chlorophyll breaks down. Prioritize heirlooms first if you have limited space since they won’t keep as long as paste tomatoes. Enjoy ripe ones quickly for best flavor.
Optimal Storage for Maximum Shelf Life
Proper tomato storage preserves freshness and shelf life whether ripening on the counter or already ripe:
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Keep tomatoes stem-side down for stability
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Store at room temperature away from direct sun
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Place ripening tomatoes in paper bags to capture emitted ethylene
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Refrigerate cut or overripe tomatoes to slow further ripening
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Let refrigerated ones come back to room temp before eating raw for best texture
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Cook refrigerated tomatoes immediately for salsa, sauce etc. instead of eating raw
How Long Do Tomatoes Take to Ripen on the Vine?
Tomato ripening depends on variety and conditions. Here are some averages:
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Small cherries: 4-6 weeks from flower to ripe fruit
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Slicers: 6-8 weeks from flower to harvest
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Add 3-6 weeks before first flower for total time from transplanting
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Hot, sunny weather speeds things up
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Cool temps and short fall days delay ripening
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Maturity times on seed packets are for the earliest harvest of green fruit, not for full ripeness
The exact timing will vary, but now you’re armed with plenty of tricks to get your tomatoes ripe and red faster. Pay attention as the season winds down and use these techniques to maximize your harvest. With smart harvesting and post-harvest care, you can enjoy vine-fresh flavor even when cool weather sets in.
FAQ
How do I encourage my tomatoes to turn red?
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1. Sunlight and Warmth:
- Ensure your tomato plant receives ample sunlight, as it’s essential for ripening.
- The ideal temperature range for tomato ripening is between 68-77 degrees Fahrenheit (20-25 degrees Celsius).
- Ensure your tomato plant receives ample sunlight, as it’s essential for ripening.
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2. Pruning:
- Remove any excess foliage that is shading the tomatoes, allowing them to receive more direct sunlight.
- Consider removing flowers and small fruits that won’t ripen in time, encouraging the plant to focus on ripening existing tomatoes.
- Remove any excess foliage that is shading the tomatoes, allowing them to receive more direct sunlight.
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3. Ethylene Stimulation:
- If you want to speed up the ripening process, pick mature green tomatoes and store them in a paper bag or box with an apple or banana.
- These fruits release ethylene gas, which stimulates ripening.
- If you want to speed up the ripening process, pick mature green tomatoes and store them in a paper bag or box with an apple or banana.
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4. Temperature:
- Avoid exposing tomatoes to temperatures outside the optimal range (50-85 degrees Fahrenheit or 10-29 degrees Celsius), as this can hinder ripening.
- Avoid exposing tomatoes to temperatures outside the optimal range (50-85 degrees Fahrenheit or 10-29 degrees Celsius), as this can hinder ripening.
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6. Patience:
- Some tomatoes can take longer to ripen than others, so be patient and continue to provide the right conditions.
- Some tomatoes can take longer to ripen than others, so be patient and continue to provide the right conditions.
How to ripen tomatoes on the vine overnight?
Put them in a paper bag, roll up the top and let it sit somewhere relatively warm (room temp will do). The ethylene they emit will be trapped in the bag and will ripen the tomatoes in a few days, magic!
How do you speed up the ripening of tomatoes?
In order to speed up the ripening process, all you need to do is trap the ethene gas in with the tomatoes by putting them in a paper bag, cardboard box or empty kitchen drawer. Add a ripening banana or apple, which will also give off ethene to help things along.
How do you speed up tomato ripening?
Whether you’re anxious for a fresh tomato or you’re racing the clock because frost is coming, there are some things you can do to speed up the ripening process while the tomatoes remain on the vine. Some people pick green tomatoes, toss them in a brown paper sack, and let them ripen indoors.
How to ripen a Tomato?
There are two simple methods to ripen a tomato. Firstly, ripen it on the vine. Alternatively, pick the tomato earlier due to season end and ripen it off the vine at room temperature. Both ripening processes will give you the best flavorful tomatoes if you pick the tomato at the right time with the right method.
Do tomatoes ripen faster on the vine?
Because not only will it help your tomatoes to ripen faster than ever, it also helps to keep your tomatoes safe from pests and injury. And perhaps best of all, it actually will help your plants produce more tomatoes! Contrary to popular belief, tomatoes do not ripen on the vine better than off of it. In fact, the opposite is actually true.
How do you ripen Tomatoes on the vine?
One of the best ways I’ve found to ripen my tomatoes on the vine is to grow them in a greenhouse. This works during the hotter portions of the year or when you’re trying to beat the frost. The heat from the greenhouse provides adequate growing conditions for the tomato to function at its best.
Do tomatoes ripen faster if it’s Hot?
And they ripen far faster and better when the temperature is cooler – somewhere between 65° and 75° (F). The hot summer sun can scald tomatoes. And if hot enough, it can also cause them to split and crack. See our article: How To Keep Tomatoes From Splitting & Cracking – Keep Your Harvest Safe!
Are Tomatoes ripening too long?
Tomatoes can certainly be finicky when it comes to ripening on the vine. Early in the season, it seems as though they can hang for weeks without the slightest change in color. And unfortunately, if it takes them too long, they often rot from within before ever completely maturing.