During the summer, my favorite is my garden, being able to pick lush red tomatoes off the vine, nothing tastes better. Sad to say that come autumn I always have some green tomatoes left on the vine.

There are tried and true ways to ripen green tomatoes after the first frost. I hope these help you ripen your own green tomatoes into the autumn

Happy Ripening!!!!

Believe it or not, green tomatoes have to be "ripe" before they turn red and finish the process.

To see if your tomatoes are ripe, Cut one of your green tomatoes in half, if the inside is yellowish and has a jelly like consistency, it is mature enough to ripen.

Prepare your green tomatoes to ripen. Remove all vines, stems, leaves, etc. Wash your tomatoes to make sure they are clean.

Watch for any decay or mold during the ripening process.

Some methods suggest using a "ripening" banana or apple. Use bananas when they are yellow with green on the ends. "Ripening" fruit releases ethylene, a gas that helps ripen fruit. Bananas produce more ethylene during ripening than other fruits, giving your green tomatoes an extra dose of ethylene to force ripening.

To avoid fruit flies, watch that there is not too much humidity. 

Ripening your green tomatoes in jars is a method best for only a few green tomatoes and should take 1 to 2 weeks.

• Put in two to four medium-sized green tomatoes per jar. Do not overfill the jar, or the tomatoes might bruise.
• Screw on lid tightly.
• Leave in a warm, semi-humid place, out of direct sunlight. Check regularly - if your banana starts to rot before the tomatoes are ready, remove it and replace with a new banana.

Ripening your green tomatoes in a cardboard box is a method best for lots green tomatoes and should take 1 to 2 weeks.

• Prepare a cardboard box. You can add some foam or simply line with newspaper.
• Place a layer of tomatoes in the box, each one next to the other. If you have a lot of tomatoes, a second layer on top is okay but be gentle. Do not make any more than two layers in case you bruise the fruit at the base.  Do not overcrowd!
  
• Add some ripening bananas if you'd like. The tomatoes are likely to ripen anyway, as they release their own ethylene and influence each other. However, using bananas will help to speed up the process.
• Place in a cool, slightly humid room away from light. A pantry shelf is ideal if you have one

Ripening your green tomatoes in a plastic bag is a method best from only a few green tomatoes to lots of green tomatoes and should take 1 to 2 weeks.

• Punch a few "air circulation" holes in each bag you are going to use.
• Place 3 - 4 tomatoes with 1 banana in each bag. Use a large bags for lots of green tomatoes and a small bag for a few. Don't overcrowd!!!
• Store in a warm, semi-humid area away from direct sunlight.

Ripening your green tomatoes in jars is a method best for only a few green tomatoes and should take 1 to 2 weeks.

• Insert ripening banana and as many tomatoes as will fit without overcrowding.
• Store in a warm, semi-humid area away from sunlight.

The good ole standby. Ripening your green tomatoes on your window sill is a hit or miss method best for only a few green tomatoes and should take 1 to 2 weeks.

• Place green tomatoes on a sunny window sill.

Easy enough....

When you have lemons, you make lemonade....When you have green tomatoes you make....

• Green Tomato Soup With Country Ham
• Green Tomato Marmalade Recipe
• Green Tomato, Apple and Grape Relish
• Green Tomato Cake
• Fried Green Tomatoes

We all like our lush red tomatoes and the best tasting tomatoes seem to be organic. Organic Gardening is simply gardening the way it used to be. No chemicals used to harm our bodies or our environment.

Today, the chemicals we use on our garden not only have been proven to harm our bodies, but seep into the environment as well.

When starting your garden, make sure to keep your tomatoes and other vegetables organic, you will notice the difference and you will have more lush red tomatoes