In his September gardening blog post, Monty Don revealed that now is the perfect time for tomato transformation. However, for those unfortunate individuals left with persistently green tomatoes, Monty has a professional tip: apparently, a single banana is all you need.
As Monty explained: “Tomatoes ripen best when the temperature is between 26 and 30 degrees, so this summer was too hot for many of them – especially if grown under glass, which meant that many stayed green much longer than in a cooler summer.
“However, by September, the heat is running out, and inevitably, we are all left with green tomatoes that are never going to ripen.
“If you pick them – either individually or on the bine, then put them in a drawer with a banana and they will ripen and turn red.”
Ripe bananas produce vast quantities of ethylene gas, a clever method to accelerate the transformation of your tomatoes into a flawless red hue.
If you prefer an alternative method to get your tomatoes from green to red away from the plant, grab a ventilated container.
Secure some perforated plastic bags, a modest brown paper sack, or simply a plain cardboard box, then position your unripe tomatoes somewhere warm, protected from any draughts.
Ensure you arrange the tomatoes so they’re not stacked but distributed in a single layer. Remember, monitor that bag vigilantly, removing any that achieve ripeness to prevent them from venturing into the overripe territory.
For those gardeners who aren’t rushed and content to allow their tomatoes to redden naturally on the plant, it’s recommended to remove some foliage to allow sunlight to directly reach the fruit.
