Tomatoes are a popular item found in most kitchens thanks to their culinary versatility and delicious flavours, and are often a staple ingredient in many types of dishes, including fresh salads, baked goods and sauces. As such, many gardeners are known to have tomatoes growing in their outdoor spaces with their ripening process taking anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks, depending on a host of factors such as the level of ripeness when picked, the tomato variety and of course, temperature. Tomatoes are not too dissimilar to bananas and avocados when it comes to ripening, as all three are known to give off ethylene gas – a natural plant hormone which regulates growth and ripening by converting the starch it stores into sugar.
Many may be inclined to store their tomatoes in their fridges, thinking this will be the best method to promote ripening. However, experts warn that this could, in fact, be leading to their downfall, producing much less flavour. According to Goodfood, tomatoes require warmth in order to ripen, and placing them in the fridge will be “no help to them at all.”
If you’re constantly battling with unripe tomatoes that are far from flavoursome, there are a few tips to help them which includes keeping them out of the fridge.
Goodfood explained that “the warmer a tomato is, the quicker it will ripen.” Therefore, storing tomatoes in the fridge could “degrade their texture” and make them more “mealy.”
A mealy tomato means its flesh has developed into a powdery or grainy texture instead of smooth and juicy. This texture type often has a reduced flavour and is off-putting to most.
On the flipside, however, tomatoes shouldn’t get too hot either, as this will hinder their ripening process. Goodfood adds that “too much light can toughen skins, so don’t put them on the windowsill”.
In order to speed up the ripening process, trapping the ethene gas in tomatoes is your best bet, and this can be achieved by placing them in a cardboard box, an empty kitchen drawer or a paper bag, explains Goodfood.
The site explained: “Fruit gives off moisture, so use a bag or box that won’t trap it and keep the tomatoes spaced apart so they don’t go mouldy.”
You can also add a ripening apple or banana, which will also give off ethene to help things along.
Goodfood added: “Ripening from very unripe usually takes a week or two at higher temperatures (18C-25C is optimum) – just keep checking as the tomatoes will ripen at different speeds.
“If it’s cold in your kitchen, ripening will take much longer. Also, check for tomatoes that start to rot, as these will affect all the others.”
For gardeners, the site further advises the importance of tomato leaves when it comes to their ripening.
“If you grow tomatoes, don’t be tempted to pull the leaves off the plants to help them get more sunshine,” it explained.
Removing tomato leaves, particularly those near fruit clusters, is said to negatively impact their ripening as this process disrupts photosynthesis, a process by which plants convert sunlight into sugars for fruit development.
Removing tomato leaves will lead to slower ripening, sunburn and pale patches found on your tomatoes.