Tomatoes will ‘ripen and turn red’ faster than usual with 10p method Monty Don swears by
Gardening superstar Monty Don has shared a clever hack that will help you ripen your tomatoes indoors, and all you need is a single fruit from the kitchen.
Tomatoes refusing to budge from their green state when growing on the plant can be annoying, but there is a way to turn them red indoors, according to gardening hero Monty Don.
Once they’ve detached from the vine, tomatoes carry on their ripening magic thanks to a gas named ethylene.
Curiously enough, other produce like bananas and avocados also emit this ethylene gas that’s a big player in fruit ripening.
That’s why commercial tomato producers often snatch up the fruit while it's still got a bit of green, banking on the fact that these little guys will finish ripening en route to stores.
If you're plucking early-bird tomatoes from your own patch, aim for ones with a pale blush at the bottom and a slightly squishy feel when gently pressed.
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. Read our Privacy Policy
In his September gardening blog entry, Monty Don spilled the secret that now’s the prime time for tomato transformation.
But for those poor souls who’ve been waiting on stubbornly green tomatoes, Monty has a trade trick up his sleeve: it appears just one banana is all you need.
As Monty puts it: “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 and 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.
Don't miss...
Rats and mice stay away from homes when using 1 natural item they hate and fear [EXPERT]
Peace lilies explode with many flowers if given one cup of a common kitchen item [COMMENT]
Roses will give you the best flowers next year with expert’s 1 essential task [ADVICE]
“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 churn out copious amounts of ethylene gas, a trick to speed up turning your tomatoes a perfect shade of red.
Bananas, the go-to fruit for many households, can be snagged for a mere 62p at Morrisons for a pack of six - this works out as only 10p per banana. Bananas also retail at Sainsbury’s for 78p and at Asda for 94p.
Should you fancy another trick to nudge your tomatoes from green to red off the vine, reach for a breathable container.
Get your hands on some plastic bags dotted with holes, a humble brown paper bag, or even a simple cardboard box, then park your unripe tomatoes in a warm spot, shielded from any drafts.
Take care to lay out the tomatoes so they're not piled up but spread as a single layer.
Don’t forget, keep an eagle eye on that bag, plucking out any that reach perfection to stop them from crossing into the overripe zone.
For those gardeners not in a hurry and happy to let their tomatoes blush on the vine, it's best to strip the plant of some leaves to let sunlight shower unfettered onto the fruit.
