Sunday, August 23, 2015

By Shawn Hunter


Indoor ripening of tomatoes is not a difficult task. This will not give you the same quality as that gotten when the tomatoes are ripened by the sun but the taste is much better compared to the green ones found at grocery stores. The discussion below outlines how to ripen tomatoes in doors.

The tomatoes should be picked from the garden before they become frosted. If there has been frost already, only the tomatoes which were protected from the frost will ripen. The ones which were affected by the frost will become dark green within one or two days after the picking.

Each of the fruits has to be washed under running water and inspected. Blotting should be done using a dish towel and then they should be given a chance to dry. Use of running water ensures that all the dirt, fungus and bacteria are removed and cross-contamination avoided. Any that have spots, are soft or damaged ought to be removed. However, they can still be ripened but ensure you use them first as they rot quickly.

A wide flat container having a spongy layer to act as an absorbent is required. This is where the fruits will be spread. The absorbent material should be thick so as to contain liquid seeping from rotten tomatoes to ensure that it does not come into contact with the rest. Also, it should be liquid-proof.

The spacing must be done in such a way that each of the tomatoes has enough space to breath. The ideal distance between them is two inches. The containers should be lined with thick leafs of newspapers or towel papers. After cleaning and drying the fruits, they are arranged in a single layer inside the container. Ensure none are touching.

The temperatures of the room being used for storage purposes are supposed to be 50-65 F. The recommended places for storage include unheated basement, enclosed porch and insulated garage. If the temperatures a low, the ripening will be prolonged while high temperatures hasten the process. Humidity is another factor which must be keenly regulated because high levels will cause rotting. Investing in a dehumidifier is important as it will allow you to control the humidity levels.

The tomatoes must be checked once in a week or often than that. If there are any which are fifty percent ripe, they ought to be taken out and allowed to ripen completely from the outside. In addition, they have to checked for signs of rotting. If there are any rotten ones, they have to be removed immediately because once the rotting starts, it needs just a little time to affect the whole tomato. The ripening starts from three weeks and may go on for three months.

On the same note, one rotten tomato is s a danger to the rest. This means it can spread this to all of them and you may end up with nothing to show after the process. Maintaining the humidity at a low level and ensuring the air circulation is good prevents the formation of mold and mildew.




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