One year when I had planted my tomatoes late in the season I had lots of green tomatoes left on the vines when I needed to get them off or lose them all. I picked them all and wrapped each separately in newspaper. I layered them in a box only 2 layers high, and stored them in a cool dark place. Check them once a week.
If when you unwrap a tomato and it has started to turn red leave unwrapped put it where you can keep an eye on it. The tomato will finish turning red and ripen and you will have a fresh ripe tomato in the middle of the winter. When I did this I had lots of green tomatoes, I ended up with fresh ripe tomatoes until February of the next year.
There is nothing like a fresh home grown tomato in the winter months. Just be sure and check them all or some may rot and cause others around it to rot. It is a little work, but oh, so worth it. I heard about this from somewhere else but can't remember where.
By cora from N.C.
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This is a great way to ripen green tomatoes. I read this tip somewhere last year and it really does work. We have just finished wrapping about 30 lbs green tomatoes.
I have not found it necessary to individually wrap the tomatoes. I just put them in a cardboard box lined with newspaper, place them in a single layer, and cover with a layer of newspaper. They do not need nor want light to ripen. I keep them in a cool dry location.
When I have green tomatoes in the fall I pick and wash them, dry them and put them in a bowl on my kitchen table until they ripen. Usually, I'll wash them once a week until they are red and ready to eat.
I also wrap mine individually, but in kitchen towel not newspaper. I agree, I have fresh tomatoes all through the winter months right up to spring
I ended up with lots of green unripe heirloom tomatoes early October with cool nights. I had tried various ways to ripen them in other years. This year I carefully cut each off and trimmed the stem down without breaking into the top of each tomato. The top of the tomato is thicker and so I laid them head down on a cookie sheet without them touching.
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