Tomatoes: Slow to Ripen. By Joe Lamp'l.High heat can certainly shut down the ripening process temporarily. The ripening engine will start up again with the return of cooler temps. Slowingdown the ripening process allows you to stretch a crop of fresh tomatoes so you can use them over a three- to four-week period. You can't stop ripening completely without ruining the flavor of the tomatoes, but proper storage does allow you to slow the process down substantially. Tomatoes need warmth to ripen. As autumn days shorten and temperatures drop, the process slowsdown significantly. It creates a tricky situation. Waiting can be risky, because a single frost can cause a lot of damage. Do: Leave the tomato stem below the abscission layer in place, then wash the tomatoes and let them air dry. Do: Keep the tomatoes in a cool area with temperatures around 70 to 75 degrees. Cooler temps will slowdownripening while warmer temps will speed it up. This guide is your definitive playbook for managing that race. We’ll dive into not just how to slowdowntomatoripening, but also the science behind it, the best storage techniques for different stages of ripeness, and how to store green tomatoes so you can enjoy them for weeks to come. Researchers with the Agricultural Research Service and Purdue University have found a way to slowdowntomatoripening and improve tomatoes’ nutritional quality. If the season is right, a brilliant-red tomato may be sitting on the table of ARS plant physiologist Autar K. Mattoo. The optimum temperature for ripeningtomatoes is 70 to 75F. When temperatures exceed 85 to 90 F, the ripening process slows significantly or even stops.But the slowness to ripen is not likely due to soil conditions and adding additional fertilizer will do nothing to quicken ripening. Here’s a tip on how to store fresh tomatoes the right way without freezing or cooking them and increase their shelf life.You can slowdown the ripening proce... Tomatoes need specific temperature ranges to ripen properly. Ideal daytime temperatures for ripening are between 70-85°F (21-29°C). If temperatures exceed 85°F (29°C) or drop below 50°F (10°C), the ripening process can slowdown or stop entirely. So you can slowdownripening by placing tomatoes in a cool area (50 - 60 F) or speed them up with moderate warmth (60 - 68F). To slowdowntomatoripening, wrap the clean, dry fruits individually in newspaper and place in a box that’s stored in a cool dark place. Bringing the fruit into a warmer temperature will hasten the ripening process. To pick a tomato, grasp the fruit firmly, but gently, and pull from the plant. Tomatoesripen when ethylene is produced within the fruit. Yep, that same gas that causes your bananas to ripen too quickly also kickstarts the ripening process. Ethylene causes lycopene synthesis which in turn ripenstomatoes into that red we all know and love. Cool temperatures during tomato fruit development will slow maturity. Tomato fruit may require an additional 7 to 10 days to mature when daytime high temperatures are consistently in the sixties and seventies. Learn more in this article: Managing Tomato Diseases, Disorders, and Pests. TOMATORIPENING PROBLEMS (adapted from Ohio Extension) Cool night temperatures can cause tomatoes not to ripen as quickly as normal, or to ripen with irregular fruit color.
