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Tomatoes are one of the best tastes of the summer. On my daily walks, I have been monitoring the many, many creative ways we are growing our tomato plants in the neighborhood. We use trellises, cages, raised beds, large planters, and many other home-grown solutions! Even with all of the heat we have been having, those stubborn tomatoes are still taking their sweet time ripening (Early Girls excluded, obviously)!

If you are impatient or your plants are struggling, you can supercharge the process very easily. Tomato ripening is controlled by a natural plant hormone called ethylene. Both bananas and apples release ethylene, so placing the green tomatoes in a box in a single layer with either of these fruits will expedite ripening. The process is dependent on temperature, not sunlight, so they can be placed in a cabinet or cupboard with no ill effects. Ripening is optimized by warm conditions, rather than excessively hot or cold, so look for a spot that is 60 to 75 degrees for best success. Don’t forget to check on them every few days, as it can take one to two weeks to ripen.

If you are lucky and have a bumper crop of tomatoes already, you may be getting tired of eating those delicious tomatoes (unlikely but perhaps….). Canning is not everyone’s idea of a good time, given both the hot boiling pots of water and time intensity involved in the process. Consider other ways to save your harvest. Freezing tomatoes for future use is a much easier way to go, as are dehydrating, slow roasting, and making them into a sauce.

Other ways of preserving that you might not have considered are salsas and pickles. A few years ago I attended a book launch at our local (Fremont) gem of a bookstore, Book Larder. Marisa McClellan discussed her book Preserving by the Pint, which contains super options for both red and green tomatoes, either cherry-sized or larger. She uses quick pickling and blender methods that focus on preserving small amounts of food (two to three pints at a time), which is perfect for a home gardener. Her Food in Jars website has a searchable database with great ideas for preserving many foods, should you have an excess harvest of other types of fruits or vegetables.

Hope your growing season has been successful so far and wishing you productivity in the fall harvest!