This is the tomato bag. It's filled with the ripe, near ripe, and maybe in several days ripe. We pick when we get to the farm, maybe once a week, grabbing at anything with a slightest blush of pale orange. I say 'we,' but Betsy chides me for breaking my "when ripe" rule. But then, we know there are opportunistic pickers, we know the ground is wet and cool, and we know that there's only so much time.
Into the brown paper bag with the apple. Yes, some of you know it, some do not: the apple produces ethylene gas as it ripens, which hastens the ripening of other fruits. Apples are very high producers of ethylene, while tomatoes are low producers that are highly susceptible to the natural gas. Wa-La. Riper tomatoes faster. If you want your tomatoes to ripen slower, keep them away from other fruit, and out in the open.
This is the tomato bag. It's filled with the ripe, near ripe, and maybe in several days ripe. We pick when we get to the farm, maybe once a week, grabbing at anything with a slightest blush of pale orange. I say 'we,' but Betsy chides me for breaking my "when ripe" rule. But then, we know there are opportunistic pickers, we know the ground is wet and cool, and we know that there's only so much time. 
Into the brown paper bag with the apple. Yes, some of you know it, some do not: the apple produces ethylene gas as it ripens, which hastens the ripening of other fruits. Apples are very high producers of ethylene, while tomatoes are low producers that are highly susceptible to the natural gas. Wa-La. Riper tomatoes faster. If you want your tomatoes to ripen slower, keep them away from other fruit, and out in the open.
Score on the tomato goodies. How will you prepare them? A sauce?
ReplyDeleteDono yet.
ReplyDeleteI fall into the "did not know" category re: apples helping tomatoes to ripen faster - thanks for this great tip! Looks like you have some beauties there.
ReplyDeleteHi Aimee, how's it going in your yard?
ReplyDeleteIt's going very well, although what I wouldn't give for free plants right now - breaking the bank just thinking about what I want to do now, let alone next year.
ReplyDeleteHoping to get some bulbs in. Driveway has been cleared and looks great - lot of shade plants in.
Dug up the whole front half of the yard (and found lots of worms, thankfully,) and did this:
http://redgardenclogs.wordpress.com/2010/09/27/a-new-path/
We are loving it and can't wait until we can fill it in a bit more.
If you want some figs, let me know - the white ones are just now getting ripe - get 'em before the Starlings do...
I gotta say I als fall into the did not know you could do that category. aplles and tomatos are a few of my favorite things
ReplyDeletehttp://www.onlygroworganic.com/139/growing-organic-apples/