Ripening tomatoes indoors is easy—follow these steps for garden-fresh flavor

“Tomatoes will keep ripening indoors in the fall, and it’s really simple. I’ve tried all sorts of tricks but found them unnecessary.

Tomatoes ripen just fine at normal room temperature, around 18–25°C (64–77°F). No special environment is needed. A kitchen table works well as long as there’s no direct sunlight. A bright space is ideal, but the most important factor is temperature.

Start picking once the temperature remains below 15°C (59°F) for several days. That’s when ripening outdoors or in the greenhouse slows significantly. Avoid gathering them all at once; pick them in a few easy rounds. If you fill a bucket all at once, the weight can damage the tomatoes underneath. Only choose healthy, blemish-free tomatoes for ripening.

Arrange the tomatoes in a container so they sit side by side rather than stacked. I like to use handy plastic food trays, but a regular plate also works. It’s good to include tomatoes at different stages of ripeness in the same container. Cover the container loosely with plastic so air can circulate. Under the plastic, the temperature, microclimate, and humidity stay just right.

Sometimes, people suggested adding an apple to help speed up tomato ripening. That’s not necessary. You’re better off eating the apples. As tomatoes ripen, they produce their own ethylene, which advances the process.

For large tomatoes, it’s best to leave the stem attached, and for cherry tomatoes, keep the entire cluster. The stem helps them ripen, and the cluster also keeps them spaced as they would be outdoors. Remove stems and clusters only when the tomatoes are fully ripe and ready to eat.

If your tomatoes have already begun to turn red when brought indoors, they’ll finish ripening in a few days. If they’re still quite green, it can take three or four weeks. The wait is worth it, because tomatoes ripened indoors taste just as good as those that finished outside.”