Is it possible to pick green tomatoes before the first frost and ripen them indoors?
Yes, green tomatoes can be ripened indoors. Just before the first frost, remove all mature, greenish white fruit from the vines. They should be solid, firm and free of defects. Remove the stems, then clean and dry the fruit. Individually wrap each tomato in a piece of newspaper. Store wrapped tomatoes in a cool (60 to 65F), dark location, such as a basement or cellar. The wrapped fruit can be placed in a single layer in a box or on a table. Inspect the tomatoes frequently and discard any damaged or decaying fruit. When the tomatoes begin to color, remove the newspaper and place them at room temperature. An alternate method is to leave the green fruit on the vine and pull up the entire plant. Hang the tomato plant upside down in a cool, dark location. Pick the fruit as they ripen.
