Ripening
All tomatoes should be harvested before the first frosts, even if they aren't ripe yet! Place the unripe tomatoes on plates or trays in a warm place. Even completely green tomatoes ripen beautifully this way and can often be enjoyed late into the fall. If you want to speed up the ripening process, place the tomatoes next to apples. These release acetylene, which promotes ripening. Tomatoes don't need light to ripen, just the warmest temperatures possible. Tip: Ripening tomatoes shouldn't touch each other. If one tomato is diseased, it will spread the disease to its neighbors more quickly.
Even if there's a risk of late blight spreading or if the fruit is damaged, it's best to pick the fruit while it's still unripe. They can also ripen indoors.
Propagating tomatoes yourself
Do you also want to have the same delicious tomato variety on your balcony next year? Fortunately, it's relatively easy to grow seeds from tomatoes. We'll tell you how:
Never choose the first or last fruits, but only the most beautiful, ripest specimens. First, scrape the seeds and pulp out of the hulls. Place them in a glass jar and fill it with water. After about two days, the seeds will have detached themselves from their slippery shells and sunk to the bottom of the jar. Rinse the seeds under running water to remove any remaining pulp. Now all that's left is to dry them; ideally on a piece of kitchen paper. Once they're completely dry, store them in a dry, dark place, ideally in small seed packets. This way, they'll easily last for five to six years, allowing you to grow or give away your favorite tomatoes again and again.
Propagation by cuttings
Tomatoes can also be propagated from cuttings. Simply plant thinned-out side shoots in the soil in early summer and keep them moist. The shoots will take root, the plants will grow, and you can harvest them in the fall.
TEXT: Victoria Wegner
