Bananas and pineapples? Around here, the only bananas and pineapples available at any time of year were picked green and shipped. Most need to sit on the counter for three to five days before they’re ready to eat. Are they as good as bananas and pineapples ripened on the plants and then harvested? I can’t say; I’ve never picked bananas or pineapples ripe. Given the chance, I would love to make a comparison so I can speak authoritatively on the differences. Until I make those comparisons, I’ll try to remain civil when I express my opinions about the issue.

We have had late ripening on the vine but plants have pumped out so many we’ve been giving them away by the box, bag, 1/2 bushel, and bushel. I am beginning to look on late blight as a friend since I am kinda sorta sick of the smell of cooking/canning tomatoes!

Our plants are about 95% heirloom varieties, though, which I find has helped them. Yes, I know there is a school of thought that says the hybrids are more vigorous, disease-resistant and dependable than the heirlooms, but in nearly 20 years of growing tomatoes, I have to say I have found that to be another tomato myth. Don’t get me wrong — there are some good hybrids (Sungold leaps to mind!!), but overall in our experience, the majority of our heirloom choices have out-germinated, out-grown, out-produced, and out-survived disease, adverse weather conditions, something I’ve found to be true gardening in two different zones, first Zone 7 and now 5b.

The success rate for picking them before frost and ripening them inside has been quite high, and last year’s last fresh tomato was consumed in a salad around New Year’s.

Oh, and yes, I DO have a good green tomato relish recipe if anyone wants it! Works well as a pickle relish substitute making yummy tuna salad, potato salad, and a stellar homemade Thousand Island Dressing — one of the easiest dressings to make EVER. It’s just mayo, relish, and catsup in whatever proportions taste best to you. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and a little mustard if you like more bite, then enjoy!

Happy Gardening!

That’s the worst scenario. A tomato – even one picked green – wants to ripen, and it can though it might not be as satisfying as a tomato that has at least started to show pink before you pick it. Still, the conventional wisdom is: wrap each tomato in a page from a newspaper and put many together in a paper bag. Fold over the bag and let it sit at room temperature. Unfortunately, you need to check the tomatoes every other day or so and remove ones that start to go bad. (Wrapping tomatoes individually in newspaper before putting them in a bag may reduce the spread of diseases – such as Late Blight – if there are any on any of the tomatoes.) Some people put ripe bananas in with their tomatoes because gas given off by the bananas promotes ripening. I’ve had some success with bagging green tomatoes this way, but it’s not a panacea.

After that, I’d encourage you to look into ways to use green tomatoes in cooking. I’m not a fan of fried green tomatoes, though some people rave about them. I do, however, like a good green tomato mincemeat.

I, too, would be interested in the science behind the nutrient value of tomatoes, whether vine ripened or the tabletop technique.

That said, if you come up with a green tomato relish (or other product) to die for, please let me know. I don’t think I’ll have green tomatoes this season, but I’m hoping there’ll be a few next seasons in which I might get some green ones