At this time of year, particularly after a poor summer, the veg plot or greenhouse can be a wash with green tomatoes which look reluctant to ripen. As light levels and warmth continue to drop, the tomatoes will be very slow to ripen outdoors, or even in the greenhouse. You can sense them slowing down and each week there are less ripe tomatoes  to pick.

How to ripen tomatoes is the question and I can offer a fool-proof way which does work every time. Like most solutions it came from a practical problem. One year I moved house at the end of the summer and the tomato plants were so laden with fruit transporting them was just too tricky, but what to do with all the green tomatoes?

I cut them all from the plant, leaving the tomatoes on the vine and laid them on newspapers and cardboard in a warm sunny place, in this instance the conservatory but a window sill will do the trick as well. Over time, around 90% turned a robust red resulting in more pasta sauce and no green tomato chutney.

 For more tips on growing tomatoes