How to properly store tomatoes at home. How can you keep tomatoes fresh? How to properly store red brown and milk tomatoes

Are tasty and juicy tomatoes a seasonal product? I assure you that they can be successfully stored at home for quite a long time. I'll tell you how to keep tomatoes fresh for the winter using simple and affordable methods.

General rules

The desired variety

For long-term supplies, it is best to choose certain varieties of tomatoes. Mid-late and late varieties are ideal for these purposes. For example, varieties:

• "New Year" will be perfectly preserved until the New Year;
• « Giraffe" and "Long Keeper" In general, you can store it until spring.

When purchasing, ask how the vegetables were grown. Tomatoes grown in open ground can be stored much longer than greenhouse tomatoes.

Storage conditions

The optimal temperature for long-term storage of tomatoes is +8… +10 °C and humidity 80%.

The thing is that these vegetables are very sensitive to temperature. This is due to volatile substances that provide a characteristic rich taste and react very sensitively to decreases or increases in temperature. When the heat balance is disturbed, tomatoes become lethargic and lose their flavor.

Storage

Where to store tomatoes is a very important question. Cool, dark places are best for this: the basement, pantry, vegetable rack in the refrigerator, space under the bed.

Preparing vegetables

Before sending vegetables for long-term storage, they must be carefully sorted. Select only whole fruits, preferably of milky ripeness - almost green tomatoes that have already grown to the size characteristic of the variety and are just beginning to turn red.

To destroy all harmful microbes on the surface of the fruit, wipe each vegetable with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol or vodka.

How to preserve tomatoes

Fresh tomatoes can be stored in different ways.

Method 1. In boxes

1. Take wooden or plastic boxes with lattice bottoms. Boxes must be clean and dry.
2. Cover them with paper.
3. Place the vegetables with the stems facing up, intersecting each row with paper.
4. For a better effect, you can wrap each fruit in paper.
5. Fill the box with sawdust or wood peat.

Method 2. Tomatoes for the New Year's table

1. Select milk-ripe tomatoes.
2. Wrap each vegetable in black paper.
3. Place it in a box.
4. Cover with straw.
5. Store tomatoes in a dark, well-ventilated area at a temperature of +8... +10 °C.
6. To ripen, place the required number of tomatoes in a bright and warm room for 5-10 days.

Method 3. Gradual ripening

1. Place the tomatoes, stems side up, in a cool place with good lighting.
2. Wait until the vegetables are ripe and ready to eat.

Method 4. In banks

Image	Description
	Method 1 Pour the vegetables with a solution of water, salt and vinegar in a ratio of 8:1:1.
	Method 2 Pour sunflower oil over the tomatoes, which should cover the vegetables by 1 cm.
	Method 3 Place clean and dry fruits in a jar, sprinkling each layer with a spoonful of mustard powder. A three-liter jar should take at least 6 tablespoons of mustard.

Method 5. In a saucepan

1. Sort the fruits by ripeness and size.
2. Cut overripe vegetables into large pieces.
3. Lay out the vegetables in layers: a layer of chopped tomatoes, table salt, a layer of whole fruits, table salt.
4. Repeat the operation until the container is completely filled.

Regardless of the method you choose, be sure to periodically inspect your supplies. If a tomato begins to spoil, it must be removed immediately so that it does not infect the others.

Method 6. In the refrigerator

Unfortunately, the refrigerator is not the best place to store tomatoes. Here the shelf life of tomatoes reaches a maximum of 7 days:

• To prevent vegetables from spoiling, wrap each fruit in paper and keep it at a distance from each other.
• It is best to place the tomatoes on the bottom shelf or in the vegetable tray in a single layer to prevent the vegetables from choking.
• The plastic bag retains moisture and can cause premature spoilage of the tomatoes.

Storing heat-treated tomatoes

Tomatoes are beautiful not only when eaten fresh. Sun-dried, canned and home-pickled tomatoes can be an excellent addition to any dish. Instructions for storing heat-treated tomatoes will help you understand all the intricacies.

Image	Instructions
	Sun-dried tomatoes: Store sun-dried tomatoes in a thick cotton bag. Place the vegetables in a plastic container and pour olive oil over them. Store the container in the refrigerator. Place the sun-dried tomatoes in the freezer. But be prepared for the vegetables to lose color when defrosting.
	Dried tomatoes: Dried tomatoes can be stored like dried fruits - in a cotton bag. Place the vegetables in a jar and cover it with wax paper. Fill the paper with wax or resin. You can store dried tomatoes in a dark and cool place. To do this, take any container, cover its bottom with paper and add tomatoes. Place dried tomatoes in sterilized jars. Add any spices there (salt, pepper, dill, garlic) and fill with refined oil. Cover with a nylon lid or polyethylene.
	Canned and pickled tomatoes: This will be news to many, but canned tomatoes can be stored for no more than 12 months. Pickled tomatoes can stay in a barrel for no more than 8 months. Canned tomatoes are stored well at room temperature (the pantry is suitable), and pickled tomatoes are stored at low temperatures (in the basement, refrigerator).

Tomatoes can be stored in the freezer. This option is suitable for preparing various dishes. Except for salads, of course.

Summary

As you understand, you can store tomatoes correctly if you know the optimal way for certain fruits. In the video in this article you will find a lot of useful tips on processing tomatoes.

If you know any other ways to store tomatoes, I’m waiting for them in the comments.

How to properly store harvested fruits? After all, even if the harvest was healthy, improper storage can destroy the most delicious and beautiful fruits in a matter of days. Tomatoes are considered a perishable crop, so to preserve their appearance and taste, it is necessary to maintain certain comfortable conditions.

Storage Features

The harvest will ripen depending on the ripening period. Tomato varieties can be early ripening and ripen by mid-summer; there are also later varieties in which ripening begins only in mid-August. In addition to the ripening period, tomato varieties differ in the keeping quality of the fruit. The most persistent varieties that can be stored for a long time include Pink Honey, Alyonushka, Khrustik, Orange Ball.

Fleshy varieties with sugar pulp are the worst to store. They quickly ferment and are no longer suitable for consumption. Slightly unripe fruits are stored for several days longer than ripe ones, since the pulp is still fully ripened. It is better to eat overripe tomatoes immediately; they will not last long.

The optimal temperature for storing tomato crops is in the range of 12-18 degrees. At low temperatures the pulp freezes; at high temperatures, on the contrary, it rots. Therefore, you can put the harvested crop in the cellar, basement or refrigerator. The room must be damp and dark.

Preparation and storage

For convenience, there is a detailed plan on how to properly store tomatoes:

1. Almost ripe fruits with bright colors are collected in a greenhouse or greenhouse. The pulp should be firm to the touch. Be sure to inspect the fruit for dents and cracks. If there is damage on the surface of the skin, such a specimen will instantly rot and infect other fruits.
2. When the desired vegetables are selected, they are wiped with a dry towel and placed in one row in a wooden box with holes or a wicker basket. It is very important not to wash tomatoes with water, as moisture contributes to the onset of rotting of the pulp. Ventilation is also a necessary condition; air circulation is simply necessary for vegetables, otherwise they will suffocate.
3. The basket or box with the harvest is lowered into the cellar or basement. Thus, ripe tomatoes can be stored for up to 2 weeks. You can put the box in the refrigerator, but away from other vegetables and fruits.
4. When the tomatoes are harvested, they are turned over every 3-4 days so that moisture does not accumulate between adjacent fruits. Turn the tomatoes over carefully so as not to damage the skin or leave dents on the fruit itself.

Important!

For storage, select only healthy tomatoes without signs of late blight, rot, powdery mildew and other diseases.

Storing green fruits

When grown outdoors, tomatoes are often picked without waiting for them to fully ripen, when their flesh and skin are still green. In general, green tomatoes store much better and longer than fruits that have reached ripeness. , which is covered with a cloth on top. The basket must be placed in a warm place so that the room temperature does not drop below 20 degrees Celsius. In this state, tomatoes usually ripen in 2-3 weeks. Every 3-4 days, the tomatoes are turned over to the opposite side so that the color changes over the entire surface of the skin.

Some gardeners place green tomatoes to ripen on a sunny windowsill. The process under the influence of the sun occurs more intensely, and vegetables reach maturity within 1.5-2 weeks. Place paper towels on the entire length of the windowsill and place the tomatoes in one row and leave to turn red. Do not forget to turn the tomatoes from side to side after 2-3 days. When the tomato turns brown, it is removed from the window and stored in the refrigerator or at home.

Attention!

If the fruits are lying on the windowsill, then the window cannot be opened, otherwise the vegetables will freeze.

Indoor storage

Ripe vegetables are poorly stored at temperatures above 22 degrees. Since the pulp contains a large amount of juice and sugar, warm conditions create a favorable environment for fermentation to occur. Tomatoes with thin skin and fleshy pulp are stored at room temperature for no more than 2-3 days. If the tomato has dense pulp and thick skin, then the shelf life increases to a week. In any case, to exclude the possibility of poisoning from stale vegetables, it is not recommended to store tomatoes at room conditions.

Other storage methods

To preserve, experienced housewives resort to an alternative method - freezing. When frozen, the taste and nutrients in the pulp are completely preserved, and the method itself is simple and requires very little time. Absolutely any variety can be frozen. Varieties with dense pulp, even after defrosting, keep their shape perfectly and retain their appetizing appearance. Thawed tomatoes can be used to prepare various dishes, sauces, pastas, and juices. You can freeze both whole fruits and sliced ​​​​slices.

The tomatoes are washed under water and cut into 4-6 pieces if the size is large. Place the slices in a plastic bag so that they do not touch each other. Place the bag with the contents in the freezer for 3-4 hours. When the time is up, check the slices. If they are well frozen, they are poured into one deep container and sent to the freezer. The shelf life of frozen tomatoes is at least 1 year.

Attention!

Never use a microwave or hot water to defrost tomatoes. The defrosting process should occur naturally.

If you take a little time, you can prepare a convenient preparation in the form of tomato puree, which can then be added to stewed, fried meat or vegetables, or used for frying in soups. The fruits are twisted in a meat grinder and poured into small plastic bottles. The bottles are then frozen. When the preparation is needed, it is taken out of the freezer, the required quantity is selected and put back into the freezer for storage.

Growing tomatoes is under the constant control of every vegetable grower. Very often, ripe or unripe fruits have to be removed en masse from the bushes. Let's look at how to store tomatoes at home in an apartment so that they remain juicy and fresh for a long time.

Reasons for picking tomatoes early

There are many reasons that can force you to pick tomatoes from the bush unripe.

There are many reasons for harvesting tomatoes in quantities exceeding the current needs of the vegetable grower:

• Theft.
• The plant is overloaded with fruits.
• The fruits are too heavy and break branches.
• The tomatoes have ripened en masse.
• Threat of frost, signs of serious tomato diseases.

Collection rules

It is important not only to harvest tomatoes on time, but also to do it correctly so that the fruits are well stored.

Unripe tomatoes can be stored much longer than ripe ones.

The collection rules apply to all tomatoes, regardless of the degree and timing of their ripeness.

Important to remember: Not all varieties of tomatoes are intended for storage.. Early ripening thin-skinned or so-called “salad” tomatoes should be used for food or processed into sauces and lecho first.

Preparation

Transportation of ripe tomatoes should be very careful, as there is a high probability of crushing the fruits. Ripe tomatoes can be stored at home without loss of taste for about 3–8 days.

For long-term storage, tomatoes that are harvested at the stage of milky ripeness, have reached the size characteristic of their variety, but are green, are preferred.

The fruits of milky ripeness are practically green tomatoes, just beginning to turn red.

Tomatoes at the stage of partial ripening - blanzhe ripeness , will ripen in 1.5-2 weeks. Therefore, you should not put them in the “distant drawer”.

These tomatoes are already ripe and won’t last long!

Conditions

Optimal storage conditions:

• Compliance with temperature and humidity conditions. The room temperature should not drop below +10 °C and rise higher +22 °C. Intermediate values ​​are optimal 15–18 °C. Required humidity approx. 70–80% .
• Lighting. Good lighting stimulates fruit ripening. If a vegetable grower is faced with the task of long-term storage rather than quick ripening of tomatoes, they should be put in a dark place.

  If the apartment does not have a storage room, supplies can be stored under the bed.

• Storage container. Wooden boxes and wicker baskets are ideal for storing tomatoes as they have many holes. Air should circulate freely between the fruits. The skin of a tomato is always dry. When storing tomatoes in boxes, it is necessary to cut vent holes in the cardboard so that the fruits inside do not rot.

  The more free space there is between the fruits, the longer the harvest will last.

• Auxiliary materials. It is recommended to place paper between the tomatoes or sprinkle them with loose materials (sawdust, peat, straw). If the tomatoes do not touch each other, then if one fruit rots, the neighboring ones will remain intact.

  Straw perfectly protects fruits from rotting.

• Protective film. To protect the tomato from the effects of negative external factors, a thin layer of wax is applied to its surface, forming a protective film. These tomatoes must be blanched before use.

After harvesting, all fruits are carefully inspected and sorted by size, varietal early ripening (mid-ripening, late-ripening), and by visual signs of ripening (green, white, brown, pink).

You should not harvest from the bushes.

Diseased plants

The harvest from diseased plants is collected separately, in the absence of signs of disease on the fruits themselves (rot, pigmentation).

Cracked tomatoes will not last long and are eaten first.

Tomatoes are lowered onto 1.5-2 minutes hot (about 60°C) water and wipe dry. You can try to prevent it by wiping the fruits with vodka or a pinkish solution of potassium permanganate.

Unfortunately, if a tomato is infected, then no type of treatment will be effective. You need to get rid of the tomato immediately.

Accelerate the ripening of tomatoes

Tomatoes will ripen as quickly as possible if you place them on a radiator.

It’s nice to pamper yourself and your loved ones with fresh, ripe tomatoes until late autumn or even winter, but not everyone has the opportunity to create optimal conditions for long-term storage of a rich harvest of tomatoes. Unripe tomatoes contain poison - solanine, which can cause serious poisoning in humans and lead to death. Therefore, gardeners have a need to quickly produce tomatoes for processing.

Secrets of accelerated ripening of tomatoes:

• Uninterrupted source of light and heat . The higher the room temperature, the more intensely the tomatoes ripen. The best range is 25–30 °C. The apartment has a lot of light and heat on the window sills, next to which there are heating radiators. In the absence of sun, tomatoes are illuminated with a lamp.
• Ripe provocateur . It has long been noted that placing a pair of ripe red fruits among its green counterparts provokes the others to ripen. This is explained by the fact that ripe tomato berries emit ethylene gas, which triggers the chemical processes of aging (ripening) in other fruits. Ripe bananas or apples can be used as a provoking factor. You can speed up the process if you cover ripening tomatoes with a ripe “lining” with a thick cloth or close them in a paper bag.

  Green tomatoes will ripen faster if you place red fruits among them.

• On the bushes. An interesting way is to ripen tomatoes on bushes suspended with their roots up. The entire plants are pulled out (dug up) from the ridges and hung under the ceiling of the utility room (veranda, garage, bathhouse) along with the fruits. The remainder of the nutrients goes into the fruits, and they actually ripen faster.

  Storing tomatoes on branches.

Tomatoes find a second life in preparations for the winter. There are a lot of methods for pickling, pickling, drying, drying and other processing, but only shock freezing in the freezer keeps ripe tomatoes “fresh”.

Can tomatoes be stored in the refrigerator?

In the refrigerator, tomatoes are stored in a special vegetable compartment.

Scientists have proven that storing ripe tomatoes in the refrigerator worsens their taste.. Green tomatoes will never ripen on the refrigerator shelf, and ripe ones will become tasteless.

If there is an urgent need, you can store tomatoes in a refrigerator, but no more than a week (up to 8–12 days). To do this, you must follow a number of rules:

• Store in the designated compartment (area). At a temperature not lower than +5–8 °C Heat-loving crops get frostbite and quickly spoil.
• Do not seal or tie airtight plastic bags.
• Store separately from other vegetables and fruits.

Tomatoes must be removed from the refrigerator in 12–24 hours before use and let them warm up at room temperature, then the lost aroma will be partially restored and the taste will improve.

Tomatoes in cans without preservation

Recently, some methods of preserving ripe tomatoes without heat treatment in various containers (mainly 3-liter jars) have become very popular.

The vacuum method does not always work and has many negative reviews.

Conclusion

Successful storage of tomatoes largely depends on the correct choice of variety.

If stored properly, late (especially hybrid) tomatoes can gradually mature until February while maintaining its freshness. Cultivated tomatoes require constant monitoring: selection of actively ripening and spoiling fruits.

If a vegetable grower has managed to independently grow a rich harvest of tomatoes, then he will have the patience to preserve it until the right moment or ripen it for processing, following simple, time-tested rules for storing tomatoes at home.

Video on how to prepare tomatoes for the winter without canning

Tomatoes are juicy, fleshy fruits, without which it is impossible to imagine summer salads, rich sauces and casseroles. They are very tasty, rich in vitamins and minerals. Those who grow tomatoes themselves know that the fruits do not ripen all at once, but gradually. Tomatoes that ripen first should be preserved until canning, and the latest varieties are often harvested unripe to protect them from frost. That is why it is important to know how to ensure the correct storage conditions for both ripe and not yet ripe tomatoes.

Source: depositphotos.com

Green tomatoes are stored in order to gradually bring them to ripeness, red ones - in order to accumulate sufficient volume for preservation during gradual harvesting or to preserve their freshness for as long as possible. General recommendations for preparing tomatoes for long-term storage are suitable for any case:

• When harvesting, you need to take into account that any, even minor damage to the fruit will not allow it to be stored for a long time. The place where the skin is crushed or torn will quickly rot, and if the tomato is not removed from the total mass in time, it will quickly spoil the neighboring vegetables. Therefore, preparation for long-term storage should begin with careful selection of the highest quality specimens;
• Select varieties that have thick skin and fleshy flesh. And cherry tomatoes, for example, are best eaten first or canned, since they have a very thin skin and will not last long;
• Fruits need to be sorted not only by variety, but also by degree of ripeness and size. Ripe tomatoes emit gas, which will speed up the ripening of green vegetables, but during long-term storage this will be completely inappropriate. It is also necessary to take into account that large specimens mature faster than small ones;
• When harvesting, it is better to leave the stalks, since it has been proven that vegetables are stored longer in this form.

Source: depositphotos.com

After the vegetables are prepared, housewives have a question about whether they can store tomatoes in the refrigerator. It must be remembered that at low temperatures, tomatoes quickly lose their taste, aroma and become loose. The fact is that the special volatile compounds that make the fruit so fragrant disintegrate at temperatures below +15 °C.

It is better to use the refrigerator only for short-term storage of tomatoes: put a small amount in it that you plan to eat in the near future. Place tomatoes in a special compartment for vegetables, which is usually located as far as possible from the freezer. A significant change in taste will not occur within 24 hours.

If you store tomatoes at room temperature not exceeding +25 °C, their quality will only improve, since the substances responsible for the taste of the fruit begin to be produced more actively. You should not place vegetables in direct sunlight or heat them above +25 °C - under such conditions, decomposition processes are activated.

How to store tomatoes at home if they are already fully ripe, but are not planned to be used soon? The ideal option is to place them in wooden or plastic boxes with a bottom and walls in the form of bars in one layer. Tomatoes will rot much less if you treat the box with an alcohol solution and dry it properly. The bottom of the container should be lined with paper without printing ink. It is best to place the prepared container in a dark place with a temperature of +8...+12 °C and ventilation, which will allow the released carbon dioxide to erode. Ideal conditions are created by a cellar, basement or special wine cabinet.

Source: depositphotos.com

It is permissible to lay vegetables in a box in several layers, separating the levels with sheets of paper or sprinkling with sawdust. It is best to place tomatoes with the stems facing up. There is a secret that will help prolong the freshness of the fruits: treat them with boric acid or a weak solution of gelatin. If you follow these rules, ripe tomatoes will retain their properties for several weeks.

Other simple techniques will help you store tomatoes correctly. For example, red tomatoes can simply be poured with vegetable oil so that its level is 1 cm above the layer of vegetables.

An aqueous solution of vinegar and salt prevents spoilage of vegetables; the ingredients are taken in the following ratio: 8 parts water and 1 part each salt and vinegar.

Storing unripe tomatoes

Where to store tomatoes if they were picked unripe? In order for the tomatoes to remain in their original state for as long as possible (not to ripen for a long time), you need to place them in a cool, dark place (basement, cellar, underground, garage).

Source: depositphotos.com

In order for the tomatoes to ripen gradually, the container with them is placed in a dark place at room temperature, for example under a bed (periodically checking the fruits, eliminating ripe or rotten ones).

For long-term storage, tomatoes are placed in the same boxes as ripe fruits. The difference is that each fruit is wrapped in paper. Varieties collected in late autumn can be placed on the balcony if the storage containers are insulated. Inside, the layers of tomatoes are sprinkled with polyurethane foam balls, which serve both for insulation and to soften the load of the fruits on each other. The temperature should be +5…+7 °C. In such conditions, green, unripe tomatoes are stored for several months.

Source: depositphotos.com

If you want the tomatoes to ripen as quickly as possible, take the container with them into a lighted room and leave it at a temperature of +15...+20 °C. You can put several ripe fruits in the box to speed up the ripening process.

Storing Processed Tomatoes

When there are no suitable conditions at home for long-term storage of fresh tomatoes, the best solution is to process them.

Source: depositphotos.com

Sun-dried and canned vegetables do not spoil much longer and do not require special storage conditions:

1. Sun-dried tomatoes can be stored like dried fruits - in linen bags in the kitchen cabinet. The main secret is to protect supplies from excessive humidity, insects and the proximity of aromatic products. Many housewives put sun-dried tomatoes in an airtight plastic container or glass container, pour olive oil and put them in the refrigerator. You can also use the freezer, but you need to remember that after defrosting, the tomatoes will lose their rich red color.
2. Dried tomatoes can be stored in the same way as sun-dried ones: in bags or containers filled with oil. It is convenient to put large volumes in wooden or plastic boxes and place them on darkened shelves at a temperature of 0...+10 °C. Dried tomatoes tolerate being refrigerated well.
3. Canned tomatoes, sealed airtight, can be stored at room temperature. The shelf life of canned food is no more than 12 months. If the container in which the vegetables are pickled or fermented is not airtight, the shelf life is reduced to 6-8 months, and such preparations should be stored in a cool room or refrigerator.

Read about how to dry tomatoes

When going to the country, every gardener dreams of growing a rich harvest of fruits and vegetables. With the onset of the first warm days and until late autumn, summer residents work on their plots to get the maximum amount of tasty and healthy fruits. Undoubtedly, several beds are also allocated for growing tomatoes. After all, bright, ripe and aromatic vegetables are rich in serotonin, which is often called the hormone of happiness, vitamins A and C, as well as a large amount of organic acids. Unfortunately, a tomato on its own may not retain its elasticity and original beauty for long, but if you put in a little effort, the juicy fruits can last all winter.

Which tomatoes can be stored for a long time?

Not every tomato can last a long time after being picked. Late-ripening species are suitable for winter storage. Thanks to the work of breeders, a special gene was discovered that is responsible for delayed ripening, and the resulting hybrid varieties tolerate transportation better and can be stored for a month or more.

The very first hybrid suitable for winter storage is the Giraffe. Over time, scientists have grown a large number of varieties with varying shelf life:

Before storing tomatoes, they must undergo preliminary preparation, as this will increase the chance of successful and long-term storage.

Processing methods

Whatever method is chosen, vegetables must undergo simple preparation. This will increase shelf life and maintain a fresh aroma.

1. 1. First of all, it is necessary to sort the fruits by size and degree of ripeness. Since ripe and unripe tomatoes are stored at different temperatures, and large specimens ripen much earlier than small ones.
2. 2. For storage, choose undamaged and strong tomatoes, since the slightest rot can damage the entire crop.
3. 3. To ensure that tomatoes last a long time, they are removed from the bush before the first frost, along with the stalks.
4. 4. Before laying, the fruits are dried and treated with a 0.3% solution of boric acid or a weak solution of potassium permanganate.

After sorting and processing, you can proceed to the second stage - bookmarking.

Cherries are not suitable for long-term storage due to their thin peel.

Storage conditions and location

Tomatoes are very sensitive to sudden changes in temperature, and if the thermal balance is disturbed, they become lethargic and lose their unforgettable aroma.

The location chosen for storage also plays an important role. Any dark room is suitable for this: a basement, a pantry, a closed vegetable compartment in the refrigerator, or the space under the bed.

How to preserve tomatoes

We will consider the most common storage options in a house and apartment below.

In boxes

The easiest and most effective way. Wooden or plastic boxes with a lattice bottom, thoroughly washed and treated on all sides with alcohol, are suitable for this.

The bottom is covered with paper and the sorted vegetables are carefully laid out with the stalks facing up. The main thing is to make sure that they do not touch each other. Each row must be lined with paper.

The stacked fruits are covered with dry sawdust or wood peat.

In the straw

Select milk fruits and wrap them in dark paper. Carefully place in a box and sprinkle with straw. The container is placed in a dark, well-ventilated room, where the air temperature will be between +8–10 degrees. To make the fruits ripen faster, they can be moved to a warm, bright room for several days.

In banks

Photo	Description
	For the first method, small fruits are suitable. Place the vegetables in sterile jars and fill with brine prepared from water, vinegar and salt in a ratio of 8:1:1. Seal the jars with lids and, after cooling, store them in a cool room.
	In the second case, wash the tomatoes thoroughly, place them in prepared jars and pour in sunflower oil so that it covers the tomatoes by 1 cm. Cover with lids and put in the refrigerator.
	When choosing this option, place clean and small fruits in a jar. Sprinkle each layer with dry mustard. A three-liter jar should take at least 6 tablespoons of mustard powder. We seal the jars with lids and store them in a cool place.

In a saucepan

Ripe and overripe tomatoes are suitable for this method.

We sort vegetables by degree of ripeness. We cut the overripe ones into large slices and place them in a saucepan, sprinkle with salt, lay out the whole fruits, and also sprinkle with salt. We carry out this alternate procedure until the container is completely filled. Store in a cool, dry place.

In a refrigerator

When stored in this way, tomatoes can only be kept fresh for a week.

To prevent the tomatoes from starting to rot, we wrap each fruit in dark paper and place it in the vegetable compartment, making sure that they do not touch each other.

Plastic bags are not used for storage, as they retain moisture, which leads to rapid spoilage of the product.

You can also store tomatoes in the freezer. To do this, ripe fruits without signs of rot are cut into small pieces and placed in an airtight container. These tomatoes will be an excellent addition to the preparation of soups, sauces and adjika.

Ripening

Unripe tomatoes are laid out with their stalks facing up in a bright, well-ventilated room. To make them turn red faster, you need to place ripe specimens nearby.

Storage of workpieces

Tomatoes retain their taste and aroma even in canned form. Sun-dried, marinated, pickled and salted tomatoes will be a good addition to any dish.

Photo	Description
	There are three ways to store sun-dried tomatoes: in cotton or linen bags; in plastic containers, pre-filled with olive oil; in the freezer, but when defrosting the tomatoes lose their color
	Dried tomatoes can be stored in 3 ways: in linen bags; Place vegetables in jars, cover with wax paper and seal with wax or resin; dried tomatoes are placed in jars and filled with refined oil. You can add any spices if you wish. Cover the jar with a lid and store in a cool, dark place.
	Preservation is stored for no more than one year. Pickled or salted tomatoes can be stored in a barrel for no more than 8 months. Thanks to vinegar, canned tomatoes, like cucumbers, can be stored at a temperature of +15–18 degrees, pickled and salted only in a cool place

In order not to ruin the entire crop, during storage you must adhere to simple rules:

1. 1. Once every 7 days you need to check the fruits for rot and mold.
2. 2. To extend shelf life, each copy is wrapped in paraffin or Vaseline.
3. 3. For quick reddening, place straw and ripe tomatoes in the box. Bananas will also work.
4. 4. An intact stalk is the key to long storage.
5. 5. Before placing in boxes, each fruit is wiped with alcohol. This will preserve freshness and aroma.
6. 6. Only those vegetables that are grown in open beds are subject to long-term storage.
7. 7. Onion peels placed in boxes with tomatoes will help prolong freshness.
8. 8. To disinfect, the boxes are treated on all sides with alcohol and dried thoroughly.

How to save spoiling tomatoes

Even if you follow all the storage rules, you cannot insure tomatoes against rot 100%. With sudden changes in temperature and humidity, brown and dark spots may appear on the fruits.

To save tomatoes, you need to heat the water to 60 degrees, put the fruits in it and leave for 3-5 minutes. After this, the vegetables are wiped and dried.

Knowing all the storage methods, you can easily delight your household with tasty and healthy fruits until the New Year. This is very economical, because you don’t have to spend money on expensive and not always environmentally friendly tomatoes. You just have to choose the right jar or take out juicy and beautiful fruits from the box. If you do not neglect the storage rules at home, you can consume your tomato harvest for up to 7 months.