tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2344981180035127840.post8732975441983754890..comments2023-05-09T06:52:16.263-07:00Comments on Neighborhood Watch: Can't quit you, tomatoesChristyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14762814181349108405noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2344981180035127840.post-38891925736182488352010-11-10T07:00:46.497-08:002010-11-10T07:00:46.497-08:00I know it's far less interesting, but I use De...I know it's far less interesting, but I use Debbie Meyer's Green Bags to slow ripening. They are designed to trap ethylene in the plastic so ripening is slowed significantly. But your method is tried and true and less expensive, so I would stick with it.Adriane Harrisonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04752403210503787516noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2344981180035127840.post-49840682509337158462010-11-08T10:32:59.205-08:002010-11-08T10:32:59.205-08:00Thanks, Tracy! This is great info. And I have a fe...Thanks, Tracy! This is great info. And I have a feeling a cool, dry closet would be a fine substitute for a basement.Christyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14762814181349108405noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2344981180035127840.post-86962214030523342232010-11-08T09:53:58.026-08:002010-11-08T09:53:58.026-08:00Thanks for this great tip! I'll have to experi...Thanks for this great tip! I'll have to experiment and figure out how to modify this for those of us without basements (and with iffy climate control). <br /><br />I know the answer to your query, because of my awesome Botany prof in college! Tomatoes (and other fruits) naturally put out ethylene gasses that enable ripening. This is why fruits ripen faster in a paper bag--they're all gassing each other and the gas is contained instead of floating away. <br /><br />This is also why ripe *looking* fruit at supermarkets tastes like crap; the mass producers just blast unripe fruit with forced ethylene, which causes the exterior to change color, but isn't slow enough to enable ripening all the way through the fruit. <br /><br />I'm guessing that the individually wrapped method traps the ethylene so that, even in smaller amounts in a cool climate, the fruit can hold onto its ripening gasses. The paper allows it to breath so it won't rot, and it keeps the fruits separate, so they won't over-gas each other or pass along fungi and such. That's my guess anyway.<br /><br />Signing off, <br />Little Miss Sciencetracyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06620325789994488046noreply@blogger.com