One of my favorite things about summer, is being able to pick lush red tomatoes off the vine. Sad thing is that at the end of the summer, I always have some green tomatoes left on the vine. There are some great ways to ripen your green tomatoes so can still enjoy lush red tomatoes after the growing season.

The first step is to make sure that your green tomatoes are ripe enough to harvest. Cut one of your tomatoes in half, the inside should be a yellowish color and have a jelly like consistency. If so, then your green tomatoes are ready to ripen.

Prepare your green tomatoes to ripen. Wash and remove all stems and leaves. During the ripening process always check for decay or mold.

There are some processes that suggest using a "ripening" banana or apple. Ripening fruit releases a gas called ethylene and help fruits to ripen. Bananas are suggested because they release more ethylene than other fruits. By using a "ripening" banana you are giving your green tomatoes a boost of ethylene to enhance ripening. Your banana should be yellow with a little bit of green on the ends.

If the humidity is too high, this will cause rotting and fruit flies, which we don't want.

There are a few processes to ripen fruit. You can ripen fruit using a jar, paper bag, newspaper, cardboard box, plastic bag or the ole standby the window sill.

These methods require somewhat the same principle, with exception of the window sill, place your tomatoes in whatever container you choose, some methods work better for small quantities of tomatoes, such as a paper bag where as a cardboard box works better for larger quantities.

Do not overcrowd the tomatoes. By overcrowding you will cause bruising and decay. And wait for your tomatoes to ripen. It will take approximately 1 - 2 weeks for your tomatoes to ripen.

Amy Cohen is an organic garden who loves to share her tips and tricks about organic gardening. "There is nothing better than getting your hands in the soil and watching your plants grow!!! Getting a fresh organic tomato off the vine, doesn't get any better than that!!!"

Don't miss more tips and techniques and instructions...on How To Ripen Green Tomatoes and enjoy fresh tomatoes even after the first frost.