How to Store Tomatoes
Tomatoes do not store for long once ripe, but a late summer crop can be managed well with careful sorting. Harvest only dry, unblemished fruit, separating ripe tomatoes for immediate use from mature green ones for ripening. Never refrigerate tomatoes intended for eating unless they are already very ripe and need brief delay.
Best storage conditions
Ripe tomatoes are happiest at 10 to 15 degrees C in a cool, airy, shaded room, away from direct sun and damp. Mature green tomatoes need similar temperatures for ripening, while lower temperatures slow or damage flavour and texture. Use shallow trays, not deep boxes, and keep fruit dry. A cool porch, spare room or frost-free shed can work if it remains stable, but a garage may be too cold.
How long it keeps
Ripe tomatoes generally keep for several days to 2 weeks, depending on variety and ripeness. Mature green tomatoes can ripen gradually over 2 to 6 weeks when checked often. Frozen sauce or passata keeps for many months, while bottled products should be made only by following a trusted recipe.
Storage methods
Lay dry tomatoes in a single layer on trays lined with paper, with the stalk scar facing upwards where possible. Check them every day and move ripening fruit to the kitchen. To encourage mature green tomatoes, place a few in a drawer or ventilated box with a banana, then inspect frequently; remove ripe fruit promptly. Do not store tomatoes in sealed bags or stack them, as bruising and mould spread quickly. For a cool shed or porch, use only when it is frost-free and not damp. Store sound fruit only, and remove anything split, soft or rotting immediately.
Preserving
Turn a glut into passata, sauce, soup base, chutney or roasted tomatoes, then freeze in portions for a chest freezer. Tomatoes can also be dried in a low oven or dehydrator and stored once completely dry in airtight containers. For bottling, use a trusted preserving recipe. Green tomatoes make particularly good chutney, while very ripe fruit is ideal for sauce or passata.
Tips
Harvest before frost, including mature green fruit, but leave small, hard, immature tomatoes on the plant if they are unlikely to ripen. Do not place a banana with already ripe tomatoes, as it speeds decline. Keep different ripeness stages apart. One split tomato soon attracts mould, so remove it before it touches neighbouring fruit.
Storing Tomatoes: frequently asked questions
How do I store tomatoes?
Lay dry tomatoes in a single layer on trays lined with paper, with the stalk scar facing upwards where possible.
How long does tomatoes keep in storage?
Ripe tomatoes generally keep for several days to 2 weeks, depending on variety and ripeness.
What are the best conditions for storing tomatoes?
Ripe tomatoes are happiest at 10 to 15 degrees C in a cool, airy, shaded room, away from direct sun and damp.
Store only sound, dry produce and check regularly. For bottling and preserving, follow a trusted recipe. Page updated 18 Sep 2026.