[neilep (OP)]

Dearest Luffly Peeps,

How come things like fruit and veg carry on ripening when they've been picked and sit happily in my fruit bowl ?

I mean, they're not connected to the plnat anymore so they are like well dead aren't they ?

So, is this ripening process...the dying process ??

Are there any fruit and veggies that do not continue to ripen when relesed from planty joy ?

[Karen W.]

I know you can pick green tomatoes and place them in a nice sunny window and they will ripen up nicely.. avocados I place in a bowl of flower and cover with flour to accelerate ripeness when way green. Now melons I believe will as far as cantleope and smaller melons watermelons I am not sure.

I do believe you are right on the dying part though!

[Carolyn]

I believe it's the ethylene gas emitted by the fruit that makes it continue to ripen.

It’s best to keep fruit and vegetables separate since the ethylene gas emitted by fruit tends to damage vegetables.


Fruit should be handled carefully since damaged or bruised fruit ripen and deteriorate more rapidly.

Fruit continue ‘living’ even after they’ve been picked. The warmer the environment, the more they breathe and lose their water. This moisture loss accelerates the ripening process. That’s why several, not all fruit continue to ripen even at room temperature, as long as they are kept away from sunlight!


These are handy little things to have around - they really do help keep your produce from spoiling as quickly.

They're called E.G.G. (Ethylene Gas Guardians)  The absorb the ethylene gas emitted by produce.

[Karen W.]

Thats cool I had never heard of them.. Did hear something about fruit causing vegetables to spoil.

[Carolyn]

Thats cool I had never heard of them.. Did hear something about fruit causing vegetables to spoil.

Yes, it's my understanding that the ethylene gas from the fruit will spoil the veggies. 

[Karen W.]

So thats interesting Thats why they make separate compartments in refrigerators for fruit and vegetables, maybe thats where I heard it it.. It does sound familiar!

[Carolyn]

So thats interesting Thats why they make separate compartments in refrigerators for fruit and vegetables, maybe thats where I heard it it.. It does sound familiar!

Could be...

[neilep (OP)]

bananas specifically really help to make other fruit go off.

This is why ewe often see things like this designed to separate them from the other fruit.

[Karen W.]

That is interesting I often wondered why on earth anyone hung bananas other then because they could.. LOL

[Carolyn]

That is interesting I often wondered why on earth anyone hung bananas other then because they could.. LOL

I thought it was cos they bruise so easily.

[Karen W.]

LOL That would be a good reason!