Permapotes
Permapotes
Permapotes
23 September 2026
Growing vegetables

How can I store tomatoes from the garden?

It’s harvest time in the vegetable garden – that long-awaited moment when your hard work finally pays off. Thanks to all our tips, you’ve skilfully overcome all the diseases and pests that affect tomatoes. The only slight downside is that you’re now left with kilos of tomatoes on your hands! Don’t worry – we’ll show you how to preserve this wonderful fruit all year round.

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Freezing: the best way to preserve all the vitamins in tomatoes

With this method, you can keep your vegetables for up to 12 months. To ensure even cooling, it’s essential not to overload the freezer. To allow air to circulate inside your freezer, I’d advise filling it only three-quarters full.
This method allows you to store your tomatoes in various forms:

  • Raw and whole: to do this, start by washing and drying them. To make it easier to remove the skin after freezing, make a few small cuts. Then place them in freezer bags, and pop them straight into the freezer!
  • Raw and chopped: the principle is the same. Simply chop the tomatoes and remove the seeds before freezing. Thanks to this method, your tomatoes will be ready to use for making purées, sauces, soups and more…
  • Already incorporated into dishes: here’s a way to bring a bit of sunshine into winter! To do this, make sure you use a suitable container and squeeze out the air if you’re using bags.

As this method simply inhibits bacterial growth, it’s best to defrost them in the microwave or in the fridge, as these limit the spread of germs.

Appertisation: the most cost-effective way to store your vegetables

Widely used by our grandmothers, it also has the advantage of being energy-efficient.
Here are a few examples of preserves you can make at home:

  • Peeled tomatoes: ready to use in your recipes, they’re much better than shop-bought ones. Start by washing and drying the tomatoes. Then remove the stalks by making a cross-shaped cut in the skin. Plunge them into boiling water for 15 seconds, then rinse them under cold water. Peel them and place them in the jars. Make a brine using 200 g of salt to 2 litres of water, then bring it to the boil. Once cooled, pour it over the tomatoes. Seal the jars and sterilise them.
  • Tomato sauce: simply pour the piping-hot mixture into your jars, leaving a 2 cm gap at the top, and place them in the steriliser!
  • Candied tomatoes: once your tomatoes have been candied in the oven with garlic, oil and thyme, place them straight into the jars along with the cooking juices. Then proceed with sterilisation.

The tomato’s friends and foes in the garden

In permaculture, varieties are often grown together to promote growth and keep pests at bay. Here, then, are the good and bad combinations we suggest.

Welcome companions

  • garlic
  • asparagus
  • basil
  • carrot
  • celery
  • cabbage
  • spinach
  • onion
  • leek

The hated neighbours

  • beetroot
  • cucumber
  • gherkin
  • fennel
  • green beans
  • potato

To maximise the yield from your vegetable garden, do give our handy planning tool a go!