Chef's Choice Pink Tomato

Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last spring frost. Sow seeds 1/4 inch deep in seed-starting mix kept at 70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit for consistent germination. Seedlings need strong light once they emerge; place them under grow lights or on a bright south-facing windowsill. Transplant to 4-inch pots when the first true leaves appear.

Harden off seedlings over 7 to 10 days by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions before transplanting. Move them outside when nighttime temperatures consistently stay above 55 degrees Fahrenheit and all danger of frost has passed. Set transplants 24 inches apart in rows 36 inches apart, burying the stem up to the first true leaves to encourage a stronger root system. Transplants typically reach garden size 85 days after germination.

Pick fruit when it reaches full pink color and yields slightly to gentle pressure, typically 80 to 89 days after transplanting. Early-season fruit may be harvested at the breaker stage, when the first blush of color appears, and allowed to ripen indoors at room temperature if needed. Gently twist and lift the fruit, or use pruners to avoid damaging the branch. Continue harvesting ripe fruit every few days to encourage the plant to keep setting new flowers and fruit throughout the season.

Because Chef's Choice Pink is an indeterminate variety, it benefits from selective pruning to manage vigor and improve air circulation. Remove suckers (shoots that form between the main stem and branches) on the lower 12 to 18 inches of the plant to reduce disease pressure and direct energy upward into fruit production. Thin dense foliage around ripening clusters to allow sunlight to reach the fruit, which promotes even coloring and ripeness. Stop major pruning 4 to 6 weeks before your first expected frost to allow the plant to focus energy on maturing remaining fruit.