Ponderosa Pink Tomato

Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last spring frost. Sow seeds 1/4 inch deep in warm soil (70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit) and keep moist until germination occurs in 5 to 10 days. Provide strong light as soon as seedlings emerge to prevent legginess.

Harden off seedlings over 7 to 10 days by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions. Transplant outdoors after the last frost date when soil has warmed to at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit, ideally when nighttime temperatures stay above 50 degrees. Space plants 24 inches apart with 36 inches between rows. Bury the transplant deeper than it grew in the pot, as tomatoes will root along the buried stem for a stronger foundation.

Harvest fruits when they reach full color and yield slightly to gentle pressure; for pink varieties, wait for a deep rose-pink hue throughout. Pick tomatoes in the early morning when they're cool and firm. At 80 days from transplant, expect the first fruits to ripen; subsequent harvests will follow regularly as the indeterminate growth continues producing new flowers and fruit clusters. Ripe fruits typically weigh 1 to 2 pounds; harvest gently to avoid bruising the thin skin.

As an indeterminate variety, the Ponderosa Pink benefits from pruning suckers, the shoots that grow between the main stem and branches, to direct energy into fruit production and improve air circulation. Remove the lowest leaves once the plant is established to reduce disease pressure from soil splash. However, avoid excessive pruning that removes too much foliage; the plant needs plenty of leaf surface to photosynthesize and fuel those massive fruits.