Chef's Choice Purple Tomato

Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last spring frost. Sow at 70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit for best germination, planting seeds 1/4 inch deep in seed-starting mix. Provide bright light from a grow lamp or sunny window once seedlings emerge.

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. Space plants 24 inches apart with rows 36 inches apart. Bury the stem slightly deeper than it grew indoors to encourage stronger root development.

Harvest fruits when they've achieved their full deep purple color and give slightly to gentle pressure, typically 80 to 89 days after transplanting. Pick fruits as soon as they're fully colored to encourage continued production. Tomatoes continue to ripen after picking if left at room temperature, so you can harvest when still slightly firm if rain threatens or disease pressure rises.

As an indeterminate variety, this tomato grows continuously throughout the season and benefits from pruning lower leaves and suckers (shoots between the main stem and branches) to improve air circulation and reduce disease pressure. Remove leaves below the first fruit cluster once flowering begins, and continue removing lower foliage as the plant grows. This opens up the canopy and directs the plant's energy toward fruit rather than excessive vegetative growth.