Red Zebra Tomato

Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last expected frost date. Sow seeds in sterile seed-starting mix at 68 to 82°F, providing bottom heat if needed to ensure germination. Keep soil consistently moist but not waterlogged, and place seedlings under bright lights as soon as they emerge.

Harden off seedlings over 7 to 10 days by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions before transplanting. Move seedlings outdoors once soil has warmed to 60°F and nighttime temperatures consistently stay above 50°F, spacing plants 24 inches apart in rows 36 inches apart. Bury stems deeper than they grew in pots to encourage stronger root development.

Harvest Red Zebra tomatoes when the skin is fully colored deep red with yellow stripes clearly visible; the fruit should yield slightly to gentle pressure. Typically ready 70 to 79 days after transplanting, most fruit will ripen in mid to late summer. Twist gently or use pruning shears to remove fruit from the vine without bruising. For continuous harvest, pick fruit at the first blush of color, it ripens fully off the vine, and let the plant focus energy on developing remaining fruit. In fall, pick remaining fruit at first sign of frost and ripen indoors on a sunny windowsill.

As an indeterminate variety, Red Zebra grows continuously and benefits from pruning suckers (shoots that emerge between the main stem and branches) to direct energy into fruit production. Remove suckers when they're small and tender, but leave the main growing tip intact. In cooler climates, pinch off new flower clusters in late summer to allow existing fruit to mature before frost. Pruning also improves air circulation, which helps prevent fungal disease.