Patio Tomato

Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last spring frost. Sow at a depth of 1/4 inch in seed-starting mix, keeping the soil moist and warm (70 to 75°F promotes germination). Provide bright light once seedlings emerge, and maintain 14 to 16 hours of light daily under grow lights or in a sunny window.

Transplant seedlings outdoors after your last frost date when soil has warmed to at least 60°F (ideally 65 to 70°F). Harden off seedlings by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions over 7 to 10 days. Space plants 24 inches apart in rows 36 inches apart. Bury the transplant deeper than it was growing in the pot; tomatoes form roots along buried stem sections, creating a stronger root system.

Harvest tomatoes when they reach full color and yield slightly to gentle pressure. Mature Patio Tomatoes develop vibrant color and should feel slightly soft at the blossom end. Twist gently and pull from the vine, or use pruners to cut the stem. Pick fruit regularly to encourage continued flowering and production throughout the season. Tomatoes picked at the mature-green stage will ripen indoors in a warm, dark location.

Patio Tomato's determinate growth habit means minimal pruning is needed compared to indeterminate varieties. Remove only the lowest leaves as the plant grows to improve air circulation and reduce fungal disease pressure around the base. You can pinch out the growing tip in late summer to redirect energy toward ripening existing fruit rather than setting new growth.