Chefs Choice Orange Tomato

Start seeds indoors six to eight weeks before your last frost date, planting them one-quarter inch deep in warm, moist seed-starting mix. Maintain soil temperature between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit for best germination. Provide 14 to 16 hours of bright light daily once seedlings emerge, keeping them under grow lights or near a sunny window.

Harden off seedlings over seven to ten days by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions before transplanting. Move them into the garden after all frost danger has passed and soil temperature reaches at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit, though 65 degrees or warmer is ideal. Space plants 18 inches apart with rows 36 inches apart.

Pick fruit when it reaches full orange color and yields slightly to gentle pressure; unlike some tomato varieties, orange tomatoes often taste best fully ripe rather than picked early. A fully mature fruit will separate easily from the stem with a slight twist. Harvest regularly throughout the season to encourage continued flowering and fruiting; the indeterminate growth habit means plants will keep producing until frost.

As an indeterminate variety, Chef's Choice Orange will grow and produce throughout the season without mandatory pruning. However, removing lower leaves once plants are established (leaving at least 12 inches of foliage above soil) improves air circulation and reduces disease. Some gardeners selectively remove suckers (shoots that emerge between the main stem and branches) to direct energy toward fruit production, though this practice is optional and a matter of personal preference.