HARVEST: Fruits ripen gradually from the blossom end to shoulders and from the base of clusters to the tips. Avoid wet leaves and handling when wet or using tobacco products. DISEASES & INSECT PESTS: Learn your common pests and options for control, including resistant cultivars and pesticides. If needed later in season, consider thinning out leaves to increase airflow or topping plants to help finish ripening last fruits. The lower bottom suckers often miss trellis supports, set fruit closer to soil, take energy from upper parts, and encourage spread of disease from soil. PRUNING: Indeterminates likely benefit by removing all suckers under the first strong branch directly below the first flower cluster. For tall indeterminates, consider short extensions or pruning once they outgrow a manageable size for easy harvest. TRELLISING: Basket-weave by pounding 5–6' stakes every 2–3 plants, using heavier t-posts intermittently and at ends of beds. Water seedlings with a high-phosphate fertilizer solution at planting to help boost early yields. Plant deeply to encourage adventitious rooting. In rows 4–6' apart, space determinates 12–24" and indeterminates 24–36". Avoid exposing unprotected plants to consecutive nightly temperatures below 45☏ (7☌). For earliest crop, plant under row cover around last frost date. Supplemental lights and lower night temps control stretching. Grow at constant 60–70☏ (16–21☌) temp and use complete fertilizer until hardened-off. At first true leaf, pot-up to 50-cell trays or 4" pots, depending on expected transplant timing. Keep mix at 75–85☏ (24–29☌) with moderate moisture. About 5–6 weeks before transplanting, sow 1/4" deep in 20-row flats with 20 seeds/row, or in 200-cell trays with 1 seed/cell lightly cover. TRANSPLANTING: Don't start too early-leggy, root-bound, or flowering transplants can cause stunting and reduce early production. Tomatoes typically germinate in 5–7 days. For short determinates, succession-plant every 4–6 weeks. Fertilize accurately since excess nitrogen causes rampant growth, rot, and delayed ripening. CULTURE: Medium-rich soil with pH 6.0–6.8 preferred. INDETERMINATE (Climbing): Varieties should be staked, trellised, or caged, and pruned for best results fruit ripens over an extended period. Do not apply excessive nitrogen, which can promote excessive foliage and poor fruit set.SCIENTIFIC NAME: Solanum lycopersicum DETERMINATE (Bush): Varieties do not need pruning and may be grown with or without support fruit ripens within a concentrated time period. Apply a light compost tea every few weeks. Plant deeper than they were growing in the containers as it makes a stronger roots system. Tips : The Green Zebra Tomato should be planted in fertile soil, amended with compost, mulch, and provide even moisture. Harvest : When fruit is red (or color of the variety planted) and firm. Sowing Outdoors: Only in areas with very long growing seasons. Fertilize the seedlings every 7-10 days with a liquid or water-soluble fertilizer, diluted to ¼ of the suggested measurement. Sow 2-3 seeds per cell/pot, thin to the strongest seedling, or use the 20 Row seedling flat, transplanting into individual pots when seedlings get their 3rd set of leaves. Starting Indoors: 6 weeks before the last frost. Germination Temperature: Optimum soil temperatures 70-85✯.
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