Plant your starts all the way down into the soil until only 3-4″ of the top leaves show. This is recommended because the tiny white hairs on the tomato plant become roots. Tomatoes are a unique crop because they can be planted deeply into the ground. Seedlings can be planted into the garden when they are 7-8 weeks old or 5-6″ tall and stocky.Once the seedlings have germinated and have a first set of true leaves be sure to fertilize regularly with an organic liquid fertilizer.If you plan to direct sow (not recommended), follow the same instructions for starter pots or plug trays.Place seeds on top of the soil and cover with 1/4″ of finely sifted soil. If you are planting seeds in starter pots, plant seeds into thoroughly moist high-quality seed starting soil.If you are starting your seeds early in the season you may want to use a heating mat to ensure the soil is warm enough for quick germination. Tomatoes germinate very slowly in cold soil. Tomato seeds are easy to start with a few key things.Transplant out after the danger of frost is gone. Sow seeds in starter pots with a heating pad 5-6 weeks before the last frost.Using a heating pad can greatly increase the germination rate and speed. All seeds of the Solanaceae family enjoy warm temperatures to germinate. Do not let your seedlings get root bound in their containers. In Zones 9 and 10, you can start tomatoes from seed as early as February as long as they are protected from the cold.As a grower, you should make the decision to pull your tomato plants if they stop producing at a healthy rate, are diseased, or if space is needed for more seasonal vegetables.

In Zones 9 and 10, you can grow tomatoes year round but their productivity will greatly dimension once temperatures cool and the days are shorter. It happens when a typically annual plant grows year round in mild weather. Often times you can grow tomatoes year round. Tomatoes grow well in the extended warm season of Zones 9 and 10.Green Zebra fruits begin to turn an orange/yellow color when ripe, making this a fun tomato for kids to observe from start to finish. These tasty Green Zebra tomatoes are perfect for snacking, salads, or for making salsa verde. This makes for a long season of harvesting. Green Zebra fruits of about 1-2″ are grown in clusters, each ripening at different periods. Tomato cages tend to not be strong enough or large enough to hold indeterminate tomatoes sufficiently. On our farm, we like to use heavy gauge t-posts and tomato wire. Be sure to put up some kind of trellising system when you plant. In mild climates like that of Southern California, vines can reach 20 feet or more. Vines can be very vigorous, reaching 7″ feet or more in areas with frost. Indeterminate varieties are often called “pole” varieties because they grow long, vining stocks that need support. Green Zebra is a fun specialty tomato and an indeterminate variety. 2024 Urban Farming and Planting Calendar.

Green zebra tomato sauce