T(caps)here's nothing like the taste of a freshly picked tomato from the garden. Growing your own organic black zebra cherry tomatoes is easy, and just a couple of plants will reward you with plenty of delicious tomatoes all summer. In order to grow a really great tomato plant without deficiencies or diseases and harvest great-tasting organic tomatoes, keep reading. I will take you through growing your own tomatoes, from starting seeds indoors to planting seedlings the right way to harvest without chemicals, plus companion plants and how to use organic fertilizer tips to give you tons of organic tomatoes.
Table of Contents
(toc)
Black Zebra tomato is a relatively new addition to the tomato family. These Black Zebra tomatoes come from Kong Thao Farms near Fresno, CA. They are botanically classified as Lycopersicon esculentum 'Black Zebra', or alternatively, Solanum lycopersicum 'Black Zebra'. This is a natural and stabilized cross between a black tomato and Green Zebra
Black Zebra Cherry Tomatoes Basics
Ease of growing: Easy
Grown: As annual
Days to maturity: 85 (Spring/ Late Summer)
Growing habit: Indeterminate plants require support
Hardiness Zone: 3-11
Growing conditions: Plants are quite drought tolerant and don't really need a lot of water once they are established
Growing temp: (50°F - 95°F)
Sun exposure: 8 hours direct sun daily
Containers growing: Yes. The minimum container size is 5 gallons (27 cm) but larger is better!
Plant height: Can reach heights of up to 1.80 meters
Disease Resistance: Black Zebra's adaptability is largely due to breeding for broad disease resistance including Late Blight and Leaf Mold
Fruit taste profile: Exceptionally rich flavors that contain hints of sweetness. Its flavor also carries the rich complexity associated with black tomatoes
Growing Organic Black Zebra Tomatoes
Starting Black ZebraTomato Seeds Indoors
Starting Black Zebra tomato seeds indoors allows for a longer growing season, which means tomatoes not only bear fruit earlier, but they harvest longer before the frost sets in the autumn. Since tomatoes are heat lovers, most gardeners don't have growing seasons long enough to start tomatoes from seed outdoors. To get around that, tomato seeds are often started indoors. Black Zebra tomatoes are quick to germinate and grow, the seeds are best sown indoors about six weeks before your average last frost date.
Here's what you'll need to start the seeds indoors:
🛒 Black Zebra Tomato Seeds 🛒
You can also buy an organic coconut coir seed starting mix. You just need to add water and the block will expand to eight quarts, ready for use!
You can start your seeds in just about anything that holds soil and has drainage holes, from yogurt containers, egg cartons with holes poked in the bottoms. However, I advise using purchased pots, such as biodegradable pots and seed-starting trays.
A warm place with sufficient natural light or grow lights
Tomato seedlings need an extra boost to grow well.
How to Sow Tomato Seeds
1. Thoroughly moisten the seed-starting soil mix, always use high-quality seed-starting soil mix. Avoid cheap imitations, which are often the cause of seedling failure!
2. Fill the containers or pots to within 1/2" of the top.
3. Firm the mix but don't compact it.
4. Shake out some seeds from your seed packet into your hand. Every tomato seed contains a tiny tomato plant that is alive but dormant, and when environmental conditions are right, the seed will germinate.
5. Place two or three seeds into each small container or each cell of a seed starter.
6. Cover the seed with about 1/4" of soil and gently firm it over the seeds.
You can use a single container or pot as I always do, fill your pot with good quality seed starting soil mix, leaving a couple of centimeters below the rim. Sprinkle seeds over the compost from the palm of your hand using your finger evenly over the compost and cover with soil.
7. Water gently with a water spray. You don't need to soak the soil, just moisten the top layer,
8. Cover the pot with a plastic bag or some plastic kitchen wrap to keep the compost moist.
9. Place the pots in a warm spot.
10. Keep the mix moist but not soaking wet.
11. Check pots daily. Within a week or two, germination will take place. Tiny seedlings will rise out of the soil, as soon as you see sprouts, remove the covering and place the pots in a sunny window or under grow lights, keeping the lights just an inch or two above the tops of the plants. The young seedlings need to be kept at 18 °C (64 °F).
12. If you are growing your tomatoes on a windowsill, turn the pots or containers regularly to prevent the plants growing towards the light and becoming distorted. The best tomato seedlings are short and stubby rather than tall and thin.
You'll get better results growing your seedlings under LED grow light. Early spring sunlight isn't intense as summer sunlight, and there are fewer hours of daylight. Insufficient light can lead to weak, spindly plants.
13. Remember, always label your pots. Growing several different varieties of tomatoes without markers to label them all, how will you keep track of them?
Yes you can give your plant the correct amount of sunlight, water and nutrients but if you don’t give them enough room to grow, they will not be able to thrive. They will compete for nutrients, and you will be left with many smaller plants, instead of one large, healthy plant!
You have two choices!
1: Thinning Seedlings
2: Repotting Seedlings
Thinning Black Zebra Tomato Seedlings
Tomato plants are ready for thinning when seedlings reach 2-3 weeks of age or approximately 3-4 inches in height. When choosing which seedlings to pull and which to leave, keep the larger, more-developed seedlings and remove weaker, smaller seedlings. Thinning seedlings means to remove all or part of a plant to make room for the growth of others. Select the strongest, healthiest seedling and use a pair of scissors to cut off the others at the soil line. The reason you will want to cut the seedlings instead of pulling them is to avoid disturbing the delicate roots of the neighboring seedling.
(ads1)
Repotting Tomato Seedlings
Repotting seedlings will give your tomatoes more room for good root growth!
Tomato seedlings grown in pots need to be spaced out when their leaves touch each other to avoid overcrowding and plants becoming elongated and 'leggy'; the best tomato seedlings are short and stubby rather than tall and thin.
Once your tomato seedlings have two or three sets of true leaves and about 10 cm tall, they can be repotted into larger pots. Repotting will give your new tomatoes more room for root growth.
1. Gently remove tomato seedlings from the pot one at a time with a spoon.
2. Poke a hole into the middle of the soil with your finger.
3. Place the young tomato into the hole, sinking it down as deeply as possible without bending the stem.
4. Add soil, filling the hole and the nursery pot.
5. Water gently your repotted tomato and place it in a sunny southern window.
6. Soil should be kept moist and should never be allowed to dry out.
Watch How to Transplant Tomato Seedlings Video
How to Successfully Harden Off Tomato Seedlings
About 7-10 days before planting your Black Zebra tomato seedlings outdoors, help acclimate them to temperatures, sunlight, and wind. This is the process of hardening off, or gradually acclimating your tomato seedlings to outdoor conditions. These plants have spent their short lives in a warm, sunny, protected place and won't fare well if you don't expose them slowly to the elements. Before you intend to plant, put your transplants outdoors in an area where they'll be protected from the direct sunlight and wind. Leave them out for a few hours and bring them back inside. Repeat this each day, gradually increasing the amount of time they're outside and the degree of exposure to sun and wind. Gradual exposure helps your plants toughen up and reduces the possibility of injury. With proper hardening off, they’ll have an easier transition to the garden and begin producing fruit sooner.
Watch How to Successfully Harden Off Tomato Seedlings
How To Plant Tomato Seedling The Correct Way
Here are some tips for preparing soil, how to correctly plant tomato seedlings, and produce healthy organic tomatoes.
Preparing Soil
Soil is a main factor in planting nearly all types of tomatoes.
1: Test the soil's acidity. You should check the pH level in your garden every three to five years. You can test it with soil pH test kit. Tomatoes like their soil pH around 6.0 to 6.8. If your soil pH is too low (too acid), you'll need to add lime to the soil to bring the pH back into the proper range.
2: When you’re growing tomatoes, the deeper their root systems. The more nutrients they can pull from the soil, the larger, more vigorous and more resilient your tomato plants will be. Before transplanting tomatoes, it's a good idea to work the soil until it's loose to a depth of six to eight inches. You can do the work with a garden fork. The tomato roots will be able to expand quickly in the loose earth, and you'll also uproot and kill many weeds.
3:Tomatoes grow well in moderately fertile soil with lots of organic matter. You can incorporate organic fertilizer when you prepare the soil. No matter what kind of soil you have in your garden, you can shape it into a great home for your tomatoes. Both light, sandy soils that drain too rapidly and heavy, clay soils that take forever to drain and warm up in spring can be improved with the addition of organic matter such leaves, compost and well rotted chicken manure. I always use well rotted chicken manure to fertilize my garden soil. The oldest of all fertilizers and still is the best is " Manure". In addition to its nitrogen and other food content, it is high in humus and contains bacteria which improve the soil
4:Organic fertilizer is a plant, animal, or mineral that is applied to the garden without any processing. The advantage to this form of fertilization is that not only are main nutrients added to the soil but organic matter and humus, as well. Organic matter improves soil structure, moisture retention, drainage, and the microbial life of the soil. An adequate amount of organic matter in the soil can help ensure that nutrients are available to plants on a steady basis and that the soil structure enhances root growth. Organic fertilizers have many benefits for the soil. Unlike chemical fertilizers, organic fertilizers reduce acidity in the soil and do not cause leaching. They do not kill beneficial microorganisms in the soil. Organic fertilizers also help improve the structure of the soil including the circulation of air, which sustains beneficial microorganisms that help release nutrients to the soil.
(ads1)
This is how I use chicken manure as an organic fertilizer and the result is very good. BUT make sure you are careful when adding manure to the garden, raw manure can burn and kill plants. It should be composted or aged prior to use!!!
Watch Chicken Manure Benefits To The Garden soil Video
Where To Plant Black Zebra Tomato Plants
When choosing a location to grow tomatoes, full sun is usually the best option. Pick a location that gets at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sun each day, and don’t plant your tomatoes too close together. 14 to 20 inches apart are Ok! Tomato plants thrive well and are healthier when provided good air circulation!
How to Plant
Set a tomato plant in the hole deeply enough so that two-thirds of it is buried. Roots will sprout all along the buried stem to make a stronger plant.
1: Till the soil with a hand shovel and mix in some manure, organic fertilizer, or compost.
2: Dig holes deep enough to accommodate your transplants.
3: Carefully remove the plant by holding it at the base, turning it upside down, and sliding off the pot.
4: Set the plant in the hole deeply enough so that two-thirds of it is buried. Roots will sprout all along the buried stem to make a stronger plant. You can pinch off the lower leaves if you prefer, but it is not necessary. Tomatoes have the ability to grow roots along their stems, so when planting tomato plants, plant deep; right up to the first set of leaves. This takes care of those leggy tomato seedlings. If the plant is too long and wobbly, dig a small trench and lay the plant on its side, gently bending it into a right angle. Bury the stem in this position, leaving those first two leaves exposed. Some gardeners believe those leggy starters will form a healthier plant than those with a more compact form.
5: After transplanting your seedlings, water well around your new plants. For the first 2 weeks after planting, water a little bit every day or every other day if it doesn’t rain, to get the plants established.
6: All tomato plants are vines that would sprawl along the ground if you do not stake them to grow upward. If left to their natural tendencies, tomato vines would become a damp, tangled mess on the soil, where they would attract all types of diseases and pests. Stake or cage all tomatoes, except small bush or patio varieties, which can often support themselves. Waiting a few weeks after planting to install stakes or cages can injure the plant's roots. Cages and stakes keep tomatoes off the ground, helping to encourage successful tomato growing and prevent fruit rot and numerous diseases. I always use bamboo stakes as they keep the plants stand tall and help tomatoes successfully grow. They need to be at least 8 feet high and 1 inch wide. Pound the stake at least 12 inches into the ground and 4 inches from the plant. Attach the stem to the stake with garden twine.
7: About 4 weeks after setting tomato plants in the garden, and the soil has warmed. For best results, spread organic mulch evenly around the plants, leaving some space around the stem so that water can reach the roots easily.
8: When the vines are thickening up and beginning to grow aggressively, stop watering. Let them dry out for a few days. At this stage, you want to make your tomatoes work to sink their roots deeper to find water. If it’s hot and they are wilting, give them some water. The point is to make them stretch, not stress them excessively. After a few days, give them a good, deep soaking. Saturate the soil, then let it dry out again for a few days, to make your tomatoes stretch their roots even deeper into the soil. The deeper their root systems, the more nutrients they can pull from the soil and you will have robust tomatoes plants put off garden pests, that resist diseases and healthy.
9: Once your tomatoes start flowering and setting fruit, shift to regular watering, a little bit every day or every other day, for 1-1 ½” (2-4cm) of water per week. Flowering plants require a higher ratio of potassium. To ensure proper tomato plant nutrition, you will need to add nutrients at differing amounts at various stages of growth.
Watch How To Plant Tomato Plants Video
Tomato Fertilizers
Black zebra Tomato is a heavy feeder and should be fertilized with an organic fertilizer rich in phosphorus and potassium, and containing moderate nitrogen.
Pruning Tomato Plants
Should i prune my tomatoes or not?
The frequent question and debate in the tomato growing world.
Let me tell you? You can do both!
You can choose to either heavily prune, minimally prune, or not prune your tomatoes at all. The decision to prune or not is personal, depending on how much effort you care to invest, the type of tomato grown, and how you plan to support it. If you like, you can remove side “sucker” branches from your tomatoes. A sucker is a new branch that sprouts up in the crotch between an existing leafy branch and the main tomato stem. A small sucker will not have little flower buds. Those are immature fruit branches. Pruning suckers reduces overall yield, but can increase fruit quality, and if allowed to grow, these sucker branches will eventually produce fruit. By pruning away the suckers, you do get fewer fruit from one plant. But your tomatoes produced will be larger, juicier, and superior in flavor. This could be especially helpful if you’re growing big, beautiful heirloom tomatoes that need a lot of energy to ripen.
Watch Know How To Prune Tomato Plants For A Lots Of Fruits Not Leaves Video
Tomato Companion Planting
You need to give your tomato plants the best possible environment to grow by implementing companion planting in your vegetable garden. Companion planting is an excellent way to improve the health and the good growth of your tomato plants!
What is Companion Planting?
Companion planting is the practice of growing different plants together.
This will make them strong, healthy, and more productive because some plants have complementary characteristics, such as their nutrient requirements, growth habits, and pest-repelling abilities. The right tomato companions will engender a healthier plant with better fruit yields. Plant companion plants next to your tomato plants that will naturally deter bugs from residing on or near your beloved fruit. Plant, basil, chamomile, beans, oregano, borage, chives, garlic, mint, marigolds, anise, nasturtium, onion, parsley, peppers or dill near your tomatoes to ward off unwanted visitors.
Read: Companion Plants For Tomatoes
Black Zebra Tomato Plants Care
1: After the soil has warmed, mulch plants with a layer of organic mulch, such as straw or finely shredded wood chips, to prevent weeds and to maintain soil moisture. Mulch is also necessary to help successfully grow tomatoes, as it prevents soil and soil borne diseases from splashing onto leaves when it rains.
2: Water about once a week in the morning and do not water at night, as this creates dangerous conditions for your plants as insects love wet dark environments and rot and other diseases such as mold, verticillium rot, they are easily avoided by watering during the morning. Tomatoes grow most successfully when they have consistent moisture. If it rains less than 1 inch per week, supplement by watering. To prevent diseases, avoid wetting the foliage. Use a watering can or deliver water directly to the root zones by using a drip irrigation system. Remember that your tomato plants can withstand both insects and fungal or bacterial disease better if they're watered regularly.
How To Protect Your Tomato Plants
Healthy plants are much more likely to resist diseases and other problems so give your plants good soil, fertilizer, regular watering, avoid watering the foliage of your plants, especially in humid climates, as many diseases are encouraged by damp conditions and rotate crops so that soil-borne pathogens never have more than a season to get established.
Black Zebra Tomato Pests
Hornworms: They are so big (three inches long or more ) it's easy to control them just by picking them off. The problem is that their pale green color provides excellent camouflage, and the nymph and larval stages are far smaller and less obvious. If there are only a few, picking them off works well. To keep horn worms away from your plants, plant borage among your tomato plants.
Whiteflies: These tiny flying insects feed on plant juices, leaving behind a sticky residue which can become a host for sooty mold. To deal with release natural predators such as ladybugs, lacewings, but if the situation is out of control, use insecticidal soaps or botanical insecticides.
Black Zebra Tomato Diseases
Early blight develops in early summer and causes leaves near the ground to develop dry, brown patches surrounded by concentric black rings. The best intervention is to prune off all affected leaves as soon as the problem is noticed. Pruning leaves to 18 inches from the ground will also reduce outbreaks.
Late blight may strike following a prolonged period of heavy cool rain. Affected leaves develop light brown, water-soaked patches, and entire plants can wilt within a few days. To reduce the risk of late blight, provide excellent light penetration and air circulation to keep plants dry.
Successfully Harvesting Tomatoes
Harvesting tomatoes at the right time means you get fantastic flavor. Fully-ripened fruit tastes much better than fruit picked early. You’ll start picking your black zebra tomatoes about 85 days after planting seedlings in the garden. All indeterminate tomatoes ripen all season long. You can help them to set fruit earlier by pinching off the tips of the main stems in early summer. Once tomatoes start ripening, check plants each day and pick those that are ready. Overripe tomatoes will fall or be knocked off stems. They rot quickly. You can easily lose a big portion of your crop if you don’t monitor your patch and keep harvesting tomatoes. To harvest, grasp the fruit firmly, but gently and pull from the plant by holding the stem with one hand and the fruit with the other, breaking the stalk just above the calyx that has formed to protect the bud.
Black Zebra Tomatoes Uses
Black Zebra tomatoes are the ideal cherry tomatoes for slicing into wedges for salads. Due to their rich and complex flavor, this tomato variety is best eaten when left raw, or cooked just enough to warm them up, and they can be used in almost any recipe that tomatoes can be added.
There's nothing quite like the exquisite flavor of a homegrown tomato. I hope that this step-by-step guide to grow Black Zebra cherry tomato will help you to grow your own. Keep in mind that for the healthiest tomato plants with the best yield, plant deep, water well, and stake the vines as they grow!
Please let us know your thoughts, experiences, or questions in the comments below. If you like this, you can share with your friends!
🛒 Quality Black Zebra Cherry Tomato Seeds From ➡️ Here! 🛒
This web site is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon. Some of the links to products on this site are affiliate links. These are products that i've used or recommend based from homesteading experience. I do make a small commission (at no extra cost to you) from these sales.(alert-warning)
