Tomato, Green Zebra

Product Description: (Solanum lycopersicum) Introduced in 1983 by Tom Wagner of Washington State, Green Zebra offers a stunning striped green skin that ripens to yellow. Crack resistance was among the primary traits bred into this variety. The flesh is slightly tart, making it great for fresh eating and canning. High-yielding plants grow up to 40 inches and bear fruit 1.5 - 2.5 inches in diameter. Indeterminate. Open-pollinated. 50 seeds per packet.

Growing Information: Sow seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before your expected last frost. Transplant after all danger of frost has passed. Keep plants staked or trellised to allow for adequate airflow. Always water plants at the base to limit disease pressure and splash dispersal. Ripe fruit will turn yellow, keeping their dark green stripes. Prefers full sun. 75 days to maturity.

Seed Saving: Select fully ripe fruit and inspect each of them for signs of disease. You want to save seeds from your very best tomatoes, ensuring that next year’s crops will share the same traits. Slice open the tomatoes and squeeze the gel-like seed sacs into a clean glass jar or other transparent container. If the pulp is too thick, add enough water to allow the seeds to float freely. Cover the container with cheesecloth or a coffee filter and secure with a rubber band. Place the jar aside for the seeds to ferment.

After a few days, you will begin to notice a layer of mold developing on top of your seed pulp. This is completely normal and beneficial to the health of your seeds. This fermentation process can kill some pathogens and also break down the tough coatings that inhibit germination. Once the layer of mold begins developing bubbles or spreads to cover the entire surface of your seeds, scrape the layer off and discard it. Take the remaining seeds and place them in a wire mesh strainer for cleaning. Be sure to rinse the seeds thoroughly. Spread them evenly on a cloth rag or paper towel to dry.

Germination Rate: 98%