Photo: "Green Zebra Tomato #65" by Cliff Hutson · CC BY 2.0

Tomato · Specialty

Green Zebra Tomatoes

Indeterminate · Solanaceae

Stays green when ripe — only variety requiring special harvest guidance. Created 1983 by Tom Wagner. Striped 3-5 oz fruit. Tart/tangy 'zippy' flavor. Ripe when stripes turn amber/yellow. Never turns red.

At a Glance

Days to Maturity

75–78 days

Sun

8+ hours

full sun

Spacing

30–42 "

Seed Start

6–8 weeks

before transplant

Container

Not Ideal

15+ gallon pot

Height

5–7 ft

Zone Planting Guide

Your USDA Zone:

Growing Guide

Germination

Germination Time 6–14 days

Optimal Temp 80°F

Seed Depth 0.25"

Transplanting

Min Soil Temp 60°F

Harden Off 10 days

Watering

Weekly Water 1.5–2 "

Needs Consistent

Method Drip

Soil

pH Range 6.2–6.8

Support Stake

Resilience

Heat: Low Cold: Low Drought: Low

Common Problems

blossom-end-rot

Cause: 3-5 oz fruit

Prevention: Consistent watering, gypsum

early-blight

Cause: Fungal

Prevention: Fungicide program

Nutrition

Feeding Intensity Heavy feeder

Recommended Recipes Root drench, Silica foliar, Worm castings topdress, Compost tea, Copper fungicide

Harvest

CRITICAL: Does NOT turn red. Ripe when light stripes shift to golden-amber/yellow, base becomes chartreuse, slight give. If stripes turn orange = OVERRIPE/mealy.

Expected Yield 8–15 lbs/plant

Storage 3 days — Room temp.

Companion Planting

Good Companions

Genovese basil Repels aphids

French marigold Repels nematodes

Avoid Planting Near

Herb fennel Allelopathic

Sources

seed_catalog Baker Creek; Johnny's; Victory Seeds

More Tomatos

Green Zebra Tomatoes Planting Dates by Zone

Planting dates for Green Zebra Tomatoes vary by USDA hardiness zone. Select your zone below for frost dates, start-indoors timing, and a full monthly planting calendar.

Zone 5A Zone 5B Zone 6A Zone 6B Zone 7A Zone 7B Zone 8A Zone 8B Zone 9A Zone 9B

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