Thursday, February 25, 2010

Know When A Green Zebra Is Ripe

Green zebra tomatoes resemble their common red counterparts in shape and size, but not color. As the name suggests, green zebra tomatoes' skin is yellow with green stripes when fully ripe, and the flesh is an emerald green. This can present a problem for the home gardener, as most tomatoes turn from green to red when ripe. You need to look for other clues from the green zebra. The payoff is a tangy tomato ideal for slicing into wedges for salad.


Instructions


1. Keep track of when you planted the green zebra tomato plant. Most mature within 72 to 80 days of planting.


2. Measure the fruit size as the maturity period draws closer. Ripe green zebra tomatoes usually are about 3 inches round.


3. Squeeze the tomatoes very gently to test for resistance. Like regular tomatoes, hard green zebras are not ripe. Ripe green zebras give slightly under pressure from your fingers. Test several tomatoes to get a comparison for the degree of give.








4. Look at the tomato's color. It should be golden yellow with contrasting green stripes, rather than predominately green.

Tags: green zebra, zebra tomatoes, from green, green stripes, green zebras, Ripe green, yellow with