Carbon

Family: Solanaceae Nightshade

Planting Schedule

Provide your location or planting zone to unlock dates and add Carbon to a garden.

Sink your senses into Carbon’s rich, smoky-sweet tomato aroma and the velvety, meaty bite that follows—an impressive beefsteak bred for deep, satisfying flavor.

At maturity, fruits develop a dramatic, warm-toned blush with a lush, dense interior texture that holds its shape beautifully. Grow Carbon for standout garden harvests and bold, slice-worthy centerpiece tomatoes for fresh use and robust sauces.

Light: Full SunMaturity: 90 DaysHabit: Determinate

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Carbon Planting Dates by USDA Zone

Estimated US hardiness-zone windows for sow, transplant, and harvest. Enter a US ZIP above for exact local dates, or open a zone below.

Zone	Start Indoors	Sow / Transplant	Harvest
Zone 1a	Protected Environment Only
Zone 1b	Protected Environment Only
Zone 2a	Apr 6th	Jul 20th	Oct 18th – Aug 29th
Zone 2b	Mar 27th	Jul 10th	Oct 8th – Aug 25th
Zone 3a	Mar 27th	Jul 10th	Oct 8th – Sep 1st
Zone 3b	Mar 31st	Jul 14th	Oct 12th – Sep 21st
Zone 4a	Mar 27th	Jul 10th	Oct 8th – Sep 24th
Zone 4b	Mar 25th	Jul 8th	Oct 6th – Sep 27th
Zone 5a	Mar 20th	Jul 3rd	Oct 1st – Sep 30th
Zone 5b	Mar 16th	Jun 29th	Sep 27th – Oct 5th
Zone 6a	Mar 13th	Jun 26th	Sep 24th – Oct 10th
Zone 6b	Mar 7th	Jun 20th	Sep 18th – Oct 16th
Zone 7a	Mar 2nd	Jun 15th	Sep 13th – Oct 20th
Zone 7b	Feb 20th	Jun 5th	Sep 3rd – Oct 28th
Zone 8a	Feb 11th	May 27th	Aug 25th – Nov 5th
Zone 8b	Feb 2nd	May 18th	Aug 16th – Nov 12th
Zone 9a	Jan 16th	May 1st	Jul 30th – Nov 26th
Zone 9b	Dec 22nd	Apr 6th	Jul 5th – Dec 9th
Zone 10a	Continuous Production
Zone 10b	Continuous Production
Zone 11a	Continuous Production
Zone 11b	Continuous Production
Zone 12a	Continuous Production
Zone 12b	Continuous Production
Zone 13a	Continuous Production
Zone 13b	Continuous Production

Crop Details

Trait	Value
Days to Maturity	90
Sun Requirements	Full Sun
Growth Habit	Determinate
Support Needed	Cage
Planting Depth	Deep
Germination Temp (°F)	75
Min Soil Temp (°F)	60
Min Night Temp (°F)	50
Harden Off (days)	10

Culinary Notes

Chef's Note

Carbon is a true beefsteak: dense flesh and restrained juice make it hold its shape under heat and on bread, giving you that meaty slice-to-sauce transition. Use it when you want caramelized, smoky edges instead of watery tomato behavior.

Best Uses

thick slicing for sandwiches where you don’t want slip-and-weep
pan-sautéed tomato medallions to caramelize the meaty flesh
slow-simmered, less-watery sauce that clings and reduces cleanly
hot blistering on a cast-iron for smoky edges and spoonable cores

Flavor Profile

smoky-sweet tomato aroma velvety, meaty bite warm, rich fruit character low to moderate juice—stays sliceable

Kitchen Pairings

garlic extra-virgin olive oil black pepper aged balsamic vinegar fresh mozzarella charred bread

Frequently Asked Questions

What common disease or pest should I watch for on Solanum lycopersicum (tomato), and how do I treat it?

Watch for early blight (brown, concentric leaf spots) and Septoria leaf spot (tiny dark spots with yellow halos), which often build during warm, humid weather. Remove and discard affected lower leaves, improve airflow by spacing plants, and water at the soil line to keep foliage dry; for home gardens, use a labeled fungicide spray targeting early blight/leaf spot and repeat according to the label after 7–10 days. For pests, inspect weekly for hornworms and hand-pick them off early-morning if found, since they can quickly defoliate a plant.

How often should I water tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) during the main growing phase?

During active flowering and fruit set, keep soil consistently moist but not waterlogged—about 1 to 1.5 inches (2.5–4 cm) of water per week, adjusted for heat and rainfall. Water deeply 1–3 times per week rather than frequent light sprinkling, aiming to wet the root zone; irregular moisture is a major trigger for blossom-end rot and fruit cracking.

How can I tell when Solanum lycopersicum is ready to harvest?

Harvest when fruits reach full size and the color changes fully to the mature red (or your specific mature color for the variety) with a slight give when gently squeezed. For best flavor, pick in dry weather and harvest regularly once plants start producing—leaving ripe fruit too long can slow new fruit development and increase disease risk.