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Growing Brandywine Red Organic Tomatoes in the Vegetable Garden

About two months before the last spring frost, use well-draining potting soil to start the seeds. Plant 2 or 3 seeds in each cell a quarter inch deep. Use a gentle watering can or mister hose attachment to water the seeds. The seedlings should be kept warm and moist, and they will emerge in 7-10 days. When they break the soil surface, promptly move them to direct sunlight or provide a grow light. They should receive 8-16 hours of light during the day. Once the seedlings are 1-2 inches tall, thin them so there is a single strong seedling per cell.

When they have developed two true leaves, fertilize with a mild fertilizer like compost tea, worm castings, or another organic tomato fertilizer. When the seedlings have grown to fill the cell with their roots, transplant them into 6-inch pots to continue developing. Around two weeks before their predicted transplant date, gradually acclimate them to their new environment; leave them outdoors for a few more hours during the warmest part of each day, and add a few more hours each day as you get closer to the transplant date. Keep them indoors at night and if temperatures drop. Do not transplant until temperatures are consistently above 60 F or provide cold protection if temperatures dip to the 50s F.

Provide Brandywine with loamy, well-drained, slightly acidic soil. Adding compost to the soil is a great way to increase water retention and nutrient density. When transplanting, remove all the leaves on the bottom 2/3rds of the plant and bury it deep. This will encourage lots of root development. Given the right environment, tomato plants, unlike other plants, can sprout roots from anywhere along their stem. Apply an even fertilizer at the time of transplantation.

Throughout the season, prune the plant by removing suckers and bottom leaves. Doing this helps the plant focus on fruiting. Tomato plants should receive full sun throughout the season to fruit and thrive. Fertilize again about halfway through the season. Water them in the morning if possible, and avoid splashing the leaves. Brandywine reaches maturity about 90 days after transplantation.

Harvesting Brandywine Red Organic Slicer Tomatoes

This indeterminate variety will produce fruit until the plant dies. Promptly harvest ripe fruit. This avoids overburdening the plant and encourages more fruit. Harvest the fruit when it is red, shiny, and firm. Gently twist or snip the tomato to remove it.

About Organic Brandywine Red Tomato Garden Seeds

Brandywine Red is a potato leaf variety. The leaves are smooth rather than the regular serrated variety. This helps the tomatoes be better shaded from the sun. Brandywine tomatoes are indeterminate.They are heavy-yielders yet need support, such as a trellis with ties.

Regarding organic gardening, consistency is key. The best chance you will have at defending against pests and diseases is by preventing them to begin with. Check out our IPM blog for ideas!

Tomatoes grown from Brandywine Red tomato seeds are beefsteaks. Fresh from the vine, they were prized for their sandwich-sized slicers with a delicious flavor. They also pair well in salads with other fresh garden produce. Brandywine Red tomatoes may be cooked, canned, frozen, or dried like any other tomato.

Craig LeHoullier, author of Epic Tomatoes, said, "This is fairly certain, Brandywine is a tomato that found its way into the Seed Savers Exchange collection in 1982. It got there via an elderly (now deceased) Ohio gardener named Ben Quisenberry, who received the variety from a woman named Dorris Sudduth Hill. She stated that they had been in her family for over 80 years. I do not know where the Dorris came from hence, where the tomato originated. Huge beefsteak-type fruits that seldom have blemishes or cracking. The flavor is very rich and complex, but not sweet as you might expect.”

Tips From Our Gardeners

"Growing tomatoes in containers is a clever way to save space. For indeterminate varieties like Brandywine, I recommend at least 20 gallons of soil per plant in the container."

- Lara Wadsworth, True Leaf Market Writer

Other Resources

• Guide to Tomatoes

Brandywine Red Slicer Tomato Seeds Per Package:

• 300 mg packet - Approximately 75 Seeds
• .25 oz - Approximately 1,875 Seeds
• 1 oz - Approximately 7,500 Seeds
• 4 oz - Approximately 30,000 Seeds
• 1 lb - Approximately 120,000 Seeds

Non-GMO Brandywine Red Slicer Tomato seeds are available for Fast Free Shipping on qualifying orders.