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Growing Brandywine Red Potato Leaf Tomatoes in the Vegetable Garden

About 6-8 weeks before the last spring frost, use well-draining seed starting soil to start the seeds indoors. Plant 2 or 3 seeds in each cell about 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. We recommend using a heating mat for improved germination rates. When they break the soil surface, promptly move them to direct sunlight or provide a grow light. They should receive at least 8-16 hours of light paired with darkness each night. Once the seedlings are 1-2 inches tall, thin them so that there is only one strong seedling per cell.

When they have developed two sets of true leaves, fertilize with a mild fertilizer; compost tea, worm castings, or a dedicated tomato fertilizer. All are good options. When the seedlings have grown to fill the cell with their roots, transplant them into 6-inch pots to continue developing. Tomato stems may be buried deeper than they were before. The buried stems will develop more roots for a more stable and healthy plant. Around two weeks before their predicted outdoor transplant date, gradually acclimate them to their new environment. Do this by progressively leaving them outdoors for a few more hours during the warmest part of each day and adding a few more hours as you get closer to the transplant date. Keep them indoors at night or if temperatures are expected to drop. Once temperatures are consistently around 70 F, transplant the seedlings outdoors. Tomato plants are warm weather lovers and should be shielded from temperatures below 50 F.

Provide tomatoes with loamy, well-drained, slightly acidic soil. Adding compost to the soil is a great way to increase water retention and nutrient density. The tomato plants must receive full sun and warm temperatures. When transplanting, remove all the leaves but the top 2-3 sets and bury the plant so that only the reserved leaves are above the soil. 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. Just keep in mind too much nitrogen can encourage foliage rather than fruit development. Water them in the morning if possible, and avoid splashing the leaves. Brandywine red tomatoes reaches maturity about 80-100 days after transplanting.

Harvesting Brandywine Red Potato Leaf Tomatoes

This indeterminate variety will produce fruit until the plant dies. As soon as the tomatoes are ripe, they should be picked. Being quick about it 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 from the branch. If you know that an impending frost might kill your plant, but it still has fruit on it, harvest the rest of the fruit regardless of ripeness, and continue ripening them indoors.

About Brandywine Red Potato Leaf Tomato Garden Seeds

Brandywine Red is a potato leaf variety. The leaves are smooth rather than the regular serrated variety. Some claim this is an advantage that 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.

Suitable for growing in raised beds, garden plots, and greenhouses, this variety is also resistant to Early Blight, and Fulvia Blight and can easily be grown in containers with plenty of room. For indeterminate varieties such as this, provide a minimum of 15-20 gallons of soil.

A true classic, these giant red tomatoes languished in obscurity on a single farm in rural Ohio for over 80 years. Then another gardener realized its potential, and the Brandywine Red seeds gained popularity and finally became commercially available in 1982. Popular for its excellent exotic flavor, these soft-textured giants have a creamy smooth flesh. Make sure you have a sturdy collection basket though - these whoppers weigh up to a pound!

Tips From Our Gardeners

"Have you struggled with blossom end rot in the past? A calcium deficiency and inconsistent watering cause it. Amend your soil before planting to make it more nutritious with compost or worm castings, which contain calcium."

- Lara Wadsworth, True Leaf Market Writer