Plant field guide
Tomato (Heirloom Brandywine)
The gold standard of heirloom tomatoes — legendary for its rich, complex, almost winey flavor unmatched by modern varieties. Large, irregular, pink-red beefsteak fruits with thin skin. Worth every bit of the extra care it demands.
Growing requirements
- Scientific name
- Solanum lycopersicum 'Brandywine'
- Sun
- full sun
- Water
- moderate
- Height
- 60 in (152 cm) – 96 in (244 cm)
- Spread
- 24 in (61 cm) – 36 in (91 cm)
- Spacing
- 24 in (61 cm)
- Hardiness zones & minimum temperature
- USDA 3–10; average annual extreme minimum from -40°F (-40.0°C). Hardiness does not predict local frost dates.
- Difficulty
- moderate
Planting & seasonal timing
Northern Hemisphere planting months: not yet verified in our database.
Northern Hemisphere pruning months: no calendar months recorded.
For the Southern Hemisphere, these seasonal windows shift approximately six months. Check your local frost forecast, soil temperature, and species requirements; calendar months are not a guarantee of planting safety.
Indeterminate — requires caging or staking (grows 6–8 feet). Slower to ripen than modern varieties (80+ days). Flavor is exceptional when fully vine-ripened. Consistent watering prevents blossom end rot and cracking.
Pruning
Remove suckers (shoots growing in crotch between stem and branch) regularly for larger fruit. Stake or cage at planting.
Fertilizer
Tomato or vegetable fertilizer (low nitrogen, higher phosphorus/potassium)
At planting and every 2–3 weeks during fruiting
Mulch
3–4 inches straw or leaf mulch to retain moisture and prevent splash-back disease.