Large Barred Boar is a striking heirloom tomato that turns heads in any garden with its unusual pink-brown skin streaked with metallic green stripes. This indeterminate variety produces flattened beefsteak fruits weighing around 8 to 12 ounces and reaches maturity in just 65 to 70 days. The meaty pink flesh delivers genuine tomato flavor, the kind that justifies the space and care these plants demand. Growing fairly stocky compared to most indeterminate types, it rewards full sun exposure and warm temperatures with fruit that tastes as distinctive as it looks.
Full Sun
Moderate
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The metallic green striping that persists even as the fruit ripens pink-brown makes Large Barred Boar one of the most visually arresting tomatoes you can grow. Its compact indeterminate habit means it doesn't sprawl as aggressively as typical vine varieties, making it manageable without sacrificing that continuous harvest season. The meaty texture and genuine depth of flavor prove that unusual appearance never comes at the expense of taste. Reaching full maturity in under 10 weeks from transplant makes it realistic even for gardeners in shorter growing seasons.
Large Barred Boar excels sliced fresh, where its flattened shape and meaty pink flesh showcase themselves best on a plate or in a salad. The substantial texture makes it sturdy enough for sandwich work, where it won't collapse or become watery. Its rich flavor also translates beautifully into cooked applications like sauces, roasted preparations, or any recipe where you want tomato presence to dominate rather than fade into the background.
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Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last frost date. Sow seeds 1/8 inch deep in seed-starting mix and maintain soil temperature between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Seeds typically sprout within 7 to 14 days. Once seedlings emerge, provide bright light and keep the soil moist but not soggy.
Harden off seedlings by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions over 7 to 10 days before planting. Transplant outdoors only after the last frost date has passed and soil temperature reaches at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit, ideally warmer. Space plants 24 inches apart in a location receiving 6 to 8 hours of full sun. Plant slightly deeper than the seedling's original depth to encourage strong root development.
Pick fruit when the pink-brown color fully develops and the fruit yields slightly to gentle pressure; the metallic green stripes will still be visible at harvest. Mature fruit typically detaches easily from the vine with a slight twist or pull. For peak flavor, harvest when fully ripe on the vine rather than picking early and ripening indoors. The flattened shape and considerable weight mean you're harvesting substantial fruit, usually 8 to 12 ounces per tomato.
Since this is an indeterminate variety with a stockier habit than most, light pruning of lower foliage once the plant is established helps improve air circulation and reduces disease pressure. Remove suckers (shoots that grow between the main stem and side branches) early and consistently to direct energy into fruit production rather than excess vegetation. As the season progresses, you can remove some upper foliage around ripening fruits to allow better light penetration and faster color development.
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