VegetableTomato
Brandywine Black Regular Leaf Tomato
Brandywine Black is a classic heirloom slicing tomato that delivers intensity on the plate and in the garden. This indeterminate variety grows tall (48, 72 inches) and rewards patient gardeners with oblong fruits bursting with complex, fruity flavor. Maturing in 70, 79 days from transplant, it thrives in full sun across zones 3, 10 and produces the kind of tomato that reminds you why homegrown matters. Open-pollinated and non-GMO, it's a variety that has been saved and replanted by gardeners for generations.
Photo © True Leaf Market
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
3-10
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Soil
Well-drained, Fertile Loam With Organic Matter
Growth Stats
72 in
Height
TypeIndeterminate
Spacing
18
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Zones
3-10
Size
72in H x ?in W
Growth
—
Care
High
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Highlights
The oblong shape and deep color of Brandywine Black fruits signal their intense, fruity character long before you taste them. These heirloom slicers perform reliably in garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses, showing solid resistance to Early Blight, Fusarium Wilt, Late Blight, and several other common tomato diseases. At 70, 79 days to harvest, you'll be picking ripe fruit by midsummer, and the flavor is concentrated enough that a single tomato can anchor a meal.
Common Uses
Brandywine Black excels as a slicing tomato for fresh eating, where its intense, fruity flavor shines in sandwiches, salads, and simple preparations where the tomato itself is the star. The oblong shape and substantial flesh make it reliable for slicing into thick wedges, though some gardeners also preserve them whole or as sauce given the concentrated flavor.
Growing Timeline
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Care Instructions
Start Indoors
Start seeds indoors 6, 8 weeks before your last frost date. Sow seeds 1/4 inch deep in warm soil (70, 75°F) and maintain consistent moisture until germination. Seedlings need bright light once they emerge to prevent legginess.
Transplant Outdoors
Harden off seedlings for 7, 10 days before moving them outdoors. Transplant after the last frost date when soil has warmed and nighttime temperatures stay above 50°F. Set plants 18 inches apart in rows 36 inches apart, burying the stem deeper than it was growing indoors to encourage a stronger root system.
Harvesting
Brandywine Black fruits reach maturity in 70, 79 days from transplant. Pick tomatoes when they are fully colored and slightly soft to the touch; the oblong shape and dark color make ripe fruit easy to spot on the vine. Gently twist or cut the fruit from the stem to avoid damaging the plant. Continue harvesting throughout the season as new fruit ripens.
Pruning
As an indeterminate variety, Brandywine Black produces fruit throughout the season and benefits from sucker removal. Pinch off the shoots that emerge between the main stem and side branches once plants are established; this redirects energy into fruit production rather than vegetative growth. Allow the main leader and primary side branches to grow, removing only the non-fruiting suckers.
Growing Calendar
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Companion Planting
Pests & Diseases
Ecology & Traits
Edible
Scientific Classification
Solanum lycopersicum
Family
Solanaceae
Genus
Solanum
Growth Habit
Indeterminate
Native Status
L48 (I)AK (I)HI (I)PR (I)VI (I)CAN (W)