Plum Tomato
Jersey Devil is a legendary heirloom tomato with deep roots in New Jersey's storied tomato-growing heritage. Named for its distinctive pepper-like shape and vivid crimson color, this indeterminate variety produces remarkably meaty fruits averaging 6 inches long with few seeds, making it equally valuable for sauce and fresh eating. Expect to wait about 90 days for first harvest, but the incredible flavor and prolific yields reward your patience. This variety thrived in New Jersey's commercial gardens and remains an ancestor to Jersey Giant, carrying forward the legacy of one of America's greatest tomato-growing regions.
Full Sun
Moderate
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?in H x ?in W
Annual, Perennial
High
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The fruit itself tells the story: elongated and pepper-shaped with vivid crimson skin that stands apart from the round tomatoes dominating most gardens. These are meaty fruits loaded with flesh and minimal seeds, yielding rich, robust sauce or excellent fresh eating. The flavor is remarkably concentrated, and yields come heavy from these indeterminate vines. This is a tomato that tastes like history, grown by farmers who built an industry.
Jersey Devil excels at two very different tasks. Its meaty flesh and few seeds make it exceptional for sauce, paste, and canning, where you want concentrated tomato flavor without excess liquid. Fresh eating is equally rewarding; the robust flavor shines when the fruit is ripe and harvested at peak ripeness. The elongated shape and tender flesh make it satisfying sliced, chopped into salads, or simply eaten warm from the vine.
Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last spring frost. Sow seeds 1/4 inch deep in moist seed-starting mix and maintain a germination temperature between 70 and 80°F. Keep soil consistently moist but not waterlogged until seedlings emerge in 7 to 10 days.
Harden off seedlings over 7 to 10 days by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions. Transplant outdoors after all danger of frost has passed and soil has warmed. Space plants 24 inches apart with rows 3 inches apart. Plant slightly deeper than the original soil line to encourage stronger root development.
Harvest Jersey Devil tomatoes when they are fully ripe and have developed their deep crimson color throughout. The fruit should yield slightly to gentle pressure when squeezed. Pick tomatoes in the morning after dew has dried for best flavor. Green fruit can be ripened indoors in a cool, dark area if frost threatens before the season ends; store green tomatoes in a single layer ensuring fruits do not touch one another during ripening.
As an indeterminate variety, Jersey Devil benefits from pruning to manage vigor and improve air circulation. Remove suckers (shoots that grow between the main stem and branches) early in the season to direct energy toward fruit production rather than excessive foliage. Prune lower leaves once flowering begins to reduce disease pressure and improve air flow around the base of the plant.
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“Jersey Devil originated in New Jersey, where it was a cornerstone of the state's once-legendary commercial tomato industry. This heirloom variety was so integral to regional agriculture that it became an ancestor to Jersey Giant, one of the state's other prized cultivars. The tomato carries forward the legacy of generations of New Jersey growers who developed and refined varieties specifically suited to their soil and climate. Its preservation speaks to the dedication of seed savers who recognized the value of this distinctive fruit and ensured it survived beyond the era of industrial agriculture.”