VegetableTomato
Sparks Tomato
Sparks is an heirloom beefsteak tomato that delivers substantial 3-inch fruits on vigorous indeterminate vines reaching 6 to 8 feet tall. This open-pollinated, potato-leaf variety matures in 80 to 89 days from transplant and thrives in full sun across garden beds, raised beds, and greenhouses. With proven resistance to Bacterial Canker, Fusarium Wilt, Late Blight, Powdery Mildew, Tobacco Mosaic Virus, and Verticillium Wilt, Sparks combines classic beefsteak substance with serious disease resilience.
Photo © True Leaf Market
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
2-11
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Soil
Well-drained, Fertile Loam With Organic Matter
Growth Stats
96 in
Height
TypeIndeterminate
Spacing
24
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Zones
2-11
Size
96in H x ?in W
Growth
—
Care
High
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Highlights
Sparks produces large, picture-perfect beefsteak tomatoes on tall indeterminate plants with the distinctive potato leaf foliage that many gardeners prefer for its appearance and improved air circulation. The variety's broad disease resistance profile, including tolerance to Blossom End Rot, makes it reliable in challenging growing seasons when other beefsteak types falter. At 80 to 89 days to maturity, you'll be harvesting substantial slicing tomatoes within a reasonable timeframe, and the open-pollinated genetics mean you can save seeds year after year.
Common Uses
Sparks excels as a slicing tomato for fresh eating and is well-suited to any application where you want the substantial flesh and presence of a classic beefsteak variety. The large 3-inch fruits are ideal for thick sandwiches, salads, and any dish where you want meaty tomato texture rather than juice.
Growing Timeline
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Care Instructions
Start Indoors
Sow seeds indoors 7 to 9 weeks before your last spring frost date. Keep soil warm (around 70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit) for steady germination. Transplants are ready to harden off and move outdoors once they've developed their first true leaves and nighttime temperatures reliably stay above 50 degrees.
Transplant Outdoors
Transplant into the garden after all danger of frost has passed and soil has warmed to at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Space plants 24 inches apart in rows 36 inches apart. Bury transplants deeper than they were in their containers to encourage a stronger root system.
Harvesting
Pick Sparks tomatoes when they reach full color and yield slightly to gentle pressure at the blossom end. The vines will continue producing throughout the season since they're indeterminate, so harvest ripe fruits regularly to encourage more flowers. Mature fruits at 80 to 89 days from transplant will be fully sized 3-inch beefsteaks ready for slicing.
Pruning
As an indeterminate variety, Sparks will grow continuously throughout the season and benefits from selective pruning to manage height and direct energy into fruit production. Pinch off suckers (shoots that grow between the main stem and branches) up to about midsummer to keep plants focused on existing fruit. Once you've established your desired plant height and frame, you can stop pruning to allow the vines to fully mature their remaining crop.
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)