Brandywine Red Regular Leaf Tomato

Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last spring frost date. Sow seeds at a depth of 1/4 inch in warm soil around 70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep the soil consistently moist until germination occurs, then provide bright light and good air circulation.

Transplant seedlings outdoors after the last frost date has passed and soil temperatures have reached at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Harden off seedlings by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions over 7 to 10 days. Space plants 24 inches apart with rows spaced 36 inches apart.

Brandywine Red reaches maturity 100 to 109 days after transplanting. Pick fruits when they show full red color and yield slightly to gentle pressure, typically in mid to late summer depending on your planting date and region. You can harvest fruits at the 'breaker stage' (when they just begin to show red color at the bottom) and let them ripen at room temperature indoors if you're worried about frost or pests, though vine-ripened fruit develops the fullest flavor. The weight of ripe fruit often indicates readiness; a mature Brandywine tomato feels substantial in your hand.

As an indeterminate variety, Brandywine Red benefits from selective pruning of suckers (the shoots that grow between the main stem and leaf branches) to direct energy into fruit production and improve air circulation. Remove suckers when they're small and easy to pinch off by hand. You can also remove lower leaves once the plant is established and producing fruit, which helps prevent soil-borne diseases like Early Blight from splashing onto the foliage. Balance pruning with the plant's vigor; Brandywine Red grows vigorously, so moderate pruning keeps it productive without sacrificing the leafy canopy it needs to protect fruit from sunscald.