Heirloom Tomato
True Black Brandywine is a storied heirloom tomato with deep blackish-purple skin and an impressive size that delivers on both appearance and flavor. This indeterminate variety reaches maturity in 80 to 90 days and produces extra-large fruits packed with the deep, earthy sweetness that defines the best of the black tomato family. Traced back to a Quaker family's seed collection from the 1920s and brought to modern gardeners by renowned seed collector William Woys Weaver, this tomato carries genuine history in every fruit you harvest.
Full Sun
Moderate
3-12
?in H x ?in W
Annual, Perennial
High
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True Black Brandywine stands out for its remarkable flavor complexity, a balance of deep earthiness and natural sweetness that makes it exceptional for both fresh eating and cooking. The potato-leaf foliage gives the plant a distinctive appearance in the garden, and its extra-large size means each fruit goes a long way. Because this is an indeterminate variety, it will keep producing throughout the growing season, rewarding patient gardeners with an abundant harvest from mid to late summer onward.
This tomato excels in applications where its deep flavor and substantial size shine. It is superior for salsa, where its earthy sweetness and full body create complexity beyond standard cooking tomatoes. The large fruits are ideal for slicing fresh, and their rich character makes them excellent for cooking down into sauces, soups, and braises where the flavor can meld and deepen.
Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last spring frost date. Sow seeds 1/4 inch deep in seed-starting mix and maintain soil temperature around 70 to 75°F for germination. Keep the soil consistently moist and provide bright light once seedlings emerge to prevent leggy growth.
Transplant seedlings outdoors only after the last frost date has passed and soil temperatures consistently reach 60°F or higher. Harden off plants over 7 to 10 days by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions. Space plants 24 inches apart, planting deeper than their soil line in the seed tray to encourage stronger root development.
Harvest fruits when they reach full blackish-purple color and yield slightly to gentle pressure. The extra-large size of True Black Brandywine fruits means they can be substantial by the time they're ripe, allow them to ripen fully on the vine for maximum flavor development rather than picking early. Fruits continue to mature 80 to 90 days after transplanting, with an indeterminate plant continuing to set and ripen new fruits until frost.
As an indeterminate variety, True Black Brandywine benefits from judicious pruning to manage vigor and improve fruit quality. Prune lower leaves once the plant is well-established to improve air circulation and reduce disease pressure. Remove suckers (shoots that emerge between the main stem and branches) to direct energy toward larger, better-flavored fruits rather than excessive foliage.
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“This variety carries the weight of four generations of careful seed stewardship. It was passed down through a Quaker family in Pennsylvania, treasured in their seed collection since at least the 1920s. The tomato eventually came into the hands of William Woys Weaver, one of America's most respected seed collectors and food writers, who recognized its exceptional quality and entrusted it to Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. By sharing it, Weaver ensured this family heirloom would not disappear but instead reach gardeners across the country who could grow it, save its seeds, and carry the legacy forward.”