Brandywine

Family: Solanaceae Nightshade

Planting Schedule

Provide your location or planting zone to unlock dates and add Brandywine to a garden.

Sink your senses into Brandywine’s rich, old-world fragrance and its famously deep, rosy-sweet flavor—an heirloom beefsteak that feels as lush as it tastes.

The fruits are large and irregularly heart-shaped, with a velvety, juicy flesh and a satisfyingly meaty bite that shines in thick slices and spoonfuls of garden abundance. Grow Brandywine for standout presence in the patch and a standout centerpiece on the table—ideal for bold, slow-simmered sauces and robust fresh preparations alike.

Light: Full SunMaturity: 90 DaysHabit: Indeterminate

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Brandywine Planting Dates by USDA Zone

Estimated US hardiness-zone windows for sow, transplant, and harvest. Enter a US ZIP above for exact local dates, or open a zone below.

Zone	Start Indoors	Sow / Transplant	Harvest
Zone 1a	Protected Environment Only
Zone 1b	Protected Environment Only
Zone 2a	Mar 30th	Jul 20th	Oct 18th – Aug 29th
Zone 2b	Mar 20th	Jul 10th	Oct 8th – Aug 25th
Zone 3a	Mar 20th	Jul 10th	Oct 8th – Sep 1st
Zone 3b	Mar 24th	Jul 14th	Oct 12th – Sep 21st
Zone 4a	Mar 20th	Jul 10th	Oct 8th – Sep 24th
Zone 4b	Mar 18th	Jul 8th	Oct 6th – Sep 27th
Zone 5a	Mar 13th	Jul 3rd	Oct 1st – Sep 30th
Zone 5b	Mar 9th	Jun 29th	Sep 27th – Oct 5th
Zone 6a	Mar 6th	Jun 26th	Sep 24th – Oct 10th
Zone 6b	Feb 28th	Jun 20th	Sep 18th – Oct 16th
Zone 7a	Feb 23rd	Jun 15th	Sep 13th – Oct 20th
Zone 7b	Feb 13th	Jun 5th	Sep 3rd – Oct 28th
Zone 8a	Feb 4th	May 27th	Aug 25th – Nov 5th
Zone 8b	Jan 26th	May 18th	Aug 16th – Nov 12th
Zone 9a	Jan 9th	May 1st	Jul 30th – Nov 26th
Zone 9b	Dec 15th	Apr 6th	Jul 5th – Dec 9th
Zone 10a	Continuous Production
Zone 10b	Continuous Production
Zone 11a	Continuous Production
Zone 11b	Continuous Production
Zone 12a	Continuous Production
Zone 12b	Continuous Production
Zone 13a	Continuous Production
Zone 13b	Continuous Production

Crop Details

Trait	Value
Days to Maturity	90
Sun Requirements	Full Sun
Growth Habit	Indeterminate
Support Needed	Cage
Planting Depth	Deep
Germination Temp (°F)	75
Min Soil Temp (°F)	60
Min Night Temp (°F)	50
Harden Off (days)	10

Culinary Notes

Chef's Note

Brandywine’s beefsteak structure is built for the fork: dense, gel-thick flesh that slices like velvet and cooks down into a spoonable sauce instead of a thin broth. When you treat it gently—salt, olive oil, and slow heat—it tastes like tomatoes should: fragrant, rosy-sweet, and unapologetically meaty.

Best Uses

thick sliced tomato platters with salt and olive oil (won’t collapse into watery puddles)
slow-simmered, spoon-thick sauces where the flesh breaks down into velvety body
caramelized tomato jam or reduction for grilled meats and cheese sandwiches
warm-roasted wedges to concentrate sweetness without turning harsh

Flavor Profile

rosy-sweet, low-acid richness meaty, gel-thick flesh with juicy heft old-world perfume with a tomato-forward backbone silky bite in thick slices

Kitchen Pairings

extra-virgin olive oil garlic red wine vinegar mozzarella black pepper balsamic vinegar

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I manage early blight on Brandywine tomatoes?

Early blight often shows up on Brandywine as dark, concentric “target” spots that start on the lower leaves and expand upward. Remove and discard infected lower foliage immediately, then spray with a labeled fungicide that targets early blight (follow the product label for frequency). Keep plants on full sun with good airflow and avoid wetting the leaves during watering to slow new infections.

How often should I water Brandywine tomatoes during the main growing phase?

During active fruiting, water Brandywine deeply about 1–2 times per week, aiming for consistently moist—not soggy—soil. A simple check: if the top 1 inch of soil is dry, water until the root zone is soaked (typically 6–12 inches), then let the soil partially dry before the next watering. Use steady moisture because irregular watering can contribute to blossom-end rot and cracking.

When is Brandywine ready to harvest?

Harvest Brandywine when fruits are fully colored and have a gentle “give” at the stem end—most commonly around 80–90 days from transplant, but timing varies with temperature. Don’t wait for total softness; pick when the fruit has reached its mature size and color while still firm enough to avoid bruising. For best flavor, allow cut fruits to ripen off the vine only briefly if nighttime temperatures dip too low.