Giant Belgium

Watch for early blight (dark, concentric spots on older leaves) and blight-prone leaf diseases, which build fast in warm, humid weather. Remove and dispose of affected lower leaves, water at the soil line (not overhead), and keep airflow by spacing plants and pruning lower foliage. If problems start, use a labeled fungicide for tomatoes and begin treatments early rather than waiting for widespread spotting.

Harvest when fruits reach full size and have a uniform mature color for the variety (typically deep red if grown under standard conditions), with a slight give when gently squeezed. The blossom end should be free of persistent dark, sunken spots, and the fruit should detach from the vine with a slight twist. If nights are cool and color lags, you can still pick at the breaker stage and ripen indoors, but let the vine-ripened fruits be your standard for best flavor.