Black Brandywine Heirloom Tomato Seeds

Bring deep color and rich flavor to the summer table with Black Brandywine. This potato-leaf selection produces large, meaty beefsteaks with dusky crimson skin shaded in purple, brown, and sometimes green at the shoulders. Slice a ripe fruit for a sandwich or enjoy its sweet-tart, earthy flavor in a fresh garden salad.

Why Grow Black Brandywine?

• Dusky beefsteak fruit: Broad, often irregularly flattened tomatoes have a rich mahogany-to-crimson appearance rather than a uniformly black skin.
• Meaty and flavorful: Enjoy full tomato flavor with earthy notes and a balance of sweetness and tang.
• Potato-leaf foliage: Broad leaves distinguish the historical selection described in this listing.
• Indeterminate vines: Provide strong support for continuing growth and heavy fruit.
• Heirloom heritage: The potato-leaf True Black Brandywine/Weaver’s strain is associated with Dr. Harold Martin and Pennsylvania in the late 1920s.
• Open-pollinated: A classic choice for the home vegetable garden.

Planting and Growing

Start seeds indoors 6–8 weeks before your intended transplant date. Sow approximately ¼ inch deep in seed-starting mix, provide warmth for germination, and give seedlings strong light. Harden off gradually before planting outdoors after frost danger has passed and conditions have warmed.

Choose full sun and fertile, well-drained soil. Install a sturdy stake, cage, or trellis at planting time. Water consistently at soil level and mulch to conserve moisture. Maintain airflow while keeping enough foliage to shade developing tomatoes.

For square foot gardening, use 1 plant per sq ft (trellis required) with dedicated vertical training and regular pruning. Allow more space for caged or multi-stemmed plants.

Harvest Details

• Days to maturity: Approximately 80–90 days from transplant; weather and growing conditions affect timing.
• Fruit: Large, dusky crimson-to-mahogany beefsteaks with juicy, meaty flesh; some fruits reach around a pound, but size varies.
• Growth habit: Indeterminate; potato-leaf foliage; sturdy support required.
• Botanical name: Solanum lycopersicum.
• Life cycle: Frost-tender warm-season annual.
• Packet options: Approximately 25+ or 50+ seeds, with Organic and Conventional options; choose your preferred variant.

Harvest when fruit develops its mature dusky color and yields slightly to gentle pressure. Shoulder color can remain darker or greener than the rest of the fruit. Handle carefully to avoid bruising.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is every tomato called Black Brandywine the same?

No. Different selections circulate under similar names. This listing describes the potato-leaf selection; histories and traits should not be automatically transferred to every regular-leaf version.

Will the fruit become solid black?

No. Expect dusky crimson, mahogany, purple, and brown tones rather than a uniformly jet-black tomato.

Is it a determinate bush?

No. It is indeterminate and needs space and sturdy support for continued vine growth.

What are the best kitchen uses?

Enjoy fresh slices, sandwiches, salads, and salsa, or cook ripe tomatoes into a flavorful sauce.

Packed and shipped by Box Garden Seeds LLC — heirloom seeds grown without GMOs, selected for flavor and your garden's success.