Tips for Growing Purple Tomatoes™

  • YAY! We are so happy that you are growing our Purple Tomato™ in your garden.
  • Our Purple Tomato™ is bioengineered to produce purple antioxidants in the skin and flesh, making the entire fruit more purple and nutritious.
  • We have found that our Purple Tomatoes™ have a deliciously earthy, savory flavor. We love them in salads, elegant dishes, and just as a simple snack.
  • In our greenhouse, we have a 98% germination rate; we hope you have the same success!

Variety Information

  • The Purple Tomato™ is an indeterminate large-fruited cherry tomato with highly vigorous vegetative growth and a strong main stem.
  • Fruit forms green and turns purple in the skin and flesh.
  • Ready for harvest when fruit begins to feel soft and readily releases from the stem. Be patient - purple color develops before fruit is fully ripe.

 

Growing instructions

  • Use your favorite indeterminate tomato methods!
  • Sow seeds in starter pots 1/4" deep in loose soil.
  • Transplant 4 to 6 weeks after sowing into rich soil, when soil temperatures are consistently 60F or above.
  • Roots will grow from any part of the main stem that is buried, so plant your seedlings deep.
  • Plants can grow to 12-15 feet, so be prepared to trellis or use cages.
  • Your results will vary due to differences in light, water, temperature and so on.
  • Plants pruned to a single main stalk can grow to 12-15 feet! See the picture above of how we grow them in our greenhouse.
  • Shorter/wider plants can be achieved by pruning to multiple main stems.

Maturity: Approximately 70 days


How do I prune indeterminate tomatoes?

Along with the many tutorials on YouTube, two methods are described below.

Training and pruning indeterminate tomatoes

Pruning tomato plants


Help! I have never started tomatoes from seeds before. How do I do this?

  • Tomato seeds need warmth to germinate.
  • Put the seeds in soil and cover loosely with plastic wrap to conserve moisture, and place your seeds in a dark, warm location, preferably between 70°F to 80°F. Soil should remain evenly moist, but not water-logged.
  • When your seeds start sprouting, usually within 1 to 2 weeks, move them to a sunny spot or under artificial lights. In cooler conditions, germination will take longer.

 

Simple instructions can be found here.

You can also contact your local Agricultural Extension agent -- a state-by-state directory can be found here. You can also search for a Master Gardener near you.

 

Where can I buy Purple Tomato™ seeds?

Home Gardener seed sales are currently closed for the 2025 Home Gardener growing season. Please stay tuned for additional buying options for 2025 and an exciting new Home Gardener variety announcement for 2026.

 

How can I share my growing experience with Norfolk Healthy Produce?

 

We want to hear from you! info@norfolkhealthyproduce.com

 

Happy Gardening!

Your NHP Team