The 'Brandywine' tomato variety impresses with its large, juicy fruits. Find out everything you need to know about growing the Brandywine tomato in our overview.
There is definitely something for every taste in the large family of Brandywine tomatoes, because they are available in all imaginable colors and even as a cherry tomato variant. Here you will find the best varieties of 'Brandywine' as well as tips for successfully growing the aromatic fruit.
Brandywine Tomato: Profile
| Fruit | Beefsteak tomato; different colors |
| Flavour | fruity, sweet, spicy |
| Maturity | medium early |
| Growth | Stick tomato, up to 180 cm |
| Location | Greenhouse, protected outdoor area |
Origin and History
The origin of brandywine is only vaguely reported. It comes from the USA and came into the hands of the Seed Savers Exchange Association in 1982. An Ohio gardener named Ben Quisenberry had received them from Dorris Sudduth Hill. According to her, the brandywine beefsteak tomato had been grown and passed on in her family for 80 years. Whether it was selected from a commercial variety or appears as a completely new variety has not yet been clarified. Since the 1980s, many color variants of the originally pink Brandywine have emerged.
Brandywine Tomato: The Best Varieties
The Brandywine family has had many new members over the years. We introduce you to the best varieties of this tasty tomato variant. Incidentally, the original color variant is now referred to as 'Brandywine Pink'.
- 'Brandywine Pink' is the original form from the USA. At 700 grams, the fruits are real heavyweights. The foliage is potato-leaved, the tomatoes are dark pink on the outside and inside. Very fruity and aromatic aroma, the flesh has a soft, melting consistency when ripe.
- 'Brandywine Red' is a bright red beefsteak tomato with normal leafy foliage and smaller fruits than the pink onesVariant. The fruits, which weigh around 250 grams, ripen from August and impress with their fruity taste.
- 'Brandywine Yellow' is the sunny yellow variant of this family. It also has potato-like foliage and produces fruits weighing up to 800 grams with a fruity-sweet taste and lots of aroma.
- ‘Brandywine Apricot’ is reminiscent of a persimmon in colour. The beefsteak tomatoes, which weigh an average of 400 grams, turn orange with a reddish tinge when they ripen. The flesh is thick, juicy and melting, the taste is aromatic and delicious.
- 'Brandywine Purple' was created by crossing 'Brandywine' with the variety 'Marizol Purple' and was launched in 1998. The color is dark pink to slightly violet. The plants are potato-leaved.
- 'Brandywine Black' is a potato-leaved, late-ripening, dark red to brownish beefsteak tomato. The fruits are slightly smaller and lighter than other 'Brandywine' varieties, reaching an average of 350 grams. The taste is typical of dark tomatoes: spicy, sweet and fruity.
- 'Brandywine Cherry' is a relatively new variety from 1998, which complements the Brandywine beefsteak tomato series with a pink, small-fruited, but also wonderfully aromatic variant.
Properties and taste of the tomato Brandywine
In general, all Brandywine tomatoes form large, ribbed and flattened fruits and, with the exception of the 'Brandywine Cherry', are classified as beefsteak tomatoes. The foliage is often potato-leaved and the seeds germinate early. The plants reach about 160 to 180 centimeters in height. The aroma of the 'Brandywine' varieties is famous, their taste is uniquely delicious, often fruity and sweet, but also spicy. All Brandywine tomatoes are open seed and can be sown again the following year from your own seeds.
Planting and caring for Brandywine tomatoes: What you should pay attention to
Brandywine tomatoes are quite hardy and not susceptible to diseases. They grow particularly well in greenhouses and outdoors. Outdoors, they appreciate rain protection, as the soft skin of the large fruits bursts open easily with an uneven water supply. From the beginning of May, the brandywine can move into the greenhouse. However, the tomatoes should only be planted outdoors after the ice saints. To plant, dig a deep hole and place your young plants in it. Then fill the hole with a nutrient-rich substrate, such as our Plantura organic tomato andvegetable soil. It provides all the necessary minerals and nutrients for the growth and flowering of the Brandywine in the early stages. After planting it should be properly watered.
The Brandywine should be grown with one, maximum two shoots. To do this, break out the side shoots early. We have put together a separate article for you with precise instructions and other tips for cutting out tomatoes. Due to their heavy fruit, Brandywine plants should always be well supported and tied. From June we recommend organic fertilization to ensure the supply of nutrients for fruit formation. We recommend our Plantura organic tomato fertilizer, which mainly consists of plant materials and has a long-term and even effect. The granules are worked into the surface of the soil around the plants. Even watering helps soil organisms release nutrients.
Harvesting and Using Brandywine Tomatoes
Brandywine tomatoes are traditionally eaten fresh and sliced on bread and burgers. Due to their great taste, they rarely make it from the garden to the kitchen and are best eaten fresh. The large beefsteak tomatoes are also very suitable for soups and sauces.
Do tomatoes always have to be in the greenhouse? What are the advantages and what should you look for when buying a glass house? You can find out more about growing tomatoes in greenhouses and polytunnels in our article here.