DESCRIPTION
Growing Pineapple Tomato Garden Seeds
Sowing & Growing:
Sow annual Pineapple Tomato seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before your region's final frost. Plant heirloom tomato seeds ¼" deep with 1-2" apart. Sow seeds in a warm and rich seed-starting container either in a greenhouse or under grow lights. Expose seedlings to heat and light for the majority of the day and turn off during the night. Pineapple Tomato seeds thrive in a temperature range of 70-90° with moist soil and full sun. Germination will take 1-2 weeks. Transplant young tomato plants to 3" containers before hardening off and moving outdoors. Once summer tomato plants have 2-3 sets of true leaves and your region's temperatures reach 70°, set mature Pineapple Tomatoes outdoors. Be sure night conditions don't drop below 55°. Select 1-2 of your strongest plants and remove their smaller sets of leaves, with a single top set of leaves remaining. Place every Pineapple Tomato deeply, with only its top set of leaves exposed. As this tomato variety can reach at least 8" tall, it's highly recommended to use a trellis or stake to support the vigorous long vine growth of Pineapple Tomato plants. Pruning this beefsteak variety is also recommended, as it will help the production of Pineapple Tomato crops. As these juicy heirlooms are more prone to cracking, avoid this issue by watering Pineapple tomatoes 1" per week and laying down mulch. Feed Pineapple Tomatoes a dry fertilizer with more nitrogen several times throughout development. As these heirloom seeds grow as a mid-to late season indeterminate crop, be sure to water tomato plants in the morning, once the top layer has dried and at the base. All tomato varieties need warmer conditions and thrive with an Organic compost added to the mix. Pineapple tomatoes prefer sandy or loamy well-drained soil with a pH level of 5.5-6.5. These heirloom spheroid-shaped tomatoes are one of the most flavorful to add to your summer garden! Meaty-types of tomatoes like Pineapples grow as large as 1-2 lbs with golden-yellow shoulders that blend into red-orange fruit. Pineapple tomatoes are more sweet and less acidic with citrusy undertones. Although their high yield takes longer to fully develop, Pineapple Tomato plants are worth the wait as they continue to produce fruit until your region's first frost.
Harvesting:
As Pineapple Tomatoes are a mid-to late season variety, these heirlooms should be ready for harvest around 80 days from the sowing date. As an indeterminate crop, this beefsteak tomato variety will provide a high yield crop for longer. Start harvesting Pineapple Tomato plants 80 days from the sowing date by gently pulling the red-orange fruit from their calyx hat with one hand, while holding the stem with the other. You can also use gardening shears so you don't damage the sweet 1-2 lb fruit. Let tomatoes stay on the vine for a longer summer growing season. Allow this beefsteak variety to fully grow their meaty texture with golden-yellow shoulders and sweet citrusy flavor.
Facts:
Heirloom tomato varieties were first developed in South America and brought to Europe around the 1500s. Pineapple Tomatoes need a dry nitrogen fertilizer added several times throughout development in order to grow their vigorous long vines that continue to grow juicy and spheroid-shaped fruit.
ATTRIBUTES
Basic Info
Latin Name: |
Solanum lycoperscium |
Variety: |
"Pineapple heirloom" |
Color: |
Bi-colored golden-yellow shoulders and red-orange fruit |
Flavor: |
Sweet with citrusy undertones, juicy, meaty and less acidic |
Growing Info
Days to Maturity: |
80-95 days |
Hardiness Zones: |
2-11 |
Planting Depth: |
¼" |
Plant Spacing: |
1 Inch |
Row Spacing: |
1-2 Inches |
Growth Habit: |
Upright/long vine |
Soil Preference: |
Sandy/loamy, well-drained, compost and pH 5.5-6.5 |
Temp Preference: |
Warmer |
Light Preference: |
Full sun |
Other
Pests/diseases: |
Tomato hornworms, flea beetles and late blight |