How to Grow Golden Crown
Wikimedia Commons
Golden Crown
Solanum lycopersicum 'Golden Crown'
vegetableGolden Crown is a hybrid determinate tomato variety prized for its golden-yellow fruits with excellent flavor and disease resistance. The plants are compact and productive, making them ideal for both garden and container growing. This variety combines sweet taste with a beautiful appearance, producing medium-sized fruits that ripen uniformly.
When should you plant Golden Crown in your zone?
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Example Golden Crown timeline · Pittsburgh, PA (Zone 6b)
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Plant Golden Crown
Around Apr 17Near Pittsburgh's average last spring frost.
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Tend & protect
Late spring–summerWatering, feeding, and pest-watch reminders.
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Harvest Golden Crown
Around Jun 26≈ 70 days after planting
Sample dates for Pittsburgh, PA. Sign up to get exact Golden Crown dates for your own zip code.
Growing Conditions
Soil
Growing Zones
Find your zone →Thrives in zones 4-10; grows as annual in cooler zones
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Seedling
2-3 weeksTiny plants with 2-4 leaves, delicate and pale green
Provide bright light 14-16 hours daily under grow lights; keep soil consistently moist but not waterlogged; maintain 65-75°F temperature
Vegetative
3-4 weeksSturdy plants with 4-6 true leaves developing; stem thickens
Harden off gradually before transplanting; maintain steady light and warmth; fertilize weekly with balanced fertilizer at half strength
Growth & Development
3-4 weeksPlants establish in garden, growing 18-24 inches tall with multiple branches; flower buds form
Water deeply and consistently; stake or cage for support; remove lower leaves as plant grows; apply mulch around base; fertilize every 2-3 weeks with low-nitrogen formula
Flowering & Fruiting
4-6 weeksYellow flowers appear in clusters; tiny green fruits develop and enlarge; first fruits begin coloring to golden-yellow
Maintain consistent watering; apply calcium (crushed eggshells, lime) to prevent blossom-end rot; thin fruit if overcrowded; deadhead suckers for determinate variety; continue fertilizing
Harvest
6-8 weeks (continuous until frost)Fruits reach full golden-yellow color at peak flavor; firm but slightly yielding to gentle pressure
Pick ripe fruits regularly to encourage more production; harvest before first frost; ripening slows in cool weather; store at room temperature
Companion Planting
Plan your garden →Plant with:
Avoid planting near:
Common Pests
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Hand-pick; use Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt); encourage parasitic wasps; inspect regularly
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Spray with insecticidal soap; use reflective mulch; remove affected leaves; introduce beneficial insects
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Increase humidity; spray with water; use neem oil; ensure adequate ventilation
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Remove infected leaves; improve air circulation; avoid overhead watering; apply copper fungicide
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Remove lower infected leaves; apply fungicide; ensure spacing for airflow; mulch to prevent soil splash
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Spray with strong water stream; use insecticidal soap; introduce ladybugs; plant marigolds nearby
Uses
Fresh eating and salads
CulinaryGolden Crown tomatoes have a sweet, mild flavor with good balance of acidity, making them excellent for fresh eating, salads, and slicing. The attractive golden color adds visual appeal to dishes. [source]
Sauces and cooking
CulinaryThe flavorful flesh makes Golden Crown suitable for fresh sauces, salsas, and lightly cooked preparations. Lower acidity than red varieties makes them gentler for sensitive stomachs. [source]
Container gardening
HouseholdThe determinate, compact growth habit and high productivity make Golden Crown an ideal choice for patio containers, raised beds, and space-limited gardens. [source]
Nutritional value
MedicinalLike all tomatoes, Golden Crown provides vitamin C, potassium, vitamin K, and carotenoids that support eye and heart health. Yellow varieties contain lutein and zeaxanthin. [source]
Ornamental appeal
CraftThe bright golden fruits and compact bushy plants make Golden Crown attractive for ornamental vegetable gardens and showcase plantings. [source]
This is not medical advice. LizPlants is not a medical resource. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before using plants medicinally.
Harvest Tips
Pick fruits when fully colored golden-yellow and slightly soft to touch, typically 3-5 days after color breaks. Harvest regularly to encourage continued production. Fruits can be picked at 'breaker stage' (first blush of color) and ripened indoors at room temperature. In late season, harvest all remaining fruit before first frost and ripen on counter. Golden Crown tomatoes are best eaten fresh within 1-2 weeks of harvest.
Fun Facts
- 🌱 Golden Crown was developed as a hybrid to combine disease resistance (including resistance to fusarium and verticillium wilts) with superior flavor, making it a modern gardener's favorite.
- 🌱 Yellow and golden tomatoes are naturally lower in acid than red varieties, making them easier to digest and less likely to trigger acid reflux in sensitive individuals.
- 🌱 The carotenoids that give Golden Crown its golden color—particularly lutein and zeaxanthin—concentrate in the yellow pigments and are associated with eye health and reduced macular degeneration risk.
Gardening Terms
New to gardening? Learn about terms used in this guide:
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