How to Grow Hedgehog Red
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Hedgehog Red
Solanum lycopersicum var. 'Hedgehog Red'
vegetableHedgehog Red is a heirloom tomato variety known for its distinctive deeply ridged, bumpy exterior that resembles a hedgehog's spines. The fruits are medium-sized, typically weighing 6-8 ounces, with rich red color and exceptional sweet, complex flavor. This indeterminate variety produces fruit continuously throughout the growing season.
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Example Hedgehog Red timeline · Pittsburgh, PA (Zone 6b)
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Plant Hedgehog Red
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 Hedgehog Red
Around Jul 1≈ 75 days after planting
Sample dates for Pittsburgh, PA. Sign up to get exact Hedgehog Red dates for your own zip code.
Growing Conditions
Soil
Growing Zones
Find your zone →Thrives in zones 5-9, can be grown in zones 3-4 with season extension
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Seedling
3-4 weeksSmall plants with 2-4 leaves, delicate appearance with thin stems
Provide bright light (grow lights 3-4 inches above seedlings), maintain soil moisture, keep temperature around 70°F, avoid overwatering to prevent damping off
Vegetative
3-4 weeks after transplantRobust growth with multiple sets of true leaves and developing lateral branches; plant reaches 12-24 inches before first flowers appear
Gradually acclimate to outdoor conditions, provide support stakes or cages early, pinch suckers on indeterminate varieties to direct energy, ensure adequate nitrogen
Flowering
4-6 weeks, staggered as plant is indeterminateYellow flowers appear in clusters along the main stem; plant continues branching and growing taller
Maintain consistent watering and mulching, switch to lower-nitrogen fertilizer (higher phosphorus/potassium), gently shake flowers on cool mornings to improve pollination, monitor for pests
Fruiting
20-30 days per fruit maturationSmall green fruits develop where flowers were; fruits gradually enlarge and change from green to red, reaching full size within 20-30 days of flowering
Maintain regular watering schedule, remove leaves blocking direct sun on developing fruits, support heavy branches with additional ties, fertilize every 2-3 weeks with balanced fertilizer
Harvest
8-12 weeks of peak productionFruits are fully red with characteristic ridged texture, slightly soft when gently squeezed; continuing indeterminate growth produces new flowers
Harvest when fully colored and fragrant, pick regularly to encourage more production, continue watering and fertilizing until frost, pinch off flowers 6-8 weeks before first expected frost
Companion Planting
Plan your garden →Plant with:
Avoid planting near:
Common Pests
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Hand-pick large caterpillars, use Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) spray for smaller infestations, encourage parasitic wasps with diverse plantings
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Increase humidity with regular misting, spray with neem oil or insecticidal soap, prune heavily infested leaves, introduce predatory mites
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Use yellow sticky traps, spray neem oil or insecticidal soap weekly, reflective mulch can deter, introduce parasitic wasps
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Remove lower diseased leaves, improve air circulation by pruning, water at soil level only, apply copper fungicide preventatively, rotate crops yearly
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Remove infected leaves immediately, avoid overhead watering, mulch to prevent spore splash, apply chlorothalonil or copper fungicide
Uses
Fresh eating and heirloom cooking
CulinaryHedgehog Red's complex, sweet flavor profile and meaty texture make it exceptional for eating fresh, slicing for sandwiches, or using as the centerpiece in caprese salads. The distinctive ridged shape and flavor also make it prized for heirloom tomato collections and specialty farmers markets. [source]
Sauce and preservation
CulinaryThe high pectin and solid flesh of Hedgehog Red make it suitable for making tomato sauce, paste, and canning. The yields per plant and flavor development over the season provide excellent productivity for preservation projects. [source]
Nutritional benefits
MedicinalRich in lycopene, vitamin C, and potassium, Hedgehog Red offers cardiovascular and antioxidant benefits when consumed regularly. The deep red color indicates high concentrations of beneficial phytonutrients. [source]
Decorative gardening
HouseholdThe striking ridged, bumpy fruit texture and deep red color make Hedgehog Red an ornamental specimen plant attractive to gardeners and food enthusiasts. Display-worthy fruits add visual interest to garden photography and farmer's market stands. [source]
Pollinator support
WildlifeThe abundant flowers produced by this indeterminate variety throughout the season provide continuous nectar and pollen sources for bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects. [source]
This is not medical advice. LizPlants is not a medical resource. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before using plants medicinally.
Harvest Tips
Harvest when fruits are fully red and fragrant, typically 75-85 days after transplanting. Pick regularly (every 2-3 days at peak) to encourage continued flowering and fruiting. Fruits can be harvested when fully colored at the shoulder for better vine ripening of remaining fruits. In fall, harvest all fruit before first frost; green tomatoes will ripen indoors at room temperature. For best flavor, allow fruits to fully mature on the vine in warm weather.
Fun Facts
- 🌱 The 'Hedgehog' name refers to the plant's distinctive bumpy, deeply ridged fruit exterior that resembles a hedgehog's spiny coat—this unusual morphology is caused by uneven fruit development and fasciation of the locules.
- 🌱 As an indeterminate heirloom variety, Hedgehog Red will continue flowering and producing fruit until killed by frost, potentially yielding 100+ fruits per plant in a favorable season.
- 🌱 The complex, old-world flavor of Hedgehog Red tomatoes is significantly different from commercial hybrids and reflects the genetic diversity preserved in heirloom seed collections that date back decades or centuries.
Gardening Terms
New to gardening? Learn about terms used in this guide:
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