How to Grow Hummel's Sunset

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Hummel's Sunset

Solanum lycopersicum 'Hummel's Sunset'

vegetable

Hummel's Sunset is a striking heirloom tomato variety known for its bicolor fruits featuring golden-orange shoulders that fade to red-pink at the base. These medium-sized, indeterminate tomatoes offer a complex, sweet flavor with fruity notes and a balanced acid level. This German heirloom variety is prized by gardeners for its unique coloring, excellent taste, and reliable productivity.

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Example Hummel's Sunset timeline · Pittsburgh, PA (Zone 6b)

Plant Hummel's Sunset
Around Apr 17

Near Pittsburgh's average last spring frost.
Tend & protect
Late spring–summer

Watering, feeding, and pest-watch reminders.
Harvest Hummel's Sunset
Around Jul 1

≈ 75 days after planting

Sample dates for Pittsburgh, PA. Sign up to get exact Hummel's Sunset dates for your own zip code.

Growing Conditions

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Sun: Full sun, 6-8 hours daily minimum (8+ hours preferred)

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Water: Consistent, deep watering; approximately 1-2 inches per week. Water at soil level to avoid foliage diseases. Mulch to retain moisture and regulate soil temperature.

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Spacing: 24 inches

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Days to maturity: 75-85 days from transplant

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Planting depth: 0.25 inches for seeds; transplants should be buried up to the first true leaves

Soil

Type: Well-draining, fertile loamy soil rich in organic matter

pH: 6.0-6.8

Amendments:

Compost aged manure peat moss or coconut coir balanced fertilizer (5-10-10 N-P-K)

Growing Zones

Find your zone →

Thrives in zones 5-9; can be grown in zones 3-4 with season extension

3a 3b 4a 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 8b 9a 9b

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Growth Stages

Seedling

3-4 weeks

Cotyledons emerge within 5-10 days; true leaves develop shortly after.

Maintain soil moisture without waterlogging. Provide bright light 14-16 hours daily to prevent leggy growth. Keep temperature between 70-80°F.

Vegetative

4-6 weeks

Young transplants develop multiple sets of true leaves and establish sturdy stems with lateral branching.

Harden off seedlings before transplanting outdoors. Space 24 inches apart in well-amended soil. Install support cages or stakes early. Fertilize weekly with diluted balanced fertilizer.

Flowering

3-4 weeks into production

First flower clusters appear at leaf axils; yellow star-shaped flowers develop on indeterminate plants throughout the season.

Maintain consistent watering to prevent blossom end rot. Switch to lower-nitrogen fertilizer (higher phosphorus) to promote fruiting. Ensure good air circulation to prevent fungal issues.

Fruiting

4-6 weeks

Small green fruits set and enlarge; characteristic bicolor pattern emerges as fruits mature, with golden-orange shoulders developing before red-pink color at the base.

Continue consistent watering and support structure maintenance. Remove excess foliage if needed for air circulation and fruit ripening. Monitor for pests and diseases.

Harvest

Continuous through season until frost

Fruits fully ripen to their distinctive sunset coloring; pink-red base with golden-orange shoulders when mature.

Harvest when fully colored and slightly soft to the touch. Allow vine-ripened fruit for best flavor. Continue harvesting until first frost; remove remaining fruits before freeze.

Companion Planting

Plan your garden →

Plant with:

Basil Parsley Marigold Carrot Onion Garlic Borage Nasturtium

Avoid planting near:

Brassicas (cabbage, broccoli) Fennel Dill Walnut

Common Pests

Hand-pick caterpillars; encourage natural parasitoid wasps; use neem oil or spinosad if infestation is severe
Use yellow sticky traps; spray insecticidal soap or neem oil; maintain good air circulation
Spray with strong water stream; use insecticidal soap; introduce ladybugs or parasitoid wasps
Increase humidity; spray with water; use neem oil or miticide if severe
Remove infected lower leaves; improve air circulation; apply copper fungicide; mulch to prevent soil splash
Remove infected plant material; apply copper or chlorothalonil fungicide; avoid overhead watering

Uses

🍳

Fresh slicing and salads

Culinary

Hummel's Sunset's complex, fruity-sweet flavor with balanced acidity makes it an exceptional tomato for fresh slicing, serving alongside fresh mozzarella, or featuring prominently in salads where its visual appeal and taste stand out. [source]

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Sauce and cooking

Culinary

The well-balanced flavor profile makes this variety excellent for sauces, salsas, and cooked dishes where you want complexity without excessive acidity. Its flavor concentrates beautifully when reduced. [source]

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Ornamental gardening

Household

The striking bicolor fruits make Hummel's Sunset highly decorative in the garden or potted displays, valued by gardeners as much for visual appeal as culinary use. [source]

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Seed saving

Craft

As a stable heirloom variety, Hummel's Sunset is ideal for home seed saving, allowing gardeners to maintain and propagate this authentic German heritage variety year after year. [source]

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Pollinator attraction

Wildlife

The abundant yellow flowers attract bees and other pollinators throughout the growing season, supporting broader garden ecosystem health. [source]

Harvest Tips

Harvest when fruits reach full size and display the characteristic bicolor pattern—golden-orange shoulders with red-pink base—and yield slightly to gentle pressure. For best flavor and sweetness, allow fruits to fully ripen on the vine. Pick fruit in early morning for peak sugar content. Hummel's Sunset continues producing until frost; harvest all remaining fruit before the first freeze and ripen indoors on a windowsill if necessary.

Fun Facts

🌱 Hummel's Sunset is a German heirloom variety named for its sunset-like coloring, originating from traditional European seed-saving culture where gardeners have maintained these seeds for generations.
🌱 The bicolor coloring develops progressively as the fruit ripens—starting with golden-orange shoulders that gradually transition to red-pink, creating a stunning gradient effect that makes each tomato slightly unique.
🌱 This indeterminate variety continues producing fruit throughout the season until frost, making it an excellent choice for gardeners who want continuous harvests and extended tomato production from mid-summer through fall.

Gardening Terms

New to gardening? Learn about terms used in this guide:

Full Sun Heirloom Mulch pH Transplant True Leaves

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