How to Grow Red and Gold Tomato
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Red and Gold Tomato
Solanum lycopersicum 'Red and Gold'
vegetableRed and Gold is a bicolor heirloom tomato variety featuring striking red and golden-yellow striped fruits with excellent flavor balance. The indeterminate vines produce medium-sized tomatoes (4-6 oz) that are both visually appealing and delicious fresh eating. This variety is prized by gardeners for its unique appearance and sweet, complex taste.
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Example Red and Gold Tomato timeline · Pittsburgh, PA (Zone 6b)
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Plant Red and Gold Tomato
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 Red and Gold Tomato
Around Jun 26≈ 70 days after planting
Sample dates for Pittsburgh, PA. Sign up to get exact Red and Gold Tomato dates for your own zip code.
Growing Conditions
Soil
Growing Zones
Find your zone →Thrives in zones 5-9, can be grown as annuals in zones 3-4 with season extension
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Seedling
2-3 weeksTiny green shoots emerge with cotyledons followed by true leaves; plant is delicate and low-growing
Maintain warm conditions (70-80°F), provide bright light to prevent leggy growth, keep soil consistently moist but not waterlogged, thin seedlings if crowded
Vegetative
4-6 weeksPlant develops multiple true leaves and grows taller; stems thicken and root system expands; no flowers yet
Continue providing 14-16 hours of light daily, harden off transplants by gradually exposing to outdoor conditions, plant outdoors after last frost, pinch off lower leaves as plant grows to improve air circulation
Flowering
3-4 weeksSmall yellow flowers appear in clusters along the stem; plant reaches full height; flowering begins at lower nodes and progresses upward
Install sturdy stakes or cages for support, maintain consistent watering and fertilization, ensure adequate calcium to prevent blossom end rot, prune suckers on indeterminate varieties, do not over-fertilize with nitrogen
Fruiting
4-6 weeksFlowers transition to small green tomatoes that gradually enlarge; distinctive red and gold striping begins to show as fruit matures
Reduce nitrogen, maintain steady watering, prune excess foliage to allow sun on fruit, monitor for splitting due to inconsistent water, support heavy fruit clusters, watch for pests and diseases
Harvest
Ongoing through frostFruits reach full size with vibrant red and golden coloring; flesh fills out completely and tomatoes are fragrant
Harvest when fully colored and slightly soft to touch, pick in early morning, use ripe tomatoes within a few days, leave vine-ripened for best flavor, continue harvesting to encourage more fruit production
Companion Planting
Plan your garden →Plant with:
Avoid planting near:
Common Pests
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Hand-pick large caterpillars, encourage parasitic wasps, use Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) spray, inspect plants daily
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Use yellow sticky traps, spray with insecticidal soap or neem oil, maintain good air circulation, remove affected leaves
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Spray with strong water jet, use insecticidal soap, apply neem oil, introduce ladybugs or lacewings
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Increase humidity, spray with water, apply neem oil or sulfur, use miticide if severe
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Remove infected leaves, improve air circulation, avoid wetting foliage, apply copper fungicide, mulch to prevent soil splash
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Practice crop rotation, plant resistant varieties, remove infected plants, sterilize tools, improve soil drainage
Uses
Fresh slicing and salads
CulinaryRed and Gold's balanced sweet-acidic flavor and striking appearance make it exceptional for fresh eating, salads, and plating. The bicolor striping creates visually stunning presentations in caprese salads, sliced tomato dishes, and fresh salsas. [source]
Sauces and cooking
CulinaryThe complex flavor profile and good balance of sugars and acids make Red and Gold suitable for homemade tomato sauces, salsas, and pasta sauces. The fruit holds its shape reasonably well during cooking. [source]
Canning and preserving
CulinaryMedium acid content makes Red and Gold suitable for canning whole tomatoes, making sauce, or preserving in oil. Proper acid levels make it relatively safe for water bath canning. [source]
Garden ornament and education
HouseholdThe striking red and gold striped appearance makes Red and Gold an attractive addition to ornamental vegetable gardens and educational plantings. Children are often fascinated by the unexpected coloring of this heirloom variety. [source]
Seed saving
CraftAs a true heirloom variety, Red and Gold breeds true from seed, making it perfect for home seed saving. Gardeners can harvest seeds from mature fruits for replanting in future seasons. [source]
Harvest Tips
Harvest when tomatoes are fully colored with a slight give when gently squeezed—they should still be firm. Pick in early morning when flavor is peak. Red and Gold tomatoes ripen from bottom to top of the cluster. For best flavor, allow tomatoes to fully ripen on the vine rather than picking green. Use ripe tomatoes within 3-5 days for optimal taste. To encourage continued production, harvest regularly even if you have surplus. In late season, pick tomatoes at the 'breaker stage' (when first color appears) to ripen indoors.
Fun Facts
- 🌱 Red and Gold is an open-pollinated heirloom variety, meaning seeds saved from your harvest will produce identical plants with the same striking bicolor characteristics.
- 🌱 The red coloring in tomatoes comes from lycopene, while the yellow/orange color is from carotenoids—Red and Gold offers both compounds in a single fruit.
- 🌱 This variety is indeterminate, meaning it grows continuously throughout the season and produces fruit until frost, rather than all at once like determinate varieties.
Gardening Terms
New to gardening? Learn about terms used in this guide:
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