How to Grow Super Crimson Tomato
Super Crimson Tomato
Solanum lycopersicum 'Super Crimson'
vegetableSuper Crimson is a determinate (bush-type) tomato variety producing medium-sized, deep red fruits with excellent flavor and disease resistance. It's a reliable producer ideal for fresh eating and canning, known for its vigor and consistent yields even in challenging conditions.
When should you plant Super Crimson Tomato in your zone?
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Example Super Crimson Tomato timeline · Pittsburgh, PA (Zone 6b)
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Plant Super Crimson 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 Super Crimson Tomato
Around Jun 24≈ 68 days after planting
Sample dates for Pittsburgh, PA. Sign up to get exact Super Crimson Tomato dates for your own zip code.
Growing Conditions
Soil
Growing Zones
Find your zone →Thrives in zones 3-10; plant after last frost date in spring
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Seedling
3-4 weeksSmall plants with 2-4 true leaves emerging, cotyledons visible. Plants are 2-4 inches tall.
Keep soil consistently moist but not waterlogged. Provide bright light (14-16 hours). Maintain 70-75°F temperature. Thin seedlings or transplant into individual cells.
Vegetative Growth
3-4 weeks after transplantingBush-type plant develops multiple stems and dense foliage. Plant reaches 18-24 inches height before flowering begins.
Harden off transplants gradually before planting outdoors. Water consistently. Provide balanced fertilizer every 2-3 weeks. Minimal pruning needed for determinate varieties; remove only damaged leaves.
Flowering
2-3 weeksYellow star-shaped flowers appear in clusters at branch terminals. Multiple flower clusters develop simultaneously.
Maintain consistent watering to prevent flower drop. Shift to lower-nitrogen fertilizer (higher phosphorus/potassium). Ensure pollination through gentle air movement or hand-pollination. Avoid over-fertilizing nitrogen.
Fruit Development & Ripening
4-5 weeksSmall green fruits form behind flowers. Fruits gradually enlarge and change from green to light red to deep crimson over 3-4 weeks.
Water deeply and consistently; irregular watering causes cracking and blossom-end rot. Apply mulch to regulate soil temperature and moisture. Continue fertilizing with tomato-specific formula. Support heavy fruit clusters with stakes or cages.
Harvest
Continuous until frostFruits reach full deep crimson color, slightly soft when gently squeezed, strong tomato aroma present.
Harvest ripe fruits regularly to encourage continued production on determinate plants. For determinate varieties, most fruits mature within a concentrated 2-3 week window.
Companion Planting
Plan your garden →Plant with:
Avoid planting near:
Common Pests
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Handpick large caterpillars; use Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) spray; encourage parasitic wasps
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Spray with neem oil or insecticidal soap; use yellow sticky traps; maintain good air circulation
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Increase humidity; spray with water; use neem oil or miticide if severe
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Remove affected leaves; improve air circulation; mulch to prevent soil splash; apply copper or chlorothalonil fungicide
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Remove infected foliage immediately; avoid overhead watering; apply fungicide; improve drainage and air flow
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Spray with strong water stream; apply insecticidal soap or neem oil; introduce ladybugs
Uses
Fresh eating and slicing
CulinarySuper Crimson tomatoes have excellent balanced flavor—sweet and tangy—making them ideal for fresh slicing in salads, sandwiches, and as a garnish. The medium size and firm texture make them perfect for these applications. [source]
Canning and sauce
CulinaryThis variety is excellent for canning whole, making salsa, and producing tomato sauce or paste due to its deep color, solid flesh content, and good acid balance. Determinate varieties like Super Crimson are preferred for processing since they ripen simultaneously. [source]
Lycopene and antioxidants
MedicinalTomatoes are rich in lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that gives tomatoes their red color and is linked to cardiovascular health and cancer prevention. Cooking tomatoes increases lycopene bioavailability. [source]
Pest management in gardens
HouseholdTomato foliage contains alkaloids that can be used to create homemade pest sprays; tomato plants themselves benefit companion planting strategies that reduce pest pressure in vegetable gardens. [source]
Pollinator support
WildlifeTomato flowers attract beneficial pollinators including bees, which are essential for fruit set. Growing tomatoes supports local pollinator populations. [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 fruit is fully colored (deep crimson) and slightly yields to gentle pressure. Best flavor develops when picked fully ripe on the vine. Super Crimson is a determinate variety, so most fruit ripens within 2-3 weeks; pick regularly to encourage any late fruits. Tomatoes picked at the 'breaker stage' (first blush of color) will ripen indoors if necessary. Store at room temperature away from direct sunlight to maintain flavor.
Fun Facts
- 🌱 Super Crimson is a determinate (bush) tomato, meaning it grows to a fixed height and produces most of its fruit within a concentrated 2-3 week period—making it ideal for large harvests for canning or sauce-making all at once.
- 🌱 Tomatoes were originally domesticated in Mesoamerica and were unknown in Europe until the 16th century; today they are one of the world's most economically important crops.
- 🌱 The plant produces ethylene gas naturally to ripen fruit; picking tomatoes at the 'breaker stage' (first hint of color) doesn't reduce final flavor but allows the plant to focus energy on remaining fruits.
Gardening Terms
New to gardening? Learn about terms used in this guide:
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