How to Grow Wood's Purple
Wikimedia Commons
Wood's Purple
Solanum lycopersicum 'Wood's Purple'
vegetableWood's Purple is a heirloom indeterminate tomato variety known for its deep purple-brown coloring and rich, complex flavor. This open-pollinated cultivar produces medium to large fruits with a distinctive dark exterior and vibrant red interior. It's highly prized by heirloom tomato enthusiasts for its exceptional taste and beautiful appearance.
When should you plant Wood's Purple in your zone?
Get a personalized planting timeline — when to start seeds, transplant, and harvest — based on your USDA zone and local frost dates. Free to start.
Example Wood's Purple timeline · Pittsburgh, PA (Zone 6b)
-
Plant Wood's Purple
Around Apr 17Near Pittsburgh's average last spring frost.
-
Tend & protect
Late spring–summerWatering, feeding, and pest-watch reminders.
-
Harvest Wood's Purple
Around Jul 1≈ 75 days after planting
Sample dates for Pittsburgh, PA. Sign up to get exact Wood's Purple 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 techniques
Sign up free to see if Wood's Purple grows in your zone — and get a personalized planting timeline.
Get my Wood's Purple timeline →Growth Stages
Seedling
2-3 weeksTiny plants with cotyledons and first true leaves appearing; very delicate with thin stems.
Provide bright light, maintain soil moisture without waterlogging, maintain 65-75°F, thin to one plant per cell when first true leaves appear.
Vegetative Growth
3-4 weeks before transplantingRobust plant development with multiple sets of true leaves, strong stems, and bushy growth; no flowers yet.
Harden off seedlings before transplanting outdoors, ensure adequate light to prevent legginess, provide sturdy support structures, maintain consistent watering.
Flowering
4-6 weeksSmall yellow flowers appear in clusters (trusses) along the main stem and branches; plant grows taller with continued foliage.
Provide support with stakes or cages, allow airflow to prevent disease, maintain consistent watering, avoid over-fertilizing with nitrogen which reduces flowering.
Fruiting & Development
4-6 weeksFruits develop from flowers and gradually enlarge, turning from green to light purple to deep purple-brown as they mature; plant becomes heavier.
Prune suckers to improve airflow and direct energy to fruit, water deeply and consistently, apply mulch to regulate soil temperature, thin some foliage to allow sun exposure for color development.
Ripening & Harvest
2-3 weeks per truss, extends through frostFruits reach full size and deep purple-brown color, becoming increasingly fragrant; soften slightly when fully ripe.
Harvest when fully colored but still slightly firm, continue watering to support late-season production, prune lower diseased leaves, watch for late blight in wet conditions.
Companion Planting
Plan your garden →Plant with:
Avoid planting near:
Common Pests
-
Hand-pick from plants, encourage parasitic wasps, use spinosad spray if infestation is severe, plant dill as trap crop
-
Use yellow sticky traps, spray insecticidal soap or neem oil, encourage natural predators, prune infested leaves
-
Remove infected lower leaves promptly, improve air circulation with pruning, avoid overhead watering, mulch soil to prevent spore splash, apply copper fungicide preventively
-
Plant in well-draining soil with good airflow, remove infected leaves immediately, apply chlorothalonil or copper-based fungicides, avoid overhead irrigation
-
Ensure consistent watering and calcium availability, avoid periods of drought, add lime or gypsum to soil, mulch to regulate moisture
Uses
Fresh eating and slicing
CulinaryWood's Purple is celebrated for its rich, complex, slightly sweet flavor with subtle smoky and fruity notes. It's exceptional sliced fresh for salads, sandwiches, or served simply with salt and good olive oil. [source]
Sauces and cooking
CulinaryThe dense flesh and excellent flavor make it ideal for fresh sauces, salsas, and cooked tomato preparations. Its unique color creates visually striking sauce dishes. [source]
Nutritional content
MedicinalLike all tomatoes, Wood's Purple is rich in lycopene and other antioxidants. The deep purple-brown coloring indicates high anthocyanin content similar to other dark produce. [source]
Seed saving
CraftAs an open-pollinated heirloom variety, Wood's Purple is excellent for seed saving. Seeds remain viable and grow true to type, allowing gardeners to maintain this variety year after year. [source]
Biodiversity preservation
WildlifeGrowing and saving seeds from heirloom varieties like Wood's Purple helps preserve genetic diversity and supports the protection of traditional crop varieties. [source]
This is not medical advice. LizPlants is not a medical resource. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before using plants medicinally.
Harvest Tips
Wood's Purple reaches full purple-brown color when ripe. Harvest when fruits are fully colored and yield slightly to pressure but are still firm enough to handle. The flavor is best when fruits have ripened fully on the vine in warm conditions. Tomatoes will continue to ripen after picking if left at room temperature (70-75°F). For best flavor, eat at room temperature. Fruits can be stored at room temperature; do not refrigerate until partially ripe as cold temperatures damage flavor compounds.
Fun Facts
- 🌱 Wood's Purple is named after its original seed keeper or breeder, representing the rich tradition of home gardeners maintaining and sharing heirloom varieties over generations.
- 🌱 The purple-brown coloring in heirloom tomatoes like Wood's Purple comes from high anthocyanin levels, the same antioxidants found in blueberries and other dark-colored fruits.
- 🌱 As an indeterminate variety, Wood's Purple will continue producing new flowers and fruits throughout the growing season until frost, often yielding 50+ fruits per plant if properly maintained.
Gardening Terms
New to gardening? Learn about terms used in this guide:
Join 30,000 gardeners planning their gardens with LizPlants.
Get your personalized Wood's Purple planting timeline
Tell us your zip code and we'll calculate exactly when to start Wood's Purple seeds, transplant seedlings, and harvest — based on your USDA zone and local frost dates. Includes calendar reminders and printable task lists. Free to start.
Get my Wood's Purple timeline →