How to Grow Yecora Rojo

Yecora Rojo

Solanum lycopersicum 'Yecora Rojo'

vegetable

Yecora Rojo is a high-yielding, disease-resistant indeterminate tomato variety bred in Mexico, known for its deep red color and excellent flavor. It produces medium-sized fruits (4-6 oz) on vigorous vines and is prized by commercial growers and home gardeners for its resistance to late blight and other fungal diseases. The plant is well-adapted to warm climates and produces consistently throughout the season.

When should you plant Yecora Rojo 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.

Get my Yecora Rojo timeline →

Example Yecora Rojo timeline · Pittsburgh, PA (Zone 6b)

Plant Yecora Rojo
Around Apr 17

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

Watering, feeding, and pest-watch reminders.
Harvest Yecora Rojo
Around Jun 26

≈ 70 days after planting

Sample dates for Pittsburgh, PA. Sign up to get exact Yecora Rojo dates for your own zip code.

Growing Conditions

☀️

Sun: Full sun, 8+ hours daily (6-8 hours minimum, but prefers longer days)

💧

Water: Deep watering 1-2 times per week, providing 1-2 inches of water weekly; consistent moisture is critical to prevent cracking and blossom end rot. Water at soil level to minimize disease pressure.

📏

Spacing: 24 inches

📅

Days to maturity: 70-80 days from transplant to first ripe fruit

🌱

Planting depth: Start seeds 1/4 inch deep indoors; transplant deeply (bury up to first true leaves) when seedlings are 6-8 weeks old and 4-6 inches tall

Soil

Type: Well-draining loamy soil rich in organic matter

pH: 6.0-6.8

Amendments:

Compost or aged manure Balanced fertilizer (5-5-5 or 10-10-10) Calcium (crushed eggshells or gypsum to prevent blossom end rot) Sulfur if pH is too high

Growing Zones

Find your zone →

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

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

Get my Yecora Rojo timeline →

Growth Stages

Seedling

4-6 weeks

Small plants with 2-4 true leaves; delicate and requiring careful handling

Keep soil consistently moist but not waterlogged. Provide bright light 12-16 hours daily. Maintain temperature of 65-75°F. Harden off outdoors for 7-10 days before planting.

Vegetative Growth

3-4 weeks

Vigorous indeterminate vine growth with expanding foliage; no flowers yet

Stake or trellis early. Remove lower leaves as vine grows to improve air circulation. Water deeply and consistently. Apply balanced fertilizer every 2-3 weeks.

Flowering

3-4 weeks

Yellow flowers appear in clusters (trusses) along the main stem; flowers eventually set fruit

Continue staking/trellising. Maintain consistent watering—crucial for fruit set. Shift to higher-phosphorus fertilizer to support flowering. Prune suckers on indeterminate varieties to direct energy to fruit.

Fruit Development

4-6 weeks

Small green tomatoes develop and gradually enlarge; fruits transition from green to light red to deep red

Maintain steady water supply (1-2 inches/week). Remove diseased leaves to improve air circulation and reduce fungal pressure. Yecora Rojo's disease resistance is most valuable here. Continue light pruning of suckers.

Harvest & Maturity

8-12 weeks until frost

Fruits reach full size and deep red color; plants continue producing until frost

Harvest ripe tomatoes regularly to encourage continued production. Indeterminate variety will keep flowering and fruiting until first frost. Support heavy fruit loads with sturdy stakes or cages.

Companion Planting

Plan your garden →

Plant with:

Basil Parsley Carrot Onion Borage Marigold Nasturtium

Avoid planting near:

Brassicas (cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower) Fennel Potatoes Corn

Common Pests

Hand-pick or prune affected leaves; apply Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) for larvae; encourage parasitic wasps
Spray with neem oil or insecticidal soap; use reflective mulch; encourage beneficial insects
Spray with water to dislodge; use neem oil or insecticidal soap; encourage ladybugs and hoverflies
Increase humidity and water foliage; apply sulfur dust or miticide if severe; remove heavily infested leaves
Remove lower infected leaves; improve air circulation; apply copper fungicide or sulfur; mulch to prevent soil splash

Uses

🍳

Fresh eating & cooking

Culinary

Yecora Rojo has excellent flavor and texture for fresh consumption, slicing, and cooking. Its deep color and balanced acidity make it ideal for sauces, salsas, and fresh tomato-based dishes. [source]

💊

Antioxidant-rich food

Medicinal

Like all red tomatoes, Yecora Rojo is high in lycopene and vitamin C, compounds studied for cardiovascular and immune support. Regular consumption of tomatoes has been associated with reduced disease risk. [source]

🏠

Disease resistance trait

Household

Yecora Rojo's resistance to late blight and other fungal diseases reduces the need for fungicide applications, making it environmentally sustainable and cost-effective for home and commercial growers. [source]

🍳

Preserving & canning

Culinary

The firm flesh and good acidity of Yecora Rojo make it suitable for canning, drying, and tomato paste production, offering excellent versatility in the kitchen. [source]

🦋

Garden pollinator support

Wildlife

Tomato flowers attract bees and other pollinators during their flowering phase, supporting local pollinator populations and garden biodiversity. [source]

This is not medical advice. LizPlants is not a medical resource. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before using plants medicinally.

Harvest Tips

Pick tomatoes when fully red and slightly soft to gentle pressure, typically 70-80 days after transplanting. Yecora Rojo can be harvested at the breaker stage (first hint of color) and ripened indoors if needed. Harvest regularly to encourage continued production. In late season, pick green tomatoes before first frost and ripen indoors at 65-75°F.

Fun Facts

🌱 Yecora Rojo was developed by AVRDC (The World Vegetable Center) in Taiwan in collaboration with Mexican researchers, combining disease resistance with excellent yield and flavor for tropical and subtropical regions.
🌱 The name 'Yecora' refers to a region in Mexico where the variety was tested and adapted, making it particularly well-suited to warm, humid climates with high disease pressure.
🌱 Yecora Rojo is an indeterminate variety, meaning it will continue growing and producing fruit until killed by frost, making it ideal for extended harvests in warm climates—some plants can produce for 6-8 months continuously.

Gardening Terms

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

Full Sun pH Sucker Transplant Trellis True Leaves

Shop Yecora Rojo plants and related plants at Plant Addicts →

Join 30,000 gardeners planning their gardens with LizPlants.

Get your personalized Yecora Rojo planting timeline

Tell us your zip code and we'll calculate exactly when to start Yecora Rojo 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 Yecora Rojo timeline →