Looking for a tomato variety that will turn heads in the garden and at the table? If you have the space, grow a hearty Persimmon Tomato plant. You’ll be rewarded with a bounty of sweet, golden-hued tomatoes!
Read on for all the details on this giant crowd-pleaser.
Should I Plant Persimmon Tomatoes?
Characteristics
The Persimmon Tomato is a variation of the beefsteak tomato. With few seeds, thick skin, and meaty flesh, it’s a great addition to sandwiches and salads! Unlike the classic red tomatoes, however, this variety turns a peachy yellow or orange color. They’re pretty hefty, too. Mature fruit weighs in at one to two pounds!
The plant itself is notable for its size, too. This large, indeterminate plant will quickly outgrow typical tomato cages. It’s a great choice for backyard gardeners with plenty of space!
Great Taste
This cultivar is considered a beefsteak tomato, popular for having few seeds and a meaty, flavorful interior. However, this yellow-orange variety stands out among other beefsteaks due to its low acidity. For tomato lovers that also need a low-acid diet, the Persimmon Tomato offers a very tasty solution.
Health Benefits
Tomatoes are rich in vitamins C, K, and A. Including these garden favorites in your diet can help prevent heart disease and support healthy skin, hair, and bones.
How to Grow Persimmon Tomatoes
Growing from Seeds
It’s best to start your seeds indoors six to eight weeks before the last frost date. Plant seeds in soil flats or pellets. Use a heat lamp or warming pad to keep them consistently warm, ideally between 75- 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
Expect to see a high germination rate within two weeks. You may begin to see signs in only eight days! Provide seedlings with light moisture and sunlight until your region’s last frost date has passed.
Before planting, harden off your seedlings by bringing them outside for an hour or two a day. Gradually increase the amount of time they are outside before transplanting into their permanent location in the garden.
Companions
Persimmon Tomatoes belong to the nightshade family. Avoid planting near other nightshades, such as potatoes, tomatillos, okra, eggplant, and peppers. Plants that are too similar could compete for nutrients.
Instead, consider planting your tomatoes near herbs that discourage harmful insects. Basil is a popular tomato companion. Sweet basil helps repel flies, aphids, and hornworms.
You can also plant your tomatoes alongside carrots, which will break up and aerate compacted soil. If you do this, plant your carrots first since they require more time to mature than tomatoes.
Spacing
When transplanting the seedlings into the garden, remember that these giants will need lots of space. Plant the seedlings two to four feet apart. You’ll need the extra room for the sprawling vines and large fruit!
Staking
Don’t try to contain your Persimmon Tomato in a typical wire tomato cage. This hefty grower will quickly reach four- to six- feet tall, and the fruit will need extra support to reach its mature weight of one- two pounds.
Stay ahead of your plant’s needs and secure each seedling with twine to a six-foot stake. Then, create a future support network. Measure a two-foot radius around the plant and place four more six-foot stakes at even intervals. As your tomato plant grows, wrap twine between the stakes to support the vines and fruit.
Care
Although Persimmon Tomatoes are more disease-resistant than other tomato varieties, you’ll still want to check frequently for signs of blight or pests. Pale green leaves and brown spotting are signs of blight, which can kill a plant within a week. This is best avoided by keeping the leaves and plant dry, watering only at the soil or root level.
If you have access to a convenient water source, winding a soaker hose around the roots will decrease the chance of disease and ensure steady, thorough watering. Growing tomatoes need to stay hydrated!
Want to support your Persimmon Tomatoes to live up to their full potential? Read all the details on How to Grow Big Tomatoes.
Harvest Persimmon Tomatoes
Yield
When it comes time to harvest, remember that this cultivar is all about quality, not quantity. While Persimmon Tomatoes may produce a slightly lower number of tomatoes per plant, the fruit itself is much larger and more crack-resistant. Tomatoes reach maturity within 69-80 days, so you can typically expect to harvest around mid- to late- summer.
Recipes
Beefsteaks like the Persimmon Tomato are popular slicing tomatoes. Serve on top of sandwiches, in salads, or paired with mozzarella and basil.
This meaty variety is also a great foundation for soups and sauces. The Persimmon Tomato’s distinctive gold color adds interest to classic tomato recipes. Imagine the appeal of a golden tomato sauce or creamy yellow gazpacho!
Preserving
Since Persimmon Tomatoes have low acidity, they also have a shorter shelf life than other tomato varieties. If you’re enjoying an especially bountiful harvest, preserve the extra fruit sooner rather than later.
Juicy tomatoes can be frozen whole and used later in recipes. A tomato that has been frozen won’t be very good on a sandwich, but it will preserve the flavor and texture enough for cooking. Bonus: frozen tomatoes are much easier to peel!
These tomatoes have a thick skin that is especially resistant to cracking, so they are relatively easy to can. Can your tomatoes whole or as a puree or sauce. Whichever preservation method you choose, careful planning could afford you a year-round supply of home-grown tomatoes!
Seed saving
Rinse and thoroughly dry the seeds after harvesting. If kept in a cool, dark place, the seeds will be ready to plant in the spring!
Where to Buy Persimmon Tomato Seeds
Although it is possible to save your own seeds from an established plant, it’s easiest to start by purchasing seeds online. Check out these Persimmon Tomato seeds from True Leaf Market!
Add Persimmon Tomatoes to Your Garden
A hardy and vigorous tomato plant with show-stopping golden fruit, the Persimmon Tomato is a great addition to a large garden. Interested in adding more variety to your backyard tomato crop? Check out our full list of Tomato Plants.
- About the Author
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Ellen Smith is a novelist, freelance education writer, and a writer for Minneopa Orchards.
While quarantined during the COVID-19 pandemic, Ellen and her family started gardening. They are now in their third year of maintaining a vegetable garden, two flower gardens, and several thriving house plants.
With a bachelor’s degree in English and Psychology and a master’s in education, Ellen is no stranger to researching and sharing what she’s learned. Ellen especially enjoys learning and writing about sustainable gardening practices and native plants.
Ellen can be reached at info@ellensmithwrites.com