All About the Magical Rapunzel Tomato

Gardeners looking to add a certain element of magic to their tomato growing this season, you’re in luck! The Rapunzel Tomato is the perfect plant to add a spark of cascading beauty to your garden and a touch of sweet wonder to your annual harvest.

Read on, and you’ll see the light about what makes Rapunzel Tomatoes a gleaming, glowing gardening favorite—and why you have to grow them yourself.

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Characteristics of Rapunzel Tomatoes

Let’s get the big question out of the way: no, this is not a hairy tomato by any means! Instead, the trait that has earned the Rapunzel Tomato its fairytale name is the way in which the tomato harvest grows in.

The Rapunzel Tomato has a unique growth pattern wherein the tomatoes flower and mature in a downward, cascading bunch on every vine. These full, flowing vines, sporting about 40 tomatoes each, closely resemble the fabled locks of an infamous storybook character. Hence their name!

In terms of classification, these tomatoes fall into the category of cherry tomato. Growing to be roughly three-quarters to 1 full ounce, these tomatoes are globular, juicy, and absolutely packed with flavor. They tend to be on the sweeter side, like many cherry tomato varieties.

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More About the Rapunzel Tomato

Eating Them

Because of their powerful, slightly sweet flavor profile and low acidity, Rapunzel Tomatoes are the perfect type of snacking tomato. They can be enjoyed raw as a topping for salads, included in a fruit and veggie tray, and even eaten fresh off the vine!

You can also dice these tomatoes for salsa. Another great way to enjoy them is paired with fresh mozzarella pearls, balsamic glaze, and a sprinkling of basil for a delicious Caprese salad. Spread this on bruschetta for a perfect little appetizer or snack!

You can also cook with these tomatoes! They will make a great component in just about any recipe that calls for smaller cherry tomatoes as an ingredient. Think of certain tomato soups, homemade tomato sauces, purees, and the like.

Another great application for consuming Rapunzel Tomatoes is in drink form! Because of their inherent sweetness and that low acidity grade, you can make some truly delectable tomato juice with them. Or, you can add them as a component to adult beverages, Blood Marys, and more.

Health Benefits

Like wide tomato varieties, there is a ton of fantastic health benefits to the regular consumption of Rapunzel Tomatoes.

There are plenty of vitamins and nutrients readily bioavailable in these tasty tomatoes. Think potassium, iron, and fiber, which help with your energy, immunity, digestive regularity, and more. You will also get a wonderful dose of vitamins like A and C from tomatoes, which help boost your immune system, improve your eyesight, and so much more.

One of tomatoes’ most prevalent health attributes is their exceptional lycopene content. Lycopene is a carotenoid that is present in almost every red fruit, especially in tomatoes; it’s the element that gives them their red coloring.

So, what’s so great about lycopene? Well, this powerful antioxidant packs a real punch of all sorts of anti-inflammatory, immune-boosting goodness! It helps reduce inflammation in your system by combatting free radicles throughout the body and protecting your cells from breakdown.

The benefits of regular antioxidant consumption include the reduction of aching joints, headaches, brain fog, mood swings, menstrual symptoms, and more.

The lion’s share of an average person’s lycopene consumption is through tomato-based products, making tasty tomatoes like the Rapunzel an absolute must-have on your regular menu.

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Growing At Home

Rapunzel Tomatoes are a particularly popular variety for home gardening. They are not only easy to grow and maintain, but that beautiful clustering makes them a real eye-catcher in your garden!

Preparing and Planting

As with all tomato varieties, you are best off starting your Rapunzel Tomato plants indoors about 4 to 6 weeks before the last frost is forecasted in your area. While they germinate indoors, select a spot in your garden for them that will receive full sun—this is crucial for the flourishing of your tomato plants!

Next, make sure the soil is prepared. It will need to have a balanced pH with low acidity, and the soil should be weeded and worked to ensure it is loose and well-draining before planting time. You can also lay down grass clippings and compost to help fertilize the soil.

About one week before you plan to transplant your tomatoes, you should harden them off. Place them outdoors during the warmest part of the day, in the shade, and keep them protected from the wind. Then, bring them indoors at night.

When the final threat of frost has passed, and the soil is consistently at 70 degrees or higher, it’s time to transplant.

Be sure to space your tomato plants evenly while panting. They need lots of room for that tumbling, tress-like growth! You will want to give them about 4 feet between plants and between rows.

Sow your plants to a depth of ¼ to ½ inch, covering up to the second set of leaves. Give them a thorough but not overly soaking watering, then lay down a bit of mulch. You may also want to stake or trellis them to help with the weight of the abundant growth of this variety.

Caring and Maintaining

Once your plants are established, continue to water them regularly. You can usually do this twice a week when there is regular rainfall, watering each time deeply. However, during times of drought, you may increase this to watering every other day.

Feed your tomato plants once every two weeks with an organic fish emulsion to help maximize their growth and health. You can also fertilize or freshly compost again every few weeks and lay down some additional mulch to help with water retention in the hottest part of the season.

Keep an eye out for any signs of disease or pests, and address them immediately if they appear. You should be ready to harvest your tomatoes within 60 to 90 days, continuing until the year’s first frost.

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Wrapping up the Rapunzel Tomato

Excited to turn your garden into a fairytale dreamscape with a Rapunzel Tomato plant of your own? Be sure to check out our Tomato Plants page before you get started! This resource will help prepare you to take the best possible care of your plants so you will have a wondrous harvest.