Photo: "Tomato - Better Boy" by Sanbec
· CC BY-SA 3.0
Tomato · Slicer
Better Boy Tomatoes
Indeterminate · Solanaceae
Extremely widely adapted hybrid slicer. Guinness record holder at 342 lbs from a single plant. Strong disease resistance package (VFNAST). Produces 8-16 oz red fruit reliably across nearly all zones.
At a Glance
Days to Maturity
70–75 days
Sun
8+ hours
full sun, 8-10 hours
Spacing
24–36 "
Seed Start
6–8 weeks
before transplant
Container
Not Ideal
15+ gallon pot
Height
5–8 ft
Zone Planting Guide
Growing Guide
Germination
Germination Time
6–12 days
Optimal Temp
80°F
Seed Depth
0.25"
Transplanting
Min Soil Temp
60°F
Harden Off
10 days
Watering
Weekly Water
1–2 "
Needs
Consistent
Method
Drip or base watering
Soil
pH Range
6.2–6.8
Soil Type
Well-draining, fertile, high organic matter
Support
Stake — 6-foot stake driven 1 foot into soil. Tie every 8-12in of height.
Resilience
Heat: Moderate
Cold: Low
Drought: Low
Disease Resistance
V
F
N
ASC
St
Common Problems
blossom-end-rot
Cause: Calcium transport disruption. 8-16 oz fruit = moderate BER risk.
Prevention: Consistent watering. Pre-plant gypsum.
early-blight
Cause: Fungal — no variety has true genetic resistance
Prevention: Mulch, prune lower 12in foliage, fungicide
blossom-drop
Cause: Night >75F, day >90F
Prevention: 30% shade cloth
hornworm
Cause: Manduca caterpillars
Prevention: Handpick. Bt spray.
Nutrition
Feeding Intensity
Heavy feeder
Calcium
Critical — supplement recommended
Recommended Recipes
Root drench, Silica foliar, Worm castings topdress, Compost tea
Harvest
USDA red stage — fully colored, no green shoulders. Can harvest at breaker stage.
Expected Yield
10–20 lbs/plant
Storage
3 days — Room temp ~70F. Never refrigerate unripe.
Companion Planting
Good Companions
Genovese basil
Repels aphids and whiteflies
Nantes carrot
Different root depth
French marigold
Repels nematodes
Borage
Pollinators, deters hornworms
Avoid Planting Near
Herb fennel
Allelopathic
Sources
university
Clemson HGIC
university
Cornell
university
UMD Extension
seed_catalog
Johnny's; Burpee
More Tomatos
Better Boy Tomatoes Planting Dates by Zone
Planting dates for Better Boy Tomatoes vary by USDA hardiness zone. Select your zone below for frost dates, start-indoors timing, and a full monthly planting calendar.
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