How to Grow Big Boy
Solanum lycopersicum 'Big Boy'
Big Boy tomatoes are a popular warm-season hybrid prized for their large size, excellent flavor, and superior resistance to cracking. Gardeners grow them for reliable yields of juicy fruit that withstands various diseases better than many standard varieties.
📷 Wikipedia: TomatoStarting Big Boy: indoors or direct sow?
🌾 Sow directly in the garden — Big Boy is not usually started indoors.
Do not transplant this variety indoors before the last frost; wait until outdoor soil is warm enough to plant directly outside.
Soil, care & harvest
Prepare loose, fertile soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0 before planting. As a warm-season crop, start seeds indoors only after the last spring frost date when soil temperatures are consistently warm; do not sow early. Plant seeds about 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep in seed trays. Expect germination within 6 to 12 days under proper warmth and moisture conditions.
Space plants 24 to 36 inches apart to ensure good air circulation. Install sturdy cages or trellises early, as these indeterminate varieties can reach heights of one to ten feet. Provide consistent deep watering to maintain high moisture levels without wetting the foliage. Apply mulch around the base to retain soil moisture and add balanced fertilizer during the growing season.
Watch for tomato hornworms, aphids, whiteflies, and cutworms; inspect leaves regularly and remove pests manually or use organic controls early. Prevent fungal issues like early blight, late blight, and fusarium wilt by ensuring good airflow and avoiding overhead watering. Harvest the large fruits 78 to 85 days after planting when they reach full color and yield easily.
When to Plant Big Boy
Planting windows vary by USDA hardiness zone. Look up yours by ZIP code.
| Zone | Start Indoors | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | May | — | October – August |
| Zone 2 | April – May | — | September |
| Zone 3 | April | — | September – October |
| Zone 4 | March – April | — | September – October |
| Zone 5 | March | — | August – October |
| Zone 6 | March | — | August – October |
| Zone 7 | February – March | — | July – September |
| Zone 8 | February | — | July – September |
| Zone 9 | January | — | June – August |
| Zone 10 | January | — | May – July |
| Zone 11 | January | — | April – June |
| Zone 12 | January | — | April – June |
| Zone 13 | January | — | April – June |
Companion Plants for Big Boy
✓ Good companions
Repels aphids and whiteflies, may improve flavor
Attracts pollinators and may repel hornworms
Helps break up soil for tomato roots, doesn't compete for nutrients
Repels aphids and may help prevent fungal diseases
Deters nematodes and aphids with natural compounds
Acts as trap crop for aphids and cucumber beetles
Repels many pests and may enhance tomato flavor
Attracts beneficial insects like hoverflies that eat aphids
✗ Keep away from
Produces juglone toxin that causes tomato wilt and death
Compete for similar nutrients and may stunt tomato growth
Both attract corn earworms and compete for nitrogen
Inhibits growth of most garden plants through allelopathy
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving (USDA FoodData Central)
