How to Grow Burpee's Big Girl
Solanum lycopersicum 'Big Girl'
Burpee's Big Girl is a popular hybrid tomato prized for its large fruit and disease resistance. Gardeners grow it in warm-season gardens to enjoy reliable yields of juicy tomatoes that withstand common threats like wilt viruses.
📷 Wikimedia CommonsStarting Burpee's Big Girl: indoors or direct sow?
🌾 Sow directly in the garden — Burpee's Big Girl is not usually started indoors.
Transplant seedlings outdoors only after all danger of frost has passed and soil temperatures have warmed sufficiently for this heat-loving plant.
Soil, care & harvest
Start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost, as this warm-season crop cannot tolerate cold soil or frost. Use a sterile potting mix with a pH between 6.0 and 6.8 to encourage healthy root development. Plant seeds about 1/4 inch deep in containers or trays, keeping them moist until they sprout within seven to ten days.
Space plants 18 to 24 inches apart in full sun with at least six hours of light daily. Install a sturdy trellis early since this variety can reach heights of one to ten feet. Water consistently to maintain high moisture levels, and apply mulch around the base to retain water while feeding the soil regularly.
Watch for tomato hornworms, cutworms, aphids, and spider mites; inspect leaves often and remove pests manually or use organic controls. Prevent early blight, septoria leaf spot, and blossom end rot by ensuring good air circulation and consistent watering. Harvest ripe fruit 78 to 85 days after transplanting when the skin yields slightly to pressure.
When to Plant Burpee's Big Girl
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 Burpee's Big Girl
✓ Good companions
Repels aphids and whiteflies, may improve flavor
Help break up soil and don't compete for nutrients
Repels aphids and may improve tomato flavor and growth
Provides ground cover and utilizes space efficiently
Deters nematodes and aphids, attracts beneficial insects
Act as trap crop for aphids and whiteflies
Attracts beneficial insects like hoverflies and parasitic wasps
Similar growing requirements and may help deter some pests
✗ Keep away from
Produces juglone which is toxic to tomatoes
Compete for nutrients and may stunt tomato growth
Both attract corn earworm and compete for nutrients
Inhibits growth of most garden plants through allelopathy
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving (USDA FoodData Central)
