How to Grow Oxheart
Solanum lycopersicum 'Oxheart'
Oxheart tomatoes are a beloved heirloom variety prized for their large, heart-shaped fruit and rich flavor. Gardeners cultivate them to enjoy unique tastes that modern hybrids often lack, though they require attentive care due to their specific needs.
📷 Wikipedia: TomatoStarting Oxheart: indoors or direct sow?
🌾 Sow directly in the garden — Oxheart is not usually started indoors.
Direct sow seeds outdoors only after all danger of frost has passed and soil is warm.
Soil, care & harvest
Prepare loose, fertile soil with a pH between 6.2 and 6.8 before planting. As a warm-season crop, start seeds indoors only after the last spring frost when soil temperatures are consistently warm. Sow seeds about 1/4 inch deep; they typically germinate within seven to fourteen days.
Space plants 36 to 48 inches apart to ensure good air circulation. Install sturdy support or a trellis early, as these indeterminate vines can grow up to ten feet tall. Provide consistent moisture and apply mulch to retain water, feeding regularly with balanced fertilizer to prevent blossom end rot.
Watch for tomato hornworms, aphids, and spider mites; use insecticidal soap or hand-pick pests early. Prevent cracking and late blight by watering at the base and ensuring good airflow. Harvest ripe fruit approximately eighty-five to ninety-five days after transplanting when the skin yields slightly to pressure.
When to Plant Oxheart
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 | — | October – 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 | — | August – October |
| Zone 8 | February | — | July – September |
| Zone 9 | January | — | June – August |
| Zone 10 | January | — | June – August |
| Zone 11 | January | — | May – July |
| Zone 12 | January | — | May – July |
| Zone 13 | January | — | May – July |
Companion Plants for Oxheart
✓ Good companions
Repels aphids and whiteflies, may improve flavor
Attracts pollinators and beneficial insects, may improve tomato flavor
Help break up soil around tomato roots and don't compete for nutrients
Repel aphids and may help prevent fungal diseases
Deters nematodes and repels hornworms and other pests
Act as trap crops for aphids and cucumber beetles
Attracts beneficial insects like hoverflies that prey on aphids
Similar growing requirements and can help deter some common pests
✗ Keep away from
Produces juglone toxin that causes tomato wilt and stunted growth
Compete for nutrients and may stunt tomato growth when planted nearby
Inhibits growth of most garden plants through allelopathy
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving (USDA FoodData Central)
