How to Grow Surefire Red
Solanum lycopersicum 'Surefire Red'
Surefire Red is a reliable hybrid tomato prized for its disease resistance and consistent production in warm climates. Gardeners choose this variety to enjoy abundant harvests of flavorful fruit while minimizing struggles against common wilts and viruses that plague other tomatoes.
📷 Wikipedia: TomatoStarting Surefire Red: indoors or direct sow?
🌾 Sow directly in the garden — Surefire Red is not usually started indoors.
Since this is a warm-season crop sensitive to frost, you should direct sow seeds outdoors only after the last spring frost has passed and soil temperatures are sufficiently high.
Soil, care & harvest
Prepare your soil to a pH between 6.0 and 7.0, ensuring it is loose and well-draining. As a warm-season crop, you must wait until after the last spring frost when the soil has warmed up; do not sow indoors or outdoors before this time. Sow seeds about 1/4 inch deep in a sunny spot. Germination typically takes between 7 to 10 days under these warm conditions.
Space plants 18 to 24 inches apart to allow proper airflow and growth. Install stakes or cages early, as the plant can reach heights of one to ten feet. Provide high water levels with consistent moisture, avoiding wetting the foliage directly. Apply mulch around the base to retain soil warmth and add fertilizer regularly during the fruiting stage.
Watch for aphids, cutworms, flea beetles, and whiteflies, treating infestations promptly. Monitor closely for early blight, late blight, and bacterial spot, practicing good sanitation to prevent spread. Harvest ripe fruits approximately 50 to 65 days after transplanting when they reach full color and softness.
When to Plant Surefire Red
Planting windows vary by USDA hardiness zone. Look up yours by ZIP code.
| Zone | Start Indoors | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | May | — | September – August |
| Zone 2 | April – May | — | August – September |
| Zone 3 | April | — | August – October |
| Zone 4 | March – April | — | August – October |
| Zone 5 | March | — | July – September |
| Zone 6 | March | — | July – September |
| Zone 7 | February – March | — | June – August |
| Zone 8 | February | — | June – August |
| Zone 9 | January | — | May – July |
| Zone 10 | January | — | April – June |
| Zone 11 | January | — | March – May |
| Zone 12 | January | — | March – May |
| Zone 13 | January | — | March – May |
Companion Plants for Surefire Red
✓ Good companions
Repels aphids and whiteflies, may improve flavor
Repels tomato hornworms and attracts pollinators
Help break up soil around tomato roots and don't compete for nutrients
Repels aphids and may improve tomato flavor
Deters nematodes and aphids with natural compounds
Acts as trap crop for aphids and cucumber beetles
Repels various pests and may enhance tomato growth
Attracts beneficial insects like hoverflies and parasitic wasps
✗ Keep away from
Produces juglone toxin that causes wilting and stunted growth
Stunts tomato growth and competes for similar nutrients
Both attract corn earworm which also damages tomatoes
Inhibits growth of most garden plants through allelopathy
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving (USDA FoodData Central)
