How to Grow Wisconsin 55
Solanum lycopersicum
Wisconsin 55 is a reliable heirloom tomato prized for its robust flavor and exceptional cold tolerance. Gardeners choose this variety to extend their growing season in cooler climates while enjoying juicy, red fruit that resists common diseases.
📷 Wikipedia: TomatoStarting Wisconsin 55: indoors or direct sow?
🌾 Sow directly in the garden — Wisconsin 55 is not usually started indoors.
Because this is a warm-season crop sensitive to frost, do not start seeds indoors before the last spring frost; instead, sow directly outdoors once the soil has warmed up.
Soil, care & harvest
Prepare loose, fertile soil with a pH between 6.2 and 6.8 to support healthy root development. As a warm-season crop, start seeds indoors only after the last frost date has passed or when soil temperatures are consistently warm above 50°F. Plant seeds about 1/4 inch deep; they typically germinate within 7 to 14 days under proper conditions.
Space plants 24 to 30 inches apart to ensure good air circulation and fruit production. Install sturdy cages or trellises early, as this variety can grow up to 10 feet tall. Maintain consistent moisture by watering deeply at the base rather than the leaves, and apply mulch around the base to retain soil water and suppress weeds.
Watch for Colorado potato beetles, aphids, and cutworms; inspect plants regularly and remove pests by hand or use organic controls. Prevent late blight and septoria leaf spot by avoiding overhead watering and ensuring good airflow. Harvest ripe fruit approximately 80 days after transplanting when the skin turns fully red and yields slightly to gentle pressure.
When to Plant Wisconsin 55
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 | — | August – 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 Wisconsin 55
✓ Good companions
Repels aphids, whiteflies, and hornworms while potentially improving tomato flavor
Repels hornworms and attracts pollinators, may improve tomato taste
Help break up soil and don't compete for nutrients or space
Repel aphids and may improve tomato growth and flavor
Provides ground cover and efficient use of space without competing for nutrients
Deters nematodes, aphids, and whiteflies with natural compounds
Acts as trap crop for aphids and cucumber beetles, repels whiteflies
Attracts beneficial insects like hoverflies and parasitic wasps
✗ Keep away from
Produces juglone toxin that causes tomato wilt and stunted growth
Compete for similar nutrients and may stunt tomato growth when planted too close
Both attract corn earworm/tomato hornworm and compete for nitrogen
Inhibits growth of tomatoes through allelopathic compounds
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving (USDA FoodData Central)
