Better Boy
Solanum lycopersicum 'Better Boy'
One of the most popular hybrid tomatoes for good reason - this reliable performer produces heavy yields of large, flavorful fruits with excellent disease resistance. Perfect for beginner gardeners who want guaranteed success and experienced growers who appreciate consistent performance. The classic red slicing tomato that delivers on both quantity and quality.
Harvest
70-75d
Days to harvest
Sun
Blossom-End Rot of Tomato
Zones
10–11
USDA hardiness
Height
1-10 feet
Planting Timeline
Showing dates for Better Boy in USDA Zone 7
All Zone 7 tomato →Zone Map
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Better Boy · Zones 10–11
Growing Details
Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar
| Zone | Indoor Start | Transplant | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | April – April | June – July | — | August – October |
| Zone 4 | March – April | June – June | — | August – October |
| Zone 5 | March – March | May – June | — | August – October |
| Zone 6 | March – March | May – June | — | July – September |
| Zone 7 | February – March | April – May | — | July – September |
| Zone 8 | February – February | April – May | — | June – August |
| Zone 9 | January – January | March – April | — | May – July |
| Zone 10 | January – January | February – March | — | May – July |
Complete Growing Guide
Light: Blossom-End Rot of Tomato, Pepper, and Watermelon. Soil: Clay, High Organic Matter, Loam (Silt), Sand. Soil pH: Acid (<6.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0). Drainage: Good Drainage, Moist. Water: Blossom-End Rot of Tomato, Pepper, and Watermelon. Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.. Spread: 1 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in.. Spacing: 3 feet-6 feet. Growth rate: Rapid. Maintenance: High. Propagation: Seed. Regions: Coastal, Mountains, Piedmont.
Harvesting
The fruits are smooth, shiny, glossy, and are classified as berries. The size, shape, and color will vary depending on the variety or cultivar. The color of the fruits may be red, yellow, orange, green, purple, or pink. The fruits may contain over 100 yellow to light brown seeds.
Color: Gold/Yellow, Green, Orange, Pink, Purple/Lavender, Red/Burgundy, Variegated. Type: Berry. Length: > 3 inches. Width: > 3 inches.
Garden value: Edible, Showy
Harvest time: Fall, Summer
Bloom time: Fall, Summer
Edibility: The fruits or berries of the tomato are edible. They may be eaten raw, cooked, dried, or processed. They are a rich source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, folic acid, and antioxidants. Lycopene is an antioxidant that gives the tomato its rich red color. Many plants will drop fruit when ripe or the fruit will come off easily. Tomatoes will continue to ripen once picked. Store them at room temperature.
Storage & Preservation
Store freshly harvested Better Boy tomatoes at room temperature away from direct sunlight for 3-5 days for optimal flavor development. Refrigerate only fully ripe fruits you won't use within 2 days - cold temperatures below 55°F diminish flavor and create mealy texture.
For preservation, Better Boy's meaty texture and balanced acidity make them excellent for canning whole, as sauce, or paste. Blanch and peel before freezing in freezer bags for up to 8 months - frozen tomatoes work perfectly for cooked dishes. Slice and dehydrate at 135°F for 8-12 hours to create intensely flavored dried tomatoes. The variety's low water content compared to other slicers makes it ideal for slow-roasting and concentrating flavors for preserves.
History & Origin
Better Boy was developed by Petoseed Company (now part of Seminis) in the 1960s as an improved hybrid combining the disease resistance of VF varieties with the superior flavor and size of traditional beefsteak types. The breeding program aimed to create a reliable, high-yielding tomato that could perform consistently across diverse growing conditions while maintaining excellent eating quality.
Introduced to home gardeners in the early 1970s, Better Boy quickly became one of America's most popular hybrid tomatoes due to its exceptional VFN disease resistance package - providing protection against Verticillium wilt, Fusarium wilt, and root-knot nematodes that plagued many gardens. This disease resistance was revolutionary for home gardeners who previously struggled with soil-borne diseases.
The variety's name reflects its positioning as an improvement over existing hybrids of the era, delivering 'better' performance in yield, disease resistance, and fruit quality. Its consistent performance and beginner-friendly nature helped establish Better Boy as a gateway variety that introduced countless gardeners to tomato growing success.
Advantages
- +Attracts: Bees, Pollinators, Predatory Insects
- +Wildlife value: The plant is pollinated by bees, especially bumblebees.
- +Edible: The fruits or berries of the tomato are edible. They may be eaten raw, cooked, dried, or processed. They are a rich source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, folic acid, and antioxidants. Lycopene is an antioxidant that gives the tomato its rich red color. Many plants will drop fruit when ripe or the fruit will come off easily. Tomatoes will continue to ripen once picked. Store them at room temperature.
- +Fast-growing
Considerations
- -Toxic (Leaves, Stems): Medium severity
- -High maintenance
Companion Plants
Plant Together
Basil
Repels aphids and whiteflies, may improve flavor
Marigold
Deters nematodes and whiteflies with natural compounds
Parsley
Attracts beneficial insects like hoverflies and parasitic wasps
Carrots
Loosens soil for tomato roots and doesn't compete for nutrients
Nasturtium
Acts as trap crop for aphids and cucumber beetles
Chives
Repels aphids and may improve tomato growth and flavor
Lettuce
Provides ground cover and benefits from tomato's partial shade
Borage
Attracts pollinators and may repel tomato hornworms
Keep Apart
Black Walnut
Produces juglone which is toxic to tomatoes and causes wilting
Brassicas
Compete for nutrients and may stunt tomato growth
Fennel
Inhibits growth of tomatoes through allelopathic compounds
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving. % Daily Value based on 2,000 calorie diet. Source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC #321360)
Pests & Disease Resistance
Resistance
Excellent resistance to Verticillium wilt, Fusarium wilt, and Nematodes (VFN)
Common Pests
Tomato hornworm, cutworms, aphids
Diseases
Late blight, early blight, bacterial spot