Burpee's Big Boy
Solanum lycopersicum 'Big Boy'
A legendary hybrid beefsteak tomato that has been America's favorite large slicing tomato for over 50 years. Produces massive 1-pound fruits with exceptional disease resistance and reliable yields. Perfect for gardeners who want guaranteed success with impressive sandwich-worthy tomatoes.
Harvest
78-85d
Days to harvest
Sun
Full sun
Zones
10–11
USDA hardiness
Height
1-10 feet
Planting Timeline
Showing dates for Burpee's Big Boy in USDA Zone 7
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Burpee's Big Boy · Zones 10–11
Growing Details
Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar
| Zone | Indoor Start | Transplant | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | May – May | July – August | — | October – August |
| Zone 2 | April – May | June – July | — | September – September |
| Zone 11 | January – January | January – February | — | April – June |
| Zone 12 | January – January | January – February | — | April – June |
| Zone 13 | January – January | January – February | — | April – June |
| Zone 3 | April – April | June – July | — | September – October |
| Zone 4 | March – April | June – June | — | September – October |
| Zone 5 | March – March | May – June | — | August – October |
| Zone 6 | March – March | May – June | — | August – October |
| Zone 7 | February – March | April – May | — | July – September |
| Zone 8 | February – February | April – May | — | July – September |
| Zone 9 | January – January | March – April | — | June – August |
| Zone 10 | January – January | February – March | — | May – July |
Complete Growing Guide
This vigorous indeterminate hybrid thrives in warm soil (65°F minimum) and demands consistent warmth throughout its 78-85 day season, so delay transplanting until soil has truly warmed to avoid early stunting. Big Boy's massive 1-pound fruits require sturdy support—plan for substantial stakes or cages from planting onward, as their weight will snap inadequate structures. While the variety boasts reliable disease resistance to fusarium and verticillium wilt, it remains vulnerable to early blight in humid conditions; space plants generously for air circulation and remove lower foliage as the plant grows. Its indeterminate growth habit means it will stretch 6-10 feet if left unpruned, so selectively remove secondary shoots in early season to direct energy toward fewer but larger fruits. One essential practice: once plants set fruit clusters, reduce nitrogen fertilizer and shift toward phosphorus-potassium ratios to prevent excessive vegetative growth that delays ripening and crowds fruit development.
Light: Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day). Soil: Clay, High Organic Matter, Loam (Silt), Sand. Soil pH: Acid (<6.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0). Drainage: Good Drainage, Moist. 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
Burpee's Big Boy tomatoes reach peak harvest readiness when they develop a deep, uniform red color throughout the fruit and reach their characteristic one-pound size with a slight give when gently squeezed. These beefsteak tomatoes benefit from a continuous harvest pattern rather than single picking; remove fruits as they ripen fully to encourage the plant to produce additional blooms and subsequent fruit sets throughout the season. For optimal timing, harvest in early morning after dew dries but before midday heat peaks, as fruits picked during cooler hours retain better flavor and firmness. Leave tomatoes on the vine until fully colored rather than ripening them indoors, since these hybrids develop superior sweetness when allowed to mature completely on the plant.
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
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
Harvest Burpee's Big Boy tomatoes when fully colored but still slightly firm, then store at room temperature away from direct sunlight for best flavor retention. Avoid refrigeration if consuming within a few days, as cold dulls their classic sweet-tart profile. For longer storage, keep at 55-70°F in a single layer with moderate humidity; they'll hold for up to two weeks. These large-fruited tomatoes are excellent candidates for canning whole or as sauce, taking well to water-bath or pressure canning methods. Freezing works reliably—quarter them, freeze solid on trays, then bag for later use in cooked dishes. Sun-drying capitalizes on their meaty flesh and balanced flavor. Given their substantial size and thin skin relative to weight, handle gently to avoid bruising, which accelerates deterioration.
History & Origin
Burpee Seeds introduced Big Boy tomato in 1949, making it one of the most commercially successful beefsteak varieties in American gardening history. Developed during an era when seed companies competed intensely to produce larger, more reliable hybrid tomatoes, Big Boy represented a significant achievement in hybrid vigor and disease resistance breeding. The variety emerged from Burpee's extensive tomato breeding program, which focused on combining the impressive size and slicing quality of beefsteak types with improved resistance to common fungal diseases. While detailed records of its specific parentage remain limited in publicly available documentation, Big Boy's success established it as a benchmark variety that influenced subsequent beefsteak breeding efforts throughout the latter twentieth century.
Origin: Peru
Advantages
- +Produces massive one-pound fruits perfect for slicing sandwiches
- +Proven fifty-year track record as America's favorite beefsteak tomato
- +Excellent disease resistance provides reliable yields with minimal intervention
- +Relatively quick maturity at seventy-eight to eighty-five days
- +Easy growing difficulty makes it ideal for beginner gardeners
Considerations
- -Susceptible to late blight and early blight fungal diseases
- -Prone to blossom end rot requiring consistent calcium and watering
- -Large fruit size demands sturdy stakes and careful pruning management
- -Vulnerable to multiple pest species including hornworms and spider mites
Companion Plants
Basil makes good use of the 24–36 inches of open ground between Big Boy plants, and while the pest-confusion claims are shakier than the seed catalogs let on, the harvest pairing is real enough to justify the space. Marigolds — specifically Tagetes patula, French marigold — earn their spot through a documented root exudate that suppresses soil nematodes. That's a real mechanism, not wishful thinking, and nematodes are a genuine pressure in warm-season beds. Borage is worth tucking in nearby; it draws predatory wasps and has shown measurable deterrence of tomato hornworm, which the UGA Vegetable Garden Calendar lists among the "10 most wanted" pests to catch early.
Black Walnut is the hard line — the roots release juglone, a compound that's phytotoxic to Solanums, and the damage zone extends roughly 50–60 feet from the drip line. Fennel produces allelopathic root exudates that stunt most vegetables, and tomatoes are among the more sensitive crops. Both belong in a different part of the property entirely, not just a different bed.
Plant Together
Basil
Repels aphids and whiteflies, may improve tomato flavor
Marigolds
Deters nematodes and aphids with natural compounds
Carrots
Loosens soil for tomato roots and doesn't compete for nutrients
Parsley
Attracts beneficial insects and doesn't compete for space
Nasturtiums
Acts as trap crop for aphids and cucumber beetles
Oregano
Repels pests and may enhance tomato growth
Chives
Repels aphids and may improve tomato flavor
Borage
Attracts pollinators and may deter tomato hornworms
Keep Apart
Black Walnut
Produces juglone toxin that causes tomato wilt and death
Fennel
Inhibits growth of tomatoes through allelopathic compounds
Brassicas
Compete for nutrients and may stunt tomato growth
Corn
Both attract corn earworm which damages tomato fruits
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, aphids, cutworms, spider mites
Diseases
Late blight, early blight, blossom end rot
Troubleshooting Burpee's Big Boy
What you'll see, why it happens, and what to do about it.
Large areas of foliage turning gray or gray-green and withering fast — sometimes within 48 hours — with large rotted spots appearing on fruit
Likely Causes
- Late blight (Phytophthora infestans) — spreads aggressively in cool, wet conditions and can level a planting in days
- Overcrowded planting with poor airflow, letting leaf surfaces stay wet longer
What to Do
- 1.Pull and bag affected plants immediately — don't compost them; late blight moves to neighboring plants fast
- 2.NC State Extension's disease diagnostic guidance flags late blight as one they actively monitor statewide, so report confirmed cases to your local extension office
- 3.Rotate this bed out of tomatoes and potatoes for at least 3–4 years; NC State Extension notes the rotation period for some tomato diseases may run 5–7 years
Dark bullseye spots on lower leaves starting around day 45–50 after transplant, often with yellowing around each spot; lower leaves drop first
Likely Causes
- Early blight (Alternaria solani) — soil-borne fungus that splashes up onto foliage during rain or overhead irrigation
- Planting under 24 inches apart or skipping mulch, leaving bare soil to splash
What to Do
- 1.Strip the affected lower leaves and put them in the trash, not the compost pile
- 2.Lay 3–4 inches of straw mulch around the base of each plant to stop soil splash — the UGA Vegetable Garden Calendar recommends mulching tomatoes before dry spells hit, ideally by blooming time
- 3.Side-dress with compost to keep plants vigorous; a nutrient-stressed Big Boy drops its lower canopy faster than a well-fed one
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does Burpee's Big Boy take to grow from seed?▼
Can you grow Big Boy tomatoes in containers?▼
Is Burpee's Big Boy good for beginners?▼
What does Big Boy tomato taste like?▼
Big Boy vs Better Boy tomatoes—what's the difference?▼
Why are my Big Boy tomatoes getting blossom end rot?▼
Growing Guides from Wind River Greens
Where to Buy Seeds
Sources & References
External authority sources used in compiling this guide.
See the Methodology page for how this data is sourced, what's AI-assisted, and known limitations.