Burpee's Big Girl
Solanum lycopersicum 'Big Girl'
A reliable and productive hybrid that combines the large fruit size of beefsteak varieties with excellent disease resistance. Big Girl produces smooth, crack-resistant tomatoes that are perfect for slicing, making it a favorite among both novice and experienced gardeners who want consistent results with minimal fuss.
Harvest
78-85d
Days to harvest
Sun
Blossom-End Rot of Tomato
Zones
10–11
USDA hardiness
Height
1-10 feet
Planting Timeline
Showing dates for Burpee's Big Girl in USDA Zone 7
All Zone 7 tomato →Zone Map
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Burpee's Big Girl · Zones 10–11
Growing Details
Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar
| Zone | Indoor Start | Transplant | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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
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 Big Girl tomatoes at room temperature (65-70°F) stem-side down to complete ripening and maintain best flavor. Fully ripe tomatoes keep 3-5 days on the counter or up to one week in the refrigerator, though cold storage diminishes flavor compounds.
For preservation, Big Girl's meaty texture and balanced acidity make it excellent for canning whole or as sauce. The thick walls and low water content reduce cooking time. Freeze whole tomatoes in freezer bags after removing cores – the skin slips off easily after thawing. For drying, slice into ¼-inch rounds and dehydrate at 135°F for 8-12 hours until leathery. The variety's natural crack resistance helps maintain integrity during processing, making it particularly suitable for salsa and paste applications.
History & Origin
Big Girl was developed by Burpee Seeds in the 1960s as part of their effort to create reliable hybrid tomatoes for home gardeners. The company sought to combine the impressive size and eating quality of popular beefsteak varieties with the disease resistance and productivity that hybrid breeding could provide.
This variety emerged during the 'hybrid revolution' in home gardening, when seed companies were successfully crossing different tomato lines to create varieties with specific desired traits. Big Girl was specifically bred to address common frustrations gardeners experienced with large tomatoes: cracking during heavy rains, inconsistent ripening, and susceptibility to common soil-borne diseases.
The 'Big Girl' name reflected the marketing trend of the era, positioning it as the feminine counterpart to other 'big' varieties in Burpee's lineup. It quickly became a staple in American gardens and has remained largely unchanged for over 50 years, testament to the success of the original breeding goals. The variety helped establish the standard for what home gardeners expected from hybrid slicing tomatoes: reliability, disease resistance, and consistent performance across different growing conditions.
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
Marigolds
Deters nematodes and aphids, attracts beneficial insects
Carrots
Help break up soil and don't compete for nutrients
Parsley
Attracts beneficial insects like hoverflies and parasitic wasps
Chives
Repels aphids and may improve tomato flavor and growth
Nasturtiums
Act as trap crop for aphids and whiteflies
Lettuce
Provides ground cover and utilizes space efficiently
Peppers
Similar growing requirements and may help deter some pests
Keep Apart
Black Walnut
Produces juglone which is toxic to tomatoes
Fennel
Inhibits growth of most garden plants through allelopathy
Brassicas
Compete for nutrients and may stunt tomato growth
Corn
Both attract corn earworm and compete for nutrients
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving. % Daily Value based on 2,000 calorie diet. Source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC #321360)
Pests & Disease Resistance
Resistance
Resistant to Verticillium wilt, Fusarium wilt races 1 & 2, and Tobacco Mosaic Virus (VFN)
Common Pests
Tomato hornworm, cutworms, aphids, spider mites
Diseases
Early blight, septoria leaf spot, blossom end rot