Garden Peach
Solanum lycopersicum 'Garden Peach'
An unusual heirloom novelty tomato that looks remarkably like a fuzzy peach with its pale yellow-pink skin and soft downy texture. Despite its appearance, it delivers a mild, sweet tomato flavor that's perfect for curious gardeners and conversation starters. This compact variety is excellent for containers and makes an interesting addition to any heirloom collection.
Harvest
75-80d
Days to harvest
Sun
Blossom-End Rot of Tomato
Zones
10–10
USDA hardiness
Height
1-10 feet
Planting Timeline
Showing dates for Garden Peach in USDA Zone 7
All Zone 7 tomato →Zone Map
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Garden Peach · Zones 10–10
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 | — | August – 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
Fresh Garden Peach tomatoes store best at room temperature for 3-5 days to maintain their delicate texture and mild flavor. Avoid refrigeration unless fully ripe, as cold temperatures destroy the subtle taste compounds. Store stem-side down on a padded surface to prevent bruising of the tender skin.
For preservation, these tomatoes excel in freezing whole – simply wash, remove stems, and freeze in bags for later use in cooked dishes. The unique appearance makes them perfect for pickled green tomatoes when harvested early. Their low acid content and mild flavor work well in tomato butter or gentle salsas, though you'll need to add lemon juice or vinegar when canning to ensure safe acidity levels. Avoid dehydrating Garden Peach tomatoes, as their high moisture content and delicate skin make them unsuitable for drying.
History & Origin
Garden Peach tomato originated in the late 1800s as part of the Victorian era's fascination with novelty vegetables and unusual garden curiosities. This unique heirloom was developed by American seed companies who were experimenting with tomato varieties that mimicked other fruits in appearance, capitalizing on the period's love of conversation pieces and botanical oddities.
The variety gained popularity through seed catalogs of the early 1900s, particularly among gardeners who enjoyed surprising visitors with tomatoes that looked exactly like fuzzy peaches. Burpee and other major seed houses featured Garden Peach prominently in their novelty sections, marketing it as an ideal variety for children's gardens and educational purposes.
While it nearly disappeared during the mid-20th century focus on commercial production varieties, Garden Peach was preserved by dedicated seed savers and has experienced a renaissance with the modern heirloom movement. Today, it remains a beloved curiosity variety, prized more for its remarkable appearance and conversation-starting ability than its culinary qualities, though its mild flavor has found appreciation among gardeners seeking low-acid tomatoes.
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 tomato flavor
Marigolds
Repel nematodes and other soil pests, attract beneficial insects
Carrots
Help break up soil for tomato roots, don't compete for nutrients
Parsley
Attracts beneficial insects and doesn't compete for space
Chives
Repel aphids and may improve tomato growth and flavor
Nasturtiums
Act as trap crops for aphids and cucumber beetles
Lettuce
Provides ground cover and utilizes space efficiently without competition
Oregano
Repels pests and may enhance tomato flavor
Keep Apart
Black Walnut
Produces juglone which is toxic to tomatoes and causes wilting
Fennel
Inhibits growth of tomatoes through allelopathic compounds
Brassicas
Compete for nutrients and may stunt tomato growth
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving. % Daily Value based on 2,000 calorie diet. Source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC #325430)
Pests & Disease Resistance
Resistance
Limited disease resistance typical of heirlooms
Common Pests
Tomato hornworm, aphids, whiteflies
Diseases
Early blight, late blight, fusarium wilt, cracking in wet conditions