German Pink
Solanum lycopersicum 'German Pink'
This massive Bavarian heirloom produces some of the largest tomatoes you'll ever grow, with fruits regularly exceeding 2 pounds and bursting with old-fashioned tomato flavor. Also known as German Johnson Pink, these pink beefsteak giants have been treasured by gardeners for over a century for their incredible size and meaty, juicy flesh. One slice can cover an entire sandwich, making them the ultimate show-off variety for serious gardeners.
Harvest
85-95d
Days to harvest
Sun
Full sun
Zones
10–11
USDA hardiness
Height
1-10 feet
Planting Timeline
Showing dates for German Pink in USDA Zone 7
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German Pink · 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 | — | August – October |
| Zone 8 | February – February | April – May | — | July – September |
| Zone 9 | January – January | March – April | — | June – August |
| Zone 10 | January – January | February – March | — | June – August |
| Zone 1 | May – May | July – August | — | October – August |
| Zone 2 | April – May | June – July | — | October – September |
| Zone 11 | January – January | January – February | — | May – July |
| Zone 12 | January – January | January – February | — | May – July |
| Zone 13 | January – January | January – February | — | May – July |
Complete Growing Guide
German Pink demands patience and space that many gardeners underestimate—these vigorous indeterminates routinely exceed 8 feet, requiring sturdy caging or trellising from the start. Plant 3-4 weeks before your last frost for the 85-95 day maturation window, as late planting risks fruit set before peak summer heat. The sheer fruit load—each plant can produce 8-12 giants—creates stress; aggressive pruning of lower suckers improves air circulation and prevents early blight, which targets the dense foliage readily. These plants are heavy feeders; side-dress with balanced fertilizer every three weeks once flowering begins. Watch for blossom-end rot on the first fruits by maintaining consistent soil moisture, and avoid excessive nitrogen that delays ripening. For your best giants, pinch off competing fruits early in the season to funnel energy into fewer, truly massive tomatoes rather than spreading resources thin across dozens of mediums.
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
Harvest German Pink tomatoes when they achieve a deep rose-pink to magenta hue throughout the fruit, as this Bavarian heirloom darkens considerably from its early pink stage. The massive fruits, often exceeding two pounds, should yield slightly to gentle pressure when ripe, indicating peak juiciness in their meaty flesh. These indeterminate plants produce fruit continuously throughout the season rather than all at once, allowing you to pick ripe tomatoes progressively as they mature. For optimal flavor development, wait until fruits are fully colored and slightly soft before harvesting, as they gain sweetness in their final days on the vine. This timing ensures the characteristic rich, balanced taste these giants are prized for among experienced growers.
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
Store freshly harvested German Pink tomatoes at room temperature away from direct sunlight until fully ripe; refrigeration slows ripening and dulls flavor, so reserve it only for fully ripe fruit that won't be eaten within a few days. Keep them in a single layer, stem-side down, and maintain moderate humidity to prevent shriveling. Ripe fruit keeps for about one to two weeks at room temperature, or up to three weeks refrigerated.
For preservation, this variety excels at sauce-making through long, slow simmering followed by water-bath canning—the balanced sweetness and good acid content hold up beautifully. Freezing whole or halved fruit works well for future cooking. Drying concentrates their natural sugars and works reliably in low humidity. German Pinks tend to have thinner skins than paste varieties, so handle gently during processing to minimize splitting.
History & Origin
The German Pink tomato emerged from Bavarian heirloom gardening traditions, though detailed documentation of its precise origin remains limited. The variety belongs to the larger family of pink beefsteak heirlooms that gained popularity throughout European regions during the nineteenth century. Its alternate name, German Johnson Pink, suggests possible connections to the Johnson family tomato line that circulated among American gardeners, indicating cross-Atlantic seed exchange networks common during this era. Like many heirloom varieties, German Pink likely perpetuated through informal seed saving among home gardeners rather than formal breeding programs, with Bavarian farmers selecting for size and flavor characteristics across multiple generations before the variety stabilized into the consistent type grown today.
Origin: Peru
Advantages
- +Produces massive 2+ pound fruits that make impressive garden centerpieces
- +Rich, sweet flavor with classic tomato taste balances exceptional size
- +Single slices cover entire sandwiches, perfect for large-scale tomato lovers
- +Proven century-old heirloom variety with stable genetics and reliable performance
- +Meaty, juicy flesh ideal for slicing and fresh eating applications
Considerations
- -Requires consistent watering and rich soil to prevent blossom end rot
- -Susceptible to late blight and early blight in humid climates
- -Heavy fruit load demands sturdy cages and careful pruning management
- -Long 85-95 day season limits cultivation in short-season growing regions
Companion Plants
Basil goes in 12–18 inches off every tomato row — the pest-confusion claims have mixed evidence, but the two crops share almost identical water and fertility needs, and basil fills that lower airspace without competing for anything German Pink actually needs. French marigolds ('Petite Yellow' or similar) release thiophenes from their roots that genuinely suppress soil nematodes, and their open flowers pull in parasitic wasps that work aphid colonies down over the course of a few weeks. Nasturtiums are worth tucking at row ends as a trap crop: aphids colonize them ahead of the tomatoes, which gives you an early read on pressure and an easy target to yank.
Fennel is the one to keep on the far side of the garden — it releases allelopathic compounds that stunt tomato root development, and the effect is real enough that most growers just keep fennel in its own isolated patch. Brassicas compete for similar nutrients and tend to carry their own pest loads you don't want near a big, slow-maturing heirloom like this one. In our zone 7 Georgia gardens, black walnut trees are common along fence lines and creek edges — juglone toxicity will kill tomato plants outright within the root drip zone, so check your site before you plant.
Plant Together
Basil
Repels aphids and whiteflies, may improve flavor
Marigolds
Deters nematodes and aphids with natural compounds
Carrots
Helps break up soil for better tomato root development
Parsley
Attracts beneficial insects like hoverflies and parasitic wasps
Nasturtiums
Acts as trap crop for aphids and cucumber beetles
Chives
Repels aphids and may help prevent fungal diseases
Lettuce
Provides ground cover and utilizes space efficiently
Oregano
Repels pests and may enhance tomato flavor
Keep Apart
Black Walnut
Produces juglone which is toxic to tomatoes and causes wilt
Fennel
Inhibits growth of most garden plants through allelopathy
Brassicas
Compete for nutrients and may stunt tomato growth
Corn
Both are heavy feeders competing for nutrients, shared pest issues
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving. % Daily Value based on 2,000 calorie diet. Source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC #321360)
Pests & Disease Resistance
Resistance
Limited disease resistance, susceptible to cracking and splitting
Common Pests
Tomato hornworm, cutworms, aphids, stink bugs
Diseases
Late blight, early blight, fusarium wilt, blossom end rot, cracking
Troubleshooting German Pink
What you'll see, why it happens, and what to do about it.
Large irregular brown patches spreading across foliage rapidly, sometimes overnight, with greasy gray-green margins — fruit develops firm, dark, sunken rot
Likely Causes
- Late blight (Phytophthora infestans) — a water mold that spreads fast in cool, wet conditions above 60% humidity
- Overhead irrigation or persistent rain keeping foliage wet for extended periods
What to Do
- 1.Remove and bag all affected tissue immediately — do not compost it; late blight can jump to neighboring beds within 48 hours
- 2.Switch to drip irrigation and water in the morning so foliage dries by midday
- 3.NC State's Plant Disease and Insect Clinic (PDIC) monitors late blight pressure regionally — check their alerts before the season and apply a copper-based fungicide preventively if pressure is high in your area
Blossom end of fruit turns leathery, sunken, and dark brown — usually shows up on the first heavy set of fruit
Likely Causes
- Blossom end rot — calcium deficiency in the developing fruit, driven by inconsistent watering rather than low soil calcium
- Moisture fluctuations (letting the soil dry out then soaking it) that interrupt calcium uptake at the root level
What to Do
- 1.Mulch with 3–4 inches of straw to hold soil moisture steady between waterings
- 2.Water deeply and consistently — German Pink needs high, even moisture; skipping two days in July heat will show up on the next fruit set
- 3.Pull affected fruit off the plant so the vine redirects energy; don't bother with foliar calcium sprays until you've stabilized the watering rhythm first
Whole plant wilts and doesn't recover overnight, lower leaves yellow, stem cross-section shows brown discoloration in the vascular tissue
Likely Causes
- Fusarium wilt (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici) — soilborne fungus that persists in the same bed for years
- No built-in resistance in German Pink — NC State Extension notes that heirloom varieties frequently lack resistance to soilborne diseases
What to Do
- 1.Dig out and destroy the entire plant including the root ball; don't leave debris in the bed
- 2.Rotate nightshades out of that bed for at least 5–7 years per NC State Extension's IPM guidelines — or grow in containers with fresh potting mix that never contacts native soil
- 3.If fusarium keeps coming back, look into grafting German Pink onto a resistant rootstock; NC State Extension's publication AG-675 by Rivard and Louws covers exactly this situation for heirlooms
Frequently Asked Questions
How big do German Pink tomatoes actually get?▼
Are German Pink tomatoes good for beginners?▼
Can you grow German Pink tomatoes in containers?▼
How long do German Pink tomatoes take to ripen?▼
What's the difference between German Pink and Cherokee Purple?▼
How do you prevent German Pink tomatoes from cracking?▼
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.