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
Blossom-End Rot of Tomato
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 |
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 German Pinks at room temperature on your counter, stem-side down to prevent moisture loss through the stem scar. These thin-skinned giants typically last 5-7 days when properly ripened—refrigeration ruins their texture and mutes the complex flavor.
For preservation, German Pinks excel at sauce-making due to their meaty flesh and low seed content. Core and quarter fruits, then slow-cook to concentrate flavors before canning using tested recipes. Their size makes them impractical for whole canning but perfect for chunky salsas.
Freeze thick slices on parchment-lined trays, then transfer to freezer bags for winter cooking—while the texture changes, the flavor remains excellent for soups and stews. Avoid dehydrating German Pinks as their high moisture content makes drying inefficient compared to paste varieties.
History & Origin
German Pink traces its roots to the Bavarian region of Germany, where it was cultivated by immigrant families who brought seeds to America in the late 1800s. Also known as German Johnson Pink, this variety represents the classic European beefsteak tradition focused on maximum size and flavor rather than shipping durability.
The variety gained prominence in American gardens during the early 20th century, particularly among German-American communities in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and the Midwest, who preserved the seeds through careful selection of the largest, most flavorful fruits. Unlike modern hybrids bred for uniformity and shelf life, German Pink was developed through generations of home gardeners selecting for the characteristics they valued most: enormous size, rich flavor, and the ability to feed a family from just a few fruits.
This heirloom embodies the old-world approach to tomato breeding, where families would compete to grow the largest specimens and share seeds with neighbors. The variety nearly disappeared during the mid-20th century's shift toward commercial varieties but was rescued by seed savers and heirloom enthusiasts in the 1980s and 1990s.
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 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