Grape Tomato Red
Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme 'Grape Red'
These bite-sized elongated tomatoes are sweeter and meatier than traditional cherry varieties, with incredible keeping quality. Perfect for snacking, lunch boxes, and salads with their crisp texture and concentrated flavor. Extremely productive plants that keep producing until frost.
Harvest
65-75d
Days to harvest
Sun
Blossom-End Rot of Tomato
Zones
10–11
USDA hardiness
Height
1-10 feet
Planting Timeline
Showing dates for Grape Tomato Red in USDA Zone 7
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Grape Tomato Red · Zones 10–11
Growing Details
Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar
| Zone | Indoor Start | Transplant | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | April – April | June – July | — | August – October |
| Zone 4 | March – April | June – June | — | August – October |
| Zone 5 | March – March | May – June | — | August – October |
| Zone 6 | March – March | May – June | — | July – September |
| Zone 7 | February – March | April – May | — | July – September |
| Zone 8 | February – February | April – May | — | June – August |
| Zone 9 | January – January | March – April | — | May – July |
| 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 grape tomato red at room temperature for up to one week, or refrigerate for 2-3 weeks. Their exceptional keeping quality means they maintain texture and sweetness longer than most cherry varieties. For longest storage, keep stems attached and store stem-end down in a single layer.
Freeze whole grape tomatoes by removing stems and placing on baking sheets until solid, then transfer to freezer bags. They're perfect for adding directly to soups and sauces without thawing. For drying, slice lengthwise and dehydrate at 135°F for 8-12 hours until leathery but still pliable. Their meaty texture and concentrated sweetness make them excellent for sun-drying or oven-drying at 200°F with the door slightly open. Roast halved fruits with olive oil and herbs at 400°F for 20-25 minutes for a versatile preserved ingredient that keeps refrigerated for up to two weeks.
History & Origin
Grape tomatoes represent a relatively recent development in tomato breeding, emerging in the 1990s as seed companies sought to create a cherry tomato with superior keeping quality and shipping characteristics. The distinctive elongated oval shape that gives grape tomatoes their name was developed through selective breeding programs that crossed traditional cherry varieties with paste tomatoes to achieve the desired firm, meaty texture.
Red grape tomato varieties were specifically bred to address the main complaints about traditional cherry tomatoes - their tendency to crack, short shelf life, and sometimes watery texture. Plant breeders focused on developing hybrids that maintained the sweet flavor profile gardeners loved while dramatically improving storage and handling qualities.
The success of grape tomatoes in both home gardens and commercial production led to their rapid adoption in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Today, they're among the most popular small tomato varieties grown, prized by home gardeners for their reliability and by commercial growers for their excellent shipping characteristics. The variety represents modern plant breeding at its best - combining the best traits of multiple tomato types to create something uniquely valuable for contemporary 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
Marigold
Deters nematodes and attracts beneficial insects
Nasturtium
Acts as trap crop for aphids and cucumber beetles
Carrots
Helps break up soil and doesn't compete for nutrients
Parsley
Attracts beneficial insects like hoverflies and parasitic wasps
Peppers
Similar growing requirements and pest management needs
Borage
Repels tomato hornworms and may improve flavor
Chives
Repels aphids and may help prevent fungal diseases
Keep Apart
Black Walnut
Produces juglone which is toxic to tomatoes
Fennel
Inhibits growth of most garden plants through allelopathy
Brassicas
Can stunt tomato growth and compete for nutrients
Corn
Both attract corn earworm/tomato fruitworm
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving. % Daily Value based on 2,000 calorie diet. Source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC #321360)
Pests & Disease Resistance
Resistance
Good general disease tolerance, crack resistant
Common Pests
Aphids, whiteflies, spider mites
Diseases
Early blight, late blight, fusarium wilt