Kellogg's Breakfast
Solanum lycopersicum 'Kellogg's Breakfast'
This stunning heirloom beefsteak produces massive orange fruits that can weigh up to 2 pounds, with incredibly sweet, low-acid flesh that's perfect for those who find red tomatoes too tart. Named after railroad worker Darrell Kellogg's family variety from Michigan, it's become a favorite among gardeners seeking unique color and exceptional flavor.
Harvest
85-95d
Days to harvest
Sun
Full sun
Zones
10–11
USDA hardiness
Height
1-10 feet
Planting Timeline
Showing dates for Kellogg's Breakfast in USDA Zone 7
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Kellogg's Breakfast · 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
Because Kellogg's Breakfast reaches maturity later than most beefsteaks, start seeds indoors 8-10 weeks before your last frost to ensure full ripening in shorter seasons. This cultivar demands consistent warmth and benefits from a longer growing window, so provide steady temperatures above 70°F for optimal fruit development and sugar accumulation. The large, sprawling vines (reaching up to 10 feet) require sturdy support and aggressive pruning to prevent excessive foliage that shades developing fruit—a common issue that delays ripening in this variety. Plant in rich, well-draining soil with steady moisture levels, as irregular watering exacerbates the already low-acid profile and can cause mealy texture. Watch for early blight, which affects indeterminate types like this one, so remove lower leaves and ensure good air circulation. One practical tip: prune suckers aggressively and thin leaf canopy in late summer to expose maturing fruits to direct sunlight, accelerating the color development from orange-yellow to deep golden-orange.
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 Kellogg's Breakfast tomatoes when they achieve their distinctive deep orange hue throughout, as this cultivar's color—rather than firmness—indicates peak ripeness and maximum sweetness. Fruits weighing near two pounds will feel slightly yielding when gently squeezed, signaling optimal sugar development. This variety produces continuously throughout the season, so plan for successive harvests every few days rather than a single picking, allowing smaller fruits on the vine to reach full size and flavor. For best results, pick tomatoes in early morning after dew dries but before afternoon heat peaks, as this timing preserves their delicate, low-acid flesh and extends shelf life.
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 Kellogg's Breakfast tomatoes at room temperature away from direct sunlight until fully ripe, then move to the refrigerator at 55–70°F with moderate humidity. They'll keep for 5–7 days refrigerated, though flavor is best consumed within 3–4 days of picking. For longer preservation, freezing works well for cooking applications—simply core and freeze whole on a tray, then transfer to bags. Canning is viable using standard hot-water bath or pressure-canning methods, though the low acidity requires careful attention to acid additions or pressure processing to ensure safety. Drying concentrates the natural sweetness beautifully; slice thick, remove excess moisture, and dry at 135–150°F until leathery. Because this variety's mild, fruity character is its defining trait, prioritize fresh eating or freezing if you want to preserve that particular quality—canning and drying, while safe and functional, will mellow the delicate flavor profile further.
History & Origin
This heirloom beefsteak belongs to the tradition of family-maintained tomato varieties, originating from the personal selection and preservation efforts of railroad worker Darrell Kellogg in Michigan. Rather than being formally bred or introduced by a commercial seed company or university program, Kellogg's Breakfast represents the grassroots heritage breeding practice where gardeners saved seeds from exceptional plants across generations. The variety's documented history remains modest, with primary information derived from seed-saving networks and heirloom tomato communities who have stewarded it into modern cultivation. Its late-twentieth-century popularization through specialty seed catalogs and gardening circles helped preserve what might otherwise have remained a regional family secret, though specific details about its earlier genealogy and exact origin timeline are not comprehensively documented.
Origin: Peru
Advantages
- +Massive 2-pound orange fruits with exceptionally sweet, low-acid flavor profile
- +Perfect choice for gardeners who dislike red tomato tartness
- +Stunning heirloom variety with unique color and rich family history
- +Moderate difficulty makes it accessible for most home gardeners
- +Fruity, mild taste ideal for fresh eating and sandwiches
Considerations
- -Susceptible to cracking and blossom end rot in inconsistent watering
- -Vulnerable to late blight and early blight fungal diseases
- -Multiple pest pressures including hornworms, aphids, and spider mites
Companion Plants
Basil goes in first — 18 inches away from the stem where it fills the gap without competing for water, and the real payoff is that you're already standing there harvesting both at the same time in August. French marigolds (Tagetes patula) pull more weight than most companions: their roots release thiophenes that suppress soil nematodes, which matters in our zone 7 Georgia garden where root-knot nematode pressure builds quickly in warm soil. Lettuce fits under the canopy and uses the afternoon shade once the heat arrives. Keep fennel out — it releases allelopathic compounds that stunt tomato root development — and brassicas belong in a separate bed entirely, since they compete for the same nutrients and share enough pests to make the combination a net loss.
Plant Together
Basil
Repels aphids, whiteflies, and hornworms while potentially improving tomato flavor
Marigolds
Deters nematodes, aphids, and whiteflies with natural compounds
Carrots
Loosens soil for better root growth and doesn't compete for nutrients
Parsley
Attracts beneficial insects like hoverflies and parasitic wasps
Chives
Repels aphids and may help prevent fungal diseases
Nasturtiums
Acts as trap crop for aphids and cucumber beetles
Oregano
Repels various pests and attracts beneficial pollinators
Lettuce
Benefits from tomato shade and utilizes different soil nutrients
Keep Apart
Black Walnut Trees
Produces juglone toxin that causes tomato wilt and stunted growth
Brassicas
Compete for similar nutrients and may stunt tomato growth
Fennel
Inhibits growth through allelopathic compounds that suppress tomato development
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 in wet conditions.
Common Pests
Tomato hornworm, aphids, spider mites, whiteflies
Diseases
Cracking, blossom end rot, late blight, early blight
Troubleshooting Kellogg's Breakfast
What you'll see, why it happens, and what to do about it.
Fruit skin splits open radially or concentrically after a heavy rain, usually once fruit is already sizing up
Likely Causes
- Irregular watering — long dry spell followed by sudden heavy moisture uptake
- Thin-skinned heirloom genetics (Kellogg's Breakfast is particularly prone to this given its large, meaty fruit)
What to Do
- 1.Mulch 3-4 inches deep with straw to buffer soil moisture swings
- 2.Water consistently — aim for 1 to 1.5 inches per week rather than letting the bed go dry between rains
- 3.Harvest any fruit showing color break before a forecasted heavy rain; they'll finish ripening on the counter
Dark, sunken, leathery patch on the blossom end of the fruit, appearing once fruit reaches golf-ball size or larger
Likely Causes
- Blossom end rot — calcium deficiency in the developing fruit, caused by moisture fluctuations that interrupt calcium uptake (NC State Extension notes this is a calcium availability issue, not always a soil calcium shortage)
- Inconsistent irrigation leading to interrupted calcium transport in the plant
What to Do
- 1.Fix your watering first — drip irrigation on a timer is the most reliable solution for a high-water variety like this one
- 2.Side-dress with a balanced compost at first fruit set to stabilize soil moisture retention
- 3.Test soil pH and keep it between 6.0 and 6.8; calcium becomes less available outside that range
Large patches of foliage turning gray-green and collapsing fast — sometimes overnight — with dark water-soaked spots appearing on green fruit
Likely Causes
- Late blight (Phytophthora infestans) — NC State Extension flags this as a fast-moving disease that the Plant Disease and Insect Clinic actively monitors; spores travel on wind currents and can hitchhike on infected transplants
- Cool, wet nights combined with warm days — the weather pattern that typically arrives in the Southeast in late summer and fall
What to Do
- 1.Remove and bag affected plant material immediately — do not compost it
- 2.If late blight is confirmed in your county, apply a copper-based fungicide preventively on neighboring plants every 7 days
- 3.NC State Extension's IPM guidelines recommend rotating tomatoes out of an affected bed for 3 to 4 years minimum; for some tomato diseases they specify 5 to 7 years
Lower leaves developing small brown bullseye spots with yellow halos, starting around day 45-50 after transplant and working upward through the canopy
Likely Causes
- Early blight (Alternaria solani) — a soil-borne fungus that splashes onto lower foliage during rain or overhead irrigation
- Dense canopy with poor airflow at the base of the plant, which stays wet longer after rain
What to Do
- 1.Strip affected lower leaves and throw them in the trash, not the compost bin
- 2.Lay 3-4 inches of straw mulch to stop rain-splash transmission from the soil surface
- 3.Stake and prune suckers to open up the interior; Kellogg's Breakfast is indeterminate and will put on 6+ feet of growth if you don't stay ahead of it
Frequently Asked Questions
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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.