Mountain Fresh Plus
Solanum lycopersicum
Able to tolerate cool and wet conditions, this big red tomato produces attractive, 8-16 oz. slicers with good flavor. Developed by Dr. Randy Gardner at North Carolina State University. Vigorous plants provide plenty of leaf cover. Determinate.
Harvest
75d
Days to harvest
Sun
Blossom-End Rot of Tomato
Zones
10–11
USDA hardiness
Height
1-10 feet
Planting Timeline
Showing dates for Mountain Fresh Plus in USDA Zone 7
All Zone 7 tomato →Zone Map
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Mountain Fresh Plus · 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 | — | 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
Store fully ripe Mountain Fresh Plus tomatoes at room temperature for up to one week for peak flavor—refrigeration dulls their excellent taste balance. Only refrigerate if you can't use them within a week, and bring back to room temperature before serving. These large, meaty tomatoes maintain quality exceptionally well compared to many varieties.
For preservation, Mountain Fresh Plus excels in freezing whole or chopped for cooking uses—simply core, blanch for 30 seconds, and freeze in bags. Their balanced acidity makes them excellent for water-bath canning as sauce, paste, or whole peeled tomatoes. The firm flesh also dehydrates well into flavorful tomato leather or dried chips using a dehydrator at 135°F for 8-12 hours. These tomatoes are less suitable for fermentation due to their mild acidity, but make outstanding fresh salsa that can be frozen for later use.
History & Origin
Mountain Fresh Plus represents modern tomato breeding at its finest, developed in the early 2000s by North Carolina State University's renowned tomato breeding program. This hybrid was specifically created to address the growing problem of late blight and other diseases that were devastating home garden tomatoes across North America, particularly in humid climates and areas with challenging growing conditions.
The variety emerged from crosses between disease-resistant processing tomatoes and high-quality fresh market varieties, combining the bulletproof health of commercial types with the superior flavor home gardeners demand. Dr. Randy Gardner and his team spent over a decade perfecting the genetics, focusing on stacking multiple disease resistance genes while maintaining excellent eating quality.
Mountain Fresh Plus became widely available to home gardeners around 2008 and quickly gained recognition among extension agents and master gardeners for its reliability in difficult conditions. The 'Mountain Fresh' series represents a breakthrough in making truly disease-resistant tomatoes accessible to home growers, addressing the frustration many gardeners faced with traditional varieties failing due to disease pressure.
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, whiteflies, and hornworms while potentially improving tomato flavor
Marigolds
Deters nematodes, aphids, and whiteflies with natural compounds
Carrots
Helps aerate soil around tomato roots and doesn't compete for nutrients
Parsley
Attracts beneficial insects like hoverflies that control aphids
Nasturtiums
Acts as trap crop for aphids and cucumber beetles, repels whiteflies
Chives
Repels aphids and may help prevent fungal diseases
Oregano
Provides ground cover and repels various pests including spider mites
Borage
Attracts pollinators and beneficial insects, may improve tomato growth
Keep Apart
Black Walnut
Releases juglone toxin that causes wilting and stunted growth in tomatoes
Fennel
Inhibits tomato growth through allelopathic compounds
Brassicas
Cabbage family plants can stunt tomato growth and attract different pests
Corn
Both attract corn earworm/tomato fruitworm, increasing pest pressure
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving. % Daily Value based on 2,000 calorie diet. Source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC #321360)
Pests & Disease Resistance
Resistance
Fusarium Wilt races 1, 2 (High); Nematodes (High); Verticillium Wilt (High)
Common Pests
Tomato hornworm, aphids, spider mites, thrips
Diseases
Bacterial speck, blossom end rot (with inconsistent watering)