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
Full sun
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 1 | May – May | July – August | — | October – August |
| Zone 2 | April – May | June – July | — | September – September |
| Zone 11 | January – January | January – February | — | April – June |
| Zone 12 | January – January | January – February | — | April – June |
| Zone 13 | January – January | January – February | — | April – June |
| 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
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. According to Johnny's Selected Seeds, Mountain Fresh Plus is 75 days to maturity, annual, hybrid (f1), determinate growth habit. Disease resistance includes Fusarium Wilt, Nematodes, Verticillium Wilt.
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
Mountain Fresh Plus reaches harvest at 75 days from sowing per Johnny's Selected Seeds. Expect 8-16 oz. at peak. As an annual, harvest continues until frost ends the season.
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 Mountain Fresh Plus tomatoes at room temperature away from direct sunlight until fully ripe, then refrigerate at 50–55°F with 85–90% humidity to extend shelf life to two to three weeks. Keep them in a breathable container rather than sealed plastic to prevent moisture buildup. For longer preservation, freezing works well: quarter ripe tomatoes and freeze on a tray before transferring to freezer bags for up to eight months. Their excellent acid balance makes them ideal candidates for water-bath canning as whole tomatoes or sauce. Drying also suits this variety beautifully—halve them, salt lightly, and dry at 200°F until leathery. Because Mountain Fresh Plus develops such balanced flavor, avoid storing unripe fruit in the refrigerator, as cold inhibits the flavor development that makes this variety exceptional. Wait for full ripeness at room temperature first.
History & Origin
Mountain Fresh Plus is an F1 hybrid developed through controlled cross-pollination. Listed in the Johnny's Selected Seeds catalog.
Origin: Peru
Advantages
- +Tolerates cool and wet conditions better than most tomato varieties
- +Produces large 8-16 oz slicers with excellent sweetness and acidity balance
- +Vigorous plants with abundant leaf cover reduce sunscald risk
- +Matures relatively quickly in 75 days for a large slicer
- +Developed by university breeding program ensuring quality genetics
Considerations
- -Susceptible to bacterial speck disease in humid conditions
- -Prone to blossom end rot if watering becomes inconsistent
- -Determinate growth limits harvest window to concentrated period
- -Vulnerable to multiple pests including hornworms and spider mites
Companion Plants
Basil gets planted with tomatoes on nearly every farm and backyard plot in the country, and the pest-deterrence story is thinner than the seed catalogs let on. The real payoff with Mountain Fresh Plus is harvest-day convenience — they ripen at roughly the same time and you're picking both at once anyway. Marigolds (Tagetes spp.) do more verifiable work: their roots produce thiophenes that suppress root-knot nematodes in the surrounding soil, which matters when you're running 24-36 inch spacing and reusing a bed. Borage has a decent track record against tomato hornworm, and carrots stay shallow enough to fit between plants without competing for the consistent deep moisture this variety needs to avoid blossom end rot.
Fennel is allelopathic to most vegetables and will drag down tomato growth even from a few feet away — keep it on the far end of the garden or out entirely. Brassicas are a subtler problem: they won't directly poison the tomatoes, but they pull in aphids and cabbage loopers that don't stay put. Black walnut produces juglone, a root-zone toxin that will stunt or kill a tomato outright, so any bed within range of a walnut tree is essentially off-limits.
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)
Troubleshooting Mountain Fresh Plus
What you'll see, why it happens, and what to do about it.
Flattened, tan-colored dead spots on the bottom of fruit, usually on the first cluster
Likely Causes
- Blossom end rot — calcium deficiency in developing fruit caused by inconsistent watering, not necessarily a lack of calcium in the soil
- Irregular irrigation (drought stress followed by heavy watering) disrupting calcium uptake
What to Do
- 1.Water consistently — Mountain Fresh Plus needs steady moisture, not feast-or-famine cycles; a drip line or soaker hose helps a lot
- 2.Mulch 3-4 inches deep to buffer soil moisture between waterings
- 3.Get a soil test before adding calcium amendments — NC State Extension notes this is usually a water management issue, not a soil deficiency
Sudden wilting of the whole plant in warm weather, with no visible spots or mold on leaves
Likely Causes
- Southern bacterial wilt (Ralstonia solanacearum) — soil-borne, spreads fast once established
- Root-knot nematodes weakening the root system
- Early stages of southern stem blight (Sclerotium rolfsii) before surface mycelium appears
What to Do
- 1.Cut a wilted stem near the base and suspend it in a glass of water — milky bacterial streaming confirms bacterial wilt; dig up and destroy the entire plant including roots
- 2.Bag and trash affected plants rather than composting them, to avoid spreading soil-borne pathogens
- 3.Rotate out of this bed for at least 2-3 seasons; NC State Extension notes these pathogens persist in soil for years, and container growing is worth considering if the problem comes back
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does Mountain Fresh Plus take to grow from seed?▼
Can you grow Mountain Fresh Plus in containers?▼
Is Mountain Fresh Plus good for beginners?▼
What does Mountain Fresh Plus taste like?▼
Mountain Fresh Plus vs Cherokee Purple—what's the difference?▼
When should I plant Mountain Fresh Plus seeds?▼
Growing Guides from Wind River Greens
Where to Buy Seeds
Sources & References
External authority sources used in compiling this guide.
- BreederJohnny's Selected Seeds
- USDAUSDA FoodData Central
See the Methodology page for how this data is sourced, what's AI-assisted, and known limitations.