Customer Service Hours
Mon-Fri 8-4 MST
Features
Family
Solanaceae
Native
Andes
Life Cycle
Frost-sensitive annual
Plant Height
36" tall
Further Information
Growing Conditions
Frost Sensitive
About Beefy Purple Bush Tomato Seeds
Solanum lycopersicum
12-14 oz mahogany colored fruits with dark green stripes.
Planting Tomato
Days to Maturity
75 days from transplanting after last chance of spring frost
Plant Spacing
A group of 3 seeds every 24"
Light Required
Full sun; at least 6 hours per day. Temperatures above 55°F at night are required for fruit set. Night temperatures above 75°F in the summer inhibit fruit set.
Plant Height
36" tall
Planting Depth
1/4"
Coverage & Planting Details
| Coverage | This packet yields approximately 12 plants when started indoors. |
|---|---|
| Row Spacing | 36" |
| Seed Depth | 1/4" |
| Seed Spacing | A group of 3 seeds every 24" |
| Thinning | When 2" tall, thin to 1 every 24" |
| Germination | 5-10 days |
| Start Indoors | RECOMMENDED. 4 to 6 weeks before transplanting. Transplant when air temperature is 45°F or warmer, usually 1 to 2 weeks after your average last frost date. Ideal soil temperature for germination is 70°-90°F. |
| Direct Sow | For mild climates only: 1 to 2 weeks after your average last frost date, and when soil temperature is at least 60°F. |
| Special Sowing | Tomatoes benefit from a different planting method than other plants. Part of the stem gets buried; when covered with soil, it will develop more roots, and more roots means more nutrients and water for the plant. When transplanting seedlings, either 1) plant them deeply, burying the stem; or 2) set each plant almost horizontally in the ground, leaving one to two sets of leaves above ground. The top of the seedling above ground will naturally reach toward the sun and right itself. When using a support, place the stake in position at transplanting time to avoid root damage. |
| Special Care | Do not mulch when weather is still cool; the roots of young plants need to be in soil that is warmed by the sun. When the weather warms up and plants are established, mulch to a depth of 2" or 3" with a material such as straw, leaves, or compost, to conserve moisture, reduce weed growth, and keep the roots warm. |
| Growing & Harvesting | Tomatoes may also be picked at the "first blush" stage, when 50% of the tomatoes' color has begun to change, and ripened at room temperature without decreasing flavor or nutrition. For "Beefy Purple", "blushing" will occur in between the green stripes. Picking often and early increases yield, and decreases the risk of cracking and pest damage. Ripe fruit left on the vine during rain or watering is more susceptible to splitting. About 1 month before the average first fall frost, clip all blossoms and undersized fruit off the plant, signaling to the plant to ripen what's left. Pick any unripe fruit before frost, and store them indoors in a single layer away from direct sunlight to ripen. |
Find Your Frost Date & Grow Zone
Average First Frost Date
October 19
Average Last Frost Date
May 19
Your Hardiness Zone is
5b
Send Your Recommendation
Total 5 star reviews: 11 Total 4 star reviews: 2 Total 3 star reviews: 1 Total 2 star reviews: 0 Total 1 star reviews: 1
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Rating
Which best describes you as a gardener?
15 reviews
- Kathleen S.Verified BuyerRated 5 out of 5 stars8/7/26So delicious
These Beefy Purples were such a pleasant surprise! I feel like they did well, but suffered a bit when we got a long spell of extreme heat and dry weather. Overall, though, I’m very happy! I have planted 8 more to try in my fall garden. 🤞🏻
Which best describes you as a gardener? IntermediateBIBotanical Interests8/11/26Hey Kathleen,
We're so happy to hear that your Beefy Purples were such a pleasant surprise! It's awesome that you're already planning to plant 8 more for your fall garden - that's the kind of enthusiasm we love to see! We appreciate you sharing your experience with us, and we're rooting for those fall plantings to thrive. Thanks for being such a dedicated gardener and for taking the time to leave a review. Keep on growing 🌻
- ShanaVerified ReviewerRated 5 out of 5 stars8/7/26Beautiful and delicious.
Seeds were quick and easy to germinate. Plants were robust and fruits were prolific,beautiful and delicious. Will definitely be planting these again. Dont skip on getting these, you will not be disappointed.
Which best describes you as a gardener? IntermediateBIBotanical Interests8/11/26Hey Shana,
We're so thrilled to hear about your amazing success with the Beefy Purple Bush Tomato Seeds! Quick germination, robust plants, and prolific beautiful fruits - that's exactly what we love to see! Your enthusiasm and recommendation really mean the world to us, and we're so glad these tomatoes delivered such delicious results for you. We can't wait to hear how they do when you plant them again! Thanks so much for sharing your experience with us. Keep on growing 🌻
- karen m.Verified BuyerRated 1 out of 5 stars8/3/26Produced small hard tomatoes with cracks and rot
I was excited to try this variety. The germination was perfect. Unfortunately the plants produced small hard fruits that turned color but had cracks, blemishes and rot. I grew them in 3 pots in roughly the same conditions as other varieties that performed much better. I much prefer the Glacier seeds I grew along side these for the very abundant harvest.
Which best describes you as a gardener? IntermediateBIBotanical Interests8/5/26Hey Karen,
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your thoughts in a review. I've reached out to you via email to offer assistance. Your feedback is invaluable to us, and we are committed to ensuring your experience is positive. Thank you once again for your input. Keep on growing 🌻️
- Shreesh N.Verified BuyerRated 4 out of 5 stars7/29/26Rich tomato, comparisons to red pride
I compare all of BI's tomatoes to the Red Pride (RP) bush variety. The RP plant is outstanding year after year for me. This year I tried these purple bush. There's a lot to like. Indeed, the striped tomatoes are fleshy and dense. The taste has a pleasant sweetness. While size will vary, they tend to be on the bigger side. Productivity is good, though not as prolific as the RP. However, there was one key difference vs the RP. The RP plants generate perfect tomatoes, no blemishes (especially if you pick the fruit once they start to blush, and then allow them to redden indoors). This makes storing and subsequent usage very easy and efficient. I noticed the purple bush often has growth blemishes. So I've found myself cutting off the damaged parts more frequently. You can see evidence in the pics below where I've compared purple bush to the RP. (Other examples had more impact damage. Very few were perfect.) Still a very good tomato.
Which best describes you as a gardener? ExpertBIBotanical Interests7/31/26Hey Shreesh,
We're so happy to hear about your experience with the Beefy Purple Bush Tomato Seeds! It's awesome that you found the striped tomatoes to be fleshy and dense with a pleasant sweetness, and we love that they tend to grow on the bigger side. Your detailed comparison with the Red Pride is really helpful feedback - we appreciate you taking the time to share your growing observations, including the notes about the blemishes you noticed on the fruit. Thanks for sticking with us and for being such a dedicated gardener! Keep on growing 🌻️
- James S.Verified BuyerRated 5 out of 5 stars7/7/26Tomatoes
I think I planted too early, I’ve tried again and have some germination and sprouted. Can’t wait to try beefy purple tomatoes! 👍👍
Which best describes you as a gardener? Intermediate