Big Boy Tomato

What is Big Boy tomato?

Big Boy is an F1 hybrid indeterminate slicing tomato introduced by Burpee in 1949 that produces 1-pound-plus fruits 78 days after transplanting. It grows 4–6 feet tall, produces all season until frost, and remains one of the most recognized slicing tomatoes in US garden centers more than 75 years after its introduction.

Few tomato varieties have the staying power of Big Boy. Burpee introduced it at a time when most home garden tomatoes were small-fruited or inconsistently sized heirlooms. Big Boy’s ability to produce large, uniformly round, meaty fruits on a predictable schedule made it a national bestseller almost immediately.

Today it faces competition from its own offspring — Better Boy (introduced 1968), which adds disease resistance codes that Big Boy lacks. Many gardeners who grew up with Big Boy have switched to Better Boy for that reason. But Big Boy still offers something its improved successor doesn’t: larger average fruit size. When you want the biggest possible slicing tomatoes for summer sandwiches and salads, Big Boy reliably delivers.

Big Boy vs. Better Boy and other large slicers

The lack of disease resistance codes on Big Boy is a real consideration. In the Southeast and Midwest — regions with established fusarium wilt, verticillium wilt, and nematode populations in the soil — Big Boy plants are vulnerable in a way that Better Boy plants are not. In gardens with no history of these problems, or in northern zones where the pathogen pressure is lower, Big Boy performs well.

Site and soil requirements

Big Boy needs full sun — 8–10 hours daily — and fertile, well-drained soil with a pH of 6.0–6.8. It is a vigorous vine and is a heavy feeder throughout the long growing season.

Site requirements:

• Sun: 8+ hours daily. Six hours is the minimum for acceptable fruit set; below that, plants produce poorly.
• Soil pH: 6.0–6.8. Outside this range, nutrient availability drops, particularly calcium and magnesium.
• Drainage: Well-drained. Big Boy roots growing in waterlogged soil are highly susceptible to root rot and blossom end rot.
• Organic matter: Incorporate 2–4 inches of compost before planting. Big Boy is a heavy feeder and benefits from high-organic-matter soil.

Avoid planting in soil where tomatoes, peppers, or eggplant were grown in the previous 1–2 seasons. Rotating to a fresh area reduces disease and nematode pressure in the soil.

When to plant Big Boy tomatoes by USDA zone

Big Boy is a long-season variety at 78 days to first fruit. In northern zones, start indoors 6–8 weeks before the last frost date to maximize the growing window.

In Zones 3–4, a 78-day variety is tight. Use season extenders — black plastic mulch, row covers — to warm the soil faster in spring and capture heat in fall.

How to plant Big Boy tomatoes

Plant transplants deeply — bury the stem up to the first set of true leaves. Buried stem tissue forms additional roots, producing a stronger root system and better drought resistance.

Spacing:

• In-ground rows: 36–48 inches between plants, 4–5 feet between rows
• Raised beds: 36 inches between plants minimum. Big Boy is a vigorous vine and needs room.
• Do not crowd: Close spacing increases disease pressure through reduced air circulation

Harden off transplants over 7–10 days before outdoor planting. Bring them outside for a few hours daily, gradually increasing exposure. Direct transplanting without hardening causes transplant shock and delayed establishment.

Staking and support for Big Boy

Big Boy needs a support structure at least 5–6 feet tall. Standard 3–4-foot wire tomato cages are inadequate — the plant will outgrow them by August in most US zones.

Support options:

• Florida weave (most practical for multiple plants): Install 6-foot T-posts or wooden stakes every 3–4 feet along the row. Weave heavy twine between plants as they grow. This is the standard method for commercial US tomato growing.
• Single 6-foot stake: One per plant, driven 12 inches into the ground for stability. Tie the main stem every 8–12 inches as it grows. Works for 1–3 plants.
• Heavy-gauge wire cage (5–7 feet): Cattle panels bent into cylinders (18+ inches in diameter) work well. Standard 4-foot wire cages are too small.

Set up support at transplant time, not after. Disturbing roots to add stakes later damages the plant and can spread soil-borne pathogens.

For detailed guidance on tomato support structures for indeterminate varieties, see our tomato cages guide.

Should you prune Big Boy tomatoes?

Yes, for the largest fruits. Train Big Boy to 2 main stems by removing suckers below the first flower cluster. This concentrates plant energy into fewer, heavier fruits.

Suckers are the shoots that emerge in the “V” between the main stem and a branch. Left in place, they become additional stems that each produce fruits — more total tomatoes per plant, but each one smaller. With Big Boy, where the attraction is large slicing fruits, pruning to 2 stems delivers the best result.

Pruning approach for Big Boy:

1. Keep the main central stem
2. Allow one sucker below the first flower cluster to grow as a second main stem
3. Remove all other suckers below the first flower cluster when they are 2–3 inches long
4. Above the first flower cluster, be selective — remove suckers that cross into the plant’s interior but allow some lateral fruiting branches
5. Stop removing suckers 4–6 weeks before your expected first fall frost

Small suckers snap off cleanly with fingers. Larger suckers (over 4 inches) should be cut with clean scissors or pruners to reduce wound size.

For the full sucker-removal technique with illustrations, see our how to prune tomatoes guide.

Fertilizing Big Boy tomatoes

Big Boy is one of the heaviest-feeding tomatoes in the home garden. A plant growing 4–6 feet over an entire season needs sustained nutrition throughout.

Three-stage fertilizer program:

1. At planting: Work a balanced granular fertilizer (10-10-10) into soil per label rate. Or add 2 cups compost per planting hole.
2. First flowers appear: Switch to a low-nitrogen tomato fertilizer (5-10-10 or 8-32-16). High nitrogen at this stage causes excessive foliage at the expense of fruit.
3. Fruit swelling through harvest: Apply a calcium-containing tomato fertilizer every 2 weeks. Big Boy fruits are large and calcium-intensive — deficiency shows up as blossom end rot on the first cluster.

Our tomato fertilizer guide covers product selection and application rates for each growth stage.

Watering for Big Boy

Consistent deep watering is more important for Big Boy than for smaller-fruited varieties. The large fruits crack easily when inconsistent soil moisture causes rapid cell expansion.

Watering rules:

• Target: 1–2 inches per week, delivered in 2–3 deep sessions. Shallow daily watering promotes shallow roots.
• Mulch: 3–4 inches of straw or shredded leaves around each plant. Mulch stabilizes soil moisture and reduces surface temperature.
• Drip irrigation: Delivers water directly to roots without wetting foliage. Reduces foliar disease significantly compared to overhead sprinklers.
• After rain: In wet periods, check drainage and avoid additional irrigation even if the surface looks dry.

For questions about watering frequency and timing, see our how often to water tomato plants guide.

Common problems with Big Boy tomatoes

Big Boy’s lack of disease resistance is its main weakness. In gardens with soil disease history, Better Boy tomato — which adds VFN resistance — is the more practical choice. For diagnosing yellow leaves on tomato plants from any cause, see our yellow leaves on tomato plants guide.

Harvesting Big Boy tomatoes

Harvest Big Boy when fruits are fully red and yield slightly under gentle finger pressure. Do not wait until completely soft — at that point, cracking and splitting become more likely.

Harvest tips:

• First ripe fruits appear 78 days after transplanting. In most US zones, this is late July through August.
• Big Boy fruits harvested at the “breaker stage” (20–30% red color) ripen successfully indoors on a countertop.
• Do not refrigerate tomatoes — cold temperatures destroy flavor and texture. Store at room temperature below 65°F if possible.
• A single well-maintained Big Boy plant typically produces 8–20 large fruits per season.

The difference between Big Boy and high-yield cherry varieties is stark. A Super Sweet 100 plant may produce 200+ small fruits while a Big Boy produces 12–15 large ones. The appeal is different: fewer, larger fruits for slicing, sandwiches, and fresh eating rather than volume snacking.

Big Boy for slicing and fresh use

Big Boy was designed specifically for the American summer table — thick, meaty slices for BLT sandwiches, hamburgers, and salads. The fruit wall is thicker than most heirlooms, with less seed cavity space.

For companion planting that improves Big Boy performance and helps deter pests, see our tomato companion plants guide.

For a broader guide to growing tomatoes from seed through harvest, see our how to grow tomatoes guide.