No. 021 · open-pollinated
Brad's Atomic Grape
Brad's Atomic Grape is an indeterminate open-pollinated grape tomato with lavender fruit. It ripens in about 75 days.
Flavor
Described as sweet and tangy by some catalogs and more spritely and tart than sweet by others, with comparisons to Green Zebra. This is the recurring catalog and grower description, not a measured claim.
Origin
Bred by Brad Gates of Wild Boar Farms in California and released as an open-pollinated variety; it earned Best of Show at the National Heirloom Expo.
What it does well
- Striking iridescent multicolor striped fruit
- Prolific, fruit grows in clusters
- Crack resistant and holds well on or off the vine
Where it frustrates
- Ripeness is hard to read because of the shifting colors
- Small fruit size means more picking for a given yield
Growing it
- Indeterminate vine. It keeps growing and setting fruit right up to frost, so plan on a tall stake or cage and regular pruning through the season.
- Mid-season timing, ripening around 70 to 80 days from transplant.
- Generally forgiving and beginner-friendly to grow.
- Skins resist cracking, even after a heavy rain.
- One of our picks for the cold, short-season gardens of New England.
Disease resistance
An open-pollinated variety, sold without formal disease-resistance codes.
Why no hardiness zone?
Tomatoes are warm-season annuals, so variety choice comes down to days to maturity and your local frost dates.
Like Brad's Atomic Grape, but...
Sold out, or after a change? The closest alternatives, and how they differ.
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Where to buy seed
Common questions
- Is Brad's Atomic Grape determinate or indeterminate?
- Brad's Atomic Grape is an indeterminate variety. Indeterminate vine. It keeps growing and setting fruit right up to frost, so plan on a tall stake or cage and regular pruning through the season.
- How long does Brad's Atomic Grape take to ripen?
- Brad's Atomic Grape ripens in about 75 days from transplant. Mid-season timing, ripening around 70 to 80 days from transplant.
- Is Brad's Atomic Grape an heirloom or a hybrid?
- Brad's Atomic Grape is open-pollinated, so seed saved from it comes back true to type.
- What can I grow instead of Brad's Atomic Grape?
- A close swap is Green Zebra, but elongated and multicolor rather than green striped, with a similar tart edge.
Sources
- Brad's Atomic Grape Tomato Seeds · The Living Seed Company
- Brad's Atomic Grape Tomato · Cultivate to Plate
- Brads Atomic Grape · Dave's Seed
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