HoneyCrisp Tomato Seeds

Solanum lycopersicum

Sweet, fruity and remarkably crisp, this sunset-orange cherry tomato was developed by breeders Mark McCaslin, Aaron Whaley and Emily Rose Haga. Their program runs on one rule: flavor first. Every line is blind-tasted before they layer on disease resistance, never the other way around. 

HoneyCrisp began with a lucky find in their research where a bullet-shaped cherry with excellent flavor and an unusual crunch caught their eye. They crossed it with one of their most trusted lines, a tangerine-colored tomato prized for pairing great taste with strong disease resistance, and HoneyCrisp was born. 

Across our trials, this little tomato stood out for its bright, tropical flavor, which comes from beta-carotene. But it’s the crisp bite that won us over in every tasting—and even its breeders can’t fully explain it.

In the field, HoneyCrisp is as tough as it is tasty. An excellent disease package makes it reliable in both open-field and tunnel production. And the crack-resistant fruit hold their quality long after picking.

In the kitchen, HoneyCrisp earns its name: fruity sweetness and a satisfying crunch. Toss it into salads, skewer and grill it or roast it to deepen its sweetness. Or simply snack on it straight off the vine.

Our HoneyCrisp tomato seeds were produced in California. Certified organic by NOFA-NY.

Days to Harvest

• 55 Days from transplant

Appearance: 

• Yellow-orange color. Elongated grape shape.

Spacing

• 18” in-row
• 36”- 48” between row

Field Notes

• Suitable for open field and tunnel production 
• Soil Requirements: Fertile, well drained soils with an optimal pH of 6.5
• Indeterminate habit– stake to support plants.
• Phosphorus and calcium will boost yields and prevent blossom end rot.

Transplanting

• Start seeds indoors 5-6 weeks before transplanting. 
• Sow seeds ¼” deep in trays or shallow flats, 4 seeds per inch. 
• Germinate on a heat mat for 7+ days (optimal soil temperature: 75-85˚F). Maintain consistent moisture. At true leaf stage (4 weeks), transplant to 2”-cell trays or 4” pots. Maintain temperatures at 60-70˚F. 
• Move transplants outdoors to harden off gradually for 3-5 days, protecting seedlings from wind, strong sun, hard rain and cold. 
• Transplant outdoors after risk of frost has passed, when soil temperatures do not dip below 55˚F.

Direct Seeding

• Not recommended 

Disease + Pest

• Tomato Mosaic Virus, Leaf Mold A-E, Bacterial Speck, Root Knot Nematode, Fusarium Wilt Race 1/2 and Verticillium Wilt 
• Use best management practices such as drip irrigation and moisture management, crop rotation, removal of post-harvest crop debris and proper air circulation to prevent common tomato diseases. Be careful not to use tobacco prior to handling plants. Properly timed use of organic fungicides can help combat infection.
• Pests: Monitor carefully for aphids, flea beetles and whiteflies on seedlings. Control insect pests with biological control or organic insecticide such as pyrethrin, spinosad, soaps, etc. as appropriate. Tomato hornworms (using a blacklight at night is helpful) and potato beetles can also be managed by consistent monitoring and handpicking.

Harvest

• Harvest when the fruit color is uniformly orange. Trusses will ripen unevenly.  Tomatoes should be picked multiple times a week.

Storage

• Long-storing off the vine (up to 2 weeks).
• Store whole and dry at 45-60˚F in an open container for up to two weeks.

Seed Specs

• 13,829 seeds/ounce; 221,262 seeds/pound

Toss into salads, skewer and grill, roast for sweetness, or snack off the vine.