Rio Grande
Single source · Reviewed Sep 9, 2026
Values marked like this (estimated) are model estimates, not confirmed from a source.
Open-pollinated plum from Italy. Heat-tolerant determinate paste tomato that ripens as one concentrated canning crop. Ready in about 78 days from transplant.
- Open-pollinated
- 78 (estimated) days to maturity (from transplant)
- Determinate
- Medium fruit
- Moderate (estimated)
At a glance
- Fruit type
- Plum 3–5 oz (90–140 g) · Oval (estimated)
- Leaf type
- Regular leaf
- Plant height
- 3–4 ft (90–120 cm) (estimated) Medium height
- Spacing
- 18 × 35 in (45 × 90 cm) (estimated)
- Sunlight
- Full sun
- Position
- Handles open positions
- Growing sites
- Greenhouse · Polytunnel · Open ground · Container
- Container growing
- Balcony friendly min. 6 gal (25 L) pot (estimated)
- Skin
-
- Red
- Interior
-
- Red
Plant size and habit
Medium height · Determinate
3–4 ft (90–120 cm) (estimated) · Regular leaf
Rio Grande is a determinate plant that stops growing at a set height and ripens most of its crop in one concentrated window; a cage is usually enough support. Expect a plant of 3–4 ft (90–120 cm).
Flavor
“Heat-tolerant determinate paste tomato that ripens as one concentrated canning crop.”
Growing calendar
- Sow indoors
- Transplant out
- Harvest
Timing shown for temperate climates; sow indoors 6–8 weeks before your last frost date.
Disease resistance
- V Verticillium wilt
- F1 Fusarium wilt (race 1)
Uses & tags
- Sauce & paste
- Canning
- Drying
- Roasting
- Sauce workhorse
- High yield
- Hot climate
- Beginner friendly
Origin
Rio Grande is a determinate processing tomato of Italian origin, held by the USDA as NSL 300552 since 1994, bred for hot climates where many paste varieties drop their flowers before setting. It ripens as a concentrated crop suited to a single canning session rather than a trickle across the season.
Sources
Where to buy seeds
All photos
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Rio Grande tomatoes ripening on the vine under cover -
A truss of Rio Grande tomatoes -
Rio Grande tomato plant in a garden bed with ripe fruit on the vine -
A ripe Rio Grande tomato held in a gardener's hand -
Freshly picked Rio Grande tomatoes -
Rio Grande tomato sliced in the kitchen
Questions
How long does Rio Grande take to mature?
Rio Grande is ready in about 78 days from transplant.
Does Rio Grande need staking?
Rio Grande is a determinate plant that stops growing at a set height and ripens most of its crop in one concentrated window; a cage is usually enough support. Expect a plant of 3–4 ft (90–120 cm).
Can Rio Grande be grown in a container?
Yes — Rio Grande grows well in a container of at least 25 L (6 gal).
Is Rio Grande resistant to disease?
Rio Grande carries documented resistance to Verticillium wilt and Fusarium wilt (race 1).
See also
Other plum varieties people put next to this one.
Grows like this one
Determinate, mid-late, full sun. Same support, same calendar.
