Dwarf Wild Fred Tomato
Price: $3.95
SKU: 3402621Introduced in 2011, 'Dwarf Wild Fred' originated from a cross between 'New Big Dwarf' and 'Carbon' made in 2005 by Bruce Bradshaw in California. This variety was selected and named by the Dwarf Tomato Project co-founder Craig LeHoullier after his father Wilfred, from a humorous misspelling of his name in a church bulletin.
We first trialed this variety in 2008. Now in its seventh generation, it is a quite stable, open-pollinated variety but still may produce the occasional off-type plant.
Fruit Color: Purple
Special Groups: Container Friendly
Special Groups: "Epic" Tomatoes
Special Groups: Dwarf Tomato Project
Harvest Timing: Main Crop / Mid-Season
Full light and cooler temps (60° to 70°) will help to prevent the seedlings from becoming too leggy. If plants become rootbound before you can safely set them into the ground, transplant them into larger pots.
Harden off plants before planting outside. Young plants are very susceptible to frost and sunburn damage. Avoid too much nitrogen. Water evenly but not in excess.
Click here to view our full tomato growing guide.
Customer Reviews:
By Shrinkrap (Northern California) on July 3, 2024
Beautiful plant, beautiful tasty tomato!
By GardeningGal (East Tennessee, Zone 7A) on March 2, 2024
I've grown Dwarf Wild Fred ("DWF") for three years, and it's always a pleasure. Here's what I love about this dwarf tomato.
The taste - soooo yummy! The fruits for me average around 6-8 ounces, which is a perfect size for my uses (fresh eating, salads, sauces). Very little cracking for me (but some, when we get heavy rain). The flavor is rich and well-balanced (did I say I love it yet?).
The plant itself -- nice sized, about 3.5' tall, with a bit more open habit than a lot of the other dwarf tomatoes. This makes it easy to both see the ripe fruits and then pick them. It was one of the first varieties to produce fruit, and it grew very healthy until it got really hot (90+) and humid for about a month. Then again, most of my tomato plants didn't like that (nor did I, LOL).
I've grown DWF in a 5-gallon grow bag, and also in a raised bed. As expected, it grows more vigorously in a raised bed. Word of warning, though -- in both cases, the plant needs support once it starts producing tomatoes.
Anyway, I am out of my seeds, so back for another packet! DWF will always be in my garden.
By Nanelle Jones-Sullivan on July 27, 2022
I've grown this one for at least three years, and even when we start the season cool, or start the season hot, it sets fruit.
By Craig LeHoullier on February 9, 2022
My dad loved Cherokee Purple, so when I found what seemed to be a Cherokee Purple look- and taste-alike early on in our project, it had to be named for him. This tomato may be the closest of our dwarfs in flavor, color and size to Cherokee Purple. I love it.
