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Tomatoes
Lycopersicon esculentum
Tomatoes are a warm season, frost tender annual. Seeds require a warm soil of between 18 - 28°C to germinate. Sowing at too low a temperature will cause delayed or failed germination.
In temperate areas: sow in early spring - either inside with extra bottom heat by using a bottom heat propagator, behind a sunny window or on top of a hot water system; if sowing outside wait until all frost danger has passed and the soil is warm. Generally if starting tomato seeds inside then begin 6 to 8 weeks before the last expected frost date in your area. By sowing early there will be time for a good crop to be produced before the first frost in winter.
In subtropical areas: sow March - October in frost-free areas
In tropical areas: sow late April - July.
In the hot, humid areas larger tomatoes such as Beefsteak, Oxheart and Grosse Lisse are unlikely to do well. On extremely hot days tomatoes can literally 'cook' on the vine and turn to mush. Tomatoes also can suffer sunburn; a white shadecloth cover can help reduce heat stress on the plants. The hardiest tomatoes for hot and humid conditions are cherry and roma types. For a round tomato Tropic is a good choice as it is disease resistant.
Seed Sowing
Sow 6 mm deep into seed raising mix in seedling pots or trays. Germination takes 7 - 14 days. Liquid feed the seedlings once germinated. Seedlings are ready to transplant when the 2nd set of 'true' leaves appear. During seedling development make sure the seedlings are not crowded and receive strong light. Seedlings become leggy (etiolated) with weak stems if the light is insufficient or if they are too crowded. The best seedlings have strong, stout stems.
Seedlings should be planted out in a full sun position after all frost danger has passed.
Plant in rows 90 cm apart with 45 - 60 cm between plants.
Transplant by planting seedlings deeper, up to the first set of 'true' leaves, first carefully removing the seed leaves. This speeds up fruit production and increases root depth.
Grow in a fertile, well-drained garden bed with a soil pH 5.8 - 7. Prepare the soil by adding compost. If stakes are required then put them at the same time as transplanting takes place to avoid later root disturbance. Providing support to keep fruit clear of the ground helps keep fruit clean and prevents slug and snail damage. Mulch the plants well. Keep well fertilised and evenly watered. Protect fruit from fruit fly with PestGuard Bags.
Avoid planting in garden beds that have grown tomatoes, potatoes, capsicums or eggplants recently. Recent research indicates pruning reduces yields but it can be useful in making plants much easier to stake.

Tomato 'Beefsteak' UT
syn. 'Red Ponderosa' or 'Crimson Cushion'
A very productive heirloom variety but doesn't tolerate temperatures above 32°C. Fruit is large (> 500g) flattened, slightly ribbed, brilliant crimson with meaty deep red flesh, few seeds with a 'real' tomato flavour, excellent for slicing. An indeterminate type so requires staking. Not suitable for hotter, wetter subtropical and tropical climates. Days to harvest: 80 - 96.
ST215 (approx. 80 seeds per pkt.)
ST216 (approx. 1500 seeds per pkt.)
ST181

Tomato 'Black Icicle' Rare UT
This is an open-pollinated Ukrainian tomato also called 'Sosulka Chernaya'. It is a paste type which are sometimes called plum or roma tomatoes. Fruits are elongated, up to 11 cm long and weighing up to 100 g, making them a larger roma type. Fruit has a sweet and rich flavour when well-ripened. Colour is similar to a 'Black Russian' ranging from dark red to mahogany. The tomato plants grow to 1.8 m tall on skinny vines with wispy leaves, it produces well over a long period. It is recommended for sauces, chutney and drying. An indeterminate (climbing) type so requires staking. Days to harvest: 70 - 80.
ST135 (approx. 40 seeds per pkt.)

Tomato 'Black Krim' UT
A Russian heirloom variety with large, 350g, beefsteak- type dark red to maroon fruit with a rich, full flavour. Shoulders have a dark green blush, flesh is dark red. Prone to cracking in wet weather but a very heavy producer. An indeterminate type so requires staking. Days to harvest: 80 - 90.
ST203 (approx. 80 seeds per pkt.)
ST204 (approx. 1500 seeds per pkt.)

Tomato 'Black Russian' UT
'Black Russian' is an heirloom variety with medium, round, dark-red fruit with a purple blush on the shoulders and very dark red flesh. It has a great flavour with a good balance of acid and sweet. An indeterminate type so requires staking. Days to harvest: 77.
ST170 (approx. 80 seeds per pkt.)
ST175 (approx. 1500 seeds per pkt.)

Tomato 'Cherokee Purple' UT
'Cherokee Purple' is an heirloom variety dating back to before 1890. The fruit are large, to 275 - 325 g, and juicy, with a sweet, rich flavour. It is an unusual colour with dusky purple-pink skin and flesh. A good producer, hardy and disease resistant. An indeterminate (climbing) type so requires staking. Days to harvest: 80.
ST271 (approx. 80 seeds per pkt.)
ST277

Tomatoes contain a nutrient called lycopene that has been shown in studies to help protect against breast, pancreatic, prostate, and intestinal cancers, and may help to reduce the risk of heart attacks. They are also a source of Vitamins C, A and E, potassium, and fibre. Organic tomatoes provide an even greater health benefit. Research at the Agricultural Research Service in Albany, California, USA, has found that the organic ketchup contains up to three times as much lycopene as ketchup made from conventionally grown tomatoes. 13 brands were tested, including three organic brands, with the organic brands recording an average of 183 micrograms of lycopene compared to averages of 60-100 micrograms for different conventional brands.
BFA The Organic Advantage Ed. 50

Tomato 'Cherry Black' UT
'Black Cherry' has a very rich and complex flavour for a cherry tomato, both sweet and fruity. The vigorous plants are covered in clusters of 2.5 cm round tomatoes. The colour is dark, dusky purple rather than black. It is easy to grow and disease resistant. An indeterminate (climbing) type so requires staking. Days to harvest: 65 - 75.
ST255 (approx. 40 seeds per pkt.)
ST256
ST136

Tomato 'Cherry Brown Berry' UT
The 'Cherry Brown Berry' has an excellent fruity sweetness with just a touch of acidity. It is a newer open-pollinated variety bred in the Netherlands. It produces huge yields of dark reddish-brown large cherry tomatoes. It fruits early and crops for months on end. It is highly resistant to splitting, easy to grow and disease resistant. An indeterminate (climbing) type so requires staking. Days to harvest: 72.
ST105 (approx. 40 seeds per pkt.)
ST106

Tomato 'Cherry Camp Joy' UT
syn. 'Chadwick Cherry'
An heirloom with fruit a little larger, 3.5 cm, than other cherry types, carried in clusters of 6. It has a delicious, sweet flavour and is very productive and disease resistant. 'Camp Joy' is an indeterminate type so requires staking. Days to harvest: 80.
ST223 (approx. 40 seeds per pkt.)
ST224 (approx. 1500 seeds per pkt.)
ST145

Tomato 'Cherry Cocktail' UT
A bright red cherry tomato, exceptionally sweet, very prolific with large trusses of fruit ripening at the same time on vigorous plants. Ideal for salads, early maturing and disease resistant. It has a semi-determinate plant habit; staking is recommended.
ST209 (approx. 40 seeds per pkt.)
ST210 (approx. 1500 seeds per pkt.)

Tomato 'Cherry Indigo Rose' UT
'Indigo Rose' was bred by Professor Myers at Oregon State University using traditional plant breeding techniques to produce a tomato with the extra nutritional boost of antioxidants. These attractive, purple-coloured fruit ripen to deep rich red with black shoulders. The antioxidant anthocyanin develops especially on the sides of the fruits the sun shines on. These small salad or large cherry tomatoes reach a diameter of 5 - 7 cm; fruit flavour is best when fully ripe. A very productive tomato with fruit held in clusters of 6 to 8. An indeterminate (climbing) type so requires staking. Does well in containers. Days to harvest: 80.
ST110 (approx. 80 seeds per pkt.)

Tomato 'Cherry Rainbow Mix' UT
A delightful and unique mix of 7 cherry tomatoes including 'Cherry Cocktail', 'Camp Joy', 'Pink Marbles', 'Black Cherry', 'Red Pear', 'Yellow Pear', 'Yellow Currant' and 'White Ice Cherry'.
ST155 (approx. 80 seeds per pkt.)
ST257 (approx. 1500 seeds per pkt.)
ST264

Tomato 'Cherry Red Pear' H UT
syn. 'Red Fig'
'Cherry Red Pear' is an heirloom variety with a rich flavour, it produces prolifically on sprawling bushes. An indeterminate type so requires staking. Days to harvest: 70.
ST201 (approx. 40 seeds per pkt.)
ST202 (approx. 1500 seeds per pkt.)

Tomato 'Cherry Yellow Currant' UT
Syn. 'Broad Ripple Yellow Currant'
'Yellow Currant' is an heirloom variety possibly dating to the 1700's but is likely to be far older and part of ancient Peruvian agriculture for millennia. It is the closest cultivar still in cultivation to tomatoes wild relatives. The small, round, bright yellow fruits with thin skins have a sweet-tart intense flavour. It is excellent used in salads and preserved. The vigorous, easy to grow plants are covered in clusters of 1 cm round tomatoes. It is hardy and disease resistant and rarely attacked by fruit fly. An indeterminate (climbing) type so requires staking, it produces a large, sprawling bush. Days to harvest: 75.
ST259 (approx. 40 seeds per pkt.)
ST260
ST280
ST144

Tomato 'Cherry Yellow Pear' H UT
syn. 'Beam's Yellow Pear'
Delightful little yellow pear-shaped fruit are hard to resist. Very vigorous and prolific, heavy clusters of fruit with a mild, sweet flavour. Produces all summer long, drought resistant. Excellent for salads. An indeterminate type so requires staking. Days to harvest: 70.
ST225 (approx. 40 seeds per pkt.)
ST226 (approx. 1500 seeds per pkt.)
ST265
ST262

Tomato Heights
Many factors can affect the height of tomato plants including soil type, time of year, watering etc. The main factor however, is whether the tomato is determinate or indeterminate.
Determinate tomatoes are also commonly described as 'bush' types and usually grow between 90 and 120 cm. There are also new compact hybrids developed to be 'space saving'.
Indeterminate tomatoes are also commonly described as 'climbing' types and usually grow between 1.8 and 2.4m. They generally need staking. Most open-pollinated, heirloom tomatoes are indeterminate.

Looking for climbing plant supports? We recommend these:
Spiral Topper

Tomato 'Costoluto Fiorentino' UT
A truly delicious, juicy Italian heirloom producing large fruits up to 450 g on vigorous indeterminate plants. 'Costoluto' refers to the flattened, deeply ribbed shape which looks beautiful sliced on an open sandwich. The bright red colour makes an attractive pasta sauce with a rich flavour. Days to harvest: 75 - 80.
ST102 (approx. 80 seeds per pkt.)
ST109 (approx. 1500 seeds per pkt.)

Tomato 'Earl of Edgecombe' UT
This heirloom from New Zealand has a beautiful flavour that is rich, sweet and tart all at once, the texture is smooth and meaty. The fruit is an orange globe to 75 mm, held in clusters of 2 or more. It is resistant to cracking and blossom end rot. Yellow tomatoes can be even better for you than red tomatoes as they contain a more easily assimilated form of lycopene. When the 6th Earl of Edgecombe died the next in line was a sheep farmer in New Zealand. When he travelled to England to claim the title, he brought this tomato with him. An indeterminate (climbing) type so requires staking. Days to harvest: 73 - 78.
ST148 (approx. 80 seeds per pkt.)
ST149

Tomato 'Green Zebra' UT
'Green Zebra' is an indeterminate type so requires staking. It is a beautiful chartreuse tomato with deep lime-green stripes, very attractive. Flesh is rich tasting, sweet with a sharp bite to it. Yield is excellent. Days to harvest: 77.
ST197 (approx. 80 seeds per pkt.)
ST198 (approx. 1500 seeds per pkt.)

Tomato 'Grosse Lisse' UT
'Grosse Lisse' is an old Australian favourite. It has medium to large, globe-shaped, deep red fruit with a great flavour. It produces abundantly over a long period. It is an indeterminate (climbing) type so requires staking. It also grows very tall and it is best with some pruning of early side-shoots. Try to develop just 2 main leaders. If too many leaders are kept, fruit size will be reduced. Days to harvest: 86.
ST165 (approx. 80 seeds per pkt.)
ST182 (approx. 1500 seeds per pkt.)
ST193
ST166

Tomato 'Kangaroo Paw Brown' UT
'Kangaroo Paw Brown' was bred as part of the Dwarf Tomato Project using traditional plant breeding techniques to produce compact, easy-to-maintain dwarf tomato plants. The sweet fruit are small (ping pong ball sized), round with deep crimson flesh and dark, chocolate-coloured shoulders when ripe. They crop heavily on sturdy plants 60 - 100 cm high. It is a determinate type so an excellent choice for containers and useful for gardeners who don't want to have to use tall stakes. Days to harvest: 75.
ST111 (approx. 80 seeds per pkt.)
ST115

Tomato 'Moneymaker' UT
'Moneymaker' is an old English variety producing plenty of intense red, medium-sized, round fruit, approx. 160g. The fruit is thin skinned with a solid flesh and fine flavour. Copes well with high humidity. Indeterminate type so requires staking. Days to harvest: 75 - 80.
ST212 (approx. 80 seeds per pkt.)
ST213 (approx. 1500 seeds per pkt.)
ST214
ST117

Grow The Best Tomatoes Booklet and Seed Pack Save $6.45
Includes an informative booklet and three packets of seeds: grow tasty tomatoes for salads, cooking and preserving.

One copy of the Grow The Best Tomatoes booklet

Tomato seeds:

'Tropic' - sweet, medium-large, disease resistant
'San Marzano' - Roma tomato; tasty fresh, ideal for cooking
'Cherry Rainbow Mix' - unique and colourful mix of 7 cherry tomatoes

BG139Save $6.45

Tomato 'Mortgage Lifter' UT
'Mortgage Lifter' is a beefsteak-type tomato created in the 1930's. This heavy yielding variety is low-acid, with a sweet, rich flavour. Fruit is large (>750g), slightly flattened; with meaty, deep pink flesh and few seeds; excellent for slicing. Big tomatoes perform less well in humid areas. Indeterminate type so requires staking. Days to harvest: 80 - 90.
ST187 (approx. 80 seeds per pkt.)
ST188 (approx. 1500 seeds per pkt.)

Tomato 'Oxheart' UT
syn. 'Bullock's Heart', 'Coeur de Boeuf'
An old garden favourite with heart-shaped rose-red fruit to 600g. The flesh is firm and meaty with very few seeds and an excellent flavour. Good for slicing and sauces. Grows well in cool areas. Indeterminate type so requires staking. Days to harvest: 80.
ST176 (approx. 80 seeds per pkt.)
ST183 (approx. 1500 seeds per pkt.)
ST208
ST169

I purchased a small roll of the Pestguard cover recently and am now receiving the benefits !! I can honestly say I have never grown tomatoes as beautiful as these in 45 years of growing Grosse Lisse in the Blue Mountains for 25 years, Mudgeeraba for 12 years and now Crows Nest for the last 4 years, not a blemish, red flesh right through and very juicy with no spraying or dusting at all !!!
Kevin at Crow's Nest.

Tomato 'Roma San Marzano' UT
'San Marzano' is a vigorous, reliable variety with clusters of deep red, pear-shaped fruit. It is very tasty eaten fresh and ideal for bottling, cooking, pastes and drying, as it has few seeds. It is a bushy type but may benefit from staking. Days to harvest: 60 - 80.
ST205 (approx. 80 seeds per pkt.)
Also on sale as part of a Warm Season Seed Collection
ST206 (approx. 1500 seeds per pkt.)
ST189
ST120

Tomato 'Rouge de Marmande' UT
syn. 'Early Girl'
'Rouge de Marmande' is a French heirloom that produces clusters of 170 g deep red, slightly flattened, ribbed fruits that are up to 9 cm across. The fruit has an outstanding flavour and very few seeds. It is early maturing and will set fruit well in cooler conditions than other varieties. Good disease and pest resistance. Indeterminate type so requires staking. Days to harvest: 65 - 75.
ST229 (approx. 80 seeds per pkt.)
ST230

Tomato 'Thai Pink Egg' H UT
'Thai Pink Egg' is a bush (determinate) type so does not require staking. The delicious, sweet, pink, grape-shaped, 40 mm long fruit are sold in Thai markets. It is a very heavy cropper, continuing to fruit in humid areas long after other types have succumbed. it is resistant to cracking even in heavy rain. Days to harvest: 55 - 75.
ST190 (approx. 80 seeds per pkt.)
ST191 (approx. 1500 seeds per pkt.)
ST207
ST143

Tomato 'Tommy Toe' H UT
Syn. 'Steakhouse'
Heirloom tomato originated in the Ozarks USA that is highly productive and copes well with heat and humidity. The 3 cm cherry tomato has a complex, sweet rich flavour that constantly wins taste tests. It grows over a long season and is disease resistant. An indeterminate (climbing) type so requires staking. Days to harvest: 75.
ST278 (approx. 80 seeds per pkt.)
ST279 (approx. 1500 seeds per pkt.)

Tomato 'Tropic' H UT
'Tropic' is an indeterminate type so requires staking. Firm, round, red fruit with slightly green shoulders have a sweet flavour, weigh approx. 250g. It is the best variety for hot, humid areas; disease resistant. Days to harvest: 80.
ST167 (approx. 80 seeds per pkt.)
ST185 (approx. 1500 seeds per pkt.)
ST192

Tomato 'Yellow Perfection' UT
This is an old British heirloom with smooth, round, golf-ball sized, golden yellow fruit. The brilliant yellow colour is very appealing, the fruit is sweet, thin-skinned and juicy. A very prolific producer, that starts early and continues over a long period. An indeterminate (climbing) type so requires staking. Days to harvest: 75.
ST156 (approx. 80 seeds per pkt.)

To Prune Or Not To Prune?
Pruning tomatoes is a traditional practice for many gardeners but is it really necessary or even beneficial?

First of all, it is mainly indeterminate varieties that need pruning. As indeterminate varieties include most heirlooms and cherry tomatoes and this is actually what most home gardeners are growing then it follows that this discussion is intended for home gardeners and not commercial production.

The next point to take into account is how you intend to support your tomato plants. If you use tomato stakes then the plants will definitely require close attention to pruning. The plants will simply get too large to be tied to a single stake and it best to prune often and only allow 2 leaders (main stems) to develop.
If you plan to use tomato cages than you can allow 2-5 leaders to develop and just prune off anything that escapes the cage.

This type of pruning removes the additional shoots (suckers) that form at the leaf axils to limit the number of stems the tomato plant has.
Pros and cons of sucker pruning:

Pruning may produce bigger fruit but less of them. Research and comparison trials have demonstrated that pruned plants are not more productive although this claim is often made.
Pruning will produce fruit earlier.
Pruning may cause the fruit to be more prone to sunburn if there is not sufficient leaf cover, this is a significant problem in most areas of Australia.
It requires constant effort by the gardener.

There are 2 other forms of pruning, both of which are recommended for all types of tomatoes:

1. The lower leaves on a tomato plant naturally yellow and wilt as the plant matures. This is normal and does not mean the plant has a disease. Removing these old leaves keeps the plants tidy, improves air-flow and helps prevent disease occurring.

2. Indeterminate tomato types will just keep growing making it difficult to keep them supported and protected from fruit fly and birds. Topping the plant by removing the top shoots will limit further growth. In cold areas this helps to mature fruit before the first frost by forcing sugar production towards the fruit and away from continued growth. Height can also be reduced by tying the tomato bush to a stake 1.5 m high and then just allowing additional growth to flop over.

At Green Harvest we are passionate about open-pollinated, heirloom seed as we believe it is a resource belonging to all people, not a product to be exploited by a few. Open-pollinated vegetable seeds are genetically diverse treasures that have been passed on from generation to generation of gardeners. We invite you to contact us if you would like to help us preserve open-pollinated seed varieties in Australia. More information on seed saving...

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	edible flower petals to add colour, flavour and nutrition to meals
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organically certified
guaranteed germination
open-pollinated
heirloom
not GMO (genetically modified)

More information about our seeds.

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Seed to WA: A $6.95 Quarantine Fee will be charged for all seed orders to WA. Green Harvest is sharing the cost of the quarantine fee with all our WA customers. Read more...

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