Tomato Seed Long Keeper

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Description

First introduced by Burpee, the American seed house, in 1979

Without doing anything out of the ordinary, this meaty beefsteak tomato is possibly the latest variety to ripen naturally, with the first fruits being ready to eat in late September / early October - even under protection. This makes it the perfect tomato for anyone trying to extend the cropping season and perfect for school gardens, where ripe fruits in the summer holidays would go to waste.

But where this variety really comes into its own is just how well the green fruits store if picked in the autumn. They can then brought into warmer conditions later to ripen, giving the potential to be eating 'fresh' home grown tomatoes as late as February.

The juicy, meaty fruits average 3 - 4" (7.5 - 10 cm) in diameter and are perfect for cooking in virtually every way, from grilling, to roasting to puréeing. And what could be better than fresh home-grown tomatoes with your Christmas leftovers?

To make the most of this variety's long-keeping properties, we would advise a second sowing around May/June to ensure a large quantity of green fruits hanging on the vine in October. These should be picked complete with calyx (the little green 'spider' at the top), wrapped dry in soft tissue and stored at around 50ºF (10°C).

Throughout December, January and February, transfer the green fruits to a fruit bowl as required, take off the tissue and place a ripe banana or apple amongst the green tomatoes. At a temperature of 70 - 75°F (21 - 24ºC) they will ripen over a period of about two weeks and have the taste of summer tomatoes.

• This is an indeterminate variety and best grown as a cordon (vine).
• For best yields stop at 4th truss.
• Best crops will be grown under protection.

Pricing

1 = £2.75

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25 = £2.50

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Qty:

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How To...

How To Sow & Grow Tomatoes
Detailed advice on sowing and growing tomatoes outside and under protection. Includes information on watering, feeding and pest control.

How To Videos

How To Grow Tomatoes - Part 1 (Video)
An instructional video by Stephen on the basics of caring for tomatoes in the first few months.

How To Grow Tomatoes - Part 2 (Video)
An instructional video by Stephen on the basics of caring for tomatoes as the season progresses.

How To Save Tomato Seed (Video)
An instructional video by Stephen on how to harvest and save tomato seed.

How To Sow & Transplant Tomatoes (Video)
An instructional video by Stephen explaining how to sow and then transplant tomatoes.

Recipes

Smoked Tomato Chutney Recipe
A simple recipe for making delicious, tangy smoked tomato chutney. Goes well with cold meats, poultry or cheese.

General Information

A Note About Our Seed Packets & Seed Counts
Information on Victoriana's method of packeting seed, including information on the seed packets. Also details on Victoriana's seed guarantee.

Magazine Articles

Get Your Kids Into Gardening
An article about encouraging children to garden written by Stephen Shirley that appeared in Grow Your Own magazine

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