Whittemore Heirloom Tomato
Item Details
Considered one of the best- tasting tomatoes by Seed Savers Exchange staff, this variety offers complex and well-balanced flavor. The impressively large pink beefsteak tomatoes have large lobes and deep ribbing. Some fruits may have moderate cracking, but they are remarkably blemish-free with respect to their size—a whopping 1½-2 pounds and nearly 5-6" in width. Edley Bellamy of Virginia donated this seed to Seed Savers Exchange; Bellamy received the variety from Oscar Gibson in 1993.
- 70-80 days from transplant
- Organic
- From the Collection
- Beefsteak
- Fruits grow 1 1/2 - 2 pounds
This variety works for:
- Fresh eating
- Sauce
- Paste
- Roasting
- Canning
- Drying
- Freezing
Store your tomatoes at room temperature. The flavor and texture of tomatoes suffer when the fruit is chilled.
Heirloom tomatoes are bred for their flavor and simple preparation best allows that intense flavor to shine through. Tomatoes can be sliced and drizzled with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and salt and pepper or layer slices with basil and mozzarella for a Caprese salad.
Roasted tomatoes have a richer, concentrated flavor.
There are hundreds of salsa recipes to try and most are dramatically improved with the use of heirloom tomatoes. Tomatoes are also the main ingredient in Gazpacho, a cold soup that is perfect for summer.
Growing Instructions
Instructions - Sow seeds indoors ¼" deep. Tomatoes are sensitive to freezing temperatures, so wait to transplant outdoors until the soil is warm. Plant in full sun.
- Start Indoors: 6 weeks before last frost
- Germination: 7-14 Days
- Plant Outdoors: 24-36” Apart
- Support: Cage, stake, or trellis
Ratings & Reviews
4 reviews
Huge
by Bill Scott
Wow, the size of these tomatoes. They had no core, just all useable tomatoes. Best tasting tomatoes ever.
You won't be disappointed
by Alyssa
These tomatoes are HUGE and had hardly any cracking on fruits. Outstanding flavor, not to mention beautiful pink coloration.
Best Tasting Tomatoes
by Bill F
These are absolutely the best tasting tomatoes I've ever had, by a lot. Delicious tomato to the core. Mine tend to crack in the hot summer days in the Midwest, but are still delicious.
Five Stars
by MC
Best tomatoes I've ever tasted. The flavor is indescribable. I was impressed at how much one plant produced. The plant easily grew over 8 feet tall in my zone which isn't a long season (5a). Canning them was easy and I oftentimes ate the tomatoes right out of the jar for a snack!