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Tomatoes & Tomatilloes
What would a garden, a summer, a barbequed burger, or winter stew be
without tomatoes? The wonderful world of tomatoes opens right up
when you start to include heritage varieties in your garden and
kitchen. Lots of colours, shapes, tastes and textures add
diversity to your food, and the stories behind many of these varieties
below add food for thought.
Hope Seeds has both determinate (bush-habit, fruits tend to ripen all at once which is great for those who process or can a bunch at one time) and indeterminate
(climbers, generally good in greenhouses when trained on strings,
fruits ripening throughout the season) varieties. The former tend
to respond well to less
pruning (i.e. don't take out those suckers!) and don't necessarily need
support, while the latter produce more fruits when suckers
are trimmed out and really appreciate a cage or stake to keep them
off the ground.
We offer early varieties , red slicing varieties , paste varieties for canning, salads or sauce , cherry varieties , and non-red varieties . Don't forget the tomatillo
- the green cousin of the tomato that grows inside a papery-husk and is
the main ingredient in salsa verde. There's the perfect tomato
for everyone!
Approximately 400 seeds/gram. Packs are 0.2g, approximately 100 seeds.
Early
Red Slicing
Paste
Cherry
Non-Red
Tomatillo
Early Tomatoes
TIGERELLA
(Indeterminate)
Certified Organic
57 days from
transplant.
She's a beauty! Tigerella is queen of the patch when it comes to
flavour and productivity for an early field tomato. 2" to 2-1/2" fruits
are a sunny orange that develop their tiger stripes as they ripen.
When taste-testing last summer, Tigerella raised everyone's
eyebrows with her rich tomato flavour. Old English variety.
Product code: 2418-CO
Price: A = $2.75 (0.2g) |
TRIBE'S TOBIQUE (Determinate)
CROP FAILURE - Try Tigerella or
Early Latah in its place!
57 days from transplant.
Legend has it that Fred Tribe of Perth-Andover, NB (a renowned
local naturalist who celebrated his 95th birthday in 2007), was
paddling the Tobique river late June one year and caught a glimpse of
red along the banks of Spring greenery. Upon closer inspection,
he discovered a "wild" tomato plant sporting ripe fruits ready for
eating. Knowing this was a rare find in these parts of NB, Fred
collected some of the seeds which have since made their way through
local gardens and seed swaps, now in the hands of Hope Seeds thanks to
Mike Couper of Beechwood. Round, red-orange fruits about 2" across - a
great first taste of summer, from the wilds of NB!
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EARLY LATAH
(Determinate)
Certified Organic
 57 days from transplant. A
favourite early variety of Hope Seeds' customers.
Early Latah takes the cold very well, and sports 2-3" round red
fruits from July till frost.
Product code: 2403-CO
Price: A = $2.75 (0.2g) |
Red Slicing Tomatoes
NEW! COSMONAUT VOLKOV
(Semi-determinate)
Certified Organic
68 days.
The first choice from our 2009 trials for taste and early
ripening! An old Ukrainian tomato renamed in 1971 for the Russian
cosmonaut who died on a mission in outer space. He must have been
quite the guy, as this is quite the tomato. Large, slightly
flattened red beefsteak-type fruits with yellow shoulders. Rich
flavour that excelled in our less-than-perfect 2009 growing
season.
Product code: 2425-CO
Price: A = $2.75 (0.2g) |
QUEBEC 5
(Indeterminate)
Certified Organic
 60 days from
transplant.
Quebec 5 gets Hope Seeds' tomato-of-the-year award for 2007!
Lovely, smooth and firm red fruits are about 3-4" across, with a
wonderful fresh and vibrant flavour. I used these for canning,
fresh eating, and on almost every burger from August on.
Technically indeterminate, but they're not quite so viney as
others.
Product code: 2408-CO
Price: A = $2.75 (0.2g) |
SCOTIA
(Determinate)
Sustainably Grown  60 days from
transplant.
A very reliable producer, widely grown through the Maritimes.
These ones had some of the best flavour in our 2007 gardens.
Red 3" fruits sometimes sport green shoulders.
Product code: 2411-SG
Price: A = $2.75 (0.2g) |
EARLIROUGE
(Determinate)
Certified Organic
65 days from
transplant.
A Canadian-bred tomato from Trenton, Ontario in 1977, and knows
the short season that we get up north! Earlirouge proved its mettle
when in 2008 our plants had fruits ripen during that wet, cool July
when all others were sulking green. Medium-sized fruits ripen all at
once for a good canning crop.
Product code: 2419-CO
Price: A = $2.75 (0.2g) |
DELICIOUS / IMPROVED BEEFSTEAK
(Indeterminate)
 90 daysfrom
transplant.
Grow a champion! Delicious is the world record holder for
the largest tomato fruit. Grown by Gordon Graham of Edmond,
Oaklahoma, Delicious weighed in at 7 lb 12 oz! Think you can do
better? You'll never know until you try...
Product code: 2414
Price: A = $2.75 (0.2g) |
BRANDYWINE
(Indeterminate)
 77 days from
transplant.
Not the prettiest tomato in the patch, but hands-down one of
the best heritage varieties for flavour. Pinkish colour, with
large fruits (up to 1 lb. each!) that ripen through the summer.
Product code: 2413
Price: A = $2.75 (0.2g) |
LONGKEEPER (Indeterminate)
 90 days from
transplant.
The perfect tomato for those of us who feel the threat from fall
frosts a little earlier than we'd like. Harvest unripe fruits (or
the whole plant and hang upside down in a sheltered shed/cold room) in
fall and store in a dark cool place. They'll continue to ripen
over the next 2-3 months to an orange-red colour, prolonging your
supply of fresh tomatoes long after Jack Frost nips the other plants in
the garden.
Product code: 2416
Price: A = $2.75 (0.2g) |
Paste Tomatoes
AMISH PASTE (Indeterminate)
Certified Organic
 85 days from
transplant.
I had lost my faith in Amish Paste, but it ripened up at the last
second and ended up being the best canner last season. Not too
juicy, not too seedy - good for lazy sauce-makers like me who can't be
bothered to take out the seeds. Fruits are red, oval-shaped and
range in size from 2"-5" diameter. Of Amish origin from Wisconsin.
Product code: 2402-CO
Price: A = $2.75 (0.2g) |
ITALIA (Indeterminate)
Sustainably Grown
SORRY...Sold out by 17-Mar-2010!
85 days from
transplant.
Italia could almost be considered a large cherry tomato, but it's
not quite so "squirty-juicy". An Italian heirloom, plum-type that
bears a heavy
crop. 1-2" fruit tends to decrease in size as the season
progresses. Good tangy taste and thin skins make this an
excellent sauce tomato.
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SAN MARZANO (Semi-determinate)
Certified Organic
75 days from transplant.
Grower Bob Wildfong from Seeds of Diversity Canada says "when you
crush the fruit to get the seeds outk, you nearly have tomato sauce
already!" San Marzano has been added to the Slow Food list of
Italian precidia foods, maintained for their local importance.
Fruits are 2-3" but a good plant could bear over 30 of
them. Doesn't need staking.
Product code: 2409-CO
Price: A = $2.75 (0.2g)
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Cherry Tomatoes
NEW! RED PEAR
(Indeterminate)
Certified Organic
70 days.
The red-skinned mate to Yellow Pear (below). When these two
are combined in salads or pint-boxes, you’ll delight over the
colourful sight. Pear-shaped fruits on productive vining
plants.
Product code: 2424-CO
Price: A = $2.75 (0.2g) |
YELLOW PEAR
(Indeterminate)
Certified Organic
70 days.
An heirloom cherry-type tomato that is actually pear-shaped
rather than round. Lemon-yellow fruits are slightly tart, and are quite
fun to grow.
Product code: 2420-CO
Price: A = $2.75 (0.2g) |
PRINCIPE BORGHESE
(Indeterminate)
Certified Organic
75 days.
This is a traditional Italian type that is really a mini-paste
kind of tomato. Grape-shaped with very little juice and seeds.
Italians use Principe Borghese as a drying tomato - not so much
for eating off the vine.
Product code: 2421-CO
Price: A = $2.75 (0.2g) |
SWEETIE (Indeterminate)
65 days
from transplant.
Extra sweet, 100 or more small juicy snack-tomatoes per plant. Nice treats while you're working in the garden!
Product code: 2417
Price: A = $2.75 (0.2g) |
Non-Red Tomatoes
BACK! MENNONITE ORANGE
(Indeterminate) Certified Organic
80 days.
This tomato comes from Old Order Mennonites in Pennsylvania, but
has been in Southern Ontario since 1910. Beautiful orange fruits
make this heritage tomato a beauty in the garden and on the dinner
plate. Ted Wiggans of Shepherd's Garden in Harvey Station, NB
says the Mennonite Orange was a great field tomato for his market
production, and customers came back for the flavour. Very rare!
Limited quantity.
Product code: 2406-CO
Price: A = $2.75 (0.2g) |
NEW! BLACK PRINCE
(Indeterminate)
Certified Organic
70 days.
Originally from Irkutsk, Russia, the Black Prince is called the
“Czerno Prinz Tomat”. It is hailed as a true Siberian
tomato for its outstanding performance in Northern climates.
Vines produce an abundance of medium-sized red-brown fruits with black
shoulders, dark red flesh and flavour like none other!
Product code: 2423-CO
Price: A = $2.75 (0.2g) |
NEW! CHEROKEE PURPLE
(Indeterminate)
Certified Organic
70 days.
Named for its believed origins with the Cherokee native people,
this is one of them more famous “black” tomatoes. A
beefsteak-type with large 3/4 lb fruits, purple-red skin with green
shoulders, and brick red flesh. Grown for its excellent flavour
and meaty texture. Product code: 2422-CO
Price: A = $2.75 (0.2g) |
INDIAN MOON (Indeterminate)
CROP FAILURE - Try Mennonite Orange or
Golden Jubilee in its place!
75 days from transplant.
Indian Moon is said to originate with a Native Navaho tribe from
New Mixico. Seeds of Diversity Canada lists this variety as
endangered. Fruits are large, yellow/orange in colour with
surprisingly few seeds for an early tomato. Grower Kim Edmondson
says the flavour is unique and these are a favourite in her family. This picture show Indian Moon (L) with Brandywine.
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GOLDEN JUBILEE (Semi-determinate)
60 daysfrom
transplant. Vibrant yellow, smooth round 3” globe fruits are
bright, sweet and flavourful. Heirloom variety and AAS winner
from 1943.
Product code: 2415
Price: A = $2.75 (0.2g) |
Tomatilloes Approximately 700 seeds/gram.
TOMA VERDE (Determinate)
70 days from transplant. Green 1.5" fruits that grow inside a
papery husk (like the annual flower "Chinese Lanterns").
Tomatilloes are the main ingredient in salsa verde / green salsa.
Plants grow like tomatoes, very vigorous and somewhat frost
tolerant. Proficient self-seeder.
Product code: 2401
Price: A = $2.75 (0.5g) |
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