Heirloom Tomato Seeds

Heirloom tomato seeds are open-pollinated varieties that have been grown and saved for generations, so seed you save from this year's fruit grows true next year. This page gathers heirloom tomato seeds from three independent seed companies: 99Heirlooms in Saint Paul, Minnesota (single packets from.

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Heirloom tomato seeds are open-pollinated varieties that have been grown and saved for generations, so seed you save from this year's fruit grows true next year. This page gathers heirloom tomato seeds from three independent seed companies: 99Heirlooms in Saint Paul, Minnesota (single packets from $2.99), Grow Organic in Grass Valley, California (organic packets of about 50 seeds) and Survival Garden Seeds in Rigby, Idaho (multi-variety collections). Classic slicers like Brandywine and Cherokee Purple, paste tomatoes like San Marzano and Roma, and cherry types like Matt's Wild Cherry and Yellow Pear are all here.

What's here

How to choose

  • First year growing tomatoes: start with a cherry type and one slicer. Cherry tomatoes ripen first and keep producing. See The Best Heirloom Tomato Seeds for Beginners.
  • Short season: Matt's Wild Cherry (55 to 60 days) and Valencia (55 to 59 days) are the quickest here, per Grow Organic. Brandywine and Cherokee Purple take about 80 to 90 days from transplant.
  • Canning or sauce: Roma is determinate, so much of the crop ripens at once for batch canning. San Marzano is indeterminate and keeps setting fruit all season.
  • Small space: Rutgers is determinate to semi-determinate and stays more compact. Most other varieties here are tall indeterminate vines that need a stake or cage.
  • Organic seed: choose the Grow Organic packets.
  • Can't decide: a collection gets you five or ten varieties for less than buying each packet.

Frequently asked questions

What makes a tomato seed heirloom? Heirloom tomatoes are open-pollinated varieties kept going by saving seed over many years. Unlike hybrids, seed saved from an heirloom grows the same tomato again. More in What Is an Heirloom Seed?

When should I start tomato seeds? Every maker on this page says to start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last frost and transplant once the soil has warmed.

What is the best heirloom tomato for flavor? Taste is personal. Brandywine and Cherokee Purple are the two the makers here describe as among the best-tasting heirlooms.

What is the best heirloom tomato for sauce? San Marzano and Roma, both paste types with dense, meaty flesh and few seeds.

Are these seeds organic? The Grow Organic packets are organic. The 99Heirlooms and Survival Garden Seeds packets are non-GMO and open-pollinated but are not labeled organic.

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