Grow a Beautiful Basketful of

Heirloom Tomatoes In Your Garden

In this photograph I took of my fall harvest in 2003, you will see some of my favorite varieties including Aunt Ruby's German Green, Brown Derby, Yellow Brandywine, Paul Robeson, Dagma's Perfection, Carmello, Japanese Black Truffle, Black Cherry, Green Zebra, Black Plum, Sun Gold, Azoychka, Green Giant, Costoluto Genovese, Marianna's Peace, Brandywine OTV, Kellogg's Breakfast, Green Grape, Sunset's Red Horizon and Momotaro.

These delightful tomatoes are as easy to grow as the common hybrids and need no special care other than fluffy, deeply amended, healthy soil, lots of sunshine, moderate watering, clean garden practices and sturdy support. Most of these plants will get really big, up to 7 feet tall, 3 feet wide.

Our 2 dwarf varieties, Velvet Night and Wild Fred, stay small and shrubby, 2 to 4 feet tall, with lots of beautiful tomatoes.

There are more than 10,000 varieties of heirloom or heritage tomatoes being grown worldwide and more than 15,000 known varieties. 

We have narrowed it down to the best of the best for you!  Look For The Big List below.

 

Get a $10.00 Credit on Your Opening Day Order!

The new list for 2024 goes up on Sept 21st.

 Pre-Ordering for 2024 plants opens Monday morning, Sept 25th.

Telephone orders start at 9:00 a.m. Emailed orders just after midnight.

Order 4 or more plants by phone or email on September 25th and get a $10.00 credit!

 

Green Giant

 

Don't forget to pre-order your TomatOh Holders.

Our supply is limited.

TomatOH! Holders, the Only Tomato Cages You Will Ever Need

Powder Coated 40" Stackable Cages! Proudly Made in the USA!

Go See! Growing Tips and Garden Products

 Shipping to All 50 States! Call me I'll get them to you. ~ Laurel 310 534 8611

5 year Guarantee! Strong, Rugged, Heavy.

 

 APRICOT BRANDYWINE

 

ABOUT SHIPPING COST....

We normally ship Priority Mail to California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada and Arizona. Transit times to these areas: 2 to 3 days from the time they leave Los Angeles.

For longer journeys you may want choose 1 - 2 day Express Mail which must be signed for -- and your plants arrive within 48 to 60 hrs. after leaving LAX. For mountain or outlying areas it can take 72 hrs.

Because we ship large hearty 12" to 18" plants, (not tiny 3" or 4" starts (as some plant companies do), the heavy weight and dimensions make Express Mail expensive, but your plants arrive in pristine condition and arrival within that time frame is guaranteed -- or your shipping cost is refunded.

You do have the option to choose Priority Mail which may take 2 to 4 days without money-back guarantee of transit time.

We are very encouraged to find that our plants are arriving safely with Priority Mail to the vast majority of customers addresses - albeit a little pale due to an extra day in transit.

They easily perk up after a drink and a few days in your garden with full sunshine and TLC.

Priority Mail will save you money; it's half the cost of Express Mail.

You will have as much time as you need during our phone call to decide on your shipping method. We can start with a shipping estimate  -- and you choose either Express Mail or Priority Mail.

Phone ordering will get you an immediate estimate.  Email order estimates take several days. We do not use texting for orders or estimates.

Tomato Love,

Laurel ~ 310 534 8611 (land line)

 

 

"Say, where do you grow all these plants, Laurel?" Here's a shot from inside one of our greenhouses in Los Angeles as it's filling up with plants. Soon they will be out of the greenhouses and into full sun where we harden them off before shipping them to you. 

 

How We Grow our Plants

All of our plants are 100% organically grown and shipped to you in individual 4" pots, grown in top-quality Fox Farm 'Lucky Dog' organic starting mix, healthy, lush and full-sized, from about 10" to 18" tall, hardened off and ready to plant out. Occasionally we ship an 8" plant as long as it has a strong stem and well-developed root system. 

A detailed 4 page step-by-step planting and growing guide is included.

All of our fresh organically grown seeds pass individually through our fingers for quality control and are then started by The Tomato Elves.

We harvest many of our seed varieties from our own garden.

Each plant comes to you individually packaged and protected in a sturdy container, with a permanent name label for your garden. 

Our unique No Shift-No Crush PLANTSAFE© Custom Packaging, which I designed 28 years ago, protects your plants from shifting or movement in transit, assuring safe arrival from here in Los Angeles to your door.

Your heirloom tomato plants will have several different types of foliage; some very wispy, fern-like, and delicate like Anthony's Passionate Heart and San Marzano Redorta, some thick and hearty like Wild Fred and Marianna's Peace and everywhere in between, in varying shades of green. Black Beauty and Brad's Atomic Grape have deep indigo-blue stems and stunning touches of indigo in their foliage.

Some plants reach 6 to 8 feet, with occasional vines of SunGold and Rapunzel reaching 12 ft. or more. They do not get that tall when grown in containers.

Our Dwarf plants, Wild Fred and Velvet Night, stays shrubby and compact reaching 2 to 4 feet tall.

 

   

Thorburn's Terra Cotta

Call me to order your plants!

Laurel ~ 310 534 8611

 

 

Brad's Atomic Grape

This top seller was developed by Brad Gates of Wild Boar Farms.

 

Get a $10.00 Credit on Your Opening Day Order!

The new list for 2024 goes up on Sept 21st.

 Pre-Ordering for 2024 plants opens Monday morning, Sept 25th.

Telephone orders start at 9:00 a.m. Emailed orders just after midnight.

Order 4 or more plants by phone or email on September 25th and get a $10.00 credit!

Cream Cherry

 

Order early to reserve your plants and especially your shipping period.

Laurel ~ 310 534 8611

 

We send you big, lush, hearty plants, 10" to 20" tall, in 4" pots, 100% organically grown outdoors in full sun here in Los Angeles.

Our plants do not need hardening off or adjusting to your climate. Occasionally we will send a smaller plant if the root system is well-developed. The stocky dwarf plants are usually shipped at about 4- 5".

IMPORTANT: Your plants must go into full sun as soon as possible. They will suffer if kept indoors for more than 2 or 3 days.

They need sunshine and heat -- so it's vital that we ship when it's planting time. If you want them sooner than your weather is reliably warm, we include a disclaimer.

 

See all the photographs in the Big List below!

 

    

                                                                     16" tall plants, ready to ship or to pick up!

 

 

 

 

NEW FOR 2024

Beefsteak Classic, Black Prince, Cream Cherry, Druzba,

Rasberry Mochi, Apricot Zebra and more!

And...Bear Claw is back!

 

Shipping and Pick-Up Periods For 2024

Choose your Shipping Period before you order, or ask Laurel what's best for your area.

 

Some Shipping Periods offer limited varieties, usually about 20 choices.

 

All other Shipping Periods feature all of our varieties.

 

Period A -- January 1st to February 12th (LIMITED VARIETIES)

 

Period B -- February 12th to February 26th  (LIMITED VARIETIES)

,

Period C - March 11th to March 25th

 

Period D - March 25th to April 8th

 

Period E - April 8th to April 22nd

 

Period F - April 22nd to May 6th

 

Period G - May 6th to May 20th

 

Period H - May 20th to June 5th

!

Period I - June 5th to June 17th (LIMITED VARIETIES)

 

Period J - June 17th to to June 26th (LIMITED VARIETIES)

 

 

 

 

Custom Grown Plants

Would you like to grow a tomato variety that is not on our list?

 

With a 10 week lead time, we will custom-grow plants for you.

 

 Minimum Custom Grown order: 8 plants per variety.

 

To Order By Telephone:  310 534-8611

Monday - Friday 9:00 to 5:00, Saturday 9:00 to 3:00, Pacific Time

 

Shipping Costs: Payment Information & Shipping Costs

 

1. Take a look at The Big List of tomato plants below. Make a list of the plants you need.

Minimum order is four (4) plants. Orders of 64 or more plants qualify for a volume discount.

2. Go to the Growing Tips & Garden Products link: Growing Tips and Garden Products  to choose your fertilizers and garden products.

3. Choose your shipping period from the list above.

 We ship nationwide via Post Office Priority Mail or EXPRESS MAIL.

VERY IMPORTANT:

EXPRESS MAIL PARCELS NEED TO BE SIGNED FOR. PLEASE WATCH YOUR TRACKING INFORMATION!

TRACKING WILL TELL YOU WHEN YOUR PLANTS ARE ARRIVING.

WE ATTACH TWO LARGE, NEON GREEN LABELS TO OUR PARCEL STATING 'NO SIGNATURE REQUIRED' BUT SOMETIMES A NEW OR PROBATIONARY CARRIER WILL INSIST ON A SIGNATURE.

If you cannot receive post office packages on Saturdays please let us know. We will ship your plants on a Monday or Tuesday so they don't arrive on a Saturday!

We do not ship UPS or FedEx. No exceptions.

Phone order: payment is made when you place your order by phone. We take all major credit cards, debit cards or PayPal.

About Phone Orders During April & May: It is not always easy to get through due to extremely high call volume in April and May.

Please try again, don't leave a message; we won't get it for at least 3 weeks.

Please call until you reach us. 310 534 8611

(Cancellations are accepted within 48 hrs. from the date/time of your payment to receive a full refund or store credit. After 48 hours we issue a full refund for your shipping cost less 50% restocking fee for plants and packaging.)


Black Krim

 

To Order by Email or FAX

 

 

 

Email   tomatoplants@pacbell.net 

 

FAX #  310 494 0518 With your list and credit card data. Our FAX line is only for orders which include credit card numbers. It is secure.

 

Before you order, read our 'Payment and Shipping Costs' page for shipping and packaging info and our guarantee:  Payment Information & Shipping Costs 

 

 

Make a simple alphabetical list, not a spreadsheet, of your plants, along with fertilizers, SmartPots, etc. from our Growing Tips and Garden Products page:  Growing Tips and Garden Products  

 

 

Choose your shipping period from the list above and email or FAX with:

 

1. Your name

2. Your billing and shipping address

3. Your 'anytime' telephone number

4. Your best email address

5. Your preferred shipping period

6. The payment type you plan to use: VISA, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, PayPal - we send you a handy PayPal invoice, or Cash if picking up.

7. Your plant list in alphabetical order along with some alternates and a list of the garden products you need.

 

8. Required: Please include a list of several alternate plants you'd like in case one of your choices is not available. This happens because seeds and plants do not always grow on schedule.

 

Or:

Please have Laurel choose an appropriate, similar, delicious alternate for me if a plant is not available.

 

Important: If you do not want Laurel to choose alternates for you please select one option:

1. Please substitute from this list of alternates: (list your choices)

2. Please send a second plant of one on my main list.

 

(We can't accept orders without a few alternate choices. Back orders add additional fees.)

 

After we receive your emailed order we will send an invoice within a day or so. You then call or FAX payment information to reserve your plants.

 

When you get your invoice, call our office with credit card or PayPal information right away to reserve your plants.

 

Very Important: After payment is made, you will get a copy of your receipt by email. Please check your receipt carefully to be sure all your information is accurate.   If there is a mistake in your shipping address and you have not corrected it, we may have a wrong shipping address, your plants could get lost and you will have to re-order.

 

If you do not get a receipt by email within 5 days of talking to Laurel or AJ and paying for your order, please call or send 'urgent' email to be sure we have your correct email address. 

 

(Cancellations are accepted within 48 hrs. from the date/time of your payment to receive a full refund or store credit. After 48 hours we issue a full refund for your shipping cost and retain a 50% restocking fee for plants and packaging because we grow your plants according to sales.)

 

Calling in your order is faster. 310 534 8611

 

We are in Los Angeles.

 

Here are our Telephone hours September 25th through July 1st, Pacific Time:

Monday through Friday 9:00 to 5:00, Saturday 9:00 to 3:00, Pacific Time.

Please note our time zone. If you call at 9:00 from, say...New York, it's 6:00 a.m. here. And we are/were asleep.

 

 

 

Brown Derby, Kellogg's Breakfast & 1884

 

 

 

Need Tomato Seeds instead of plants?

 

Here is the very best place for heirloom seeds:  Go To Tomatofest.com 

 

 

                                       

When Will My Plants Ship?

Shipping begins with a few varieties in February and continues with all varieties throughout the spring and summer or until we sell out. (We sometimes have a list of about 10 to 12 varieties for fall and winter, too, but not every year.)

Your shipping time is scheduled during a 15-day period to suit your desired planting time in spring or summer. 

 

This means your plants will ship during that period. They may ship on the very last day of that period.

 

EXAMPLE: If you choose Period E, April 8th to April 22nd, your plants will ship sometime within that period.

 

Your plants will be shipped during the period you select -- as long as that period is not fully booked and the plants are big enough.

 

If your plants are not big enough we delay shipping for more growth and safe arrival. It helps to have your alternate choice(s).

 

We reserve the option to hold up a shipment if temperatures en route from our nursery to you are extremely cold. We want your plants to arrive alive. If you still want them shipped during cold springtime temperatures to cold areas with night temps below 39º, you assume the entire risk of severe cold damage in transit and we will not be responsible for cold-damaged plants.

 

We do offer the option of our Double-Box or Triple-Box Systems which will insulate your plants. This increases shipping weight/dimension: higher cost.

 

 

              Do You Need Exact Week or Exact Day Shipping Service?

Your plants will ship during an exact week rather than a standard 15 day shipping period.

The added costs are noted below. See Note*

 

 

 

These Service Fees are added to your shipping cost.

For Exact Week Shipping Service

 

For 1 to 4 plants -- add $40.00 service fee to choose an exact week.

For 5 to 9 plants -- add $55.00 to choose an exact week.

 

For 10 to 20 plants -- add $65.00 to choose an exact week.

 

For 21 to 30 plants -- add $75.00 to choose an exact week.

 

More than 30 plants -- add $3.00 per plant.

 

To choose a shipping period that is marked 'closed' -- add $50.00 plus $3.00 per plant.

 

If we have any openings our crew comes in early to get it packed up for you.

        

           For Exact Day Shipping Service: 

For any number of plants - add $70.00 plus $2.50 per plant.

 

*NOTE: Exact day and exact week shipping may mean some of your first choices may not be ready to ship.

  In that case, Laurel will choose an appropriate alternate for you. No exceptions.

 

Questions? Just call me; I'm glued to my desk.

 

Laurel, 310 534 8611

 

 Heirloom Caprese Salad. Yum!

When To Plant  

Your plants should go into the garden during the best time for your USDA planting zone, when nighttime and soil temperatures remain steadily and reliably above 50º. 

If you want to plant earlier when it's in the 30's or low 40's at night and are using hot caps or covers of some kind, that's great, you're the boss.

But please be aware, you are held responsible if your plants encounter very cold weather, below 40º, on their way from Los Angeles to your town, and  arrive dead.

 

Tomatoes are a Warm/Hot Weather Crop. Don't Plant in Cold Soil!

If you choose earlier shipment, you risk the chance of cold soil and cold air triggering dormancy, undermining the health of your plants and setting back their growth progress, reducing and delaying your harvest. This can cause stunted growth, disease-prone plants, uneven ripening and low production during the entire season.

 

If you opt to plant in cold soil, we cannot be responsible for poor growth. Two to three weeks after your last frost date is usually the best time to plant.

Wait for the warm weather when soil temperatures are 70º and overnight temperatures are reliably above 50º.

How Many Plants? Smart Spacing  

Most of these heirlooms get really big, from 5 to 8 feet tall, 3 to 4 feet wide, and need to be spaced at least 32 - 36 inches apart in rows at least 4 to 5 feet apart. 

Sure, they are small when you plant them; don't let that fool you. King Kong and Clifford the Big Red Dog were small when they were born, too.

Our Dwarf plants are shrubby and need to be planted 2 feet apart.

        

 

          Photo 1.  Dan Barnes with his plants growing in big cages....can you spot Dan? 

          Photo 2.  Dan Miller's big plants with lovely wife and hungry dog.

          Photo 3.  Dan Hornbaker and his 8 ft. Aunt Ruby's German Green plant.

         

          What is it about guys named Dan?

 

For example, a garden bed 6' by 18' will accommodate 10 -12 plants -- 2 rows of 5 or 6 plants -- depending on plant size at maturity, while providing plenty of root space, airflow, and room for lots of foliage and fruit.

 

Our dwarf varieties remain small and compact, from 20" to 4 ft. tall and can be spaced 18 to 20" apart on center.

See the Growing Tips page for more detailed information.

Plant Prices, Minimum Order

Our organically grown tomato plants are priced from $7.95 each to $9.95 each; a couple of our very rare plants are priced higher at $12.95 each. Plant prices are next to their names on The Big List below.  Shipping cost is not included in the plant price.

Minimum order is 4 plants. 

Price break begins at 64 plants.

 

                 Sun Gold

Substitutions, Very Important Information!

Sometimes we must substitute a plant if your first choice is not available.

Please list some alternates, if you do not list alternate choices, Laurel will personally choose a very similar and delicious variety which should do well in your climate.

If you do not choose a few alternates, we cannot take the order.

Hey...Where's the Shopping Cart? Can I Order Online?

 

No, we do not have an online shopping cart due to variable plant sizes, from 9" to 20" tall, so shipping weight will vary.

Each plant can weigh from 12 oz. to 2 lbs. This means variable shipping weights and package dimensions -- this needs to be calculated individually.

Payment Information & Shipping Costs  Folks, please read before ordering!

Be sure you know our prices, shipping method, packaging costs and our guarantee before you order so you will not be surprised/stunned by the cost of 1 to 3 day shipping. It is expensive. We don't want you fainting and hurting yourself. We ship large, live plants from Los Angeles.

(Cancellations are accepted within 48 hrs. from the date/time of your payment to receive a full refund or store credit. After 48 hours we issue a full refund for your shipping cost and retain a 50% restocking fee for plants and packaging.)

Your Privacy, Guaranteed

Your personal information, email, phone number, purchases, address, etc. is never shared with anyone, ever.

When To Order 

 

You will choose the shipping period you want for spring-summer of 2024.

 

April and May shipping gets booked up early, so order early to reserve your shipping time.  Your delivery will be scheduled during a 15 day period for your desired spring or summer planting time.

 

For instance, if you choose April 10th to April 24th as your shipping period your plants will ship sometime between April 10th to April 24th. If they are too small to ship it may be a few more days.

 

Will-Call Orders - Pre-Order to Pick Up Your Plants - by appointment only.

 

Do you live or work in Southern California? We do not have a retail store but you can pickup your plants here at our nursery throughout spring, summer and fall.

 

You must call and speak to Laurel or Adrienne at several days ahead for availability and to have your order ready to go: pulled and prepped for pick up.

 

Will-call is by appointment normally on Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays 11:00 to 3:00. If you can only pick up during the week let us know.

 

1725 257th St. Lomita CA 90717

 

310 534 8611  Call until you reach us.

 

We do not have a daily retail store except on Sundays from 11:00 to 3:00 beginning in March.

 

On Sundays beginning in March, please join us for our open-house plant sales from 11:00 to 3:00.

 

Laurel is allergic to manufactured perfumes; please avoid perfuming before you set out unless you're ready to see choking, gagging,  sneezing and the hairy eyeball.

 

We are in Lomita in the South Bay/Torrance area of Los Angeles County near Western and Pacific Coast Highway, 30 minutes south of LAX, 6 miles from the Pacific Ocean and 4 minutes west of the 110/Harbor freeway.

 

 

 

You will see symbols in The Big List right below.

Here's what they mean:

 

(H)  Hybrid. We offer a few hybrid varieties. The ones I chose were developed with great flavor as the main criterion. These are delicious varieties which we have grown and taste-tested to ensure superior flavor.

  Our Sunshine Symbol this variety grows beautifully in all climates, and my customers tell me it can do well in sustained high heat -- but not hotter than 97º. Pollen normally becomes sterile above 97º.

 

  Customers report this variety can be extra heat tolerant and can produce well up to 97º.

   A specialty plant, developed to produce consistently in very hot weather, up to 97º- 100º.

 

    Our Penguin Symbol means this variety grows beautifully in all climates, and my customers tell me it does especially well in cooler temperatures and produces late into the cool season.

 

    Twin Penguins: Grows beautifully in most climates and can be extra cold tolerant. However, this does not mean North Dakota-in-dead-of-winter-tolerant. These tomato plants need night temperatures consistently above 40º F.

 

  Our Mountain Symbol means this plant is a good choice for your high altitude garden -- and grows beautifully everywhere else, too.

 

(E) Early ripening variety, with 78 days or less to ripe tomatoes.

 

(VE) Very early varieties, usually less than 68 days from plant-out to ripe fruit.

 

(EE) Extremely early ripening varieties, ready to pick in only 45-60 days from planting.

 

  A good choice for growing in pots, and a variety which Laurel has already grown successfully in containers. Any heirloom tomato plant will grow well in a large 10 - 30 gallon container with proper growing techniques.  The dwarf varieties can be grown in 5 gallon containers. 

See detailed container-growing info:  Growing Tips  

 

(Ch) A cherry tomato. These little fruits can be red, black, orange, pink, purple, green, yellow, ivory, white or bicolor and in varying shapes: round, pear, grape, ping pong, pea-sized and plum-shaped.

 

F/C  This denotes a tomato that grows well in foggy coastal areas but also does beautifully in full sun. Thanks to Cynthia Sandberg at Love Apple Farm for this list!

 

(B)  A big tomato of at least 1 or 2 pounds.

 

(BB) A really big tomato. These 'super braggers' can reach 3 to 4 pounds.

 

(BBB) A ridiculously huge tomato, these delicious, prize winning giants can reach 5 lbs.

 

(SM) A small plant, great for containers or smaller garden spaces.

 

(VSM) A very small, dwarf type plant, some produce lots of big tomatoes, some are cherry tomatoes -- for small containers and tiny gardens.

 

(P-S) Paste or sauce type, especially popular for sauces. These tomatoes are richly flavored, ideal for cooking because flavors increase exponentially during the cooking process, and are also marvelous for fresh eating.

 

(HG) For your Historical or Heritage Garden. These are storied tomatoes with a fascinating history, including  well-known historic varieties, some of them named after persons of high renown, or an historical event. Some are tomatoes with tall tales and legends attached to their names. Many have simply stood the test of time.

 

D or S-D Determinate or Semi Determinate. Grows to a predetermined height, sets lots of fruit early that ripen over a 3 to 7 week period, then continues to produce tomatoes for at least 2 or 3 months with proper care. Keep feeding them! We currently have one variety that is S-D, Florida 91.

 

Days: IMPORTANT INFO! This means days to maturity/ripe fruit at ideal temperatures of above 50º at night and above 70º daytime. Cooler weather will add about 2 to 3 weeks to ripening time.  So, it is the approximate time from planting the seedling to harvesting the ripe fruit. Can vary from climate to climate.

 

New for 2024  This means we are offering these varieties this year for the first time. Not a 'new' variety.

 

 

 

A Map To The Website

 

The main list is coming up below.

Here are links to the other pages

 

  

Growing Tips and Garden Products  How to have a fabulously successful tomato garden!

Need tomato seeds? Go toTomatofest.com for 600 varieties of heirloom tomato seeds!

Our 2024 Plant Sale Dates Please join us for our Sunday Sales here at the nursery in spring and summer! (Please check back for sale dates)

Payment Information ...and shipping details  (Please read before you order.)

Gift Certificates

Laurel's Favorites

Big Red Tomatoes

Medium Size Red Tomatoes

The Biggest Tomatoes  

Small Fruited/Cherry Tomatoes

Early Ripening Tomatoes

Pink and Purple Tomatoes                       

The Black Tomatoes

The Green Tomatoes

The Yellow, Gold & Orange Tomatoes

Multi Colored Tomatoes

Other Colors

Sauce and Paste Tomatoes

Smaller Plants for Containers ...and small garden spaces.

Favorite Tomato Recipes  Great Recipes for your heirloom tomatoes; please send us your favorite recipe!

The Best Tomato Sandwich Recipes from our customers; please send us yours!

What Our Customers Say  And some photographs of their gardens...

Laurel's Blend Olive Oil  Come see!

 

 

 

Here is the The Big List For 2024!

 

 

 

 

  

1884  ($7.95) (B)          (HG) (E) 78 days.

 

1884 is a superbly flavored old-time tomato which grows on a strong vigorous plant and produces big luscious 1 lb. to 2 lb. deep dark pink fruit with luxurious flavor and sets fruit readily in hot weather.

 

The original plant was discovered by James Lyde Williamson growing out of a huge pile of debris after the big Ohio River flood of 1884 in the tiny town of Friendly, West Virginia. 

 

This grand fruit has taken top mention year after year in tomato tastings all over the country. Easy to grow and very productive. 

   

 

 

A Laurel's Favorite!   

Amish Rose ($7.95) 80 days.    

 

This lovely old Amish tomato that has been one of my favorites for more than 20 years. With rich, Brandywine-like flavor, strong growth reliability and old time nuance, it is a magical inhabitant for your garden.

 

This is a classic, fabulously flavored tomato that I want you to grow so you will know what I know.

 

I have been getting requests for Rose for years after it was featured in a PBS radio show years ago. The host spoke of how her late Mom, named Rose, had always grown this tomato in Pennsylvania and that she'd saved her Mom's seeds for 40 years.

 

She lost the seed packet during a move and was devastated. I called the station to leave a message that I knew of this tomato and could help -- that I had seeds to send her.

 

We had a very emotional conversation when we realized her Mom and I both loved of this extraordinary tomato and that I had seeds for her.

 

 

 

Amy's Sugar Gem  ($7.95)       (VE)    65 days.

 

This big sprawling plant produces baskets full of incredibly delicious, golf ball sized, deep red, juicy ambrosial fruit with tiny golden jewel-like sparkles within the red skin.

 

Very sweet! It was one of my absolute favorite tomatoes at TomatoFest 2004. Just knocked me out.

 

Candy-on-the-vine, not to be missed.

 

Developed by Jeff McCormack, it is a cross of Red Cherry and Tappy's Finest. Named for Amy Boor Hereford whose Grandma Tappy introduced Jeff to heirloom tomatoes more than 20 years ago.

 

        

 

 

   

Ananas Noir (aka Black Pineapple) ($7.95)  85 days.     

 

A hugely popular tomato, Ananas Noir, French for Black Pineapple, is a stunning fruit -- incredibly beautiful. But what about flavor? 10 ounce. What good is all that flashy gorgeousness if the flavor is dull? Well, it's not!  IT'S FABULOUS!

 

Fragrant and sweet, juicy, ambrosial with lingering notes of tropical fruit and sunshine, luscious, unending flavor that lingers on the palate.  One of my all-time favorites, I want you guys to try this one.  It will blow your mind.

 

 

 

 

  A Top Seller!

Anthony's Passionate Heart ($7.95) 78 days        

 

Big, red heart shaped 1 lb. fruits on a plant that withstands every type of weather. A marvelous tomato with rich, bold, fruity-sweet flavors and a perfect balance of acidity.

 

This is our premier presentation for 2020 in honor of Tony's legacy: Food will always bring families, neighborhoods, cities and countries together, gathered at the table. Nothing to fight about, everything to love.

 

In our garden it kept producing through prolonged heat waves in the high 90's when other plants gave up the ghost. Now it continues to grow as cooler weather arrives. No cracking, high production, dreamy texture, disease free. A real winner.

 

In the words of Gary Ibsen of Tomatofest who developed it, "Anthony Bourdain was an American celebrity chef and author who explored the cuisines, culture, joys and essentials of human existence around the world. He was an icon to me, and many others, who love food and cooking as a most enjoyable way of gathering people together to celebrate our humanity."

 

Seeds are available here:  Go toTomatofest.com

 

 

 

 

New For 2023!

Apricot Brandywine ($7.95) 80 days.    

These fabulous tomatoes are a perfect golden/apricot color -- not yellow -- and grow huge!  Up 1½ pounds in clusters of 4 or 5 huge tomatoes on rugged potato-leafed plants.

Apricot Brandywine produces a lot more tomatoes than the other Brandywines, much more than I've ever seen on other Brandywine plants except Brandywine OTV and the taste is unforgettable. Just incredible.

One of my favorite qualities of Apricot Brandywine is that the stunning, meaty flesh inside is exactly the same color of the skin when you cut it open, or just take a giant chomp! WOW! Mind blowing. Makes INCREDIBLE sauce!

This plant has strong thick sturdy stems.  It really has to have stems like this to support all of the huge fruits! Be sure to give it a strong cage like Our TomatOH Holders, to help it stay up!

We think it originated from Great Britain some 30 years ago, the actual origin is unknown, but I'm researching it!

 

 

     NEW FOR 2024!

 Apricot Zebra ($7.95) 75 days.    

These preciously delicious 2 ounce salad tomatoes are as tasty as they are beautiful.

A stunning shade of tangerine with micro-thin pale green streaking that turns to brilliant yellow that glows in the sunlight -- when that happens it means they are ripe! 

Bigger-than-golf-ball-size fruits are firm but not hard, thin skinned, luscious and bountiful on a sturdy, vigorous disease resistant plant.

Bright, refreshing flavors are backed with scrumptious sweetness making Apricot Zebra a garden treasure that can disappear mysteriously as they begin to ripen.

Apricot Zebra tomatoes are criminally irresistible. Be sure you can trust your Pickin' Person.... because I can't.

 

 

Aunt Ruby's German Green ($7.95)        (B) (E)75-78 days.

You're going to love this beautiful Tennessee tomato. Medium to large sweet beefsteaks, bursting with a fragrant, complex, spicy-sweetness with a touch of tang.

A gorgeous green-when-ripe color with a delicate pink blush inside, this much sought after variety is a real treat to have in your garden, and is said to be the very best tasting green. Reaching up to one pound, Aunt Ruby's German Green grows in clusters of 2 or 3.

With its intricate, earthy, unforgettable flavor and chartreuse flesh this one will broaden your tomato horizons. Top favorite of our friend and customer Tom Wopat. Very adaptable, and easy to grow with good disease resistance. From Ruby Arnold of Greeneville, Tennessee.

 

 

 

 

Bear Claw ($8.95) 78 days     (BBB)

The Bear Claw tomatoes in the photographs weighed 2.14 lbs, 2.9 lbs and 3.5 lbs. Always a winner in Big Tomato contests with fabulous flavor to boot!

 

Bear Claw is a huge fruit with incredible flavor. The plants grow very big and very fast -- like being in a time warp.

Huge plants. Stems like tree trunks. Give it extra support!   

I plant Bear Claw in a huge 30 gallon pot by a palm tree. As it grows, we lash it to the tree trunk. Palm trees make excellent tomato stakes. J

 

The first tomatoes reach about one pound. After that, with proper care, they get bigger and bigger producing lots of deep crimson fruits with incredible flavor.

 

PROPER CARE:

1. Plant in deep rich soil.

2. Feed every 2 to 3 weeks without fail, using a granular organic fertilizer like our Happy Frog.

3. Water moderately but deeply.

4. Be sure all of the soil volume is damp but not soggy.

5. Spray every week with our Monterey Neem to control bugs and disease spores.

 

Photograph 1 by Dianna Theyssen of Ingalls, Indiana.  Used here with her kind permission.

 

 

 

 

     NEW FOR 2024!

 

Beefsteak Classic ($8.25) 78 days   

 

Here is the original old time Beefsteak tomato from which subsequent big tomatoes got the description of "beefsteak". Take a thick slice from the center and see the shape of a juicy steak!

 

Beloved for more than 100 years, Beefsteak Classic plants are big, hearty and lush producing 4 to 5 inch brilliant, bright red tomatoes with sweet delicious flavors and great disease resistance.

 

These big beauties give you meaty, thick, fragrant slices for your tomato sandwiches and salads. 

 

Great for canning and sauce, too.

 

Photograph copyright: Tomatofest.com Gary Ibsen 1999-2024

 

 

 

  NEW FOR 2024!

 

Beauty King ($8.25) 80 days   

 

How often does something this gorgeous live up to its beauty with equally stunning flavor and character?

 

I'm disappointed when a beautiful tomato doesn't thrill me with flavor. I grow out many, many varieties each year to be sure your tomatoes have fabulous flavor. Sometimes the first bite is a heartbreak... which we call 'a spitter'.

 

NOT THIS ONE!! Beauty King is probably the finest flavored red and yellow bi-color tomato of all time. A fabulous cross of Big Rainbow and Green Zebra.

 

Very sweet and meaty, regularly reaching a pound. Sometimes up to 20 ounces and high production to boot! You'll be harvest lots of Beauty King tomatoes within only 80 days of planting.

 

Another incredible Brad Gates cross. The release several years ago of Beauty King generated huge excitement in the Heirloom Tomato World.

 

Brad continues to bring unbridled joy to the gardens of the world.  YAY BRAD!!!!! WE LOVE YOU!

 

 

 

  Top Seller! Sweet and Meaty!

Belle Rouge ( $7.95)  75 days                                   

 

One Sunday morning in 2014 during a plant sale at my nursery, a handsome young Frenchman waited in line to chat with me.  :)  He had been visiting a friend nearby now and then and noticed the action here.

 

When he got to my table he held out to me a tiny perfume sample vial filled with tomato seeds. 

 

He could not remember what type of fruit it was, just that it was dulce, magnifique! And as yet unnamed.

 

I misplaced that tiny vial for 4 years. Adrienne finally found it this spring wedged at the bottom of a harvest basket.

 

We planted the seeds, Adrienne called it 'Perfume Sample". I made 'Perfume Sample' labels for the plants we grew out.

 

To our delight, those magical seeds produced the most beautiful, full flavored tomatoes starting out a pale, delicate orange, then ripening to deepest red, 'rouge' in French, meaty, heavy with juice, shaped like bells and double-bell hearts, 6-8 ounce fruits. Great for sauce, too!

 

And the flavor is, yes, magnifique! In Adrienne's photo you can see one of the 'double' fruits.

 

This charming traveler from Le Mans, in Northwestern France, where the Oceanic Belt influence creates fragrant tomatoes with complex, layered flavors, had been given the seeds by his aunt. She grew them in one of the huge community gardens for which Le Mans is famous (along with auto production and motor racing).

 

So beautiful! With out-of-this-world flavors, heavy in the hand, complex, layered and fragrant. So I named this French beauty Belle Rouge.

 

 

 

    Image result for berkeley tie dye tomato

 

Berkeley Tie Dye, Pink  ($7.95) 80 days.      Beautiful half-pound treasures!

 

This rare and exotic fruit with big, bold, luscious flavors looks just like its name implies with showy streaks and swirls of pink, yellow, lime green and orange patterning inside and out. From 8 to 12 ounces, chefs nationwide are ordering these plants for their restaurant gardens  -- tomato lovers are clamoring for this fabulous variety. (This pink version of Berkeley Tie Dye is exponentially more flavorful that the original Berkeley Tie Dye.)

 

Pink Berkeley Tie Dye is another fabulous variety from talented tomato breeder Brad Gates of Wild Boar Farms here in California. Brad has forever changed and enlivened the world of heirloom tomatoes.

 

Photograph of whole fruit be A Tucker. Cut-open Pink Berkeley Tie Dye is the property of Brad Gates/ www.wildboardfarms.com   Go see Brad's incredible varieties!

 

 

 

Black Bear ($7.95) 85 days.    

Black Bear is one of those excellent medium sized fruits with the giant, complex flavors we adore in the big purple-black tomatoes. Full , complex, and SO satisfying to bite into. CHOMP!

Because it's so meaty, it's easy to slice thin or thick for sandwiches, or cut into wedges for salads or in half for seasoning and roasting. And...straight up feasting right in the garden! 

Thick, smooth flesh with lots of juice. Meaty and luscious -- disease resistant with really high production.

 

 

 

   

The World’s Darkest Tomato!

Black Beauty ($7.95) 85 days.      

Beautiful to look at, the flavor of Black Beauty is deep, rich and complex. Combined in a tomato salad with red, orange and yellow tomatoes - a real mind-blower! Be sure and wait for true ripeness...Black beauty takes a while to ripen but is definitely worth the wait.

These photographs are from our home garden and are not retouched. The fruits and the stems are deep dark indigo-black. Inside, blood red.

The first photo is a not quite ripe fruit, the second and third photos show the color change indicating ripeness.

So dark that some tomatoes turn solid blue-black on the skin. Deep red flesh is among the best tasting of all tomatoes. Rich, smooth and savory with earthy tones.

A dark, meaty, very rich-fleshed tomato with extreme anthocyanin effect, the same antioxidant in blueberries and blackberries. The emerging little fruits are deep black from the time they are tiny until big and almost ripe, then you will see some color changes as you can see in the photographs.

Keeps well on the vine and stores very well, and the flavor improves with room-temperature storage.

Baker Creek's Dave Kaiser tasted it at the 2015 National Heirloom Exposition and proclaimed it as the BEST tomato he had ever eaten! Yay Dave!

 

  

  

Black Cherry  ($7.95)  F/C (Ch) (VE)       65 days.

 

A perfectly round 1" cherry tomato with classic black tomato flavor, sweet, yet rich, smoky and complex. Fruit picks easily from the stem and is produced in abundance on vigorous, tall plants.

 

Bred by Vince Sapp, these cherries are irresistibly delicious: look like a  black cherry, taste like a sweet cherry-- a unique addition to the color and flavor spectrum of cherry tomatoes for your garden, along with our other cherries, it makes an arresting display for any table. 

 

Just outstanding. These guys got eaten moments after the photograph was taken.  :)

 

 

 

    

Black Krim ($7.95) 75 days (E)  

 

This much sought after Ukrainian variety is unique and unforgettable, originally from Krim (Crimea) on the northern coast of the Black Sea in Ukraine,

 

Black Krim has a superb smoky sweetness with a delicate lingering touch of tang in a 4-6" slightly flattened, mahogany-colored fruit with lovely, deep green shoulders.

 

Setting fruit at higher temperatures, it is superb and very easy to grow. 

 

This gorgeous photograph of a 10.5 ounce Black Krim is courtesy of Damon Webber. Yay, Damon!

 

 

 

     

 

Black Mamba ($7.95) 78 days      (B) 

 

 Black Mamba is a big, bodacious, purple/black beefsteak tomato. Elaborate smoky flavor with touch of sassy tang make this one an irresistible delight for your tomato garden.

A natural 'surprise' cross of Lucky Cross with an unknown black variety-- from the size and flavor my guess is Carbon -- Black Mamba's flavor is enticing, rich, sweet and luscious. Your plants will produce big crops of stunning, irresistible tomatoes. Really meaty and full-flavored, this is also a fabulous fresh eating and sauce tomato.

From the garden of the late, beloved, old-timey tomato grower Millard Murdock.

 

  NEW FOR 2024!

Black Prince ($8.25)  70 days. 

 

This elegant, high producing 3 to 6 ounce salad tomato is a favorite among chefs and restaurant owners because of its perfect size, bountiful harvests and lovely sweet flavors.

 

Rich flavor and abundant juice add to Black Prince's distinctive qualities. I would describe the color as more of a mahogany hue rather than purple-black.

 

The flesh inside is also deep dark mahogany, dense, meaty and fragrant.

 

The flavors rush into your mouth where they linger and enchant.  It is beautiful, keeps well after picking, has thick flesh but thin skin and has a balance of sweetness to tang that make it the perfect tomato.

 

My favorite for roasting and sautéing, Black Prince has a noble character that stands out and never fades after slicing or chopping for salsa.

 

Quartered and sautéed with thick slices of summer squash, a sprinkling of salt and Italian seasoning--wowza!

 

 

 

     

    

Blondkopfchen ( Blond-copf-ken) ($7.95)  75 days.   

 

One of the finest tasting cherry tomatoes in existence, the name of this marvelous German heirloom cutie means Little Blond Head or Little Blond Girl. The big leafy plant produces thousands of ½" grape-size sparkling yellow-gold cherry tomatoes in phenomenal clusters of 30 fruits per bunch! Delightfully sweet with a citrusy finish, this is the one to try with children who don't think they like tomatoes.

 

As Gary Ibsen of Tomatofest.com says, "Just put one in your mouth and try to keep from smiling!"

 

No cracking, with great disease resistance, this little sweetie grows anywhere and produces right up until frost. Challenging to pronounce, really easy to eat.

 

  Delicious and SUPER EARLY RIPENING! Only 52 days.

Bloody Butcher ($7.95)

 F/C (EE)      52 days 

Not a cherry, the 4 ounce round red to 3" fruits have a rich silky texture and grow in great abundance on potato leafed vines.

This marvelous early ripening fruit has an unmatched, spectacular deep red hue--juicy with an intense lingering flavor. Extremely high production!

With its bountiful harvest month after month, the strong depth of flavor in Bloody Butcher has made it a favorite among tomato gourmands worldwide. A favorite for canning

 

 

 

Blue Chocolate ($7.95)   75 days.    

We are crazy in love with these yummy, gorgeous, 1½ oz. ping pong ball chocolate-brown fruits with exotic, blue shoulders.

Another stunner from the Amazing Brad Gates of Wild Boar Farms. Perfectly round, ping pong ball size, sweet and rich flavored, they grow on big hearty plants in generous clusters.

These tomatoes hold well on the vine so you can let them stay there when ripe for a few days, they won't get soft and overripe for quite a while.

Blue Chocolate is crack resistant, (yay!) disease resistant (more yay!), easy to grow and a perfect salad and slicing tomato for your family.

This very unusual plant makes a fabulous gift for foodie friends, new and old, looking for something rare and wonderful from the heirloom world to grow in their tomato gardens.

 

 

 

   Top Seller!

Brad's Atomic Grape ($7.95) 75 days         
 
These elongated multi-colored, large grape type tomatoes grow in beautiful, colorful clusters on gorgeous wispy vines. The top selling seed at Wild Boar Farms, I've gotten at least 50 requests for the plants.
Lavender and purple striped at first, then turning to green, red and chocolate brown with deep blue stripes when fully ripe.

Inside, Atomic Grape glows green with a blush of deep red when fully ripe.  Sweet and fragrant, this amazing fruit holds well on the vine and has a long shelf life after picking. Another mind-blowing variety from Brad Gates of Wild Boar Farm, this photograph is Brad's.

 

 

   Top Seller! Early and Delicious!

Brandywine, OTV ($7.95)   72 days.

 

A truly marvelous stand-out member of the great family of Brandywines, this one arose in Craig LeHoullier's garden years ago. Big 1 pound red fruits with orange shoulders and complex rich flavors. An outstanding tomato for your garden; it also sets fruit very well during high temperatures and bears all season. 

A reliable producer, very disease resistant, and easy to grow; OTV stands for Off The Vine, which was a wonderful online tomato newsletter published by Carolyn Male and Craig LeHoullier. 

 

They describe this tomato as "the best strain of Brandywine set apart from others by its smooth, creamy, almost buttery texture, and harmonious sweet flavor." It originated from a natural cross-pollination of Yellow Brandywine and an unknown red parent, and was further developed and stabilized by Carolyn Male. 

 

 

 

 

 

        

Campari ($7.95) 65 days    

The legendary Campari is one of the greatest flavored tomatoes ever grown. This de-hybridized version of the original Campari hybrid has the same outstanding flavor, high productivity and bright red color as the hybrid.

Meaty and juicy, Campari is a delight in your salads, sandwiches and for sauce and canning. The 2" inch brilliant red fruits on a compact plant grow in clusters of 9 to 13 perfect tomatoes. Featured prominently in a 2002 episode of The Sopranos, customers have asked us for it over and over. Seeds were not available then, but now that it is open-pollinated (a 'new' heirloom), we have the plants for you!

 

 

   Top Seller, back for 2024!

 

Carbon ($7.95)  80 days.       

 

The most requested black tomato that was not on my list years ago was Carbon. "Laurel, Carbon is the best tomato I've ever had!" You gotta grow it for me!"PLEASE!" 

 

With Carbon, I hear this at least 30 times every season: " Laurel, PLEASE tell me you're going to grow Carbon this year! Promise!"

 

And for good reason. One bite and you're a goner.  So now we have to start a LOT more Carbon seeds to keep it in stock!

 

One of the biggest and darkest of the luscious black tomatoes, Carbon reaches 8 to 15 oz. and has big, sublime, elaborate flavors. And it produces a LOT of tomatoes.  A hearty plant, disease resistant.

 

So here it is for your garden.  

 

(If I included every tomato my wonderful customers wanted, the list would reach 500. We gotta exercise some self-control!

 

 

 

     

Carmello ($7.95)        (E) 75 days.

 

An extremely popular medium sized French salad and sandwich tomato. This one is highly sought after and has become a great favorite among my customers.

 

A very reliable and bountiful producer of heavy, juicy, 8 oz. red fruits with immense flavor, this plant is among the most prolific ever bred, and produces so many fruits, you will be giving them away by the basketful.

 

The Carmello plant in my garden proved to be disease resistant, and produced through late December with night temperatures about 40 degrees. The flavor alone puts it in my top 10. Wait 'til you see all the tomatoes on this plant; bring the big harvest basket. 

 

This is the open pollinated heirloom version of Carmello, NOT a hybrid. This one was de-hybridized by Gary Ibsen many years ago.

 

 

 

 

     A Classic and TOP SELLER Since 1997    

 

Cherokee Purple ($7.95) (HG) (E)       75 days.

 

A legendary and beautiful tomato, at least 100 years old and said to be grown by the Cherokee People. 12 oz. deep dark dusky rose-purple, deep red inside, with sweet, rich and smoky, luscious flavor. 

 

Cherokee Purple is a garden staple, in everyone's favorite list for a good reason-- disease resistant, reliable and easy to grow, and great one for your heirloom or heritage garden. 

 

Seeds were sent to Craig Lehoullier by JD Green of Tennessee who got them from a neighbor whose family had grown them for more than 100 years.  In 1990 Craig named it Cherokee Purple.

 

 

 

 

 

Big 4" - 5" tomatoes!

 

Chocolate Stripes ($7.95)   (B) 80 days.

 

After removing it from the list in 2009, I was bombarded by horrified customers who could not live without it and were freaked out by not seeing it. So it's back for good. Sorry, everybody!

 

Among the largest of the black tomatoes, this one was among the top 3 winners for best tasting at TomatoFest in 2007.

 

Reaching 2½ to 3  lbs., ripening to mahogany with dark olive green stripes, these fruits have enormous old-time tomato flavor.

 

 A plentiful harvest, stunning beauty and out-of-this-world taste make Chocolate Stripes a rare treat in your garden.

 

Some gardeners are tempted to water heavily when the fruits start to ripen or the weather is hot. Resist the temptation. Don't do it.

 

They will crack and become watery and mushy. Ack.

 

Be careful. Test the soil deeply, all the way to the bottom of the bed or container. If it is damp, turn off the hose and back away....

 

 

 

 

  NEW FOR 2024!

Cream Cherry ($7.95) 65 days.     

 

One of the prettiest tomatoes ever. Each Cream Cherry tomato is a golden gem with a dusting of dusky blue at the stem.

 

Growing in great abundance and ripening early make them a precious little treasure in your tomato patch.

 

As they ripen, the flavor is becomes increasingly sweet and lovely with vanilla fragrance...like a freshly filled home baked cream puff.

 

Lovely thin skin and tender yellow flesh add to Cream Cherry's delightful characteristics.

 

Growing on a strong energetic plant, hundreds of these precious fruits greet you, sparkling in the sun as they ripen.

 

 

  

   Gigantic and delicious. The biggest tomato of all. 

Cuostraleé ($8.95) (Pronounced Koh struh LAY) (BBB)        85 days.  Loves hot weather!

 

Big, hearty, prolific plant, with gigantic, brilliant red 3 to 4 lb. tomatoes.

 

Always use sharp blades to harvest tomatoes this big -- and cut the stem above the fruit leaving a part of the stem attached. This keeps air from entering the fruit at the stem scar. Your tomatoes stay fresh longer on the counter.

 

Gigantic fruits have a superb, classic tomato flavor on a hearty rugged plant that's strong enough to support its huge offerings. These tomatoes get very heavy as they ripen; we call this type of plant a 'stake breaker' so be sure to use the strongest tomato cages like our TomatOH! Helpers.

 

Giant Cuostralee tomatoes hang on like crazy!

 

Snip off the huge, ripe fruits from the branch with sharp, strong pruners. If you try to pull off a ripe 4-pounder, the whole plant will come with you, ripped out of the ground or leaving a broken main stem. (How do I know this?)

 

Very easy to grow, disease resistant and a reliable producer, in my top 10 favorites for stunning size and marvelous flavor!

 

Get that Blue Ribbon for the Biggest Tomato and for Best Tasting Tomato from the same fruit!  

 

BONUS!  Cuostralee loves hot weather and will grow easily and wonderfully in all gardens.

 

Don't worry; nobody knows how to pronounce it but it's so good, you won't mind. :)

 

© Photograph property of Terroir Seeds and Underwood Gardens

 

 

   TOP SELLER  

 

 

Dagma's Perfection ($7.95) (E) 72 days.

 

Dagma's Perfection is a best seller for us and among the most beautiful and luscious tomatoes in the known universe.

 

As described by Gary Ibsen, renowned tomato expert, gourmet, author, connoisseur, my dear sweet friend and owner of Carmel TomatoFest, who named this extraordinary tomato for his charming and winsome lady wife:

 

"This vigorous and abundant plant offers a bountiful harvest of medium-sized, 3" 12 oz., light yellow beefsteak fruits with beautifully delicate red striping. Deliciously flavorful with lingering sweet overtones of tropical fruit and subtle hints of lime, it is firm, juicy and elegant in the mouth. An enchanting tomato...delightful and jewel-like, just marvelous."

 

Dagma and I have been friend for many years; we recently discovered that we're cousins. This makes Gary my Cousin-in-Law.  :)

 

 

  

Dark Galaxy ($7.95) 75 days    

The amazing Dark Galaxy bears fruits from 4 ounces up to 8 ounces on the same plant!  Layered in deep blue with red and orange stripes covered in random speckles-- intoxicating to see.

When you taste the first ripe one, in only 75 days from planting out, you will instantly understand all the excitement Dark Galaxy has created in the heirloom world.

Another astounding fruit from Brad Gates, the vines themselves display a purple blush and grow 5-6 feet tall while producing excellent crops of delicious tomatoes that begin to ripen in only 75 days.

The yummy flavors are a perfect balance of tangy-sweetness -- really juicy and refreshing!  Each fruit a unique work of art, no two look alike, making Dark Galaxy a welcome gift for tomato loving friends and a garden-to-table centerpiece!

As it ripens it turns a sensuous, dusky red on the bottom with many shades of dark spots and flecks that almost give it a 3 dimensional look. Uniquely speckled, incredibly delicious, other-worldly, magnificent.

 

   A Laurel's TOP PICK!

Delicious! High production. Grows to about 5 feet.

 

 

Dirty Girl  ($7.95)      (E)  Ripens in only 65 days. 

 

I am crazy about the name of this incredibly delicious, high producing, open-pollinated version of Early Girl! 

 

It was de-hybridized by Joe Schirmer, owner of Dirty Girl Produce in Santa Cruz California. An organic grower, Joe spent the last 7 years growing out Early Girl into an open-pollinated version of Early Girl -- what we call a 'new' heirloom.

 

Dirty Girl produces in only 60 to 65 days, giving you huge harvests of perfect, yummy, 3 to 4 ounce salad size, red tomatoes with all the great qualities of Early Girl -- high production, early ripening and strong plants, with some added attractions for gardeners-- and far richer flavor and a bonus; you can save seeds!

 

Joe named this tomato 'Dirty Girl' after his wife with whom he operates Dirty Girl Produce. Yay Joe! 

 

If you've got a wife, mother, daughter, girlfriend or girl pal who spends a lot of time in the garden, this is the tomato for her. My customers love buying this one as a gift for their Dirty Girl Gardeners!

 

Surprise your Dirty Girl!  Go see!

 

 

 

 

 

Image result for dragon's eye tomato   

Dragon's Eye ($7.95) 70 days.        A Laurel's Top Pick in 2019! Great for containers!

 

Sweet, succulent, perfect. Gorgeous, fruity, juicy and luscious. Another Chef's Favorite, Dragon's Eye tomatoes average 3 to 4 ounces, salad size, grow in delicious, bountiful clusters on a strong plant.

 

Perfect for fresh eating and roasting--makes the best salsa, too!

 

Beautiful pink-rose fruits initially have green streaking that turns golden at full ripeness. Shimmery and luminescent as they ripen on the vine -- inside, the flesh is deep, dark, blood red with a satisfying touch of tang. 

 

A real workhorse of a tomato, huge production!  This strong plant does beautifully in containers.

 

 

Early Girl.. See Dirty Girl, above.

 

  NEW FOR 2024!

Druzba  (DROOSH-Bah) ($7.95) 78 days.             

 

The Perfect Main-Crop Red Tomato

 

This is your perfect main-crop red, round tomato. A favorite for gift giving! Druzba is a Bulgarian word meaning friendship. It is the perfect gift for the gardener who has everything!

 

Very robust, highly intense tomato flavor in  smooth, perfectly round, deep-red, blemish-free 7 to 10 oz. fruit with outstanding disease resistance.

 

Bright sparkling color, huge flavor, rich meaty texture. Reliably easy to grow, every Druzba tomato is a magical treasure.

 

Fabulous for sauce, Druzba is a very special favorite of mine which I grow every season in my personal stash. Anyone who tries it goes berserk with tomato love.

 

Perfect texture, firm but not hard. Thin skin, extraordinary flavor and very high production.

 

Try it! You'll never want to be without it.

 

 A specialty tomato for high heat  -- with great flavor to boot!

 

Florida 91 ($9.95) (Hybrid) (SEMI DETERMINATE) 7 days          


 

I have chosen Florida 91 as the perfect plant for my customers in high heat areas who want to have a plant that keeps producing lots of tomatoes in high summer. Sets fruit for a 2 month period.

 

It is said that determinate plants stop producing and die after a determined period of time. You will read that everywhere....it is not true.

 

Determinate and semi-determinate plants reach a certain size and produce a lot of fruit in a 3 to 6 or 7 week period.

 

They do not stop, they just slow down.

 

Keep feeding and caring for them and you will get tomatoes all season!

 

This specialty tomato has the 'heat gene' and is a very heat tolerant hybrid variety which produces delicious, big bright red, 10 oz., rich, sweet full-flavored tomatoes in only 72 to 80 days. 

 

A smaller plant, this variety sets fruit easily during high heat, when days are up to 97º or hotter and when night temperatures are 73º to 82º. Just amazing.

 

Very disease resistant. Ideal for slicing onto sandwiches and salads, these sweet tomatoes ripen to be firm, solid, and resistant to cracking.

 

 

 

  Top Seller for 20 years.  IT'S BA-ACK

Foxy Lady Cherry  ($7.95) (E) (HG)   (70 days)

 

To everybody who asked why Foxy Lady was off the list "HEY Laurel! Where's Foxy Lady? It's the best cherry tomato I ever had!!"  

It's back!

After losing a packet of 800 seeds (scream) I had only 15 seeds left. So I grew them out and my new plants produced scads of fabulous fruits and 2000 fresh Foxy Lady Cherry seeds!

 

This extraordinary cross of Cherokee Purple and Black Cherry produces the tastiest cherry tomatoes I've ever had. The flavor is so much like Cherokee Purple you'll be blown away to find it in a little tomato. Grows easily everywhere!

 

A tiny touch of tang balances its big full-bodied sweetness. I am madly in love with this tomato. Ripening early in clusters of 5 to 7 fruits, the flavor is energizing, elaborate and dazzling with a sweet, seductive background and earthy nuance.

 

The incredible Foxy Lady Cherry ripens in only 70-72 days and has some of the biggest potato type leaves I’ve ever seen!

 

                  

 

 

Gardener's Delight, Nicknamed "Sugar Lump" ($7.95) 65 days (VE)      

 

This old German variety is probably the sweetest and most prolific of all the old-time cherry tomatoes. You will get more tomatoes than you'll know what to do with! With classic cherry growth habit and old-time rich sweet flavors, 'Sugar Lump' is disease resistant, early ripening and really prolific -- the perfect cherry tomato.

 

Thin skinned and ridiculously productive, in clusters of 7 to 9 fruits on a strong plant, it's great for containers and the main garden bed.

 

Very early to ripen, you will harvest hundreds of scrumptious tomatoes from your Gardener's Delight plant. Plenty to share!

 

 

 

 

  

German Johnson ($7.95) 85 days (BB)       2 lbs!

A huge, prolific plant originally from Virginia and the Carolinas. Grown for more than 90 years, it is one of the four parent lines of Radiator Charlie's Mortgage Lifter; the flavor is enchanting.

If you've ever wondered what tomato might embody the legendary, classic flavor profile of all that is Heirloom Tomatoness, this is your huckleberry.

Most of the old-time German tomatoes, including German Johnson, Old German, German Queen, German Giant and more, are not necessarily from Germany but from Mennonite farms in the Southern United States.

German Johnson is the quintessential old-time Mennonite tomato.

Smooth skin, no cracking or splitting, the big, leafy, robust plants produce huge, gorgeous pink 1 to 2 lb. beefsteak type tomatoes. A creamy texture, sweet and luscious, along with high production make German Johnson a top tier choice in your heirloom garden. Similar to Brandywine Pink but produces much more heavily, easily 10 times more than Brandywine.

A hugely popular farmers' market tomato. A wonderful sandwich tomato with good disease resistance. German Johnson is a winner in every garden.

 

  

  

 

Goldman's Italian-American ($7.95) 80 days.        
 

 

Due to unprecedented customer requests, I am including this marvelous tomato again! Heirloom Guru Extraordinaire, Amy Goldman, found this delightful full-figured, big-flavored tomato at a roadside stand in Cernobbio, Italy and named it after her father's Brooklyn, NY grocery store.

 

With very few seeds, Goldman's Italian-American is a terrific choice for cooking--makes a very silky sauce, creamy paste and adds some magic to soups and stews. 

 

Pear shaped, blood red, juicy and meaty, growing to about 12 to 16 ounces with a beguiling ruffled shape, it is in such high demand that seeds are often sold out everywhere.

 

 

 

  A Laurel's Favorite.  Yes, it's ripe!

 

Green Giant ($7.95) (E) (B)      60-70 days.

 

On a flavor scale of 1 to 100, Green Giant is a resounding 100 +  Incredible. Unforgettable. The flavor can be described as rich, intoxicating and intense.

 

Occasionally a tomato comes along which deserves very special attention. This big, up to 2 lb., green when ripe tomato resoundingly stole the show in 4 different tomato tastings.

 

We had the immense pleasure of tasting it at TomatoFest in Carmel, California where it captured the hearts of tasters and garnered a great deal of attention. I have not been this impressed by a tomato since discovering Brown Derby in 2007.

 

It arose originally in the garden of Reinhard Kraft of Germany in 2000 when he planted 30 seeds called 'Green Giant' from a friend in Canada. 29 of them grew out regular leafed except for one which had big potato leafed foliage. Reinhard cultivated that one, selecting the best fruit for several seasons, and continued to save seeds. Yay, Reinhard.  

 

NOTE:  How do know if a green tomato is ripe and not just an unripe fruit? 

First check to see it's developing amber or pink blushing. Yes? Good. Now close your eyes and feel it; if it's soft, it's ripe.

 

 

 

 GreenZebra cut open.jpg (600×368)                                                                                                                                                     

 

Green Zebra  ($7.95) F/C (E)     72 days.

 

Visually enchanting, refreshing and delicious, this classic old-time will give you scads of 2 to 3 inch perfectly round fruits.

 

They ripen to a beautiful amber gold with dark green zebra-like stripes over the amber background. One of the first heirloom tomatoes I ever grew -- about 25 years ago.

 

Inside, the flesh is beautiful, sparkling green. Another wonderful variety from Tom Wagner, it is gorgeous to behold, tangy and deeply sweet with lingering flavors. 

 

This exquisite tomato was chosen by chef extraordinaire, Alice Waters, for her restaurant, Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California and was among the first varieties to trigger the renewed interest in heirloom tomatoes. In my top 5. How to tell if a green tomato is ripe?  Close your eyes and feel it; if it's soft, it's ripe.  

Copyrighted photo property of Laurel Garza/Heirloomtomatoplants.com  2003 - 2023 All rights reserved

 

 

 

Hawaiian Pineapple ($7.95) (B)      85 - 90 days.

 

A huge, breathtaking and much sought after golden-orange beefsteak with fruit that grows up to 1-1/2 lbs.

 

When fruit is ripe it has a luscious, very rich, sweet pineapple-melon like flavor and heady tropical fragrance.

 

Add the unusually high production of this plant, and it makes my top 10 list. A real knock-out and a top-seller. 

 

Photograph of Hawaiian Pineapple is the property of Dianna Theyssen and used here with her gracious permission.

 

New For 2023!

 

Helsing Junction Blue ($7.95)       78 days  

 

Highly recommended. By me! Look at this beautiful fruit. My most thrilling discovery for the season!

This passionately gorgeous and incredibly delicious fruit has won high fives and stunned looks in our test gardens. "Is that a plum?"

Clusters of sweet, delicious 2 to 3 ounce salad size tomatoes, high production and disease resistance make it an awesome addition to your tomato patch.

When ripe, the gel and flesh turn deepest crimson. With a regal sweetness and just enough acid to make them the PERFECT tomato with rich flavors we love in the dark-fleshed varieties.

Created by my old buddy Tom Wagner, he named it for Helsing Junction Farm in the Chehalis River Valley of Washington. 

The gorgeous foliage curls a little bit genetically. This lets maximum sunlight reach the developing fruits, coloring them very deep indigo.

Just remember when you are growing Helsing Junction Blue that the tips of the folia are supposed to curl a teeny bit so don't worry!

 

 

 

   BIG saucy classic! Huge production!

Italian Heirloom ($8.95)       (P-S) 85 days.

 

The name says it all. The photographs prove it.  My absolute favorite for sauce and roasting. Unbeatable for production and flavor, thin skinned and easy to grow.

 

A real classic from Italy and a top seller for us. Producing loads of big fat, juicy, delicious, 5 to 10 oz. brilliant red, meaty, elongated tomatoes with an abundance of rich, complex flavors you'd expect from the best Italian varieties.

 

This tomato is revered by the Italians for its BIG taste and high production. Whether for fresh eating or cooking, you will fall in love with Italian Heirloom.

 

The photo of sliced Italian Heirloom is from our customer Julie Smolarek of Corvallis Oregon. Wowza! Thank you Julie!

 

 

 

 

A Laurel's Favorite!

Jaune Flamme  (Jahn Flahm) ($7.95) F/C   (E) 70 days.

 

A top favorite for BLT's!  Very prolific and stunningly beautiful, Jaune Flamme is an unforgettable tomato. Intensely orange with a reddish blush on the blossom end, these flame-colored 3 to 4 ounce globes have a rich, very tangy and exciting flavor that literally bursts in your mouth.

 

Growing of clusters of 4 or 5, cut open they reveal a reddish interior; this fruit reminds me of a blood orange with its spectacular contrasting colors.

 

At certain times of day when the light is just right, you'll see the ripening fruits of Jaune Flamme glowing brilliant amber against the background of deep green foliage. This tomato continues to blow my mind.

 

 

 

 

 Our Sweetest Tomato and A Laurel's Top Pick!

Jutland ($7.95)       (E) 72 days.

 

Looks like a paste tomato doesn't it?  It's not!  Looks like a Roma, too. But it's not!

 

I think Jutland is the sweetest tomato I've ever tasted.

 

This is my new 'go to' variety for the best dang tomato for BLT's and every other fresh tomato use. A perfect 3 to 5 ounce, thin-skinned Dutch tomato, Jutland is plum shaped -- some perfectly smooth, some with a pointed tip but all have the most sublime flavor we've found in a red tomato, ever.

 

It appears in several different shapes on the same plant --  some big and fat, some elongated, some short and plump, and, as with many tomatoes of this shape, the foliage is sort of wispy. Sliced into 'coins' it is my new favorite for salads, sandwiches and cooking.

 

This is less than half of one day's ripe harvest picked from one plant on August 12th -- my kids and grandkids took the rest of them. "Dang it, put those back! Wait'll we take the pictures!"

 

Trust me. Try it. Juicy, VERY sweet, a little tangy, delicious, old-fashioned tomato flavor make Jutland a must-grow for the most dedicated and adventuresome heirloom tomato fans.


 

 

Kellogg's Breakfast ($7.95)       (E) 78 days.

 

Wow whatta tomato!  These big 1 to 2 lb. bright orange beefsteak beauties are exactly the color of orange juice.

 

Thin skinned and with very few seeds, this terrific fruit with its sweet, buttery, ambrosial flavor with a perfect balance of bright tanginess is a favorite of gourmets and gourmands worldwide. Sliced open, it reveals a rich creamy bright-orange flesh, just bursting with juice.

 

A top seller year after year. Seeds originally saved by Darrell Kellogg of Redford, Michigan. Thank you, Darrell.

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

A Laurel's All-Time Favorite!  

 

Marianna's Peace (7.95) 80 days. (B) (HG)         One of our top 3 sellers  -- along with Paul Robeson and Tati's Wedding.

Copyrighted photograph property of Laurel Garza, all rights reserved 2008-2022 

In the second photograph, our customer Honey Piazza with a beautiful Marianna's Peace from her garden.

 

The sugary nectar of this huge 5" tomato's creamy, dense, deep pink-red flesh is intensely rich, with perfect sweet-acid balance and sublime, complex flavors reminiscent of the finest of the "old-fashioned" tomato flavors. 

 

This big, beautiful irresistible up to 2 or 3 lb. deep pink-red fruit is the talk of the tomato world and has found its way into Top 10 favorite tomato lists of gourmands worldwide. It is perfection and one of the 3 finest tasting tomatoes in existence.

Marianna was from a family of farmers in Bohemia, Czechoslovakia. During World War II, in May of 1945 when she was 17, Russian soldiers came to her school and forced Marianna and all her schoolmates into a truck to be taken to Siberia. During the journey, she and a few others escaped by jumping from the moving truck, but Marianna was shot in the leg just as she crossed the Czech border. With the help of her friends, she was able to continue on to the town of Weiden, Bavaria. She lost all contact with her parents and brothers for the next ten years, but after a long and diligent search with the aid of The Red Cross, she finally found them in 1955. 

Before he died, her father gave her a little bundle of the seeds. 

Marianna married, and in 1957 moved to Washington State with her husband where they raised four children and lots of tomatoes.

The legacy of these seeds reaches back to the early 1900's and year after year the tomatoes borne from this marvelous heirloom continue to be treasured for their outstanding taste and beauty. Incredibly sweet, creamy, with dense flesh, rich and luscious, reminiscent of the finest of those "old-fashioned" tomato flavors, the memories of which are the stuff of dreams for all tomato lovers. 

For those who want the best; these plants are precious and worth the cost. A Marianna's Peace plant makes a delightful and treasured gift for any tomato lover.

 

 

Sweet Perfection

Momotaro  ($8.95) (H) (VE)     62 days.

 

This very popular early-ripening hybrid variety, (and Dolly Parton's favorite tomato), is being offered due to hundreds of requests from my customers who have found Momotaro fruits at Farmer's Markets.

 

(The seeds are among the most expensive among the hybrid varieties.)

 

It is exceptionally sweet, juicy and just beautiful with a very long shelf life.

 

The 6 ounce fruits are a stunning shade of pink, full flavored, luscious and bountiful on the vine, with superb disease resistance.

I smuggled one into an heirloom tasting party, and the folks loved it.

 

The revelation that it was a hybrid was a splendid surprise to the gathered heirloom aficionados and motley crew of tomato gourmets and gourmands. Created quite a ruckus.

 

Named for an ancient legend of Momotaro, or Peach Boy, Momotaro was a baby boy found inside a giant peach by childless peasant farmers who had longed for a child of their own. He grew to be a famous warrior for peace. Among his many achievements: conquering, and then encouraging the ogres of Ogre Island to stop pillaging and be nice ogres. Each year the Momotaro festival in Japan celebrates the legend of this brave and wondrous child.

 

 

 

     

Momotaro Gold ($8.95) (H)      60 to 70 days

 

STOP THE PRESSES!!  This is my new favorite tomato! A stunning summer surprise with scads of 6 to 8 ounce treasures.

 

A very reliable tomato friend told me how fabulous this tomato tasted. "Seriously, Laurel, you gotta grow Momotaro Gold!"

 

So I got seeds and grew out 5 plants in the summer. I watched them grow and ripen, fascinated as they transformed into deeper and deeper shades of gold.

 

Picked the first ripe one in early September with high hopes. Folks, I was blown away. Probably one of the top 10 finest flavored tomatoes... Of. My. Life.

 

Every fruit, perfection. Texture is meaty, silky, not soft or mushy, just perfection. I kept saying, "Oh my God. Oh my God." At some point, this marvelous flavor got me to thinking, (hmmm), if Sun Gold was a big tomato, it would taste Just Like This.

 

And so many tomatoes!  Growing on a medium sized plant, not a huge plant, they produced dozens of clusters of gorgeous fruits glimmering in the sun and are still going now, in October!

 

 

 

 

Image result for northern lights tomato  Ripe in only 60 days!

Northern Lights  ($7.95) F/C    (VE)   60 days. 

 

An absolutely striking tomato. Easy to grow in foggy coastal climates and a breeze everywhere else.

 

This big, heavy 4" - 5", 10 oz. gorgeous yellow-orange beefsteak, with a red blush on the blossom end and spectacular red, gold and yellow patterning in the center is as beautiful as the Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights, for which it is named.

 

The flavor is heavenly: intense, barely tangy and luscious.

 

This marvelous tomato, only about 60 to 65 days from plant out until ripe fruit, bears beautiful tomatoes right through the cold weather up until the first frost. 

 

 

 

 

    Laurel's All Time Favorite Tomato

 

Paul Robeson ($7.95) (VE) (HG)        65-70 days.

 

This is my all-time favorite tomato and still our top seller since 1998.

 

It is a gorgeous, dark and dusky-hued fruit with intensely sweet earthy taste with a hint of tanginess, a luscious velvety smooth texture, beautiful skin, rich with juice and high production. You will love it. The seed was made available by Marina Danilenko, a Moscow seedswoman. 

 

This luxurious tomato is named for Paul Robeson (1898-1976), the elegant, renowned and charismatic operatic singer, law school graduate, champion athlete, film star, stage actor and boundlessly brave champion of civil and personal rights throughout the world.

 

This marvelous plant will give you its perfect 3" - 4" fruit in only 65 days from planting. Incredible; a symphony. I do believe this is the finest tomato in existence.   

 

Photo property of Adrienne 'AJ' Park Tucker.

 

 

 

 

 

Our premier variety in 2022!

Polish  ($7.95) 75 - 85 days.    

 

As many of you know, when I am selecting varieties for your garden, I have thousands of heirlooms to consider. It takes me months and often years to grow out and test these tomatoes until I'm sure you get only the best from me.

 

My criteria are:  Fabulous flavor, excellent texture, reliable production and gorgeousness.

 

Huge, heavy, brick red to dark pink, this plant produces1 to 3 lb. fruits growing in clusters of 3 to 5 huge tomatoes, all with superb flavor.

 

Polish are sweet, rich, meaty and juicy with exquisite flavors. Just breathtaking.

 

There are many heirloom tomatoes with 'Polish' in their names. But I have chosen for you the classic Polish. You will love me for it.

 

This beautiful, disease resistant, potato leafed plant gets big! Give it extra support -- when it's loaded with tomatoes it will be heavy and unruly.

 

 

 

  

Rapunzel  ($9.95) 70 days.  (H) 

 

Yes, I know.... but it is real.  I get dozens of  calls and emails from gardeners searching for Rapunzel plants. Here it is! 

 

Because a few callers doubted that this plant can actually produce trusses this long, this photograph is a Rapunzel plant grown by my customer Jeff Hartang. Yay Jeff!

 

This awesome hybrid produces tremendously long clusters of bright red, one inch, sweet juicy tomatoes all season long. The fruits themselves have a sweet rich flavor and the ridiculously dazzling trusses will have you doing a double-take. 

 

Some of the 'strands'  hold more than 40 tomatoes. Pretty cool.  Great for containers!

 

This plant makes a delightful gift for gardeners of all ages -- especially kids and grandmas -- and grows easily in all climates and is disease resistant, too.

 

 

 

NEW FOR 2024!

 

Raspberry Mochi ($7.95) 72 days.    

 

Here is the stunningly beautiful Raspberry Mochi, one of my absolute favorite offerings for your 2024 garden.

 

Raspberry colored skin surrounds plump tender walls of this medium size tomato -- you can see them in the photograph -- along with sweet flesh and luscious gel.

 

These beautiful fruits reach 8 to 10 oz. with a small core, very little waste, just pure tomato love!

 

Developed and named by my awesome tomato buddy, Ellie, of Bunny Hop Seeds, Raspberry Mochi is named for one of her favorite sweet treats, 

mochi, the popular Japanese confection. A very sweet treat!  If you've ever had one, you know what I mean. If not, you have a surprise waiting.

 

Raspberry Mochi is easy to grow in even the most challenging soil conditions. Grows beautifully everywhere, even in heat and humidity, does well in sandy soil.

 

Raspberry Mochi photograph is the property of Ellie Pong, Bunny Hops / Heritage Seeds.

 

 

 

Red Mamba ($7.95) 80 days.  

 

In a patch of Black Mamba plants, we were stunned to see several plants producing huge, gorgeous, deep red and pink 2 pound tomatoes!

 

Some fruits are round, some are heart-shaped. All are big, delicious and juicy!

 

"I remember saying, "What are you guys doing here?" The exact shape and size as Black Mamba, but this gorgeous red color.

 

Their flavor was heavenly! Made the best dang tomato sandwich I ever had. Classic old time, rich yummy tomatoes with a sensuous mouth-feel and exquisite flavors that explode in your mouth!

 

My guess is that, with the help of a bee or a summer breeze, Black Mamba may have crossed with Tati's Wedding or Queen of the Sea -- they were in adjacent rows for a couple of seasons. The seeds I saved produced this marvelous cross in 2021. But we'll never know....

 

We loved it so much we grew them out, saved seeds again and here it is for you: Red Mamba!

 

 

 

 

                                                                       A Laurel's Favorite!

 

Ruby Gold  (Sometimes called Gold Medal, Ruby Gold is the original name) ($7.95)       75 days.

 

A stunning beauty with thrilling, sweet tropical flavors, this was my hands-down favorite for 2016 and still lights my fire.

 

Ruby Gold has gigantic flavor, rivaling Cherokee Purple and Brandywine -- it may be as good as Paul Robeson. Cut it open, take a bite and prepare to have your mind blown.

 

Awesome color, huge flavor, gorgeous and delicious. So prolific! I am getting dozens of tomatoes from one plant in a 30 gallon container.

 

I have a special fondness for the multi-hued tomatoes because-- well, look at it!

 

First offered to American gardeners in 1921 by John Lewis Childs seed company in New York, Ruby Gold was rediscovered in West Virginia in 1967 by the legendary Ben Quisenberry. Craig LeHoullier got seeds in 1987 from John Hartman of Indiana, and here it is...for you.

 

 

 

 

 

  Fabulous Sauce Tomato!

 

San Marzano Redorta ($7.95)       80 days.

 

Largest of the San Marzano tomatoes and among the best of the Italian sauce tomatoes, this big, luscious high-producing fruit is named for Pizzo di Redorta, (Redorta Peak), one of the highest peaks in the Bergamo Alps of Lombardy, Northern Italy.

 

At 8 to 12 ounces, and reaching 16 ounces, and 4" to 7" long and a fat banana shape, it is a much larger tomato with far better flavor than its smaller cousin, San Marzano. San Marzano Redorta is marvelously rich, extremely productive and good enough to eat fresh, right off the vine.

 

This is an outstanding sauce and paste tomato and great for canning and fresh eating, too!

 

Photo on the left, copyright 2018, Betty Lessmueller. Green on the vine photo from Adrienne 'AJ' Park-Tucker, 2019.

 

 

 

   NEW FOR 2024!

Strawberry Margarita  $7.95) 80 days.  

I am so thrilled to introduce you to Strawberry Margarita!

This is a rare treat. A big lush and fruity, strawberry-red, 8 to 14 oz. tomato  -- a tasty treat for you to grow in your heirloom tomato garden! 

Juicy, delicious and reliable, producing copious harvests right up to frost -- dozens of gorgeously brilliant, bright red tomatoes. Just perfect.

With a brilliant, stunning color, some fruits are smooth, some are ever-so-slightly fluted. And so beautiful!  

When the sun hits the ripening skin, it glimmers and glows like a stoplight. Some fruits might have a few faint streaks of soft pink or apricot!  Really easy to grow in containers or in your main garden.

 

 

   

Sun Gold  ($8.95) F/C          (EE)  45-60 days. 

 

Sungold is the one of the best cherry tomatoes I, or anyone, has ever tasted, and ready to pick in only 45 to 60 days or less.

 

It has the huge, rich flavor of a full-size tomato, in a beautiful little deep-golden fruit growing in bountiful clusters on a big ol' plant.

 

Sweet, rich, so beautiful...most of them won't make it into your house from the garden. If you send someone to pick them for you, keep your binoculars trained upon the picker and check for tomato breath.  The tomatoes in the photograph were picked on November 25th with our Los Angeles night temperatures in the 40's; Sun Gold is a beast.

 

 

 

 

 

Sunrise Bumble Bee ($7.95) F/C (E)     65 days. TOP SELLER!

 

What can I say?  I've never seen anything prettier in the cherry tomato world. This is a very special cherry tomato, an astounding artisan variety. Please put this plant into your garden -- at harvest time you're going to be really popular.

 

Sunrise Bumblebee is plump and bountiful, full of old-time-sweet-honey-pop-in-your-mouth tomato flavors and just as cute as it can be. This is the tomato you would steal from your neighbors in the middle of the night. But don't. Grow your own!

 

 

 

 

                       

   A Laurel's Favorite

 

Tati's Wedding (TAH-tees) ($7.95)  80 days.      

 

Tati is a pet name for Tatiana.

 

This big luscious beauty -- the most flavorful variety I've come across this season and my top pick for 2017, was discovered by my customer Dan Stein of New York as he drove through the Kazbek mountains in the Caucasus. He was there on a special day, his friend Tatiana's wedding, when he stopped at a roadside produce stand and discovered this fabulous tomato.

 

The farmer had not named it, so Dan called it Kazbegi Red. After hearing this beautiful story, I couldn't resist naming it for beautiful Tatiana, whose nickname is Tati. 

 

These tomatoes are luscious, meaty and silky with big sweetness and just enough tang to make it the perfect all purpose tomato and one of the juiciest I've ever eaten.

 

So productive, you'll get dozens of delicious tomatoes in varying sizes and shapes on the same plant, from 8 oz. up to 16 oz. or more.  This is one of the most delightful traits of the heirloom tomatoes.

 

The tomato in the photograph weighed 16 ounces and was grown this season by my customer and friend Barbara Kraus of Rancho Palos Verdes, CA. After our Tati's Wedding plants were demolished by rampaging raccoons, Barb came to my rescue and grew out some plants in her garden.

Without Barb we would not have any photographs or seeds or plants of this incredible for you!  Yay, Barb!

 

 

  NEW FOR 2024!

Taxi ($7.95)        (S-D) Ripe in only 60 days from planting out!

 

A classic! The best tomato variety for your very early crop of delightful lemon-yellow tomatoes.

 

Very popular worldwide for many, many years. A favorite of chef's and restaurant owners.

 

Add a splash of bright yellow pizzazz to your salads, salsa and sandwiches.

 

Incredible flavor! Compact plant, rather bushy, not rangy or huge.

 

Perfectly round 6 to 7 ounce medium size tomatoes, delicious refreshing and very sweet. Easy to grow anywhere. Loves the heat and grows beautifully in containers.

 

With semi-determinate habit, Taxi produces a lot of fruit in a 7 to 8 week period, then slows down a bit but keeps on producing yummy tomatoes right up until frost.

 

Matched with a Druzba tomato, a dazzling red and yellow show -- with fabulous flavors!

 

Adds a splash of bright yellow pizzazz to salads, salsa and sandwiches.

 

 

 

 

    TOP SELLER!

 

Thorburn's Terra Cotta (Pronounced THOR-burns) ($7.95)       70 days. A Laurel's Favorite

We are so excited to be able to present Terra Cotta as our premier variety for 2021.

It's hard to know where begin in describing this extremely rare treasure with its incredible flavor, color and history!

Introduced more than 120 years ago, in 1893, by James Thorburn of New York, this is one of the most sensational tomatoes we have ever grown. 8 to 12 ounce fruits with honey-brown skin, apricot colored flesh, and a beautiful green seed gel, this is a stunning tomato with out-of-this-world flavor.

Producing heavily during mid-season for fresh eating, sandwiches, salads and right out-of-hand, Terra Cotta is also great for cooking! Roasted, sauced, fresh from the garden--you name it.

 

  

Thunder Mountain ($7.95) 80 days       

This big, stunning, full-flavored 10 to 14 oz beefsteak tomato has become a customer favorite. It grows on a rather compact plant.

Developed by Lee Goodwin of J & L Gardens. As the colors developed, they reminded Lee of the sun setting behind thunder clouds in the skies of New Mexico.

With fruits ripening from deep gold to reddish-orange -- and all the other stormy sunset colors -- he named it Thunder Mountain.  

The flavors are rich, sweet, bold and beautifully balanced, reflecting its marvelous parent lines of Cherokee Purple, Big Rainbow and Bosque Blue.

Not a huge plant, Thunder Mountain grows on a compact vine and produces bountiful crops of 10-14 oz., big-shouldered, orange-red-gold tomatoes with deep stormy-ocean-blue around the stem and faint yellow streaking here and there. As if that were not enough, Thunder Mountain grows easily everywhere,a real work-horse of a plant.

J & L Gardens is in New Mexico's Rio Grande Valley where they grow tomatoes, cucumbers, melons, apples and all kinds of specialty crops for restaurants and Farmers' Markets.

 

 

 

 The finest tasting of the dwarf cherry tomatoes!

 

Velvet Night Cherry  ($8.95) 65 days      

 

These sweet, yummy, deep-purple cherry tomatoes grow on a small dwarf plant! Of all the cherries from the dwarf family, Velvet Night is the absolute best.

 

High production, fabulous flavor, very much like Black Cherry and Purple Haze, but growing on a small shrubby plant.

 

If you have a limited garden space and crave a really sweet, rich flavored cherry tomato, this is the one for you!

 

Lots of 1 to 2 ounce cherry tomatoes will keep your tomato taste buds really happy all season long -- and you'll have enough to share with friends and neighbors.

 

 

 

 

 

Wee Tang Shebang ($9.95) 55 - 60 days      

 

Another dazzling heirloom from legendary tomato breeder Tom Wagner.

 

Although I don't know if Sun Gold is in its parent line, if you love Sun Gold, this is the plant for you!

 

I would describe Wee Tang Shebang as  a petite plant, small as heirlooms go. Producing scads of gorgeous golden-orange tomatoes with all the dazzling flavor of Sun Gold, it's a small plant, about 4 to 5 ft tall and covered with tomatoes.

 

Ellie Pong of Bunny Hop Seeds sent me a sample of this one a couple of years ago.  Adrienne loved the name and grew out some plants in our nursery. When it started producing I asked her, "Hey, what the heck is that?" She said, "Look at the label, Mom!"

 

The flavor is SO good, I chose it over any other golden-yellow-orange cherry plants. A thousand times tastier. Crack resistant.

 

(Of the 30 in Adrienne's photograph, only one cracked! (YAY!)

 

You will love the high production in clusters of 8 to 10 fruits. So easy to grow, small yet indeterminate, grows and grows and grows for the whole season, starting early!

 

Disease resistant, produces right up until frost without losing any of its marvelous flavor.

 

 

 

Wild Fred, Dwarf  ($8.95) 75 days.       A Laurel's Favorite

Lots of big gorgeous purple/black tomatoes grow in abundance on a strong, stocky 3 to 4 ft. dwarf plant. Disease resistant and producing big crops of large yummy tomatoes in all kinds of weather, the flavor is outstanding.

Heavy in your hand, this juicy, beefsteak type fruits grow to 6 to 10 ounces with thin skin and the deep, smoky, juicy, aromatic flesh you find in Carbon which is one of its parent lines (along with New Big Dwarf).

This big, tasty variety was named by Craig LeHoullier, for his dad Wilfred after a memorable typo of Wilfred's name in a church bulletin.

 

 

Having trouble deciding? Ask for Laurel's Choice or choose a Gift Certificate!

 

Laurel will personally select varieties especially suited to your climate and tomato preferences. Just provide some guidelines for flavor, color, size, etc. and let us know your zip code to help determine your perfect planting time. On your shipping day Laurel will choose among the finest plants in our nursery and create a magnificently luscious tomato garden just for you.

 

Gift Certificate information is below.

 

Minimum order for Laurel's Choice is 4 plants. 310 534-8611 

 

 

California Gold Olive Oil Presents:

 

Not sure if we will have our olive oil for 2023; call me to check. ~ Laurel 310 534 8611

California Gold Olive Oil Company is Proud to Present

Laurel's Blend

We are delighted to present our Laurel's Blend Olive Oil blend again for 2020.

The new pressing is lovely.

Golden, mellow, smooth and buttery with a discreet touch of earthiness to complement your heirloom tomato harvest, this superb quality, award-winning Extra Virgin Olive Oil was created by our friend and fellow heirloom tomato fan, Kevin Tazelaar, Founder of California Gold Olive Oil Co. in Oakdale, California.

Kevin presented an array of oil blends for Laurel and the Tomato Elves to sample in a blind taste test. They chose a unanimous favorite; Kevin bottled it and named it Laurel's Blend.

We are delighted to present this tasty treat to drizzle lovingly onto your heirloom tomatoes as the harvest comes in.

Each 8 ounce bottle is $12.95. To order, please include with your plant order.

A welcome and delicious gift!

 

More Information here:  Laurel's Blend Olive Oil, My Favorite!  

 

 

 

 

Consultations

Do you need advice about planting tips, soil preparation, trellising, fertilizers, etcetera? We know how important it is to get good advice and we want to be able to continue offering expert advice about choosing plants and gardening tips.

 

For all customers: when you place your order we are happy to offer basic consultations at no charge whatsoever when we take your order and throughout your growing season.  

 

If you are not planning to order, consultations are $150.00 per hour. Have your credit card handy.

 

Specialized Consultation

 

For a specialized consultation for customers which requires detailed research into your climate conditions and advice in creating a garden in your particular climate, including soil conditioning, the best time to plant, season extenders, landscaping ideas, plant lay-out, detailed variety selection, fertilization techniques, or how to grow for market, etc. our fee is $120.00 per hour.

 

We do not to on-site consults or landscaping.

 

Gift Certificates

Our certificates are printed on beautiful full sheet ivory parchment featuring 16 gorgeous full color photographs of our most popular heirloom tomato varieties. They are mailed unfolded in a handsome, white 9" x 12" presentation envelope.
You may also have your certificate emailed to you to print for your recipient, or sent directly to their email address. Your credit will not expire and can be redeemed for all future plant and product orders.

 

          

 Black Sara, Chuck's Yellow, Gary Ibsen's Gold and The Dutchman

"©copyright photo courtesy Go toTomatofest.com Go get some great tomato seeds!

I love to make personalized and customized gift certificates for all occasions. Our gift certificates are themselves an elegant gift. You can choose certain varieties, or a certain number of plants or a dollar amount for your recipient's certificate.

I will personally create and send a beautiful full-sheet antiqued parchment gift certificate for any occasion: All holidays, birthday, wedding, anniversary, graduation, promotion, house or garden warming, sympathy, congratulations, remembrance, or just pure tomato love, in the style and wording you choose. 

 

         

      

 

Will This Be a Gift?

The Personalized Gift Certificate $8.50.

Your recipient's Personalized Gift Certificate will feature a full-color array of 16 beautiful heirloom tomato photographs printed on heavy, full sheet parchment, along with your personal greeting of any length. $8.50.

The Personalized Gift Certificate with Detailed Descriptions and Photos $15.50.

If you will be selecting specific varieties for your recipient, Laurel will add additional full sheet parchments printed with detailed descriptions and full color photographs of each tomato you choose. This stunning certificate is a spectacular gift in itself, $15.50.

Each page should accommodate 10 varieties. For more than 3 pages of photographs, additional cost is $2.00 per page.

 

Details

Shipping charges for the plants will be included, so your recipient will be free to relax and choose from more than 100 varieties of heirloom tomato plants and garden products. For customer's choice certificates, plant cost will be averaged at $7.95

 each so your recipient, or Laurel if you select Laurel's Choice, can choose from among our more expensive plants. 

You may also select a dollar amount beginning at $35.00.

These elegant full sheet certificates add a heartwarming touch to your gift. Your recipient and Laurel will get together and determine the perfect shipping week when the weather is just right for planting in their garden.  

Each certificate is cased back and front with sheets of white paper to prevent peeking, then slipped into a 9" x 11" heavyweight white craft envelope and mailed in an 11" x 13" sturdy white craft envelope -- and for Christmas Certificates, with a Do Not Open Until Christmas label sealing the envelope.  :)

I am happy to personally assist your recipients in choosing plants for their climates and preferences when they call to redeem their certificates.  

Price List:

The Personalized Gift Certificate on full sheet parchment, sheathed in a white presentation envelope and then mailed in an 11" x 15" white craft envelope, $8.50, plus postage of $5.85.

The Emailed Gift Certificate, $8.50. Designed to be printed by you on white or ivory parchment or vellum or another elegant paper.

The Personalized Gift Certificate on Parchment with Detailed Descriptions and Full Color Photographs of the tomatoes, $15.50. For more than 3 pages of photographs, additional cost is $2.00 per page. Add postage of $5.85.  This can also be emailed at a lower cost.

Just call or email to tell me what you have in mind. I'll make it for you. ~ Laurel

Telephone hours:

 

Monday-Friday, 9 to 5 Pacific Time.

 

 

 

Need Tomato Seeds? Click: 

Go to Tomatofest.com

 

Grandma Oliver's Green      Black

"©copyright photo courtesy Go to Tomatofest.com

Personal Favorites  A Photo Gallery, see photos of some of Laurel's Favorite tomatoes.

Growing Tips For Fine Organic Gardening Products including Great Big Plants Liquid Compost "The Energy Drink for Plants'.

What Our Customers Say

Payment Information Click for detailed information about shipping and packaging costs. Please familiarize yourself with our shipping and payment policies and our guarantee before ordering.

 

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            Contact Laurel:

 

 

Telephone hours:

 

Monday-Friday 9 to 5

             Phone  310 534-8611

Email: tomatoplants@pacbell.net

 

      Please call for an appointment if you would like to pick up plants.

 

 

 

 

 

"In Lycopersicon Veritas." ~ Laurel

 

 

Homepage: www.heirloomtomatoplants.com

   

Copyright Information

All original materials, tomato descriptions, photographs and original copy contained herein are protected by copyright and are the sole property of Laurel's Heirloom Tomato Plants, www.heirloomtomatoplants.com  or of Gary Ibsen and Carmel TomatoFest® -- www.TomatoFest.com  or of the following people, companies or entities:

* Description by Gary Ibsen, Owner of TomatoFest.com

 All rights reserved. Purple Haze plant and Purple Haze grouping are the property of Dana Ferrin and used here with his gracious permission.

Photo of 3 parents of Purple Haze Original are the property of Keith Mueller.

Green Giant photographs are the sole property of Cynthia Sandberg, owner, Love Apple Farm www.loveapplefarm.biz used here with her kind permission. All rights reserved.

Summer Cider, Hartman's Yellow Gooseberry and Chocolate Amazon photographs are the exclusive property of Lisa VonSaunder and are used herein with her gracious permission.  www.amishlandseeds.com  All rights reserved.

The following photographs, and any other photographs on this website are the sole property of Laurel Garza and Laurel's Heirloom Tomato Plants or the property of other persons and entities as noted and attributed herein. and may not be used without the express written permission of the persons and entities named here. All rights reserved. The following photographs may not be used without the express written permission of Laurel Garza. 310-534 8611:  Big Beef, Black Cherry, Brown Derby, Isis Candy, Eva Purple Ball, Aunt Ruby's German Green, Cherokee Purple single fruit, Dona, Black Krim, Rutgers, Goose Creek, Japanese Black Trifele 3 fruit portrait, Japanese Yellow Truffle, Julia Child, Black Plum grouped  in bowl, Sara Black, Purple Haze Homegrown, Striped German, Matina, Valencia single fruit, Beiju, Bloody Butcher, Sweet Baby Girl, Grape, Sun Gold, Sun Sugar, Green Zebra, Black Zebra, Stupice, Lemon Boy, Beefsteak, Carmello, Momotaro, Goose Creek, Kellogg's Breakfast,  Tangella, Traveler, Super Sioux, Stupice, Flammée, Old German, Paul Robeson-single fruit, Persimmon, Twin Carmello, Yellow Brandywine, Laurel Holding Jaune Flammee, Sliced Brandywine OTV, Basket Next To Heirlooms On Table, Table With Heirloom Tomatoes against Yellow Background" and  Heirloom Tomato Montage, Laurel holding Paul Robeson plant.  www.heirloomtomatoplants.com   All rights reserved.

All other photographs of  tomatoes are the sole property of Gary Ibsen and TomatoFest.com® and used with the gracious permission of TomatoFest.com®. www.TomatoFest.com  All rights reserved. Photos belonging to Gary Ibsen may not be copied or used in any way without his express written permission.

Goose Creek tomato plant, its fruits, its seeds and its name are protected by copyright and US patent, and are the sole property of Jimmy Williams and Hayground Organic Gardening. Under patent and copyright law, Goose Creek tomato seeds may not be sold, saved to sell, or donated or traded with knowledge of intent to sell, or with intent  to grow and sell plants or fruits or any part thereof, in any way, without the express written permission of Jimmy Williams. All rights reserved. 2009 - 2014

'Two Heirloom Tomatoes'  watercolor painting is the sole property of artist Tom Hapgood and used herein with his gracious permission. www.tomhapgood.com All rights reserved.

 All rights are reserved. Any unauthorized use of any photograph or description contained herein will result in prosecution and penalties to the full extent of US copyright laws. 1999 - 2023

Under no circumstances will be held liable for crop failure. We guarantee the plants will arrive in excellent condition.  Beyond that,  it is up to each individual gardener to maintain your plants.