Paul Robeson Tomato Seedlings
Certified Organic
Solanum lycopersicum
Gorgeous red-brown fruits boast off-the-charts flavor.
There’s a lot worthy of honor in the story of Paul Robeson, a famous opera singer, linguist, and equal rights champion who nearly had his career destroyed for standing up to the infamous McCarthy committee in the 1950's. He was idolized and well respected in Russia for his musical genius, his political activism, his athletic accomplishments, and his civil rights leadership, and this tomato has quite a loyal following as well! It's as multi-faceted as he was: its deep flavor is like his renowned baritone voice, its broad shape akin to his robust physical stature, its powerful, outstanding flavor an echo of the man’s full-strength personality. For all of these reasons, the Russian tomato breeders who developed this variety named it in his honor.
A "black" type tomato with a distinctive smoky and sweet flavor, this heirloom consistently wins taste tests. 6-12 oz. fruits with dark green shoulders.
$4.69
| Unit | Price | Quantity | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single seedling in 4" pot | $4.69 | Sold out for 2024 preorders. |
Start seeds indoors early, about 10 weeks before last frost. Seeds germinate best at 80 degrees F. Do not over water, and keep temperature warm but not hot to prevent damping off. Transplant outdoors after threat of frost has passed. Provide with proper support. A bit of pruning increases yield of fruit. Do not over water, and water at the base of the plant if possible to help reduce occurrence of disease. Harvest when the main body of the fruit is firm and red-brown, but has a slight give when squeezed. The shoulders of this variety may remain green and hard even when ripe.
| Days to Germination | 5-10 days |
|---|---|
| Days to Maturity | 80 days |
| Planting Depth | ¼" |
| Spacing in Row | 24" |
| Spacing Between Rows | 36" |
| Height at Maturity | 48" |
| Width at Maturity | 18" |
| Sun Preference | Full Sun |
Artwork by Molly Costello. This collaged illustration imagines gardening like planting stars. If each Paul Robeson seed is a star, then there are reflections of each of us, no matter what age, ability, ethnicity, or ancestry, in each seed we plant.