Mikado Tomato Seedlings
Certified Organic
Solanum lycopersicum
Rare American heirloom with exceptional flavor and reliability.
The first commercially available potato leaf tomato released in 1886, Mikado was once known as “Turner’s Hybrid”. After Turner shared the seeds, it was renamed after a once popular and now controversial opera. It then took a back seat to its own progeny; the now famous Brandywine that started the heirloom tomato craze in contemporary times was bred from Mikado. Just as the Kitsune Fox’s many tails signal its wisdom, the many tales of Mikado hint at its valuable place in the pantheon of garden tomato history.
Yields 6" diameter fruit weighing as much as 1 ½-2 lbs. Best for slicing—or county fair competitions!
$4.69
| Unit | Price | Quantity | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single seedling in 4" pot | $4.69 | Sold out for 2024 preorders. |
Start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before last frost, then transplant outdoors to indicated spacing after all threat of frost has passed. All tomatoes benefit from staking; indeterminate varieties like this one require it. Prune tomatoes when they reach about 24" high and are starting to produce small suckers. Keep plants from coming into contact with the soil, and water at the roots to prevent the spread of soil borne disease. When fruits begin to ripen fully, harvest every couple of days for the highest quality tomatoes. At the end of the season, harvest any fruits that have begun to take on color to ripen indoors.
| Days to Germination | 5-10 days |
|---|---|
| Days to Maturity | 85 days from transplant |
| Planting Depth | ¼" |
| Spacing in Row | 24" |
| Spacing Between Rows | 42" |
| Height at Maturity | 60" |
| Sun Preference | Full Sun |
Artwork by Kiriska. The Seattle-based artist illustrated these tomatoes with a traditional Kitsune FoxâÃâ¬Ãâa recurring character in Japanese folk tales. The more tails the fox has, the more wisdom it has gained over its long life as a spirit creature.