Details
There has been a lot of conflicting information / confusion about the origin of this tomato. First offered in the Seed Savers 2005 Yearbook by Dorothy Beiswenger, Crookston, Minnesota, who said she got the seed from a seed saver, who discovered this yellow large tomato on a Pruden's Purple plant. Dorothy did not mention leaf type. In 2011,, no other SSE members re-listed this tomato in the SSE Yearbooks, but many growers obtained the seed from Dorothy Beiswenger, including Bill Malin of New Mexico, who later shared it with others describing it as a 'potato leaf' variant of Black Krim, and that Dorothy discovered it and named by her for the Flathead River in Montana where her grandparents homesteaded in the early 1900s. This story does not match Dorothy Beiswenger's SSE listing. Some growers who got seeds from Bill Malin reported black fruits, and some reported orange and pink fruits. Either the original seeds have been crossed, or a new cross appeared in Bill Malin's garden.
I obtained some seeds last year from wintersown.org, and grew out the 6 seeds that they sent me. I got regular leaf plants and potato leaf plnts. I will include both varieties in this seed pack, if you choose to buy one. This would be a fun one to grow and figure out, since no one really has the true information on it. One thing is for sure, it is truly a monster tomato. It's HUGE and is great for slicing!
Michigan Seeds and Plants grown on our farm, Renegade Acres, in Howell, MI!
Certified Organic by Oregon Tilth.
Additional Info
Botanical Name | Lycopersicon lycopersicum |
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Life Cycle | Annual |
Min. Time to Germinate | 5 Days |
Max. Time to Germinate | 10 Days |
Depth to Sow Seeds | 1/4 in. |
When to Sow | Indoors 6-8 weeks before last spring frost |
Growing Height | 4-6 ft. (1.2-1.8 m) |
Plant Spacing | 24-36 in. (60-90 cm) |
Hardiness | N/A |
Sun Exposure | Full Sun |
Danger | Parts of plant are poisonous if ingested |
Growth Habit | Indeterminate |
Soil pH Requirements | 6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic), 6.6 to 7.5 (neutral), 7.6 to 7.8 (mildly alkaline) |
Days to Harvest | 70-80 |
Propagation Methods | From herbaceous stem cuttings, From seed; direct sow after last frost, From seed; germinate in a damp paper towel, From seed; sow indoors before last frost |
Seed Collecting | Allow unblemished fruit to ripen; clean and dry seeds, Ferment seeds before storing |
Open Pollinated (OP) | Yes |
Usage | Fresh, slicing |
Fruit Color | Pink |
Fruit Size | Medium (under one pound), Large (over one pound) |
Seeds Per Pack | 25 |