Tomato: Crimson Sprinter

  CERTIFIED ORGANIC, HEIRLOOM SEED, 1 packet (25 seeds)

Solanum lycopersicon (65-75 days; semi-determinant) David Podoll, a Seed Savers Exchange member, rescued Crimson Sprinter in 1980. Developed by Prof. T. Graham in Guelph, Ontario, it is the earliest maturing tomato to carry the famous 'crimson gene' with high lycopene content, making it nutritionally unique. When David adopted it and began working with it, it was no longer available to gardeners in the marketplace for purchase. We reintroduced it, again offering the seed for sale to gardeners, after more than 20 years of intensive selection for resistance to blossom end-rot and septoria leaf spot, with strong performance in cool conditions. You will love this delicious slicer with brilliant red color! It is a medium-sized tomato, about 5-7 oz, with high acid content.  This variety is one of our workhorse, staple choices for filling the pantry with tomato juice and canned tomatoes. Its story is featured in the book, Deeply Rooted, Unconventional Farmers in the Age of Agribusiness by Lisa Hamilton.

Growing Notes

Sow transplant seedlings indoors 5-6 wks before last frost; Planting depth: 1/4 inch. Avg. Days to Germ.: 7-12. Transplant outdoors with 36-48 in. spacing between plants in rows 4-6 ft. apart. Full sun. Days to Maturity (after transplant): 65-75.