Rio Grande Tomato – 100 Seeds

Rio Grande tomato is a determinate, heat tolerant, open-pollinated heirloom paste tomato variety. It was developed using traditional breeding methods by the University of California, and released in 1994.

It produces very large, meaty, pear-shaped tomatoes that mature to a deep red. These tomatoes are perfect for making tomato paste, sauce, and juice. This vigorous variety is well adapted to extreme temperatures and VFF resistant. Due to the potential of heavy crops and to keep the fruit clean and easy to pick, it is recommended to support plants with stakes or cages.

Growing Rio Grande Tomato

Indoor Sowing: Mid Winter and Late Winter.

Direct Sowing: Spring and Early Summer.

• Tomatoes require a long growing season, and are best started indoors 6 – 8 weeks before the anticipated transplanting date.
• For best results, surface sow Tomato Seeds in a well-drained, soil-less starting mix and cover with a thin layer of soil.
• Seeds require warm soil. The warmer the soil, the faster the germination.
• Keep soil moist, but not soggy while awaiting germination.
• Wait at least a week or two after the last frost before transplanting the seedlings.
• Tomatoes do better if the seedlings are planted deeper than they were grown in containers.
• Set them in the ground so that the soil level is just below the lowest leaves.
• Roots will form along the buried stem, establishing a stronger root system.