Tomato Hillbilly Seeds

Hillbilly is a beefsteak tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) with very large fruit of 400–800 g, marbled orange and red, on an indeterminate vine. The packet holds 10 seeds.

Also known as: Tomato, Tamatar (Hindi), Thakkali (Tamil, Malayalam), Tamata (Telugu), Tomate (Spanish, French, German, Portuguese), Pomodoro (Italian), Domates (Turkish), Pomidor (Polish), Fanqie (Chinese).

Large marbled beefsteak fruit

The flesh is dense and juicy with few seeds, a slicing tomato for sandwiches and platters.

• Habit: indeterminate, tall vines that need a stake or cage
• Fruit: beefsteak type, 400–800 g
• Colour: orange and red marbled skin
• Flavour: sweet with a mild tang

Sow 3–6 mm deep in soil at 16–29 °C

Start seed indoors 6–8 weeks before the last frost. Cover it with 3–6 mm of seed-starting mix and keep the soil at 16–29 °C. At 20–30 °C seedlings usually appear in 6–8 days (figure measured with seed sown about 12 mm deep). These are typical values for tomatoes as a species, not a test of this packet.

Planting out and support

Move plants outside after the last frost. Space them 60–90 cm apart in well-drained soil at pH 6.0–6.8 and at least 6–8 hours of direct sun. As an indeterminate variety it keeps growing and fruiting all season, so set a stake or cage at planting. The first ripe fruit comes about 85–90 days after transplanting, counted from planting out rather than from sowing.

What you get

The packet holds 10 seeds of Hillbilly. Tomato seed typically stays usable for 4 years or more when kept cool, dark and dry. We do not state a germination percentage for this packet.

FAQ

Why does Hillbilly need a strong support?

Single fruit weighs 400–800 g on a tall indeterminate vine, so the stake or cage carries a heavy load late in the season.

How long from sowing to the first ripe fruit?

Roughly 6–8 weeks of indoor growing before transplanting, then about 85–90 days after planting out.