Mortgage Lifter Tomato - Seeds

Mortgage Lifter Tomato - Seeds

$5.80
$5.80
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Mortgage Lifter Tomato - Seeds
  • Mortgage Lifter Tomato - Seeds
Mortgage Lifter Tomato - Seeds

Mortgage Lifter Tomato - Seeds

$5.80
$5.80

Minimum 25 seeds per packet.

Postage included. Bundle to save. Raised from heirloom seed at Turtledove Farm.

Can't be posted to Western Australia.

Solanum lycopersicum (nightshade)

A legendary Depression-era heirloom bred by M.C. "Radiator Charlie" Byles, a self-taught radiator repairman from Logan, West Virginia. With no formal training, Byles spent six years hand-pollinating four large-fruited varieties before landing on this one — then sold seedlings for a dollar each, using the proceeds to pay off his mortgage entirely, which is exactly how the tomato got its name. Massive, meaty, pinkish-red beefsteak fruit — often over a pound, sometimes reaching two or three — with few seeds and a rich, old-fashioned sweetness that has made it one of the most beloved heirloom tomatoes ever grown. Indeterminate (climbing) variety — requires sturdy staking.

Days to harvest 80–85 days from transplant
Fruit size450–900g+, beefsteak-shaped
Sowing depth5mm
Germination6–14 days at 24–29°C
Spacing60–90cm apart
AspectFull sun, well-drained soil
Frost toleranceFrost sensitive — needs reliably warm nights
LifecycleTender perennial — most often grown as an annual
Container suitableYes

Growing notes

Choose a full-sun, open position with good air circulation. This is a big, vigorous plant that needs plenty of room to sprawl and climb. Large, vigorous habit needs a substantial pot from 40L+ with strong staking

Soil preparation: Rich, well-drained soil with plenty of organic matter worked in.

Support: Sturdy staking or a strong cage essential — vines can reach 2–3m and carry genuinely heavy fruit.

Watering & feeding: Water deeply and consistently, especially as fruit sizes up. Feed regularly with a potassium-rich fertiliser once flowering and fruiting begins.

Harvest: Pick as fruit ripens to a deep pinkish-red. Given the size of the fruit, handle gently to avoid bruising or splitting.

Timing: Expect first harvest around 80–85 days after transplanting, with continued cropping through the warm months.

Short season tips

Sow 6–8 weeks before you want to plant out, on a heat mat if possible — soil needs to be 24–29°C to germinate reliably. Transplant only once all risk of frost has passed and nights are reliably mild. Given the size this variety grows to, stake early and generously rather than trying to add support once the plant is established.

Origin

Bred in the early 1930s by M.C. "Radiator Charlie" Byles, an amateur gardener and radiator repairman in Logan, West Virginia, who crossed German Johnson, Beefsteak, and undisclosed Italian and English varieties over six painstaking years of hand pollination. Selling seedlings for a dollar each — a hefty sum during the Depression — he genuinely paid off his home mortgage within six years, giving the tomato its enduring name. Seeds were shared with the Southern Exposure Seed Exchange in the mid-1980s, ensuring this remarkable variety and its story lived on.

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