What a great story this American heirloom has! Smuggled aboard a slave ship by a Caribbean slave in the early 1800s, seeds of these tomatoes travelled with her to Goose Creek, near Charleston, South Carolina, where she planted them the following season. They stayed in the family, passed down through generations, until they reached the hands of her granddaughter, Elouise Watson, who eventually passed them to her grandson, Jimmy Williams in the 1950s-1960s. Jimmy Williams went on to become and edible landscape expert, founding - Hayground Organic Gardening. There has been some controversy about the legitimacy of this claim, on the grounds that there were no smooth tomatoes available in the 1800s. Regardless, it’s a great story and a delicious tomato.
Indeterminate, regular leaf
Indeterminate plants are vigorous plants with a vining tendency. They set their fruits at intervals along their stems, and will readily grow side shoots and suckers (shoots from ground level). They need good, strong support, and it is advisable to remove the majority of the side shoots and suckers unless you have plenty of space and fertile soil to allow them to grow to their full potential. See the guide on pruning indeterminates in the resources section of the website for tips.
Sow Jan-April indoors
10-15 open-pollinated seeds
What a great story this American heirloom has! Smuggled aboard a slave ship by a Caribbean slave in the early 1800s, seeds of these tomatoes travelled with her to Goose Creek, near Charleston, South Carolina, where she planted them the following season. They stayed in the family, passed down through generations, until they reached the hands of her granddaughter, Elouise Watson, who eventually passed them to her grandson, Jimmy Williams in the 1950s-1960s. Jimmy Williams went on to become and edible landscape expert, founding - Hayground Organic Gardening. There has been some controversy about the legitimacy of this claim, on the grounds that there were no smooth tomatoes available in the 1800s. Regardless, it’s a great story and a delicious tomato.
Indeterminate, regular leaf
Indeterminate plants are vigorous plants with a vining tendency. They set their fruits at intervals along their stems, and will readily grow side shoots and suckers (shoots from ground level). They need good, strong support, and it is advisable to remove the majority of the side shoots and suckers unless you have plenty of space and fertile soil to allow them to grow to their full potential. See the guide on pruning indeterminates in the resources section of the website for tips.
Sow Jan-April indoors
10-15 open-pollinated seeds
