Tags: Heirloom Open Pollinated

Growing Practices: No Pesticides No Herbicides No Fungicides No Synthetic Fertilizers

Latin Name: Solanum sp.

Days to Maturity: 56 days from transplant

Description:

'Tirokave Cherry' is a brand-new introduction to the USA from the mountains of Papua New Guinea where it is naturalized, growing wild on roadsides. Despite the extreme levels of late blight in the area, this tomato thrives throughout the year. The flavor of the 5/8" diameter fruit is sweet and rich and it matures quickly (56 days) and bears until frost. Vines are very rambunctious and uniquely hairy with better disease resistance than other tomatoes I've grown that suffer from various fungal pathogen infections.

*NOTE* This variety retains a semi-wild trait of latent seed dormancy. This means that the seeds need stored 6-12 months under warm dry conditions to after-ripen and be able to sprout. In addition, I find that they take a full 2-3 weeks to sprout but then germination is excellent (90+%)! Seeds produced in Morgantown, WV. A unique variety release from Sylvan Roots.

Story of this Seed:

I received this variety in a unique international variety exchange with a family member who lives in remote PNG doing mission work. Despite all the villagers growing huge gardens, large tomatoes have been absent as the locally-available commercial varieties die from late blight before they can produce. Hearing of this, I sent seeds of the blight-resistant 'WV 63' to my family member who has grown them successfully and shared them with the entire village. Now they can enjoy large tomatoes! In return, I was sent seeds of this PNG tomato that has survived for decades despite the blight. The name reflects the village near which these seeds originated.

Growing Tips:

Allow 2-3 weeks for germination. Provide sturdy cages or stakes or allow room to sprawl.