Tomato Legendary Mortgage Lifter
Tomato Legendary Mortgage Lifter
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Mortgage Lifter Tomato · Heirloom · Open-Pollinated · Naturally Grown · Non-GMO · Traditional to West Virginia
Mortgage Lifter comes with one of the best stories in gardening. In the 1930s, a West Virginia mechanic known as "Radiator Charlie" bred this giant tomato and sold seedlings for $1 each, paying off his $6,000 mortgage in six years. Our premium strain produces huge, meaty, pinkish-red beefsteaks with a sweet, mild flavor and few seeds. One fruit can make several sandwiches.
Why Grow Mortgage Lifter Tomato?
- Huge, meaty pinkish-red beefsteaks
- Sweet, mild flavor with few seeds
- A legendary 1930s heirloom with a great story
- Premium large-fruited strain
- Open-pollinated, so you can save seed every year
Plant Profile
Plant Profile
Botanical Name: Solanum lycopersicum
Common Name: Mortgage Lifter Tomato
Type: Heirloom, open-pollinated
Crop: Slicing tomato
Fruit Color: Pinkish red, huge beefsteak, often 1–2 lbs or more
Plant Habit: Indeterminate vine, 6–8 ft
Season: Warm season, summer to frost
Sun: Full sun, 6–8+ hours
Days to Harvest: 80–90 days from transplant
Sowing Depth: 1/4 in.
Germination: 5–10 days at 70–85°F soil
Harvest: Pick when evenly pink-red and slightly soft
Garden Use: Garden beds, raised beds, tall sturdy cages
Culinary & Traditional Uses
Culinary & Traditional Uses
Mortgage Lifter is meaty, sweet and mild, made for slicing.
- Giant slices on sandwiches and burgers
- Tomato salads with basil and olive oil
- Fresh salsa and kachumber
- Mild, sweet sauce
- Stuffed tomatoes
- Tomato chutney and rasam
How to Grow
How to Grow
These giants need rich soil, steady water and strong support.
- Start seeds indoors 6–8 weeks before your last frost date, 1/4 in. deep.
- Keep soil at 70–85°F; seedlings appear in 5–10 days. Give strong light.
- Harden off and transplant 1–2 weeks after your last frost, burying stems up to the first leaves.
- Space plants 3 ft apart with a tall, sturdy cage or stake.
- Mulch and water deeply 1–2 times a week at the base.
- For the biggest fruit, prune to 1–2 main stems and thin clusters to 2–3 fruits.
- Harvest when evenly colored. Support heavy fruit clusters if needed.
What NOT To Do
- Don't transplant before nights stay above 50°F
- Don't water the leaves, which spreads disease
- Don't water unevenly, which causes cracking and blossom-end rot
- Don't plant where tomatoes, peppers or eggplants grew last year
Regional & International Names
Regional & International Names
- Hindi: Tamatar (टमाटर)
- Tamil: Thakkali (தக்காளி)
- Telugu: Tamata (టమాటా)
- Kannada: Tomato (ಟೊಮೇಟೊ)
- Malayalam: Thakkali (തക്കാളി)
- Bengali: Tomato (টমেটো)
- Spanish: Tomate
- Italian: Pomodoro
FAQ
FAQ
How big do Mortgage Lifter tomatoes get?
Often 1–2 lbs, and with pruning and steady care some fruits grow much larger.
Is the mortgage story true?
Yes. M.C. "Radiator Charlie" Byles bred it in the 1930s and paid off his mortgage selling seedlings.
Do I need a strong cage?
Yes. The vines are vigorous and the fruit is heavy.
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