Flavor is the whole reason anyone bothers growing tomatoes from seed instead of just buying them at a grocery store. KVITER stocks seven varieties built around that single obsession — a beefsteak heavy enough to anchor a sandwich, a paste tomato bred for sauce, cherry types small enough for a patio pot, and two tomatillo varieties for salsa verde. All of it's heirloom, open-pollinated, and free of any GMO breeding, which means seed pulled from this year's harvest grows true next season too. Browse the rest of KVITER's vegetable seeds catalog for whatever else the garden's missing.
Tomato & Tomatillo Variety Comparison
Red Giant Beefsteak — Tomato; 80–85 days to maturity; indeterminate growth habit; best for slicing and sandwiches
Purple Cherokee — Tomato; 80–90 days to maturity; indeterminate growth habit; best for fresh eating and salads
San Marzano — Paste tomato; 80 days to maturity; indeterminate growth habit; best for sauce and canning
Large Red Cherry — Tomato; 75 days to maturity; indeterminate growth habit; best for market growing and snacking
Tiny Tim — Dwarf tomato; 45–55 days to maturity; determinate growth habit; best for containers and small spaces
Toma Verde Tomatillo — Tomatillo; 65–70 days to maturity; sprawling growth habit; best for salsa verde
Tomatillo — Tomatillo; 70–75 days to maturity; sprawling growth habit; best for salsa verde with a sweeter flavor
Why Gardeners Choose KVITER Seed
KVITER doesn't sell tomato seeds to people who just want something green in a raised bed for the summer — this is seed for people who plan to actually can, slice, and eat what comes off the vine. Every packet gets germination-tested before it's ever listed for sale, and every variety here is a true heirloom, open-pollinated line grown without a single GMO input. Seed bred over generations, not engineered in a lab.
- High germination rate on every packet, verified before listing
- 100% heirloom, open-pollinated varieties — save your own seed year after year
- Non-GMO seeds, never treated with synthetic coatings
- Detailed growing notes on every product page
- Free shipping on all orders over $49
Determinate vs. Indeterminate — Why It Actually Matters
Determinate tomatoes hit a set height, dump most of their fruit in one window, then more or less quit — that's the type canners want, since it's easier to process forty pounds of tomatoes in one weekend than a trickle all season. Indeterminate types, which is most of what's listed above, keep growing and fruiting right up until frost ends things, but they'll flop over without a real stake or cage once loaded. Tiny Tim is the one exception in this lineup — a true dwarf, no support needed, done growing well before it needs one.
Tomato Planting Windows by USDA Hardiness Zone
In Zone 3–4, the typical last frost falls in late May to early June. Start seeds indoors in early April, then transplant outdoors in early-to-mid June. Expect harvest in late August through September.
In Zone 5, the typical last frost occurs in mid-May. Start seeds indoors in mid-March, then transplant outdoors in late May to early June. Expect harvest in mid-August.
In Zone 6, the typical last frost falls in late April to early May. Start seeds indoors in early March, then transplant outdoors in mid-May. Expect harvest in late July to early August.
In Zone 7, the typical last frost occurs in early-to-mid April. Start seeds indoors in mid-February, then transplant outdoors in late April to early May. Expect harvest in mid-July.
In Zone 8, the typical last frost falls in mid-March. Start seeds indoors in late January, then transplant outdoors in late March to early April. Expect harvest in late June.
In Zone 9, the typical last frost occurs in late February. Start seeds indoors in early January, then transplant outdoors in late February to March. Expect harvest in late May to early June.
In Zone 10, frost is rare. Start seeds indoors in December, then transplant outdoors in January–February. Expect harvest in late April to May.
How to Grow Tomatoes from Seed
Tomatoes are more forgiving than their reputation suggests, but starting them indoors matters more here than it does for almost anything else in the garden.
- Start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost, sown ¼ inch deep.
- Keep soil at 70-80°F for germination — a heat mat isn't optional in cooler climates.
- Transplant outdoors once nighttime temps hold above 55°F.
- Space indeterminate varieties 24-36 inches apart; Tiny Tim needs a fraction of that room.
- Stake or cage indeterminate plants before they start leaning — waiting until they've flopped over makes it worse.
- Water deeply at the base once or twice a week instead of a light daily sprinkle.
- Harvest once fruit hits full color and gives slightly under gentle thumb pressure.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should tomato seeds be started?
Six to eight weeks ahead of the last frost, indoors, under grow lights or in a strong south-facing window.
How many tomato seeds go in one hole?
One or two per cell is plenty when starting indoors — germination rates run high enough that seeding heavy just means more thinning later, not more success.
Can heirloom tomato seeds be saved and replanted?
Yes, and that's really the whole point of buying heirloom over hybrid. Every KVITER variety is open-pollinated, so seed saved from a ripe fruit grows true the following year.
What's actually different between heirloom and hybrid tomatoes?
Heirlooms are open-pollinated lines passed down largely unchanged, grown mainly for flavor and genetic diversity. Hybrids get bred for uniformity and disease resistance, but their seed drifts from the parent plant if saved and replanted — sometimes wildly.
Can tomatoes grow in a container?
Dwarf varieties like Tiny Tim or Purple Tomatillo are true container vegetables and handle it fine. Larger indeterminate types like San Marzano or Red Giant Beefsteak need more root space and staking, and should be grown in the open garden.
