Tomato Paul Robeson Vegetable Seeds

TOMATO ‘Paul Robeson’ Vegetable Seeds

Botanical Name: Solanum lycopersicum

Famous Russian heirloom tomato named in honour of singer and activist Paul Robeson.
Produces medium to large, dusky mahogany-red fruits with a complex, rich and slightly smoky flavour.
Excellent for fresh use in salads, sandwiches and platters, and also makes a deeply flavoured sauce.
Indeterminate variety with vigorous vines that benefit from staking or trellising.
Open-pollinated heirloom – suitable for saving your own seed from the best plants.
Ideal for warm, sunny garden beds, tunnels or large pots with regular feeding and deep watering.

Plant Type: Warm-season annual vegetable (indeterminate vine)
Height: 1.5 – 2 m with support
Fruit Size: Medium to large (approx. 200 – 300 g)
Days to Harvest: Approx. 75 – 90 days from transplanting
Growth Habit: Indeterminate (continues to grow and set fruit over a long season)
Pollination: Open-pollinated heirloom

Sow When (Australia):
- Cool: Start indoors August – October
- Temperate: August – November
- Subtropical: August – December
- Tropical: Late autumn to early dry season – April – July
- Arid: August – November, avoiding peak heat
Germination Temperature: 18 – 28 °C
Germination Time: 7 – 14 days
Sowing Depth: 5 – 10 mm
Sow Where: Raise seedlings in trays or small pots and transplant once the danger of frost has passed and soil has warmed.
Spacing: 45 – 60 cm between plants; 75 – 90 cm between rows
Position: Full sun (at least 6–8 hours of direct light per day)
Soil: Well-drained, fertile soil enriched with compost or aged manure; pH 6.0 – 7.0

Harden off seedlings before planting out by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions over 7–10 days.
Plant deeply, burying part of the stem to encourage extra root development and stronger plants.
Provide sturdy stakes, trellis or cages soon after transplanting to support the indeterminate vines.
Mulch around plants with straw or sugarcane to conserve moisture, suppress weeds and protect the soil.
Water deeply and consistently at the base of the plants; avoid overhead watering to help prevent fungal disease.
Feed regularly with a balanced organic fertiliser or liquid seaweed, reducing nitrogen once plants begin to flower.
Remove the lowest leaves to improve airflow and reduce the risk of disease near the soil surface.

Harvest when fruits are fully coloured with a rich mahogany-red tone and yield slightly to gentle pressure.
Pick regularly to encourage continued flowering and fruit set throughout the season.
Fruits can be harvested slightly under-ripe and allowed to finish colouring indoors if birds or cracking are an issue.

Climate Zone	Sowing Time (Seeds/Seedlings)
Cool	Raise seedlings indoors August – October; transplant after last frost.
Temperate	Sow or raise seedlings August – November in warming soil.
Subtropical	Best sown August – December, avoiding the very hottest, humid months.
Tropical	Sow April – July during the cooler, drier part of the year.
Arid	Sow August – November, providing shade and mulch in extreme heat.