A favorite of the squirrels too.
The Hillbilly tomato has been my favorite large tomato for years. It’s just ridiculously pretty. On a plate, in a sandwich, just sitting on the counter. The Hillbilly tomato is delicious. Sweet. Low acid. The Hillbilly plant makes you wait, it’s usually the last tomato plant to provide for the season, rarely gifting us a fruit until September.
This year, the plant gave me four before frost, a typical output for this heirloom up north. Squirrels got to three of them. I can see why, they are exceptionally juicy. Squirrels only ate the Hillbilly tomatoes, however. I guess those little bastards also have a cultured palate?
I plant 50 tomato plants and they wait all season for the Hillbilly.
Isn’t she gorgeous!
The Hillbilly plants are strong and healthy, not prone to disease more than any other heirloom. They will be among the last of the plants to provide fruit, so if you are a northern gardener, I would not recommend direct seeding. Start the seeds indoors about 6-8 weeks before your last frost/plant out date. I plant out around May 15th, and get ripe Hillbilly tomatoes in September. These tomatoes are superior for fresh eating, and I have used them in sauces and for canning. They definitely taste like a tomato, but are lower acid, typical of the orange and yellow tomato varieties. I find them versatile, yet if you prefer a strong acidic tomato, this may not be the tomato you like best. It will be one of the prettiest tomatoes you will grow, a true show stopper.
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