Ace 55 VF Tomato

85 days, determinate — Also known simply as 'Ace 55', it is a dual purpose variety used for both fresh and processing. The medium-late, red, firm, oblate-shaped fruit are moderately smooth. The plants are relatively compact, medium to large for a determinate variety, and are tolerant to Verticillium and Fusarium.

'Ace 55' is a variety that has had misinformation published about it in the past that has resulting in some merchants incorrectly reporting that it is "low acid" or "low in acid." They are incorrectly extrapolating this from poorly reported articles that circulated in the early 1970s about "modern" tomato varieties having a lower acid content, 'Ace 55' was specifically named, and then warnings were issued about the danger of botulism to grow in home-canning using the hot water bath method. To address this "news," the USDA conducted extensive collaborative research which refuted the information and was published in the Horticultural Science Journal in June of 1977.^[1] And still, this misinformation is perpetuated to this day. You can find a link to the study in the informational references tab above.

Although canning any food at home should be done with careful consideration, tomatoes all generally have about the same acidic pH levels no matter what variety. It is not a bad idea to check with your local extension office for up-to-date home canning information from time-to-time, but your grandmother's recipes and procedures that were handed down to you probably have served your family for generations and are likely to still be perfectly acceptable.

'Ace 55' was bred and introduced by Asgrow Seed Company in 1964.^[2] Each packet contains approximately 20 seeds, and there are about 85 seeds per 0.25 gram.