Atkinson Tomato
Solanum lycopersicum
Price: $2.95
SKU: 340485175 days, indeterminate - The regular leaf vines of the 'Atkinson' tomato reach about six feet tall and produce beautiful red colored fruit that range from four to fourteen ounces each and are oblate shaped with firm, meaty flesh. They have a nice, balanced, slightly sweet and tart red flavor. It is nice fresh in salads or as a slicing tomato, as well as canned or processed into sauces. It is also a good fresh market tomato. When it was introduced, Auburn University stated:
"A dream come true for tomato fanciers could describe the development of Atkinson, a new rootknot nematode and Fusarium weilt resistant, tomato variety, probably the first in the Rutgers class to be released to the public."[3]
Bred and introduced by Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station, Auburn, Alabama in 1966.[1,2] The result of many years of complex breeding work, eighteen to be exact, involving a wild Peruvian tomato resistant to rootknot, with old established varieties and breeding lines of Rutgers types.[3] 'Atkinson' is Rootknot nematode and Fusarium Wilt Race 1 resistant, as well as resistant to Gray Leaf Spot and Septoria Leaf Spot.[1,2,3] It was named after George F. Atkinson, a former staff member of the Alabama Experiment Station, who first described the life cycle of the rootknot nematode at Auburn in 1889.
Fruit Color: Red
Harvest Timing: Main Crop / Mid-Season
Harvest Timing: Main Crop / Mid-Season
Sow seeds indoors (do not direct sow into the garden), using sterile seed starting mix, 6 to 8 weeks before your last expected frost date. Plant 1/4" deep, water lightly but keep moist until emergence.
Full light and cooler temps (60° to 70°) will help to prevent the seedlings from becoming too leggy. If plants become rootbound before you can safely set them into the ground, transplant them into larger pots.
Harden off plants before planting outside. Young plants are very susceptible to frost and sunburn damage. Avoid too much nitrogen. Water evenly but not in excess.
Click here to view our full tomato growing guide.
Full light and cooler temps (60° to 70°) will help to prevent the seedlings from becoming too leggy. If plants become rootbound before you can safely set them into the ground, transplant them into larger pots.
Harden off plants before planting outside. Young plants are very susceptible to frost and sunburn damage. Avoid too much nitrogen. Water evenly but not in excess.
Click here to view our full tomato growing guide.
Informational References:
- "Leaflet 73," Auburn Agricultural Experiment Station, Alabama, November 1966.
- "Vegetable Cultivar Descriptions for North America – Tomato (A-I), Lists 1-27 Combined," Edited by John W. Scott, Gulf Coast REC, University of Florida, Bradenton, Florida.
- "Atkinson: A New Tomato Variety," by W. H. Greenleaf & E. L. McGraw, Highlights of Agricultural Research, Vol. 14, No. 1, page 16, 1967.
Customer Reviews:
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★★★★★ SPECTACULAR TASTE and production even during the heat of summer in South Alabama
By GRANNY GRACE/GG (SOUTH ALABAMA) on August 18, 2023
By GRANNY GRACE/GG (SOUTH ALABAMA) on August 18, 2023
I have been in love with the spectacular flavor of ATKINSON tomatoes most of my 72 years! It is a beautiful and prolific plant. Thank you VICTORY SEEDS! I bought several packs as thank you gifts for my gardening friends.
