Sweet
Prince Tomato

Solanum lycopersicum

 

Abundant on the vine and packed with vibrant flavor, this little tomato is a showstopper in the field and on the plate. In his 40 years of plant breeding, North Carolina State University breeder and Professor Emeritus Randy Gardner has developed countless tomato cultivars for growers throughout the eastern U.S., pioneering new disease resistance without compromising on flavor. Sweet Prince continues in that tradition, producing uniform trusses with resistance to verticillium wilt, fusarium wilt and late blight. But it’s the flavor that won our hearts. The versatile, two-bite tomatoes burst with sweetness and acid. They’re ideal for roasting, sautéing and dehydrating—if you can resist eating them raw.

DAYS TO MATURITY
65 days from transplant

 

FIELD NOTES

— Soil Requirements: Fertile, well-drained soils with an optimal pH of 6.5

— Indeterminate

— Minimal pruning recommended—this variety may display green shoulders when exposed to high heat and/or strong sun exposure

— Resistant to verticillium wilt, fusarium wilt and late blight, with moderate resistance to early blight foliage symptoms

 

SPACING AFTER TRANSPLANTING

—Plant spacing: 12-24”

—Row spacing: 3’

 

TRANSPLANTING

— Start seeds indoors 5-6 weeks before transplanting. Sow seeds ¼” deep in trays or shallow flats, 4 seeds per inch.

— Germinate on a heat mat for 7+ days (optimal soil temperature: 75-85˚F). Maintain consistent moisture.  

— At true leaf stage (4 weeks), transplant (bump up) to 2”-cell trays or 4” pots. Maintain temperatures at 60-70˚F. 

— Move transplants outdoors to harden off gradually for 3-5 days, protecting seedlings from wind, strong sun, hard rain and cold.

— Transplant outdoors after risk of frost has passed, when soil temperatures do not dip below 55˚F.

 

DIRECT SEEDING

Not recommended. 

 

PEST + DISEASE INFO

— Diseases: Resistant to verticillium wilt race 1 (Ve gene), fusarium wilt race 1 (I gene), late blight (Ph-2 + Ph-3 genes), and has a high level of resistance to stem lesions caused by early blight and moderate resistance to early blight foliage symptoms. 

— Use best management practices such as drip irrigation and moisture management, crop rotation, removal of post-harvest crop debris and proper air circulation to prevent common tomato diseases. Be careful not to use tobacco prior to handling plants. Properly timed use of organic fungicides can help combat infection.

— Pests: Monitor carefully for aphids, flea beetles and whiteflies on seedlings. Control insect pests with biological control or organic insecticide such as pyrethrin, spinosad, soaps, etc. as appropriate. Tomato hornworms (using a blacklight at night is helpful) and potato beetles can also be managed by consistent monitoring and handpicking.

 

HARVEST

Fruitset is continuous over a long period. Harvest when tomatoes are firm but perfectly red.

 

STORAGE

— Long-storing off the vine (up to 2 weeks) and improves in flavor/texture a few days after harvest. 

— Store whole and dry at 45-60˚F in an open container for up to two weeks.

 

SEED SPECS
~11,000 seeds/ounce; 177,000 seeds/pound

Roast. Sauté. Confit. Dehydrate. Or eat straight off the vine.