First Mate - beefsteak tomato - 15 pcs seeds

First Mate (Beefsteak type) is an impressive large-fruited tomato variety that combines an attractive appearance, excellent yield and an exceptionally sweet, fruity flavour. The fruits are tricoloured – red-orange with green stripes on the outside, while the interior is marbled in pink, red, green, yellow and orange. The variety was developed by breeder Millard Murdock and is highly valued among enthusiasts of rare, flavourful tomatoes.

First Mate is an indeterminate large-fruited tomato variety (Beefsteak), distinguished by its unique colouring and rich fruity flavour. It was developed by crossing the popular Lucky Cross variety with an unknown parent variety, then stabilized by American breeder Millard Murdock.

The plants produce medium to large fruits weighing between 180 and 350 grams, which impress not only with their appearance but also with their fleshy texture. The flesh is firm, juicy and full-flavoured, combining sweet fruity notes with a classic tomato aroma.

The variety is indeterminate and continues fruiting throughout the season. The plants reach a height of about 1.8 – 2.4 m and require side-shoot removal and support for optimum growth. First Mate is known for its good productivity and steady fruiting from mid-season until the first autumn cold spells.

Technical specifications

✔️ Species: Solanum lycopersicum

✔️ Type: Large-fruited tomato (Beefsteak)

✔️ Quantity: 15 seeds

✔️ Growth habit: Indeterminate (tall-growing)

✔️ Plant height: about 1.8 – 2.4 m

✔️ Fruit weight: 180 – 350 g

✔️ Shape: slightly flattened large fruits

✔️ Fruit colour: red-orange with green stripes

✔️ Interior: marbled in pink, green, yellow and orange

✔️ Flavour: sweet, fruity and aromatic

✔️ Ripening period: mid-season

✔️ Suitable for greenhouse and open-field cultivation

✔️ Excellent productivity throughout the season

Benefits

✔️ Exceptionally attractive tricoloured fruits

✔️ Large, fleshy tomatoes with few seeds

✔️ Rich, sweet flavour with fruity notes

✔️ High yield and extended fruiting period

✔️ Suitable for fresh consumption and salads

✔️ Rare collector's variety

✔️ An excellent choice for gourmet tomato enthusiasts

Application

First Mate fruits are ideal for:

• Fresh consumption

• Salads

• Sandwiches and burgers

• Cold platters

• Homemade sauces

• Gourmet cuisine

• Sales at farmers' markets thanks to its striking appearance

🌱 Sowing method

Sowing: February – April indoors at a temperature of 20–25°C.

Pricking out: transplant plants into individual pots after the first true leaves have formed.

Transplanting: after the risk of frost has passed and the weather has warmed reliably.

Growing: a tall-growing variety that requires stakes, strings or another support structure.

Plant spacing: 60–80 cm.

Care: regularly remove side shoots and provide sufficient water during fruiting.

💡 Tip from Urban Botaniks: To obtain the largest, highest-quality fruit, grow First Mate (Oxheart type) with one or two main stems and provide regular feeding with a potassium-rich fertiliser during fruiting. 🍅🌿