Box Car Willie

Described as a sweet-tangy, old-fashioned tomato flavor, a dependable all-purpose fruit. This is the recurring catalog and grower description, not a measured claim.

An old-fashioned heirloom named for the Grand Ole Opry singer Boxcar Willie, associated with the Bratka family and revived by Carolyn Male in the mid-1990s.

• Indeterminate vine. It keeps growing and setting fruit right up to frost, so plan on a tall stake or cage and regular pruning through the season.
• Mid-season timing, ripening around 70 to 80 days from transplant.
• Generally forgiving and beginner-friendly to grow.
• Skins resist cracking, even after a heavy rain.
• One of our picks for the cold, short-season gardens of New England.

Sold out, or after a change? The closest alternatives, and how they differ.

Better Boybut an open-pollinated heirloom rather than a hybridRutgersbut larger and more orange-red

• Annie's Heirloom Seeds

• Heirloom vs Hybrid Tomatoes
• Slicer vs Beefsteak Tomatoes

Is Box Car Willie determinate or indeterminate?

Box Car Willie is an indeterminate variety. Indeterminate vine. It keeps growing and setting fruit right up to frost, so plan on a tall stake or cage and regular pruning through the season.

How long does Box Car Willie take to ripen?

Box Car Willie ripens in about 80 days from transplant. Mid-season timing, ripening around 70 to 80 days from transplant.

Is Box Car Willie an heirloom or a hybrid?

Box Car Willie is an heirloom, an open-pollinated variety with a documented history, so seed saved from it comes back true to type.

What can I grow instead of Box Car Willie?

A close swap is Better Boy, but an open-pollinated heirloom rather than a hybrid.