No. 010 · heirloom
Mortgage Lifter
Mortgage Lifter is an indeterminate heirloom beefsteak with pinkish red fruit. It ripens in about 80 days.
Flavor
Described in catalogs and growing guides as mild and sweet, with rich flavor when fully ripe and a meaty texture. Flavor is subjective, so treat this as the recurring catalog and grower description rather than a measured fact for your garden.
Origin
The story goes that M.C. Byles, known as Radiator Charlie, of Logan, West Virginia developed it in the 1930s by crossing four tomatoes over several years, then sold the plants for enough to pay off his mortgage. Wikipedia notes a separate cultivar of the same name was registered by William Estler of Barboursville, West Virginia in 1932, so the name has more than one claim.
What it does well
- Very large meaty fruit
- Few seeds and good slicing texture
- Sets fruit continuously through the season
Where it frustrates
- Tall vines of 7 to 9 feet need sturdy support
- Large fruit can be slow to ripen
- Excess nitrogen promotes foliage over fruit
Growing it
- 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.
- A moderate grow, no special tricks but worth steady attention.
- Wants real summer warmth and is slow to set when nights stay cool.
Disease resistance
An heirloom, sold without formal disease-resistance codes.
Why no hardiness zone?
Tomatoes are warm-season annuals, so variety choice comes down to days to maturity and your local frost dates.
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Where to buy seed
Related reading
Common questions
- Is Mortgage Lifter determinate or indeterminate?
- Mortgage Lifter 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 Mortgage Lifter take to ripen?
- Mortgage Lifter ripens in about 80 days from transplant. Mid-season timing, ripening around 70 to 80 days from transplant.
- Is Mortgage Lifter an heirloom or a hybrid?
- Mortgage Lifter 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 Mortgage Lifter?
- A close swap is Brandywine, but milder and less acidic.
Sources
- Mortgage Lifter · Wikipedia
- Mortgage Lifter Tomato (Heirloom, 77 Days) · Pinetree Garden Seeds
- Growing Mortgage Lifter Tomatoes · Gardening Know How
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