No. 011 · heirloom
Paul Robeson
Paul Robeson is an indeterminate heirloom beefsteak with brick red fruit. It ripens in about 78 days.
Flavor
Described by seed catalogs as distinctively sweet and smoky with a good balance of acid and sweetness, earning a cult following among seed savers. Flavor is subjective, so treat this as the recurring catalog and grower description rather than a measured fact for your garden.
Origin
A Russian heirloom said to have been developed in 20th century Soviet Siberia, with the developer unknown. The story goes it was named for the American singer and activist Paul Robeson, who was widely admired in the Soviet Union. It won top taste honors at the Carmel, California Tomatofest in 2001 and 2002.
What it does well
- Distinctive smoky flavor prized by seed savers
- Sets fruit at lower temperatures for cooler climates
- Attractive dusky color
Where it frustrates
- Some tendency to split
- Indeterminate vines need staking
- Yields can be modest for the plant size
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.
- Reliably sets and ripens in cool, short seasons.
- Prone to cracking and splitting after wet spells.
- One of our picks for the cold, short-season gardens of New England.
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.
Like Paul Robeson, but...
Sold out, or after a change? The closest alternatives, and how they differ.
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Where to buy seed
Related reading
Common questions
- Is Paul Robeson determinate or indeterminate?
- Paul Robeson 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 Paul Robeson take to ripen?
- Paul Robeson ripens in about 78 days from transplant. Mid-season timing, ripening around 70 to 80 days from transplant.
- Is Paul Robeson an heirloom or a hybrid?
- Paul Robeson 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 Paul Robeson?
- A close swap is Black Krim, but less salty and a touch earlier.
Sources
- Paul Robeson tomato · Wikipedia
- Paul Robeson Organic Slicing Tomato · Fedco Seeds
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