VegetableTomato
Mamie Brown's Tomato
Mamie Brown's Tomato is an heirloom, open-pollinated indeterminate slicing tomato that delivers robust flavor in a plant surprisingly easy to manage. This variety matures in 80 to 89 days from transplant and produces oxheart to oblate shaped fruits that are genuinely delicious and packed with flavor. The plants grow 18 to 36 inches tall, making them suitable for garden plots, raised beds, and even greenhouse cultivation. Unlike some sprawling indeterminate varieties, Mamie Brown's stays relatively compact while still producing abundantly throughout the season.
Photo © True Leaf Market
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
2-11
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Soil
Well-drained, Fertile Loam With Organic Matter
Growth Stats
36 in
Height
TypeIndeterminate
Spacing
24
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Zones
2-11
Size
36in H x ?in W
Growth
—
Care
High
Hover over chart points for details
Highlights
The real appeal of Mamie Brown's lies in its combination of heirloom reliability and manageable plant size. You get the flavor depth and seed-saving genetics of an open-pollinated tomato without needing 6 feet of vertical space. The oxheart shape is visually distinctive and slices beautifully for fresh eating, while the plant's vigor means you'll have fruit ripening consistently from mid-summer through fall.
Common Uses
These tomatoes shine on the table fresh, sliced thick for sandwiches or salads where their flavor and meaty texture can take center stage. The compact fruit size makes them convenient for smaller households, and because they're open-pollinated, you can save seeds from your best performers to maintain the variety year after year.
Growing Timeline
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Care Instructions
Start Indoors
Start seeds indoors 7 to 9 weeks before your last spring frost date. Sow seeds in seed-starting mix, maintain soil temperature around 70°F, and provide bright light once seedlings emerge.
Transplant Outdoors
Transplant seedlings outdoors after the last frost date once soil has warmed to at least 60°F. Harden off plants by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions over 7 to 10 days. Space plants 24 inches apart with 36 inches between rows.
Harvesting
Pick fruit when it reaches full color and yields slightly to gentle pressure, typically 80 to 89 days after transplanting. The oxheart to oblate shape makes these tomatoes distinctive; harvest them when fully colored and firm to the touch. For best flavor, pick tomatoes in early morning and use within a few days of harvest.
Pruning
As an indeterminate variety, Mamie Brown's will benefit from removing lower leaves once the plant is established and flowering well, improving air circulation and reducing disease pressure. Pinch off suckers (shoots that grow between the main stem and branches) on the lower half of the plant to direct energy toward fruit production rather than excess foliage.
Growing Calendar
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Companion Planting
Pests & Diseases
Ecology & Traits
Edible
Scientific Classification
Solanum lycopersicum
Family
Solanaceae
Genus
Solanum
Growth Habit
Indeterminate
Native Status
L48 (I)AK (I)HI (I)PR (I)VI (I)CAN (W)