Comstock Sauce and Slice is an heirloom tomato with deep roots in Italian-American gardening tradition, grown for generations by families around Wethersfield, Connecticut. Large red fruits weighing a pound or more develop on indeterminate vines over 85 days, and the variety's defining trait is its remarkably low seed count, making it equally excellent for home canning and fresh slicing. Hardy in zones 3 through 12, this dual-purpose tomato thrives in full sun with moderate watering and reaches maturity in warm soil between 75 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit.
Full Sun
Moderate
3-12
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High
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The real treasure here is the low seed count, which transforms what could be a messy slice into clean, dense flesh ideal for sauce, paste, or a perfect sandwich tomato. Large fruits consistently reach a pound or more, delivering substantial harvests from each plant. The variety's long history with Italian immigrant families in Connecticut gives it credibility; this wasn't bred in a lab but preserved through generations of home gardeners who knew exactly what they wanted from a tomato.
This tomato excels in two distinct roles. For sauce and paste production, the low seed count and substantial flesh make it efficient to process and yield rich, concentrated results ideal for home canning. Fresh on a plate, the large, clean-fleshed fruits slice beautifully for sandwiches or salads without excessive moisture or seeds.
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Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last spring frost date. Sow seeds in warm soil between 68 and 82 degrees Fahrenheit, keeping soil consistently moist until germination. Provide bright light once seedlings emerge to prevent legginess.
Harden off seedlings over 7 to 10 days by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions. Transplant outdoors after all danger of frost has passed and soil has warmed to at least 60 degrees. Space plants 24 inches apart in their final positions.
Pick fruit when fully red and slightly soft to the touch, typically 85 days from transplant. Fruits should feel heavy for their size and yield slightly to gentle pressure. For sauce and canning, harvest fully mature fruits at their peak ripeness when flavor is most concentrated. Gently twist or cut fruit from the vine rather than tugging, which can damage the plant or break branches under the weight of large fruits.
Since this is an indeterminate variety that continues growing throughout the season, regular pruning will maximize fruit production. Remove suckers, the shoots that develop in the crotch between the main stem and branches, allowing the plant to focus energy on flowering and fruiting rather than excessive foliage. As the season progresses and your plants reach their support structure's height, you can also remove the top growing point to encourage the plant to finish ripening its remaining fruit before frost arrives.
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“This tomato carries the story of Elsie Preli Yushkevich and the Italian immigrant community of Wethersfield, Connecticut, where families cultivated this variety for generations. In the 1980s, Elsie shared her seeds with Comstock, Ferre and Co., ensuring this regional treasure could reach gardeners beyond her neighborhood. The variety represents more than just a plant; it embodies the seed-saving practices of immigrant families who preserved their culinary heritage through careful stewardship of heirloom stocks.”