Mikado is a potato leaf tomato with a story as rich as its heritage. Released commercially in 1886 as Turner's Hybrid, this variety was renamed and later served as the genetic foundation for the Brandywine, the heirloom tomato that sparked the modern heirloom movement. Growing to 60 inches tall, Mikado reaches harvest in 85 days and thrives in full sun, rewarding patient gardeners with fruit descended directly from one of the most important tomatoes in American seed saving history.
Full Sun
Moderate
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60in H x ?in W
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High
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Mikado stands as the original potato leaf tomato brought to market in 1886, a foundational variety that was eventually overshadowed by its own offspring, the famous Brandywine. The genetic link between these two heirlooms makes Mikado a living connection to the genealogy of modern heirloom tomatoes. Growing this variety gives you a direct line to the tomato that started the contemporary heirloom revival, even though it played its role quietly in the background.
As an edible tomato variety, Mikado is grown for fresh eating and culinary use, serving the same purposes as other slicing tomatoes of its era and type.
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Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last spring frost, sowing at a depth of 1/4 inch in warm soil (70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit). Keep soil consistently moist until germination occurs in 5 to 10 days. Once seedlings emerge, provide bright light and cool nights (60 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit) to prevent leggy growth.
Harden off seedlings for 7 to 10 days once they develop their first true leaves, gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions. Transplant outdoors after your last frost date when soil has warmed to at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit, burying the stem up to the first true leaves to encourage a stronger root system. Space plants 24 inches apart in rows 42 inches apart.
Harvest tomatoes 85 days after transplanting when they reach full color and yield slightly to gentle pressure. Pick tomatoes when fully ripe on the vine for the best flavor, though you can harvest at the breaker stage (when the first blush of color appears) and allow them to ripen indoors if necessary. The fruit will continue to ripen off the vine but will develop better flavor if left on the plant as long as possible.
Selectively prune suckers (shoots that grow between the main stem and branches) to keep the plant manageable and direct energy toward fruit production. Potato leaf varieties like Mikado are generally less vigorous in their suckering than regular-leafed tomatoes, so moderate pruning is sufficient. Remove any yellowed or diseased foliage from the bottom of the plant as it matures to improve air circulation.
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“Mikado began its journey as Turner's Hybrid, created and shared by a gardener named Turner in the 1880s. Once word of this exceptional potato leaf tomato spread, it was renamed Mikado, borrowing the name from a popular opera of the era. What makes Mikado's story remarkable is that it eventually stepped into shadow when Brandywine, bred directly from Mikado seeds, ignited the heirloom tomato craze that transformed American home gardening in the late 20th century. In many ways, Mikado is the unsung ancestor of the heirloom tomato renaissance, a variety that gave rise to the movement it didn't live to lead.”