A movement to create tomatoes with the complex flavor, texture, and beauty of heirlooms is on the rise, giving us the ability to trial and offer some stellar new varieties to you each season. In the past two years, we have grown the Bumblebee Series, from Artisan Seeds with great success. Coming in three different colors, each is traditional spherical cherry types, 1 , with their own delicious distinctive flavor, all are very productive and hold up well to cracking. Try one or all varieties, we couldn’t decide which one we like best so we thought we would offer them all to you to see for yourself.

The Purple Bumble Bee Tomato is a purple red with metallic green stripes, and a straight-up tomato flavor.

10 seeds

PLANTING

Solanum lycopersicum

Indeterminate

Germination:7-14 days

Germination Temperature:Optimum soil temperatures 70-85F.

Seed Sowing Depth:1/4 deep

StartingIndoors:6 weeks before the last frost. Provide 75-80F soil temperatures. Sow 2-3 seeds per cell/pot,thin to the strongest seedling, or use the 20 Row seedling flat, transplanting into individual pots whenseedlings get their 3rd set of leaves.Fertilize the seedlings every 7-10 days with a liquid or water-soluble fertilizer, diluted to of the suggested measurement. Transplant out after the last frost. Space 24-36″ apart

Sowing Outdoors:Only in areas with very long growing seasons. Sow after the last frost.

Harvest:When fruit is red (or color of the variety planted) and firm.

Tips: The Purple Bumble Bee Tomato should be planted in fertile soil, amended with compost, mulch, and provide even moisture. Plant deeper than they were growing in the containers as it makes a stronger roots system. Apply a light compost tea every few weeks. Do not apply excessive nitrogen, which can promote excessive foliage and poor fruit set.