Delicious Tomato Seeds | Solanum lycopersicum | AAS Winner | Giant Beefsteak Heirloom | Meaty & Mild | 77 Days

Delicious Tomato Seeds – Solanum lycopersicum | AAS Winner | Giant Beefsteak Heirloom

Delicious (Solanum lycopersicum ‘Delicious’) is an award-winning heirloom beefsteak tomato that lives up to its name in every way. An All-America Selections (AAS) winner, Delicious produces exceptionally large, meaty, smooth-skinned fruits — often exceeding 2 lbs each — with very few seeds, small seed cavities, and a rich, mild, classic beefsteak flavor. The flesh is dense, juicy, and low in acidity compared to many heirloom varieties, making it one of the most crowd-pleasing slicing tomatoes available. Indeterminate vines are vigorous and productive; plants mature in 77 days from transplant. Non-GMO, open-pollinated heirloom.

Variety Details

• Botanical Name: Solanum lycopersicum ‘Delicious’
• Type: Beefsteak heirloom — indeterminate; non-GMO, open-pollinated
• Award: All-America Selections (AAS) winner
• Fruit size: Very large; commonly 1–2+ lbs per fruit
• Fruit color: Deep red, smooth-skinned
• Flesh: Dense, meaty, few seeds, small seed cavities
• Flavor: Rich, mild, slightly sweet — low acidity; classic beefsteak taste
• Days to maturity: 77 days from transplant
• Vine type: Indeterminate — requires staking or caging
• Best use: Fresh slicing, sandwiches, salads, sauce, paste, canning, juicing

Culinary Uses

• Thick-sliced for sandwiches and burgers — large fruit size means one slice covers the whole sandwich
• Fresh caprese salads with mozzarella, basil, and olive oil
• Homemade tomato sauce and paste — dense, low-seed flesh reduces well
• Canning whole or crushed tomatoes for winter use
• Fresh tomato juice and gazpacho
• Salsa and bruschetta — mild flavor pairs well with bold aromatics
• Roasted with olive oil, garlic, and herbs as a slow-roasted side dish

Planting Guide

• Starting indoors: Sow seeds indoors 6–8 weeks before last spring frost at 70–75°F. Provide strong light until germination (5–10 days).
• Transplanting: When the second set of true leaves appears, transplant seedlings to individual pots. Harden off outdoors for one week before final planting.
• Planting out: Plant in full sun with rich, well-draining soil when soil temperature reaches 70°F. Space 2 feet apart with trellis support, or 3–4 feet apart without.
• Companion planting: Grows well with carrots and onions. Avoid planting near cabbage or fennel.

Care & Growing

• Support: As an indeterminate variety, Delicious requires staking, caging, or trellising. Install supports before vines develop and tie stems as they grow.
• Temperature: Protect from temperatures below 55°F. Use mulch to conserve moisture and control weeds.
• Pruning: Remove “suckers” (shoots that develop between the main stem and side branches) to concentrate energy into fruit production and improve airflow.
• Watering: Water consistently and deeply; inconsistent watering can cause blossom end rot and fruit cracking on large-fruited varieties.

Harvesting

• Gently press the flesh — ripe fruit yields slightly to pressure. Color should be deep, uniform red across the whole fruit.
• Twist gently to remove from the vine; if the stem resists, use garden scissors to avoid damaging the plant.
• Harvest all remaining fruit before the first frost — green tomatoes can ripen indoors at room temperature.