Tomato Saint Pierre (Lycopersicon esculentum) Seeds 1 g

Solanum lycopersicum L

Saint Pierre is a classic French heirloom tomato, valued for its good disease tolerance and vigorous growth. It's a high-yielding variety that's also suitable for preserving. Originating in France, it produces lots of tasty fruits with very thin skin. It's a semi-climbing type, suitable for growing both outdoors and in the greenhouse.

This is an open-pollinated variety, so you can save seeds from your plants and sow them next season.

Germination instructions for Saint Pierre tomato seeds are included.

The tomato is grown as an annual plant and belongs to the nightshade family (Solanaceae). Indeterminate (climbing) and semi-determinate tomatoes need support with string or canes. So-called determinate (bush) tomatoes don't need support, as they stop growing at the tip and don't keep growing upwards. 

Its red colour comes from the pigment lycopene. Before it ripens, the tomato is green. On wild plants the fruit is 1–2 cm across, but on most cultivated plants it's much bigger, 5–10 cm. Tomatoes are ideal for salads and are the main ingredient of Greek village salad.

For best results, combine with one of our fertilisers (use once a month after the first month from planting).

A wide range of tomatoes. Buy and grow tomatoes from seed. The tomato fruit – botanically a fruit – is usually round but comes in many sizes and shapes. Tomatoes are usually red but also come in other colours such as yellow and black. Tomatoes contain a pigment called lycopene, which is why they start green and then turn red. Fruits weighing more than 450 g are classed as beefsteak tomatoes. The Latin name of the tomato is Solanum lycopersicum, and it belongs to the nightshade family (Solanaceae). The tomato comes from Central and South America and is usually grown as an annual. 

The tomato genome was decoded and published in the journal Nature in May 2012, the work of 300 scientists from 14 countries. This will help breed improved varieties of tomato and of related crops such as aubergine, pepper and potato – the tomato and potato genomes differ by only about 8%!

Climbing plants grow quickly, can be evergreen or deciduous, and are able to climb. They have long, slender stems that can reach great heights with the right support. They need plenty of water to grow. As the new shoots develop, they cling to nearby surfaces and climb quickly in all directions, covering the largest possible area in the shortest time.

The best-known climbing plants include the grapevine, ivy, squash, bindweed, tomato, climbing bean, jasmine, bougainvillea and passion fruit.