80 days from setting out transplants. Indeterminate.

If you've ever tried making fried tomatoes from your garden-grown crop, you know that not all varieties are created equal when it comes to holding power and flavor retention. That's why this tomato is such an exciting presence in the vegetable garden and on the table. The tomatoes, which turn from lime green to rich golden on the vine (and may be picked in either color), keep their shape and flavor during frying, creating a fresh, tangy bite the whole family will love.

It's all about hold for Fried Green Tomato -- holding up during cooking, of course, but also holding on the vine. These 6- to 7-ounce fruits outperform just about any other tomato we've ever grown when it comes to staying fresh and whole on the vine without cracking, getting mushy, or degrading. It's the same firmness that keeps them neatly sliced in the pan, not sprawling out all over the place.

So you would think all this "hold" strength would translate into a rather dry, rubbery texture, but Fried Green Tomato is a juicy and very succulent tomato. Cooking seems to bring out some of the flavor; we find that although it's great for fresh slicing and eating too, Fried Green Tomato comes into its own when it fulfills its name and begins to heat up!

This indeterminate plant grows like Topsy, so get your tomato cages ready for a long, productive season! We highly recommend this beautiful mid-size golden-green beauty for any home garden!

Start seeds indoors 5 to 6 weeks before the last frost date. Plant outdoors when danger of frost is past and night temperatures consistently remain above 55 degrees F. If the forecast calls for an unexpected late frost, protect young plants with plastic sheeting or other cover. Set plants 2 to 2½ feet apart.