Prairie Glow Tomato Seeds

Prairie Glow is an heirloom Canadian beefsteak tomato bred by Stanley Zubrowski of Prairie River, Saskatchewan. Developed through over 40 years of breeding work in his Zone 3 gardens in northeastern Saskatchewan.

This is a reliable slicing and dicing tomato with thick, durable skin. Fruits show no cracking or blossom end rot, and foliage remains clean with minimal disease. Tomatoes are medium sized, semi-oblong to round, and ripen to a fiery orange at around 70 days. Average fruit weight is 90–110 g. I found that the fruits held well after harvest until I could get them processed. This is a nice canning variety.

Flavour is old-fashioned and tangy with a meaty texture, making it an excellent sandwich and burger tomato. Fruit quality is consistent, producing smooth, well-formed globes.

Plants are compact, reaching about 2-3 feet tall. I had them staked and was glad I did as they are very prolific and heavy producers from mid-season until first frost.

Thank you to Stanley Zubrowski for sending me this amazing variety.

Tomato Growing Instructions

Starting Seeds:

• Sow seeds indoors 6–8 weeks before the last expected frost.

• Plant seeds ¼ inch deep in a seed-starting mix.

• Keep soil consistently moist but not waterlogged.

• Maintain a temperature of 21–24 °C (70–75 °F) for germination.

• Seeds typically germinate in 5–10 days.

Seedling Care:

• Provide 12–16 hours of light daily using grow lights or in a greenhouse.

• Keep seedlings in a warm, bright location.

• Thin seedlings to one per cell once true leaves appear.

• Transplant to larger pots before hardening off.

Hardening Off:

• About 1–2 weeks before transplanting outdoors, gradually expose plants to outdoor conditions.

• Start with a few hours in the shade, increasing sunlight and time each day.

Transplanting:

• Plant outdoors after the last frost date, when soil is at least 15 °C (60 °F).

• Space plants 18–24 inches apart in rows 36–48 inches apart.

• Bury seedlings deeper than in pots, leaving only the top few leaves above soil.

Support:

• Use stakes, cages, or trellises to support growth and keep fruit off the ground.

• Tie stems loosely with soft material as plants grow.

Watering:

• Water deeply and consistently, keeping soil evenly moist.

• Avoid overhead watering to reduce leaf disease; water at the base of the plant.

Fertilizing:

• Apply balanced fertilizer at transplanting.

• Side-dress with compost or tomato fertilizer every 3–4 weeks during the growing season.

• Avoid excess nitrogen to prevent lush foliage with few fruits.

Mulching:

• Apply 2–3 inches of organic mulch around plants to retain moisture, suppress weeds, and prevent soil splash.

Harvesting:

• Harvest fruits when fully colored and firm but slightly soft to the touch.

• Picking regularly encourages continued production.

Tips:

• Rotate crops yearly to reduce disease.

• Watch for pests like aphids, tomato hornworms, and whiteflies.

• Inspect plants regularly and remove diseased or damaged leaves.

These seeds are available directly from Garden Faerie Botanicals in the heart of British Columbia, Canada. The collection features heirloom and heritage seeds that are personally cultivated organically without the use of any chemicals. Emphasizing historical, rare, non-GMO seeds, this selection preserves biodiversity through open-pollination.