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When I go into my garden with a spade, and dig a bed, I feel such an exhilaration and health that I discover that I have been defrauding myself all this time in letting others do for me what I should have done with my own hands. - Ralph Waldo Emerson Seeds of Diversity thanks the George Cedric Metcalf Foundation and the Ontario Trillium Foundation for their support. Design by Allison Prindiville | Canadian Tomato Project En FrançaisCalling all tomato gardeners!
Help us to grow over 100 varieties of Canadian tomatoes from coast to coast! What's a Canadian Tomato?A tomato is Canadian if it was bred in Canada, or if it has been grown in Canada long enough to have "adapted" to our growing conditions. We have found over 100 tomatoes that were bred or adapted in Canada. Many were introduced by Agriculture Canada between 1890 and 1980, some were developed at Canadian universities and a few were created by individuals through their own backyard garden crossing and selecting. We also offer Canadian "citizenship" to family heirloom varieties brought to Canada by immigrants and grown here for many generations. Click here for the list of Canadian tomatoes Our Project
There are no longer any garden tomato breeding programs in Canada. All new varieties on the market are bred for American gardens and growing conditions. Plus, large seed companies don't sell all-Canadian seeds anymore. Mostly they import seeds from California, Mexico and Asia. Our tried and true Canadian varieties are still out there, but who is growing them? It's time to rediscover our own Canadian tomatoes!You can help by growing a Canadian tomato variety in your garden. Learn to save seeds so you can pass them along to other Canadian gardeners. Download our free Tomato Information Sheet (see link below) and help us to learn more about the specific characteristics of each variety across this great country. Where Can I Get Seeds?Seeds of Diversity members can obtain free Canadian tomato seeds courtesy of Jim Ternier of Prairie Garden Seeds. Many of our members offer Canadian tomatoes through our member Seed Exchange. For information please contact our . You can buy Canadian tomato seeds from mail-order heritage seed companies throughout Canada. Check our Canadian Seed Catalogue Inventory to find sources of specific varieties. Tell Us Your Tomato StoriesBesides growing and propagating, we plan to assemble information about the origins of each cultivar. If you know of a tomato with a Canadian connection, please write to us and tell us as much history as you can. Christine Rafuse, August 1990 Jim Ternier, 2006 Jim Ternier, 2004
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Plant Gene Resources of Canada, 2005
Agriculture et Agroalimentaire Canada, Ressources phytogénétiques du Canada, 2005 Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Plant Gene Resources of Canada, 2005
Agriculture et Agroalimentaire Canada, Ressources phytogénétiques du Canada, 2005 |
Seeds of Diversity's Canadian Tomato Project invites gardeners throughout Canada to grow all known Canadian tomatoes
in a multiyear project with careful documentation. During the last century over 100 tomato varieties were bred or
adapted to grow well in Canadian growing conditions, but seeds for most of these are difficult to find and information
about them is scattered and incomplete.