Description
AAS WINNER DETAILS
Winner Type: National
Class: Tomato
Variety Name: Valentine F1
Genus: Solanum
Species: lycopersicum
Year: 2018
Common Name: Tomato
Type: Edible – Vegetable
Breeder: Johnny’s Selected Seeds
Close Market Comparison: Sugary F1, Sweet Hearts F1
PLANT NEEDS
Duration Type: Annual
Light Needs: Full sun
Water Needs: Normal
Season Type: Warm season
Staking Required: Yes
PLANT CHARACTERISTICS
Foliage Color: Green
Plant Habit: Vining, requires staking
Plant Height: 6 ft
Fruit Color (Harvest): Dark Red
Fruit Shape: Oblong
Fruit Size: 1.5 inches long x 0.75 inches wide
Fruit Weight: 0.7 ounces
Fruit Flavor Description: Rich & sweet with excellent tomato flavor
Number Of Fruits Per Plant: 100+
IN THE GARDEN
Garden Spacing: 2 feet
Days To Harvest (Sowing Seed): 85
Days To Harvest (Transplant): 55
Plant Spread: 2 feet
Disease Resistances or Tolerances: Intermediate resistance to Early Blight
HOW TO GROW
Grow as you would a typical indeterminate tomato, with stakes or trellising. Sow indoors in spring and transplant out after danger of frost has passed. Recommended primarily for outdoor growing as the plant is very vigorous, though some have found it is manageable enough indoors as well. Some pruning of early suckers is recommended; two leaders are fine, but Valentine can support more leaders if desired. Expect very early maturity and heavy yields over a long season. For optimum flavor, wait to harvest until fruits are deep red. Due to its high lycopene trait, Valentine is ‘redder’ than a typical tomato when fully ripe. Fruits detach from the truss quite easily. The fruit has excellent post-harvest shelf-life.
JUDGE'S OBSERVATIONS
- “Very sweet flavor!”
- “Plant was more durable than either comparison.”
- “The fruit was attractive, early, good tasting and uniform”
- “Tasty tomato entry that totally out-performed comparison in flavor and appearance“
- “Variety takes the stress of late summer and keeps producing.”
- “Maintains a nice green plant throughout the season”
AAS Winners
AAS Display Garden- River Valley Master Gardeners –
Valentine produced a heavy crop of sweet tasty tomatoes. Vines are very vigorous and needed tall supports. The tomatoes did want to fall off the vines, so we held a small container under the fruit while picking to catch the droppers. The tendency to drop may be a challenge for children or persons with hand coordination issues. Zone 6a