Mortgage Lifter Tomato Plant Start

A large 1-pound, rich pink-red tomato. This classic heirloom gets its name from a tomato breeder in West Virginia who, through the 30’s and 40’s, made an effort to breed a large, better tasting tomato. After 6 years M.C. Byles was successful and was able to pay of his houses mortgage selling plants for his newly bred tomato. M.C. Byles sold these at plants at $1 each in 1940 (about $22.54 today), making the plants offered here a steal.

All plant starts are grown in OASIS® 1.5″ x 1.5″ grow cubes until they reach approximately 4″ to 6″ in height. Plants are only stocked and made available for shipping once both the plant and root system are strong enough to withstand transit.

We do not accept pre-orders at this time.

Harvest: 75-85 Days 

Sun: Full Sun

Pairs Well With:

Eggplants – Tomatoes and eggplants demand similar growing conditions making them quite a strong pairing

Basil Varieties – strong scent helps repel some of tomatoes’ pests, and c’mon what’s tomatoes without basil!

Marigolds – quite a good repellent for some of the pests that plague tomatoes

Beans, peas – Tomatoes are heavy feeders and pairing with legume varieties that enrich the soil will do them well

Cucumbers – Large leaf plants will help shade the ground around taller tomato plants, helping the ground retain water for the plant easier