Collection: Tomato Seeds

Tomato Seeds for Canadian Gardens

Grow flavourful tomatoes from seed with varieties suited to home gardens, raised beds, greenhouses, patios and containers. Our tomato seed collection includes cherry tomatoes, heirloom tomato seeds, paste tomatoes, compact varieties and colourful favourites for gardeners across Canada.

Starting tomatoes from seed gives you access to far more varieties than you will typically find as transplants in spring. Choose sweet cherry tomatoes for snacking, large heirloom tomatoes for slicing, meaty paste tomatoes for sauces, or compact plants for containers and smaller gardens.

Gardeners looking for tomato heirloom seeds can choose from classic open-pollinated varieties known for distinctive flavour, colour, shape and garden performance. Heirloom tomatoes are especially popular with home growers who want varieties that are different from the standard tomatoes commonly found in grocery stores.

Tomatoes need warmth and a relatively long growing season. In most Canadian climates, seeds are started indoors before the last spring frost and transplanted outside once the danger of frost has passed and both the soil and nighttime temperatures have warmed.

Browse the tomato seeds available below, or explore our complete heirloom vegetable seed collection for more open-pollinated varieties to grow alongside your tomatoes.

Tomato Seed Growing Information

How to Choose Tomato Seeds

The best tomato seeds for your garden depend on how much growing space you have, the length of your growing season and how you want to use your harvest. Tomatoes range from tiny cherry varieties to large beefsteaks, and different varieties can have very different growth habits.

Cherry Tomato Seeds

Cherry tomatoes are among the most popular tomatoes for home gardens. Their small fruits are convenient for snacking, salads and lunchboxes, and many varieties produce heavily throughout the summer.

For a famously sweet golden-orange cherry tomato, try Sungold tomato seeds. Gardeners who prefer compact plants for patios and small spaces can choose Red Robin Compact Cherry.

Heirloom Tomato Seeds for Canadian Gardens

Heirloom tomato seeds are a favourite among gardeners who value flavour, variety and the opportunity to grow tomatoes with distinctive characteristics. Heirloom varieties may produce deeply coloured fruit, unusual shapes, rich flavours or exceptionally large slicing tomatoes that are difficult to find among standard supermarket varieties.

Many heirloom tomatoes are open-pollinated. This means seeds can generally be saved and grown again while retaining the characteristics of the variety, provided unwanted cross-pollination has not occurred.

Our collection includes classics such as Black Krim heirloom tomato seeds, a dark-fruited variety known for rich flavour, as well as large slicing tomatoes such as Pink Brandywine, Yellow Brandywine and Mortgage Lifter.

If you are comparing tomato heirloom seeds, consider your growing season as well as flavour and fruit size. Some large heirloom tomatoes take longer to mature than smaller-fruited varieties, which can be important for gardeners in Canadian regions with shorter summers.

For a broader introduction to heirloom varieties and what makes them different, read our guide to heirloom seeds in Canada.

If heirloom vegetables are the focus of your garden, browse our full heirloom vegetable seeds collection for additional open-pollinated garden favourites.

Why Grow Heirloom Tomatoes From Seed?

Growing heirloom tomatoes from seed gives gardeners access to a much wider selection than is usually available as nursery transplants. Instead of choosing from only a handful of common varieties in spring, you can select tomatoes based on flavour, colour, fruit size, maturity time and how you plan to use the harvest.

Starting from seed also makes it easier to grow several different heirloom varieties side by side. You might choose a dark tomato such as Black Krim for rich flavour, a large slicer for sandwiches, and a paste tomato for preserving.

For gardeners interested in maintaining favourite varieties from year to year, open-pollinated heirloom tomatoes also offer the possibility of seed saving. Choose healthy plants and fully mature fruit if you intend to collect seed for future growing seasons.

Paste Tomatoes vs. Slicing Tomatoes

Not every tomato is best suited to the same job. Slicing tomatoes generally produce larger, juicy fruits intended for fresh eating, while paste tomatoes tend to have denser flesh and less watery pulp.

For homemade tomato sauce, Amish Paste tomato seeds are an excellent place to start.

Determinate vs. Indeterminate Tomato Plants

Tomato varieties are also classified by how their plants grow. Understanding the difference between determinate and indeterminate tomatoes can help you choose varieties that fit your garden.

Indeterminate tomatoes generally require taller cages, stakes or trellising. Compact and determinate plants can be easier to manage in small gardens, although they may still need support when carrying a heavy crop.

When to Start Tomato Seeds in Canada

Most Canadian gardeners should start tomato seeds indoors approximately 6 to 8 weeks before their average last spring frost. Large or slower-maturing heirloom tomatoes may benefit from being started toward the earlier end of the recommended window.

Because Canadian planting dates vary substantially by region, the calendar date alone should not determine when tomatoes go outside.

For province-specific timing, soil-temperature guidance and Circle Farms' interactive planting calculator, read our complete guide to when to plant tomatoes in Canada.

How to Grow Tomatoes From Seed

Fill seed trays or small containers with a clean, moist seed-starting mix. Sow tomato seeds approximately 6 mm (¼ inch) deep, cover lightly and keep the growing medium consistently warm while the seeds germinate.

Once seedlings emerge, provide strong light. Tomato seedlings grown with insufficient light can become long, pale and weak. Grow lights are especially useful when starting seeds during the shorter days of late winter and early spring.

As the plants grow, move seedlings into larger containers before they become severely root-bound. Tomato stems can form additional roots along buried portions of the stem, so seedlings can be planted somewhat deeper when they are potted up.

Before transplanting tomatoes into the garden, gradually acclimate them to outdoor sun, wind and temperature changes over approximately one to two weeks.

Growing Tomatoes in Containers

Tomatoes can grow successfully on balconies, patios and decks when the right variety and container are used. Compact tomato varieties are particularly useful where garden space is limited.

Choose a sufficiently large container with drainage holes and place it in the sunniest suitable location available. Container-grown tomatoes can dry out faster than plants growing directly in garden soil, so moisture should be checked regularly during warm weather.

For more vegetables and flowers suited to patios, balconies and smaller gardens, explore our container garden and compact plant seeds.

What to Grow With Tomatoes

A productive vegetable garden usually contains more than tomatoes. Gardeners can combine tomatoes with crops that mature at different times and make use of available garden space throughout the season.

Browse herb seeds for culinary herbs to grow alongside your vegetable garden, or explore our complete vegetable seed collection for beans, cucumbers, lettuce, onions, squash, peppers and other garden favourites.

If you are planning combinations based on plant compatibility rather than simply filling space, our Canadian companion gardening guide provides more detailed planting guidance.

Tomato Seed FAQs

When should I start tomato seeds in Canada?

In most Canadian regions, start tomato seeds indoors about 6 to 8 weeks before your average last spring frost. The exact timing varies by location and variety, so gardeners in colder regions or those growing slower-maturing heirloom tomatoes should plan around their local frost dates.

Can you plant tomato seeds directly outside in Canada?

Starting tomato seeds indoors is usually more reliable in Canada because tomatoes need a long period of warm weather to mature. Direct sowing outdoors can leave too little growing time before autumn temperatures return, particularly in regions with shorter summers.

How deep should tomato seeds be planted?

Tomato seeds can generally be sown approximately 6 mm, or ¼ inch, deep in a moist seed-starting mix. Keep the growing medium warm and evenly moist during germination.

How long do tomato seeds take to germinate?

Tomato seeds commonly germinate in approximately 5 to 14 days when provided with adequate warmth and moisture. Cooler growing media can slow germination.

What are the best tomato seeds for containers?

Compact and determinate tomato varieties are generally easier to manage in containers because they require less vertical space. Red Robin Compact Cherry is one example designed for smaller growing spaces.

What are tomato heirloom seeds?

Tomato heirloom seeds are seeds from established, open-pollinated tomato varieties that have been maintained over generations. They are often grown for distinctive flavour, colour, fruit shape or history. Popular heirloom tomatoes include varieties such as Black Krim, Brandywine and Mortgage Lifter.

What is the difference between heirloom and hybrid tomato seeds?

Heirloom tomatoes are open-pollinated varieties that have been maintained over generations and are often selected for distinctive flavour, colour or history. Hybrid tomatoes are created by crossing selected parent lines to combine particular characteristics. Both types can be excellent choices depending on your growing goals.

Are heirloom tomato seeds good for Canadian gardens?

Yes. Many heirloom tomato varieties grow very well in Canadian gardens. The most important factor is choosing a variety with a maturity period suited to your local growing season. Gardeners in shorter-season regions may want to favour earlier-maturing heirloom tomatoes or start slower varieties indoors early enough to give them sufficient growing time.

Can you save seeds from heirloom tomatoes?

Yes. Heirloom and other open-pollinated tomato varieties can generally be grown again from properly saved seed. For the most reliable results, collect seed from healthy, fully mature fruit and keep different varieties sufficiently separated where cross-pollination is a concern.

What tomato seeds are best for sauce?

Paste tomatoes are generally preferred for sauces because they tend to contain dense flesh and less watery pulp than many slicing tomatoes. Amish Paste is a traditional choice for sauces, roasting and preserving.

Do tomato plants need full sun?

Tomatoes perform best in full sun. Aim for at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight each day, with more sunlight often beneficial where growing conditions allow.

When can tomato seedlings go outside?

Wait until the danger of frost has passed, the soil has warmed and nighttime temperatures remain consistently mild. Before transplanting permanently, harden seedlings off gradually so they can adjust to direct sunlight, wind and outdoor temperature changes.