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 slicing tomatoes, 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.

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 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

Heirloom tomatoes are grown for distinctive flavours, colours, shapes and histories. Unlike many tomatoes bred primarily for uniformity and shipping durability, heirloom varieties are especially popular with gardeners looking for unique fresh-eating tomatoes.

Our collection includes classics such as Black Krim, a dark-fruited heirloom, as well as large slicing varieties such as Pink Brandywine and Yellow Brandywine.

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

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 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.

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.

Can I save seeds from heirloom tomatoes?

Heirloom and other open-pollinated tomato varieties can generally be grown from properly saved seed, although tomatoes grown near other varieties can occasionally cross-pollinate. Seed intended for reliable future growing should be collected from healthy, fully mature fruit and cleaned and stored correctly.