Boxcar Willie tomato seeds not true to type

Gemini · December 5, 2014

Last summer, 2014, I purchased Boxcar Willie seeds from Sustainable Seeds Co., and planted 50 plants. The resulting tomatoes were NOT Boxcar Willie. They were 2 inches, or less, in diameter and starting forming concentric checking around the top at half size. At maturity, most of them had checking and cracking. I called the company and was told that there are several strains of Boxcar Willie. Their strain was smaller and "more flavorful".

When I ordered the seeds, there was no mention of them having this strain. When I checked their seed listing at a later date, I saw that they had added the statement that there are several strains of Boxcar Willie and that their "line is not the large beefsteak looking line, but rather a smaller (non-beefsteak type) more productive and better tasting line". And the photo shown in the listing is definitely not the tomato that resulted from the seed I had received. I ended up pulling all 50 of the plants and lost a lot of tomato juice in the process.

The listing for this tomato has not changed since last year. Unless it is revised and offers true Boxcar Willie seeds, I recommend not purchasing their strain.
Fortunately, in this forum, I have found sources where I should get the true seed.

December 5, 2014	#1
Gemini Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Kentucky Posts: 1	Boxcar Willie tomato seeds not true to type Last summer, 2014, I purchased Boxcar Willie seeds from Sustainable Seeds Co., and planted 50 plants. The resulting tomatoes were NOT Boxcar Willie. They were 2 inches, or less, in diameter and starting forming concentric checking around the top at half size. At maturity, most of them had checking and cracking. I called the company and was told that there are several strains of Boxcar Willie. Their strain was smaller and "more flavorful". When I ordered the seeds, there was no mention of them having this strain. When I checked their seed listing at a later date, I saw that they had added the statement that there are several strains of Boxcar Willie and that their "line is not the large beefsteak looking line, but rather a smaller (non-beefsteak type) more productive and better tasting line". And the photo shown in the listing is definitely not the tomato that resulted from the seed I had received. I ended up pulling all 50 of the plants and lost a lot of tomato juice in the process. The listing for this tomato has not changed since last year. Unless it is revised and offers true Boxcar Willie seeds, I recommend not purchasing their strain. Fortunately, in this forum, I have found sources where I should get the true seed.