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Heirloom
★ Best Seller
Non-GMO
Mrs. Maxwell's Big Italian Heirloom Beefsteak Tomato
$4.50
Packet - 15 to 20 Seeds
Flat $7.99 shipping
Germination guaranteed
Non-GMO
Quick Facts
Days to Maturity69 days
SunlightFull Sun
Spacing18–36 in.
Germination5–10 days
Growing Information
Growing Mrs. Maxwell's Big Italian Heirloom Beefsteak Tomato
Mrs. Maxwell’s Big Italian Heirloom Beefsteak Tomato Seeds produce large, richly flavored fruits that have become a favorite among heirloom tomato enthusiasts. Originally brought from Italy and carefully refined by Mrs. Maxwell of Missouri, this early-maturing heirloom delivers generous yields of one- to two-pound fruits with reddish-pink skin, meaty texture, and the full-bodied taste of traditional garden tomatoes. The flavor is balanced and robust, perfect for slicing, canning, or transforming into rich sauces.
Plants mature in just about 69 days—remarkably early for a tomato of this size—and the sturdy, potato-leaf vines are both vigorous and dependable. They thrive in full sun, producing consistently large, high-quality fruits over an extended harvest period. The flesh is dense and juicy, with few seeds and excellent holding quality, making this variety equally suited for fresh eating or preserving.
A true Italian heirloom perfected in America, Mrs. Maxwell’s Big Italian Heirloom Beefsteak Tomato Seeds bring together exceptional flavor, reliable performance, and timeless appeal. Big, beautiful, and bursting with classic tomato goodness, this variety remains a standout choice for anyone seeking the authentic taste of old-world tomatoes.
Days to Maturity: 69 Days
Sow Method: Start Indoors
Sowing Depth: ¼ Inch
Plant Spacing: 24–36 Inches
Sun Exposure: Full Sun
Plant Height: 3–5 Feet
Fruit Weight: 1–2 Pounds
Growth Habit: Indeterminate
Catalog Page: 11
How to start
Start Indoors
Sowing depth
¼ in.
Plant height
6–8 ft.
Botanical name
Solanum lycopersicum
Questions
FAQ
How should I start these seeds?
Recommended sow method: Start Indoors.
How deep should I sow the seeds?
Sow at a depth of ¼ in..
How long until they germinate?
Typical germination: 5–10 days.
How far apart should I space them?
Recommended spacing: 18–36 in..
How much sun do they need?
Recommended sun exposure: Full Sun.
What’s your germination guarantee?
We stand behind the germination quality of our seed. If you have a germination issue, contact our team and we'll help make it right.
Not sure when to plant in your area?
Planting dates depend on your local frost dates and growing zone.
Shop by Zone
Mrs. Maxwell's Big Italian Heirloom Beefsteak Tomato$4.50 · Packet - 15 to 20 Seeds
From the Garden
What Gardeners Are Saying
Customer Reviews
Based on 4 reviews
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P
I am thrilled with the Mrs. Maxwell tomato, probably the best disease free huge prolific tomato I ever planted and I’ve grown plenty. I had one in a five gallon bucket as a backup and it outshined every other tomato, over six feet tall and still growing. I saved the seeds and will plant mostly these next year, so happy I stumbled upon these and everyone who’s tasted them wants more.
J
Started them indoors, Planted late april outdoors in water walls. They started growing immediately and never Quit! By late July they are taller than my wife (5 foot 1 inch) and over 4 feet wide! Lots of blooms early and all year but no tomatoes - 2-4 per giant plant. other varieties are loaded.
A
I haven't had luck with tomatoes in a long time and these were by far the best I have had in a long time!
T
We were a farm family, and both sides of the family gardened and raised and preserved their off-season food. Mom got a tomato from Mrs. Shoup that her family had brought over from Germany, and they called it a big Italian. The flavor was the best we ever ate but the tomato was late and gnarly. We raised our own pork too and were big BLT consumers. Mom wanted a tomato that was large, smooth and early for our BLT's sandwiches. She started collecting seed from the earliest and smoothest and over a number of years, she developed a smooth large tomato that only one slice for a sandwich. I'm 65 years old now and started helping clean seed and save them when I was very young. I know when I went to college, they had been smooth for some time by then and Mom had started her greenhouse business during my Jr High years, and this was her best seller. Mine are smoother than the picture in the one on this website, but I still save seed just as I was taught as a child. My seed patch is more than 1,000 feet from all other tomatoes with buildings and obstructions in between.