Tomato ‘Nonna’s Pear’ Seeds

Tomato ‘Nonna’s Pear’ (Solanum lycopersicum). Passed down through generations of home gardeners, this prized heirloom variety is famous for its distinctive, heavily ribbed, teardrop-to-pear-shaped fruits that grow to an impressive 250–400g.

Unlike standard commercial paste tomatoes, 'Nonna’s Pear' boasts dense, exceptionally meaty flesh with minimal seed cavity space and low water content. When combined with its rich, low-acid, sweet tomato flavor, it creates exceptionally thick, rich marinara, passata, and slow-simmered preserves without long reduction times. Highly productive throughout the warm months, these vibrant red, deeply lobed tomatoes are as striking on the vine as they are delicious sliced fresh with sea salt, olive oil, and fresh basil.

Features

• Authentic Heritage Variety: A cherished heirloom prized for traditional sauce-making and home canning.

• Massive & Meaty Fruits: Generous 250–400g pear-shaped tomatoes with thick, solid interior walls and few seeds.

• Rich, Low-Acid Flavor: Sweet, full-bodied taste that shines in fresh salads, caprese, and thick pasta sauces.

• Prolific Season-Long Yields: Vining growth produces heavy, continuous clusters right through to autumn.

• Sauce-Maker’s Dream: Low water content means faster reduction times for thick, velvety passata and pastes.

Growing Information (Australia):

• Scientific Name: Solanum lycopersicum 'Nonna’s Pear'

• Plant Type: Warm-season Annual

• Growth Habit: Indeterminate (Vining—requires a robust stake, cage, or trellis to support heavy, giant fruit clusters)

• Sowing Season:

  • Temperate/Cool (e.g., Victoria, Tasmania): Early Spring to Early Summer (raise seedlings indoors 6–8 weeks before the last expected frost).

  • Subtropical: Late Winter through Autumn.

  • Tropical: Autumn to Early Mid-Winter.

• Sun Position: Full Sun (requires 6–8 hours of direct sunlight daily).

• Sowing Depth: 5mm–6mm deep.

• Plant Spacing: 50cm–60cm apart between plants.

• Plant Height: 180cm–220cm+ tall.

• Germination Temp: 20°C–28°C.

• Germination Time: 7–14 days.

• Seed to Bloom/Harvest Time: 75–85 days from transplanting.

• 20 seeds per pack 

Gardener’s Tip: Start seeds early on a heat mat for strong spring growth. Transplant seedlings deep into rich, compost-heavy soil after frost risk has passed, burying the stem up to the first true leaves to foster extra root formation. Prune side suckers regularly to maintain air circulation and direct plant energy into massive, well-shaped fruits.