🍅 Quick take: Marlowe Charleston is an American heirloom indeterminate vine historically linked to West Virginia and popularized by tomato preservationist Chuck Wyatt. Sporting lush potato-leaf foliage, it yields large, meaty pink beefsteaks mid-season with a straightforward, classic old-school tomato flavor. Tested outdoors in a cool Zone 4 climate, it delivered steady, average yields. Full summary ↓
Growers’ Notes and Photos (USDA Zone 4 Experience)
Indeterminate, mid-season slicing variety. Potato leaf foliage. Fruits are large pink beefsteaks with a standard, classic tomato flavor.
Grew this one outdoors in open ground, yield was pretty average overall.
Full Summary: Plant, Yield and Flavor Profile
- 🌿 Plant & Heritage: An American heirloom preserved through the work of heirloom collector Chuck Wyatt and traced to West Virginia. Grows as a vigorous indeterminate vine with broad potato-leaf (PL) foliage.
- 📈 Yield & Fruit Structure: Mid-season maturity producing large, smooth-to-lightly-lobed pink beefsteaks. Delivered moderate, average yields when grown uncovered outdoors in northern open-ground trials.
- 👅 Flavor Profile: Clean, straightforward, old-school tomato flavor without excess sweetness or overpowering acid. Solid everyday slicer for burgers and salads.
- 🌎 Who Reviewed It: ElenaN (Elena) in Kostroma, Russia (USDA Zone 4), testing open-pollinated heirlooms in a demanding northern climate.
🍅 Grown Marlowe Charleston? Share your zone, how it performed in-ground vs greenhouse, and your photos in the comments below!
