Tomato 'Scorpio'

Scorpio is a tomato with standard-sized, tasty red fruits that was bred in Queensland to tolerate our humid subtropical and tropical growing conditions. Resistant to bacterial and fusarium wilts. Indeterminate variety. 10-12 weeks to harvest. 50 seeds per packet.
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Price Per Packet: $ 2.50

Growing Advice

Scientific Name: Solanum lycopersicum

Common Name: Tomato 'Scorpio'

Family: Solanaceae

Origin:

Scorpio is an Australian open-pollinated tomato variety bred by Alister Inch while working for the Queensland Department of Primary Industries.  You can save the seeds from this tomato variety year after year and they'll grow true to type.

Culinary Uses:

Scorpio is an excellent, versatile red tomato with good flavour and solid flesh.  Use raw in sandwiches and salads or cooked in sauces, stews, curries and casseroles.

Growing Tips:

Scorpio tomato plants will grow best when planted in a location that receives full sun, but they'll also tolerate very light shade albeit with decreased fruit production.   Ensure your garden soil is free draining, grow Scorpio tomatoes in raised beds if your soil is too compacted or heavy with clay.  Scorpio tomatoes can be heavy feeders so be sure to digs lots of organic fertiliser, well-rotted manures, compost and/or worm castings through the soil prior to planting.  Tomato seedlings that have become too leggy can be deep planted up to their first pair of leaves and they'll form roots all the way along the buried portion of their stems.  Fertilse tomato plants monthly with an organic liquid fertiliser, worm juice or pelleted fertiliser.  Scorpio is an indeterminate variety of tomato, meaning it'll grow as a vine and will need to be grown in a wire cage or in a 3-stake tee-pee to support the weight of the vine and fruits.  Fruits that are in contact with the ground will rot.  Avoid watering the leaves to reduce fungal issues, trim lower leaves off your tomato vines to reduce splash-back from the ground.  Scorpio tomatoes are resistant to bacterial and fusarium wilts which can plague other tomatoes in warmer climates.  Hand pollination may be required if fruit set is poor.  An electric toothbrush can help mimic the vibrations our native bees such as the blue banded bee make when pollinating tomato flowers, it's these vibrations that causes the male anthers to release their pollen.  Blue Banded Bees are particularly found of Salvia flowers and you can plant a few Salvia plants near your vegetable patch to help attract them to your garden.  Water Scorpio tomato plants regularly and mulch around plants well to retain moisture, keep their root systems cool and reduce competition from weeds.

When To Sow:

Sow Scorpio tomato seeds from September to November in temperate regions of Australia.  In subtropical regions of Australia sow Scorpio tomato seeds from March to September, unless your area receives Winter frosts in which cause sow as soon as any chance of frost has past.  In tropical regions of Australia sow Scorpio tomato seeds from May to July.

How To Sow:

Sow Scorpio tomato seeds 6mm deep, spacing or thinning plants to about 60cm apart to give them plenty of room to grow.

Germination Time:

Scorpio tomato seeds take between 7 and 13 days to germinate once sown.

Time To Harvest:

Scorpio tomato plants take between 10 and 12 weeks to produce fruits.