Perfect red globes that average 6 - 11 ounces, with thin skin, excellent production that come on fairly early.
Here is what my friend has to say about the 3 plants that he grew at his house:
"I'm stammering about how good this one is. I might even go so far as to say that it is better than Brandywine - and you know I'm a Cowlick's snob. Even getting hammered from my neglect, they still had superb flavor! This could potentially be the best tomato (overall) that I have ever eaten." - KennyJ
Colleen's Glory is a good candidate for growing in a container ( 5 gal +), however, it will need a sturdy cage.
HISTORY: In the spring of 2015, Colleen Hammond came to pick up plants here at the greenhouse. Colleen tells me about a tomato that she has been growing for the past 12 years that she had bought as an 'heirloom' from Park Seed called "Glory". Naturally, I was super intrigued and asked her if I could get some seed thinking that I would grow it out in 2016. Instead, she brought me seed the next day and I thought what the heck, I'd give it a try - I hadn't started seed so late in the season, but thought if I grew them in containers I could always move them into the greenhouse if I needed to at the end of the season. From the onset these plants were unique - compact and sturdy with super thick stems. They set blossoms when the plants were only a foot tall!
After a little digging, I found more information. Colleen was partially correct - Glory is actually an F1 hybrid created from two 'heirloom' varieties (purportedly, and the cross is not public knowledge that I am aware of) by Peto Seeds (now owned by Seminis) in 2003.
- Glory (025239) - Breeder and vendor: Seminis (BEFORE it was purchased by Monsanto) Vegetable Seeds-Seminis Garden. Parentage: F1 hybrid. Characteristics: fresh market tomato, large, indeterminate plant. Resistance: Alternaria stem canker; Fusarium wilt races 1, 2; Verticillium wilt race 1; gray leaf spot. Similar: none. Adaptation: NAFTA. 2003.
Dehybridization is now fairly common practice in the tomato world. Finding a tomato that has been grown from saved seed over the last twelve years - "winner, winner Chicken Dinner"!
It all began in spring 2015 when customer Colleen Hammond came to pick up her plants and mentioned an amazing heirloom tomato called “Glory” that she’d been growing (and saving seed from) for the previous 12 years — originally purchased from Park Seed. I was instantly intrigued and asked if she’d share some seed for the following season. The very next day she showed up with a packet! Although it was far later than I normally start tomatoes, I couldn’t resist — I sowed them immediately and grew the plants in containers so I could move them into the greenhouse if fall arrived early. From the moment they sprouted, these plants were different: incredibly compact, sturdy, with thick central stems, and they set flowers when barely a foot tall!
A bit of research revealed the full story: “Glory” is actually an F1 hybrid released in 2003 by Peto Seeds (later Seminis, before Monsanto’s acquisition). It was bred as a large-fruited fresh-market tomato with an excellent disease package, but the exact parentage has never been made public. Colleen had unknowingly dehybridized it over more than a decade of careful seed-saving, stabilizing what is now essentially an open-pollinated line with all the original hybrid vigor and performance. In the tomato world today, deliberate dehybridization of outstanding F1 varieties has become a respected (and exciting) practice. Having a line that has already proven itself stable for 20+ generations of home seed-saving? That’s a rare and genuine treasure — winner, winner, chicken dinner! We’re proud to keep this very special tomato alive and share it with you.
Sold in a 3.5" pot.
COLLEEN'S GLORY
VARIETY CHARACTERISTICS
GROWTH HABIT: Indeterminate
MATURITY: Mid-season
LEAF TYPE: Regular
FRUIT CLASS: Salad
FRUIT SHAPE: Globe
FRUIT SIZE: Medium
FRUIT COLOR: Red
ORIGIN: Open-pollinated from saved F1 variety

