Description
Tomato Aunt Ruby’s Green seeds
Solanum lycopersicum
Packet: 30 seeds, 1g
Aunt Ruby’s Green is a well-loved heirloom tomato, originally from Tennessee, USA. Unlike common red tomatoes, this variety ripens to a rich green with a hint of yellow when fully mature. The fruits are large, often weighing 300–500 grams, with a sweet yet tangy flavour. Many growers describe it as one of the best-tasting green tomatoes available.
In different gardening circles, it is called Green Beefsteak Tomato or Heirloom Green Tomato, but its true name honours Ruby Arnold of Greeneville, Tennessee, who first grew it.
Growth Habit
This is an indeterminate variety, which means the vines continue to grow and produce throughout the season. Strong support, such as stakes or cages, is essential, as the large fruits can weigh down the plant.
How to Grow
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Starting indoors: In cooler climates, start seeds indoors 6–8 weeks before the last frost. Use a warm seed-raising mix (18–22 °C). Transplant outdoors once the soil is warm and frost risk has passed.
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Sowing depth: 5–10 mm deep.
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Plant spacing: 50–60 cm between plants.
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Row spacing: 90–100 cm between rows.
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Soil type: Rich, free-draining soil with plenty of compost or aged manure. A pH of 6.0–7.0 is ideal.
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Watering: Water deeply and regularly. Keep soil evenly moist to reduce cracking. Avoid watering leaves to minimise fungal problems. Mulch helps retain moisture and regulate temperature.
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Fertiliser: Use a balanced fertiliser at planting. Switch to a higher potassium and phosphorus level once flowers form to encourage strong fruit set. Avoid too much nitrogen, which encourages leaf growth at the expense of fruit.
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Protection: Provide windbreaks in exposed areas. In very hot regions, light shade cloth during extreme heat helps protect fruit from sunscald.
Companion Planting
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Good companions: Basil, parsley, marigolds, and carrots. These deter pests and improve growth.
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Avoid: Potatoes and fennel, which can increase disease pressure.
Harvest
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Harvest around 85–90 days from transplanting.
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Pick when fruits are green with a golden blush and feel slightly soft to the touch.
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Regular harvesting encourages more fruit production.
Common Problems and Organic Solutions
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Early blight or leaf spot: Rotate crops, prune lower leaves, and water at the soil level. Organic copper sprays may help if the disease appears.
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Powdery mildew: Improve airflow by spacing plants properly. Use a homemade milk spray or sulphur-based organic treatment if needed.
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Aphids and whitefly: Knock them off with a strong spray of water or use neem oil. Encourage beneficial insects such as ladybirds.
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Fruit cracking: Keep watering consistently and mulch well.
Uses in the Kitchen
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Slice fresh for salads and sandwiches
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Adds colour and tang to salsas and bruschetta
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Excellent in fried green tomato recipes
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Juicy and flavourful for sauces and relishes
LIMITED TIME ONLY in September 2025: Lowest & Affordable Shipping Rates
All orders are dispatched from our warehouse in Sydney, NSW, Australia
AUSTRALIA-WIDE SEED DELIVERY
Order dispatch time: 2-4 business days, excluding weekends & public holidays.
Transit time: It depends on the postage service you choose and pay for. Usually, it takes 1-2 business days for express post and 3-8 business days for standard post.
WA order packing & dispatch: Orders are packed once a week on Thursday and handed over to Australia Post on Friday. We don't provide express parcel service for WA orders due to the quarantine inspection process, which delays delivery and defeats the purpose of express shipping.
WA Spring Priority Shipping: Late August 2025 to Mid September 2025
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Note: We're sorry, but we cannot prioritise order packing service for customers who have paid for Express Post. We pack orders with a first-in, first-out policy.
Please see the table below or use the shipping calculators on this website.
Standard Post & Parcel (Australia Post or Courier Services) |
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Delivery Estimates: 3-10 business days* (WA, NT Remote areas may take longer) |
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Order Contents |
Delivery Cost |
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Seed packets only / or any seeds or garden supplies up to 200g |
$3.95 FREE domestic UNTRACKED letter or courier shipping on seed packet-only (less than 1g) orders of Add $4.00 to upgrade your seed delivery in a tracked letter for extra peace of mind. |
| Seed packets & bulk weight-based items, garden tools, tubers, canes, rhizomes & seeds 200g to 400g | $5.95 |
| Seed packets & bulk weight-based items, garden tools, tubers, canes, rhizomes & seeds 401g to 2kg | $8.95 |
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Seed packets & bulk weight-based items, garden tools, seed potatoes, tubers, canes, rhizomes & seeds over 2kg |
$13.95 |
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Orders over $120, regardless of weight or item count. |
FREE FREE FREE FREE FREE |
Express Post & Parcel Service (Australia Post or Courier Service) - WITH TRACKING |
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Delivery Estimates: 1-3 business days* (WA, NT, TAS & Remote areas may take longer) |
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Order Contents |
Delivery Cost |
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Seed packets only |
$16 |
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Seed packets & bulk weight-based seeds up to 500g |
$19 |
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BULK Seeds: 0 – 500g |
$19 |
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BULK Seeds: 501g to 1kg |
$21 |
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BULK Seeds: 1.01kg to 3kg |
$26 |
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BULK Seeds: 3.01kg to 5kg |
$45 |
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BULK Seeds: 5.01kg to 10kg |
$80 |
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BULK Seeds: 10.01kg or 15kg |
$120 |
An additional $3
An additional $3 fee covers Biosecurity Tasmania paperwork—maximum 1kg per seed line item. Biosecurity Tasmania restrictions apply. |
WA order dispatch time:
WA orders are packed once a week on Thursday and shipped out on Friday. To ensure that your orders are processed and shipped out each Friday, please place them before midnight (AEDT, Sydney time) on Wednesday.
WA orders go to the Quarantine WA office at Perth Airport for inspection before being sent to your shipping address by the Quarantine Officers. Your tracking number will be activated once the inspection is complete, which may take up to 10 business days after we have packed and dispatched your order.
The tracking number will remain 'Pending' until Quarantine Officers inspect your shipment at Perth Airport.
Depending on the postal service you pay for the order, it will generally take an additional 1 to 5 business days for your shipment to arrive from Perth Airport to your address within WA. However, please note that delays beyond our control may occasionally occur.
Signature on delivery: An additional $3.95 applies if you require a signature on delivery service. If you haven't requested a signature, the postie or courier driver will check for a safe place or letterbox (if it fits) to leave your item. If a safe place can't be found, they may take it to the Post Office or the nearest collection point for mail order collection.
No Discount on Shipping Charges: Our special discount event means seeds are available at discounted prices. However, postage costs remain the same, i.e. there won't be any discount on the postage costs - so check out our postage rate table to find out exactly how much it will cost before you stock up on your favourites!
You will receive an email notification with a tracking number as soon as your order has been dispatched. We dispatch most orders via Australia Post or Courier Service with tracking for peace of mind. In some instances, small-value orders may be shipped as untracked domestic letters, as using a tracked letter service, which costs at least $5.50, is not considered viable for these orders.
We may use Australia Post Registered Post or Courier (Sign-on delivery), which requires a signature on delivery. You may need to present your ID and be available at your address to collect it.
What if my mail order does not reach me when I select untracked mail?
We understand how important it is for you to receive your order on time. Please keep in mind the following points:
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Dispatch and delivery times are estimates only. We cannot guarantee delivery times, as these may change for reasons beyond our control (such as postal delays or weather events).
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We are not liable for late deliveries. We are unable to provide a refund or replacement if the order arrives after the estimated timeframe.
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Delivery Guarantee. If your order is lost or damaged in transit, we will work with you to reach a fair resolution. Depending on the circumstances, this may include a full refund, an upgrade to a tracked delivery service at a subsidised rate, or a one-time replacement of the order. Please note that if we resend your order, this will be the final replacement, and it will be sent at your own risk. There will be no further refund or replacement.
When is an order considered missing?
To keep things consistent, we use Australia Post’s guidelines to confirm when an order is late or missing. Please check the table below:
| Type of Delivery | Usual Delivery Time | Timeframe Before Order is Counted as Missing | Review Period Prior to Replacement |
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| Economy Delivery | 3–7 business days | 20 business days | 2–3 business days |
| Express Delivery | 1-3 business days | 5 business days beyond Australia Post’s delivery estimate | 2–3 business days |
Express Delivery
It's the fastest possible delivery service within the Australia Post network.
Important:
We will process your order after we have received clear payment in the accounts.
Dispatch and delivery times are estimates only; we cannot guarantee delivery times as these can change for reasons beyond our control.
Postage rates are calculated based on each order. We may combine all items into a single shipment if you have placed multiple orders with the same recipient and address.
INTERNATIONAL DELIVERY
Sorry, we do not ship seeds outside of Australia.
Estimate shipping
Shipping Restrictions
Western Australia Customers: We can ship most seed line items, except Quarantine WA restricted seed lines to WA. To help us ship your order as quickly and efficiently as possible, please do not include any seed items prohibited in WA; they are listed with the label 'NOT to WA'. Due to quarantine restrictions in WA, there is a 10kg seeds limit per variety. WA orders require additional handling time. Please remain within an approved limit when ordering seeds. We review every WA order before dispatch and remove (or reduce) excess seed quantity from your order to comply with WA biosecurity regulations. Please check further information here
Tasmania Customers: We can ship seeds to Tasmania. Please do not include seed line items labeled 'NOT to TAS'. Please note that the maximum allowable limit per permitted seed line item is 1kg per order.