Cold hardiness & minimum temperature

Is Paul Robeson Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum 'Paul Robeson')cold hardy? Hardiness zone & min temp

Also called Paul Robeson tomato, black heirloom tomato.

More about paul robeson tomato

About Paul Robeson Tomato

Solanum lycopersicum 'Paul Robeson' · also called Paul Robeson tomato, black heirloom tomato · edible

'Paul Robeson' is a celebrated Russian heirloom 'black' tomato bearing dusky brick-red fruit with smoky, rich, sweet-tart flavour. An indeterminate beefsteak type, it needs full sun, staking and a warm season. ASPCA lists the tomato plant as toxic to pets, though the ripe fruit itself is non-toxic and famously flavourful.

Cold limit: USDA Grown as a warm-season annual; 2-11 (frost-tender, planted out after last frost) · RHS H2 (18-29°C)

What paul robeson tomato's hardiness rating actually means

Paul Robeson Tomato is half-hardy (RHS H2). It survives a mild winter outdoors in a sheltered spot, but a hard frost kills it — so in colder zones it is lifted, potted, or grown as a tender plant. Its RHS rating of H2 means: Tender — survives a frost-free greenhouse or a very mild, sheltered spot. On the US scale that maps to USDA Grown as a warm-season annual; 2-11 (frost-tender, planted out after last frost) — the zones where it can be left outdoors year-round.

New to these scales? The USDA hardiness zone map explained covers how the zone numbers work, and you can find your own zone with the zone finder.

Minimum temperature — and what happens below it

Minimum survivable temperature is roughly about 1 to 5 °C — tolerates cold but no real frost. Paul Robeson Tomato shrugs off cold nights but a real, sustained freeze will kill it.

Concretely, for paul robeson tomato as it gets too cold:

Down to roughly about 1 to 5 °C it copes, especially if dry and sheltered.
A sustained hard frost collapses the top growth; whether it returns depends on whether the roots, crown or tubers froze.
Wet cold is far more lethal than dry cold for this plant — soggy, frozen soil is the usual killer.

Can paul robeson tomato go outside or overwinter — and where?

It can live outside year-round only in the mildest, most sheltered part of USDA Grown as a warm-season annual; 2-11 (frost-tender, planted out after last frost) or a frost-free UK microclimate.
In colder zones, grow it in a pot you can move under cover, or lift its tubers/roots and store them frost-free over winter.
A south-facing wall, free-draining soil and a dry winter position can push it a full zone hardier than the books suggest.

Work back from your local frost dates with the frost-date calculator: the last spring frost and first autumn frost are what really decide when paul robeson tomato can be outside. US growers can check USDA zones; UK growers should use the RHS hardiness ratings, which match the H2 figure above.

Frost protection for borderline paul robeson tomato

Paul Robeson Tomato is right on a hardiness edge in many gardens, so if you are pushing it, these measures buy it the margin it needs:

Mulch the crown or root zone deeply with bark, straw or leaf-mould before the first hard frost.
Move container plants against a warm wall or into an unheated but frost-free porch or greenhouse.
Fleece the top growth on the coldest nights, and keep it on the dry side — dry roots survive cold far better than wet ones.
Lift dahlia-type tubers or tender crowns after the first light frost blackens the foliage and store them somewhere cool but frost-free.

Paul Robeson Tomato hardiness — frequently asked questions

Is paul robeson tomato cold hardy?

Paul Robeson Tomato is half-hardy (RHS H2). It survives a mild winter outdoors in a sheltered spot, but a hard frost kills it — so in colder zones it is lifted, potted, or grown as a tender plant. Borderline outdoors. In its mild end of USDA Grown as a warm-season annual; 2-11 (frost-tender, planted out after last frost) (and sheltered UK gardens) paul robeson tomato can stay out; in colder areas it must be lifted, brought in, or treated as a frost-tender plant.

What is the minimum temperature paul robeson tomato can survive?

Minimum survivable temperature is roughly about 1 to 5 °C — tolerates cold but no real frost. Paul Robeson Tomato shrugs off cold nights but a real, sustained freeze will kill it.

What hardiness zone is paul robeson tomato?

Paul Robeson Tomato is rated USDA Grown as a warm-season annual; 2-11 (frost-tender, planted out after last frost) and RHS H2 — Tender — survives a frost-free greenhouse or a very mild, sheltered spot.

Can paul robeson tomato survive winter outside?

It can live outside year-round only in the mildest, most sheltered part of USDA Grown as a warm-season annual; 2-11 (frost-tender, planted out after last frost) or a frost-free UK microclimate. In colder zones, grow it in a pot you can move under cover, or lift its tubers/roots and store them frost-free over winter. A south-facing wall, free-draining soil and a dry winter position can push it a full zone hardier than the books suggest.

How do I protect paul robeson tomato from frost?

Mulch the crown or root zone deeply with bark, straw or leaf-mould before the first hard frost. Move container plants against a warm wall or into an unheated but frost-free porch or greenhouse. Fleece the top growth on the coldest nights, and keep it on the dry side — dry roots survive cold far better than wet ones. Lift dahlia-type tubers or tender crowns after the first light frost blackens the foliage and store them somewhere cool but frost-free.