When selecting tomato varieties, you must choose between plants with different types of growth habits called determinate or indeterminate. All tomatoes are either one or the other. Duration and form of growth are the main ways to tell the difference between determinate and indeterminate tomatoes.
Determinate or bush types bear a full crop all at once and top off at a specific height. They are often good choices for container growing. determinate types are preferred by commercial growers who wish to harvest a whole field at one time, or home growers interested in canning. Determinate varieties require little or no staking of the plant.
Indeterminate varieties develop into vines that never top off and continue producing until killed by frost. They are preferred by home growers and local-market farmers who want ripe fruit throughout the season. Many, if not all, heirloom tomatoes are indeterminate.
The term “heirloom” refers to how tomatoes (and plenty of other fruits and vegetables) are bred. Unlike hybrid tomatoes, which come from cross-bred tomato strains, heirloom tomatoes can be traced down a single genetic line. Basically, they’re purebreds. Heirloom tomatoes are prized for their superior taste and texture, and the come in a variety of colors including orange and deep purple. However, that single strain means that heirloom tomatoes have a shorter shelf life and much less resistance to disease than hybrids.
Hybrid tomatoes produce a large crop and are easily harvested, not to mention disease resistance. They are a cross between several cultivars, and you can store them for a long time because they were bred to be that way.
Beefsteak tomatoes are known for their size, getting up to six inches in diameter. In fact, some of them weigh between one and three pounds, making them a very large variety of tomato. They need a long growing season, which means you may not want to plant them if you have short or cool summers, and they are thick and meaty, making them perfect for sandwiches.
Cherry and grape tomatoes are easy to grow and small, which is one of the reasons they are recommended for those who have never before planted tomatoes. They usually get no more than one inch in diameter, and they tend to be very resistant to disease. They can do well even in cases of drought or otherwise poor soil, and they are perfect for people who have cool or very short summers, which means they even do well in containers.
Yellow tomatoes are less acidic than their red counterparts and have a different nutritional value: for example, yellow tomatoes are high in folate, but have less vitamin C than red ones.
Roma tomatoes are thick and have few seeds, but a lot of pectins. They are a sweeter variety than other types of tomato, and they make the perfect tomato sauce or paste. They also have very little moisture in them, enabling you to store them for a very long time and cooking to the perfect consistency when making pastes or sauces. They have firm flesh, a sweet taste, and are perfect for topping pizzas or for making dried tomatoes.
Pear tomatoes are an heirloom variety known for their small, pear-shaped fruit. They’re sweet and typically yellow, but can also be red or orange.
Brandywine tomatoes are a variety of beefsteak tomatoes with large, pink fruit and massive flavor. They’re one of the most beloved heirloom varieties and some of the best-tasting tomatoes around. You’ll want to enjoy these fresh, like in a Caprese salad or classic bruschetta.
Black Krim Tomatoes: This fruit doesn’t always look like a tomato because it is large and reddish-purple in color. It is sweet and very flavorful, and it is a beautiful fruit when you cut it in wedges. An absolute favorite among tomato lovers.
Mortgage Lifter Tomatoes: The distinguishing characteristic of this tomato is its size. It can be up to two pounds in weight and is very large and heavy. Mortgage Lifter tomatoes are heirloom tomatoes that produce a lot of fruit on very strong vines.
Kick off your growing season by planting several different varieties of tomatoes you haven’t tried before, or stand by your personal favorite. Be sure to plant some of the Sweet Million cherry tomatoes, they taste like candy.
Have a fun spring!