Top Ten Heirloom Tomato Plants

Growing tomatoes is the hallmark of summer for me. Although heirloom tomato plants are harder to come by than common varieties like Early Girl, when I find them, I snap them up. Heirloom tomatoes are not necessarily more flavorful, but they are far more interesting and come in a veritable rainbow of colors. Many heirloom tomato plants also produce beautiful fruit with stripes, variegated flesh, or bright streaks throughout. The tomatoes are often oddly shaped and puckered, which lends the fruit a quirkiness that their perfectly round cousins can't begin to match.

Here is my personal list of top ten heirloom tomatoes to try in your home garden this year.

Red Heirloom Tomatoes

"Brandywine" is one of the most popular heirloom tomatoes, because its rich, succulent flavor is hard to beat. An Amish heirloom tomato that was introduced in 1885, Brandywine can weigh up to two pounds. The original pink-red variety has potato-leaved foliage, but there is also a red brandywine heirloom tomato with the traditional tomato plant leaves. Neither will disappoint. Indeterminate; 80 days.

"Champion" is a delectable sandwich tomato that should be in every backyard garden. This outstanding red heirloom tomato plant produces high yields of large fruit that's meaty, solid and sweet-the perfect slicer! Indeterminate; 70 days.

"Goliath" is an aptly named heirloom tomato from the late 1800s, which bears enormous fruit on a very big plant. The dark pink beefsteak tomatoes are tangy and sweet, and often reach a colossal three pounds. Indeterminate; 85 days.

"Earl's Faux" is a vigorous heirloom tomato plant that yields large, deep pink beefsteak tomatoes with a deliciously sweet taste but complex flavor. Earl's Faux has garnered many awards in tomato tasting contests. Indeterminate; 80 days.

Black Heirloom Tomatoes

"Black Plum" produces a large crop of small, teardrop-shaped tomatoes in a deep mahogany color. These bite-sized, fruity morsels are perfect for snacking on right in the garden, or adding to salads. Black Plum is one of the best tasting black heirloom tomatoes, and worth the wait. Indeterminate; 82 days.

"Black Krim" is very richly flavored, sweet and tangy, with just a hint of salt. This prolific producer of dark maroon beefsteak tomatoes is another worthy contender for best taste in the black heirloom tomato plant category. Indeterminate; 75 to 90 days.

Purple Heirloom Tomato

"Cherokee Purple" bears an abundance of medium sized reddish purple fruit that has the prettiest brick red interiors. The taste of this wonderfully prolific (and very popular) heirloom tomato is pleasantly sweet and rich. Indeterminate; 80 days.

Orange Heirloom Tomato

"Sun Gold" is an old-time cherry tomato that's always popular with home gardeners, myself included. Sun Gold bears big clusters of bright orange cherry tomatoes that are sugary sweet and fruity-almost like eating candy! The tomato plants are incredibly vigorous and will produce mountains of cherry tomatoes. I usually have so many of these cherry tomatoes (from one plant), that I sell the extras at my local farmer's market for a tidy profit. Indeterminate; 57 days.

White Heirloom Tomato

"Coyote" bears heaps of cute little cherry tomatoes that are a creamy ivory color with a hint of yellow. The taste is extraordinary-sweet like other cherry tomato varieties, but with a complex fruitiness. Indeterminate; 65 days.

Bi-Color Heirloom Tomato

"Big Rainbow." This meaty beefsteak tomato is not only one of the prettiest and most unique heirloom tomatoes available, it's also sweet and flavorful. Big Rainbow is a golden orange color with artful swirls of red and yellow throughout. Though I can't prove it, I believe no two tomatoes are exactly alike! Indeterminate; 90 days.

No matter which heirloom tomato plants you choose for your home garden, you'll be rewarded with intense, tangy flavor that is unforgettable. And if that doesn't convince you that growing tomatoes is well worth your time and trouble, it's likely nothing ever will!

Source:

Tomato Growers Supply Company