We at True Leaf Market have over 200 tomato seed varieties to choose from. How will you know which tomatoes are right for you? Here are a few tips.
First of all, how much gardening space do you have for your tomato plant? Are you limited on space and need to grow your tomato in a container on the porch? Are you trying to plant multiple crops and don’t want your garden space filled with tomato vines? Or, do you have lots of room and gardening space isn’t an issue?
There are two kinds of tomato varieties: determinate, which is bushy, more compact, and needs little staking (good for containers); or indeterminate, which has a vine habit, needs staking or caging, and more room to grow. Knowing whether the tomato is determinate or indeterminate can help you know how much space you’ll need for it to thrive.
Some tomatoes good for small spaces or containers include Czech Bush, Patio Hybrid, or Tiny Tim.
Do you live in an area that has a short growing season? Have a vacation planned at the end of the summer where you will be away from your garden for an extended period of time? Or do you have other limitations where you need to harvest your tomatoes early to focus on your other crops later in the season?
Determinate tomatoes ripen all right around the same time. Indeterminate tomatoes ripen throughout the growing season. If you know you will be out of town later in the season, maybe a determinate variety isn’t right for you (or you could miss the harvest!).
If you live in a higher elevation or somewhere with a shorter growing season, consider getting an early or quick-to-mature variety. Some early varieties of tomatoes are Quedlinburger Furhe Libe, Stupice, Early Girl Hybrid, or Early Boy Bush F1.
Do you want to fill your canning jars all at once with tomatoes this year? Or, do you want to be able to harvest juicy ripe tomatoes fresh from the garden for use on sandwiches throughout the summer? If your kids want to be able to go out to the garden with their friends and pick a yummy tomato snack whenever they want, plan on using indeterminate varieties.
Some high-yielding tomatoes that are good for canning include Roma VF, Amish Paste, or San Marzano. Good sandwich slicing tomatoes that ripen throughout the season are Mortgage Lifter, Brandywine Pink, or Burpee Big Boy Hybrid. Some good snacking tomatoes are Yellow Pear, Fox Cherry, or Sungold.
You can choose a tomato variety based on color, shape, size, or even taste. Some lesser-known, but fun tomatoes to consider are Green Zebra, Heirloom Rainbow Blend, Chocolate Cherry, or Chef's Choice White F1.
We hope you’ll enjoy checking out all the varieties of tomatoes we have to offer. We’re sure you’ll find a variety or two (or three) that are just right for you!
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